7 important Game Of Thrones characters from the books that are missing in the show

Every time a good book is adapted for the screen, the readers and the watchers get into passionate discussions about which is better. The characters from the books are compared against the characters on the screen and the casting is a topic of endless discussions. When it comes to Game of Thrones that is based on the series A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin, things are no different.

The producers of the show have done a fantastic job and the series is commendably well-made. But hardcore book fans, even though most of them enjoy binge-watching the series, miss some important Game of Thrones characters from the books that were completely omitted from the series. In the spirit of the 7, here are the top 7 characters from the books that we wish we could have seen on the screen.

Arianne Martell

Book fans have been very vocal about the silly arc that Dorne has been given in the series. Oberyn Martell was the only Dornishman everybody liked, but we know how that one ended. Not pretty! The whole idea of ‘sand snakes’ was good in concept, but the execution left much to be desired. Doran and Trystane get killed without much event. And we are left wondering, What just happened here?

The books have a much stronger storyline with Princess Arianne Martell, Doran’s first-born and heir. She is fierce, clever, stubborn, and unafraid. The bickering sand snakes can never come close to the regal way in which Arianne exudes her strength. She was once promised to Prince Viserys (yes, the fake dragon). And through Arianne, we also get a glimpse of Dorne’s non-patriarchal laws where a daughter can ascend to her father’s throne. The way she carefully plans Myrcella’s ascent to the Iron Throne after Joffrey’s death would have been a treat to watch on the show. But one can only wish.

Lady Stoneheart

Catelyn Stark was a much-loved character in the books as well as on the show. And her sudden murder at the infamous Red Wedding was shocking, to say the least. While viewers who had read the books kept waiting for Catelyn to be resurrected as Lady Stoneheart, many were disappointed when it became clear that this character would not be a part of the show.

In the books, Lady Stark who is murdered by the Freys and thrown into the river as a mockery of the River Lords’ funeral rites, is found by Beric Dondarion and his outlaws. Beric (he who never dies) apparently gives her already decomposing body a new lease of life by sacrificing his own. After she comes back from the dead as Lady Stoneheart, she takes revenge on everybody who she thinks wronged her family. While Catelyn was a beautiful woman, Lady Stoneheart is terrible to behold. With curdled skin, unhealed wounds and brittle white hair, she moves around cloaked and hooded.

Young Griff

Now, this is one character from the books that added a massive twist to the plot in the books. In the books, Rhaegar’s trueborn son with Elia is alive and is in Essos under a pseudonym Young Griff. He has dyed his trademark Targaryen silver hair blue to stay hidden. His real name is, of course, Aegon. Apparently, the ‘prince’ was replaced by a common child and that was whom The Mountain killed while the real Aegon was smuggled out of King’s Landing.

While some (no doubt Jon Snow supporters) believe that this Aegon is just an imposter, only GRRM knows what would happen to him. Also, he is the heir to the Iron Throne, being the first-born son of Rhaegar. And for those who were disturbed by the Jon-Dany love angle in the show (She’s his aunt!), get this! Young Griff is on a mission to go and meet his aunt Daenerys to ask her hand in marriage so that both of them can sit on the throne! Shocked? Well, what can we say, they are Targaryens after all! Also, it would have been fun to see Aegon (Young Griff) and Aegon (Jon Snow) fighting for Aunt Dany’s love.

Victarion Greyjoy

We all know Theon’s uncle Euron Greyjoy who murders King Balon and is known for his almost crazed cruelty. And we also had a glimpse of Theon’s other uncle Aeron Damphair in the series. But, in the books, Theon has one more uncle – Victarion. After Balon Geryjoy’s death, Victarion tries to claim the Seastone chair but loses to brother Euron.

And interestingly, it’s not just the Seastone chair for which the two brothers compete. While in the series, Euron will kill for marrying Cersei, in the books, it’s Daenerys he wants. And so does his brother Victarion. While it needs to be seen what fate these two brothers meet, Victarion, a strong man and in GRRM’s words, “a dullard and a brute”, has a very interesting character progression that we all missed in the show.

Quentyn Martell

This is one more character from the books that is so important in the scheme of things! Quentyn is Doran Martell’s son and Arianne’s younger brother. The Prince of Dorne has an important mission to fulfill. A stocky man, strong, but not handsome, Quentyn has an interesting character. In the books, we see him stealthily moving from Westeros to Essos to seek out Daenerys Targaryen on the orders of his father.

And in case you are wondering why he is traveling across continents to meet Dany, well it’s only because he, too, wants to marry her (Get in line, Quentyn. There are others, too!) Well, the Targaryens and the Martells go back a long way. And both Houses have one common enemy – the Lannisters. So, the two Houses joining by marriage again and taking vengeance from the Lannisters makes perfect sense.

Edric Storm

On the show, when Joffrey sends the City Watch to get rid of all of Robert’s natural born children, only Gendry survives, thanks to Yoren. But, in the books, there’s one more blue-eyed, black-haired child – Edric Storm. So, Robert’s drinking and womanizing got the better of him on Stannis’s wedding night. He met a distant cousin of Stannis’s wife Selyse and well, long story short, Edric Storm was born. He was raised in Stannis’s care along with cousin Shireen.

A bright boy, he meets a similar fate as Gendry in the show. The Red Priestess, Mellisaandre, leeches him to get the ‘King’s blood’, and prepares to give him to the Lord of Light. But, in the nick of time, everybody’s favourite Onion Knight aka Ser Davos saves the day. He sends Edric away and faces Stannis’ wrath.

Jon Connington

Jon Connington is a very important character in the books, though he had no place in the show. Connington, who identifies himself as Griff is the one who also poses as Young Griff’s father while they are in hiding. He is actually an exiled Lord, banished by the Mad King Aerys for losing a battle against Ned Stark and Hoster Tully. And if the theory of Rhaegar and Elia’s son Aegon being smuggled out of the Red Keep is to be believed, it was Connington who helped make it possible. He is a seasoned battle commander and under his able guidance, Prince Aegon is raised as Young Griff.

Connington was a very close and devoted friend to Rhaegar Targaryen and refers to Rhaegar as his ‘silver prince’. His mission is to help Young Griff (Prince Aegon) retake the Iron Throne. He recruits men and tries to build an army for Ageon to help him get what is his by birthright. Since the ‘Young Griff’ angle was completely removed from the show, Jon Connington had to be given a pass too.

As Game of Thrones will come to an end on May 19th this year, we will find out how the show ends. But the book fans have a long way ahead to know what happens next. GRRM seems to have written himself into a corner and there is no indication when his next book Winds of Winter will be out. Though Martin has confirmed he is working on the book, we can’t keep calm while we wait for this book which has been overdue for years!

Until that happens, let’s just wait for Game Of Thrones season 8. The wait is shorter, after all.

 

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