Ah, Game of Thrones. Few shows have tanked their good graces quite as spectacularly. It’s honestly a bit sad since the first six seasons– which do still hold up quite well– are getting lumped in with seasons 7 and 8. That said, it’s not like Game of Thrones was perfect until it suddenly wasn’t. It’s always had issues as an adaptation, most notably when it came to cutting characters.
It’s hard to believe this actually ended up becoming the show’s biggest problem. In cutting certain characters, plots were no longer able to move naturally. Character arcs were stifled, and themes ended up left on the cutting room floor. Game of Thrones could have been so much more than it ultimately was.
Here are 10 characters from the books who could have helped
10 Lady Stoneheart
Death isn’t the end for Catelyn in the books. Following the Red Wedding, Beric Dondarrion gives his life to resurrect the fallen Tully. Unfortunately, the cause of her death (and having been dead) completely warped her. When she revives, she goes under the moniker of Lady Stoneheart, a vengeful zombie who wants nothing more than to kill Freys and Jaime Lannister.
Likely to keep the show more grounded, while also preserving the impact of the Red Wedding, Game of Thrones cuts this revival.
9 Strong Belwas
One of Daenerys’ most colorful companions in the books, Strong Belwas is always a reliable source of humor or lightheartedness. He’s a larger than life character in a very literal sense. Even poison can’t put him down. He’s one of the best parts of Daenerys’ arc in the books, and his lack of presence in the show can very much be felt.
Without Strong Belwas, Daenerys’ supporting cast comes off very light. Jorah and Barristan aren’t distinct enough in the show (whereas they are in the books,) Grey Worm and Missandei are both flatter in the show, and Tyrion is a mess by the time he gets to Daenerys in season 5. Strong Belwas could’ve been the nice thick bow that wrapped everyone together.
8 Reek (“Heke”)
Fans of the show will recognize the name Reek, as this is what Ramsey Bolton names Theon Greyjoy after psychologically destroying him and turning him into a beaten manservant.
In the books, however, there was another Reek, who was also a stinking servant to Ramsey. The two were originally inseparable, and it was Reek who went on ‘hunts’ with Ramsey (as seen in the show), where he would hunt and murder women. However, on one of these hunts, the two were attacked, and Reek was killed. Ramsey ended up posing as his own servant in order to survive, and first met Theon in this disguise.
This comes into the show as well, even if the original Reek of the books doesn’t – as Ramsey initially poses as a servant trying to help Theon, before revealing that it is all part of his extended torture.
7 Patchface
It’s downright criminal that Game of Thrones neglected to adapt Pathface. Yes, he’s a colorful and outlandish character, but Westeros – contrary to what the show would lead you to believe – is a colorful and outlandish world. Drowned to the point of simplicity (or perhaps divinity,) Patchface spends most of his time ominously singing throughout the halls of Dragonstone.
He’s the princess Shireen’s closest companion and genuinely one of the most unsettling presences in the series. Every line of dialogue that comes out of his mouth is jarringly dense, potentially serving as clues as to where the story is going. He would have made for a very memorable presence on GoT.
6 Vargo Hoat
In the show, Vargo Hoat’s role is filled by the Game of Thrones exclusive character, Locke. He’s a fairly typical bad guy, but he gets the job done, is well-acted, and manages to accomplish everything Vargo Hoat did (and more!) But he’s not that interesting and he’s incredibly bland in the grand scheme of things.
It seems the main reason Vargo was replaced by Locke came down to his incredibly heavy lisp. This works in a book where the reader can imagine how Vargo would sound but would be difficult to translate to the screen.
5 Garlan & Willas Tyrell
For the sake of simplification, the show chooses to condense quite a few families down. In the books, Loras is just one Tyrell boy among a few, most notably his brothers Willas and Garlan. While they likely won’t become endgame characters, both add an important layer to keep the Tyrells competent in the books.
Unfortunately, due to Loras’ poor adaptation, Margaery is left as the only major Tyrell player in the books, aside from Olenna, of course. Without Garlan or Willas, the Tyrell family’s reach just comes off smaller. The books at least give the impression that he Tyrells can very easily play a major role in the finale, even if Garlan and Willas aren’t necessarily the major players.
4 Jon Connington
Introduced in A Dance with Dragons but referenced throughout most of the series in passing, Jon Connington served as one of the many new point of view characters introduced in the post-Storm of Swords series. He offers a unique perspective, having been in love with Rhaegar, along with knowing him rather personally.
He notably has Greyscale in the books, a plot taken by Jorah, and he serves as the advisor for Aegon Targaryen, a potential Blackfyre who’s likely going to get to Westeros before Daenerys does.
3 Aegon Targaryen
It’s hard to believe that Aegon’s omission from the show could end up having such damning consequences on the final two seasons’ overall quality. Although he hasn’t amounted to much in the books yet, Young Griff is being set up as a major player. Sample chapters for The Winds of Winter already have him successfully laying siege to Daenerys, essentially building himself up to occupy the role Cersei would have in the show.
2 Tysha
Funny enough, Game of Thrones actually made an active effort at referencing Tysha for years. Fans always point out the season 1 conversation that’s explicitly about her, but she’s referenced once again in season 2, and then twice in season 3. Before Dan and David met to discuss the course of the rest of the series with George before season 4, Tysha was still being set for adaptation.
And then they just cut her out completely, as if she never existed. All the build-up towards Jaime revealing that Tysha did love Tyrion is thrown out the window. Instead, season 4 twists everything surrounding Tysha into a sappy, overly emotional fever dream where Tyrion murders Shae, leaves on good terms with his brother and gets some comfortable catharsis from killing his father. Not quite the same as in the books.
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