Game of Thrones was renowned for its ability to balance a huge cast of characters, each with their own complicated plot lines, perfectly together. However, sometimes characters must be trimmed out of adaptions in order to make the adaption easier to follow. What may translate well on the page, or be given enough time to explore in a book, may not be possible on screen. As a consequence, many characters from the books are removed and have their arcs given to other characters, while other characters and their arcs are removed altogether.
This article will examine 10 characters from the books who should have been in the show, but weren’t.
10 Quentyn Martell
It is no secret that House Martell was not given the respect it deserved in the Game of Thrones TV series. In the show, Oberyn is killed, and this causes his paramour to go on a revenge mission against the Lannisters. However in the books, House Martell has a far greater influence on the plot.
One of the most prominent examples of House Martell’s scheming was the Quentyn Martell plot. In the books, Quentyn Martell, son of Doran Martell, is sent to Essos in order to marry Daenerys. However, the dashing prince reaches a fiery end that will surely influence how House Martell welcomes Dany in the future.
9 Marwyn the Mage
While Marwyn hasn’t really had a huge impact on the books, he is certainly an interesting character that would also translate well to the screen. Marwyn, an archmaester at the citadel, who specialized in magic. Due to his specialization, Marwyn has traveled across Westeros and beyond in search of magical knowledge.
The Maester has visited the terrifying and mysterious Asshai by the Shadow, and has even met Mirri Maz Duur (he taught her human anatomy and the common tongue). While this character may not be hugely important to the story, his connection to the wider lore of A Song of Ice and Fire would be fascinating.
8 Young Griff
As in the case of Quentyn Martell, Young Griff’s exclusion from the Game of Thrones TV show signals an exclusion of an entire plot line that, again, influences Daenerys.
In the books, Young Griff is a character that Tyrion encounters on his way to meet Daenerys. It is later revealed that Young Griff is, apparently, Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar Targaryen and rightful King of Westeros. If this is true, and many fans are doubtful of this, then Daenerys will not be happy to hear that her claim has been trumped by Young Griff.
7 Lady Stoneheart
Lady Stoneheart deserved a role in Game of Thrones. For those who are unaware, after Catelyn Stark was murdered at the Red Wedding, her body was thrown in the nearby Green Fork river. After three days, Nymeria, Arya’s Direwolf, drags the body out of the water, only to flee after hearing people approaching. Lord Beric Dondarrion revives Catelyn by exchanging his life for hers, though she is no longer Catelyn Stark.
Lady Stoneheart has a deep gash across her throat from the Red Wedding that she must hold together in order to speak. She is hell-bent on vengeance against the Freys and Lannisterss, hanging any that she finds. Stoneheart is a very important character in the books and she really should have been included in the show.
6 Jon Connington
Jon Connington is another character from the Young Griff plotline. Connington serves as Young Griff’s protector and was formerly the Hand of the King to Aerys II during Robert’s Rebellion.
Perhaps Jon’s most interesting plot line in the books was given to Jorah Mormont on the show. While traveling along the Rhoyne River with Tyrion, the stone men attack their ship. Connington saves Tyrion after he falls in the river, but contracts greyscale as a result.
5 Howland Reed
This may be considered cheating, but he still deserves to be on this list. While Howland Reed did appear on the show in flashback, it was hardly enough for the character. Howland Reed, the father of Jojen and Meera Reed and Lord of Greywater Watch, was the only survivor of Ned Stark’s trip to the Tower of Joy.
For many fans, this means he is the only man who can actually confirm that Jon is the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. While this is interesting in and of itself, Howland Reed is also one of the few characters to have been allowed to visit the Isle of Faces. This character could really have a huge impact on the book series and it is a shame he wasn’t in the show.
4 Victarion Greyjoy
Victarion Greyjoy represents another discarded plotline from the books. Victarion is the brother of Euron and is, according to George RR Martin, ‘dumb as a stump’. It is, perhaps, because of this that many believe Victarion will meet his end in one of Euron’s schemes.
Euron sends Victarion to Meereen in order to ask Daenerys to marry Euron. While this may appear to be a fairly dull storyline, there is also the matter of the Dragonbinder horn. Euron gave Victarion the horn so that he may blow it and take command of Dany’s dragons. However, Victarion seems unaware that the inscription on the horn reveals that no one who blows the horn will live. Many fans believe that if Victarion blows the horn, this will give Euron control of Dany’s dragons, as the dragons will obey the horn’s master.
3 Jeyne Pool
In the Game of Thrones TV show, Sansa Stark is married to the cruel and masochistic Ramsay Bolton. However, in the books, this plot is entirely different. For one, Sansa Stark is still in the Vale in the books, hiding from the aftermath of Joffrey’s wedding.
Instead, in the books, Ramsay marries a fake Arya Stark so that he may have control over the North. This fake Arya Stark is Jeyne Poole, a girl who was close to the Stark girls earlier in the series. While Jeyne Poole may have appeared in series 1, she was not named and seemed to be more of an extra than a character, justifying her place on this list.
2 Patchface
Patchface is a jester at Dragonstone during Stannis’ rule over the island. His name, Patchface, comes from the distinctive tattoos he has over his face, a mark of his status in Volantis. We hear in a letter to Maester Cressen that Patchface was a bright young boy with a sharp wit. However, while traveling across the sea with Steffon Baratheon, their ship capsizes and Patchface is changed forever.
Patchface’s body washed up on shore after three days and the man who found him swore he was dead. He now spoke in creepy rhymes about what lives ‘under the sea’ and riddles that predict the future, such as this one foreseeing the Red Wedding. ‘Fool’s blood. King’s blood, blood on the maiden’s thigh, but chains for the guests and chains for the bridegroom, aye, aye, aye’. Fisherfolk believe that Patchface ‘gave his seed to a mermaid in exchange for his life’ and Melisandre sees him as dangerous. There is something clearly wrong with Patchface, even more so considering his close relationship with princess Shireen.
1 Penny
Penny is a character that Tyrion meets on his travels to meet Daenerys. Penny is a dwarf woman who used to perform with her brother, Oppo, and the pair performed at Joffrey Baratheon’s wedding to Margaery Tyrell. However, Oppo was later killed in Volantis after Westerosi sailors believe him to be Tyrion Lannister.
Penny ought to have been included, not only because she is an interesting character, but also because of her relationship with Tyrion.
