Differences in adaptation/Game of Thrones: Season 1

The following is a list of differences between Game of Thrones: Season 1 and A Game of Thrones, the book from which it is adapted.

Differences by episode

"Winter Is Coming"

• The TV series starts with three rangers of the Night's Watch going beyond the Wall. In the book, they have already been ranging for days.
• In the book, the White Walker's attack happens after several days of riding North of the Wall, but in the TV series, it happens in a forest close to the Wall on the same day the rangers leave Castle Black.
• The White Walkers are mostly called Others in the books, especially by the people of the Seven Kingdoms. It is the wildlings and Old Nan that refer to them as 'White Walkers'.
• In the TV series, Will discovers the wildlings massacred and their bodies brutalized. In the book, he says they appeared to be sleeping and likely froze to death.
• There is no mentioning in the book that the wildlings' corpses have been arranged in any pattern.
• The White Walkers are of different appearance in the TV series. In the book, they have white skin and reflective light armor. In the TV series, they have frozen grey skin, dark hair, and a brutal face similar to a skull and the armor they wear in later seasons is black and non reflective.
• In the TV series, Gared and Waymar Royce face the White Walkers' first attack, while Will is exploring the area. In the book, Gared is left a short distance away to protect the horses, Will is climbing a tree to get a visual on the wildlings, while Waymar Royce was left beneath the tree to face the White walkers alone.
• In the book, a group (at least five) of "the Others" (White Walkers) approach Waymar Royce, who has a duel with one of them before finally being killed by the group. In the TV series, not more than two White Walkers appear, and Waymar is killed in a surprise attack by one.
• The wight girl, who frightens Will in the series, is never mentioned in the book.
• In the book, Waymar Royce is transformed into a wight.
• In the TV series, Gared is the second one to be killed by the White Walkers and Will escapes. In the books, Will is strangled by the wight of Waymar Royce and Gared escapes, but is later executed by Eddard Stark for desertion. There is a key difference in the fact that in the TV series the death is a beheading at the hands of a White Walker as opposed to being killed by a wight.
• In the book, the deserter's words are not mentioned.
• In the book, Ned does not discuss with Bran what the deserter said, but only the aspect of the execution. Later, Ned tells Catelyn that the deserter was half-mad, something had put a fear in him so deep that Ned's words could not reach him.
• In the book, Eddard explains to Bran why the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword: "If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die... A ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is."
• The Winterfell soldiers' capture of Will is not described in the book.
• There are several additional scenes in the TV series, taking place in Winterfell, which introduce the Stark family. Bran is shown practicing archery, while his father is watching him. The scene with needlework, which involves Sansa and Arya, is moved to the beginning of the series, before King Robert arrives. In the book, the scenes in Winterfell begin with the deserter's execution.
• Arya is shown to be an accurate archer, while in the books, she doesn't know how to fire a bow and wishes she could learn. She has not shot a single arrow in any of the books.
• In the books, Theon kicks the severed head of the executed deserter and laughs. This action disgusts Jon Snow, who dislikes Theon and vice versa. In the TV series, Theon does not kick the severed head of the executed deserter and he is shown to be on good terms with Jon before they part ways.
• In the books, between the execution of the deserter and the discovery of the direwolf pups, Robb and Jon have a riding race; this is omitted in the TV series.
• Events of the TV series are seventeen years after Robert's Rebellion. The books begin fourteen years after, thus the Stark children are each about three years older than their ages in the books: Robb and Jon are 17 instead of 14 (turning 15), Bran is 10 instead of 7, and Rickon's age is increased from 3 to 6.
• The Stark girls' birth years are altered: Sansa is 13 instead of 11 (turning 12) and Arya is 11 instead of 9.
• Likewise, the Royal children are older: Joffrey is 16 instead of 12, Myrcella is 11 instead of 8, and Tommen is 10 instead of 7.
• Daenerys is 16 instead of 13 (turning 14).
• In the book, snow covers the grounds around Winterfell. In the TV series, there is no snow.
• In the book, the Starks do not find a stag, nor any other animal except the direwolf and its puppies. It is unknown which animal gored the direwolf with the broken antler which was buried in its body.
• In the book, the direwolf pups were also found in waist-deep snow.
• The scene in King's Landing, introducing Cersei Lannister and her brother Jaime is not in the books. It also shows the corpse of Jon Arryn.
  • In the book, the conversation between Jaime and Cersei about Jon Arryn's death and their secrets occurs when Bran discovers them having sex at Winterfell.
• There is no mention in the novels that Jaime ever jumped off the cliffs of Casterly Rock.
• In the book, Daenerys is introduced after Ned gets the news about Jon Arryn's death. In the TV series, she appears after the scene at Lyanna Stark's tomb.
• Targaryens have violet eyes in the books, but this trait was dropped from the series. The showrunners have said that they did use purple contacts early in filming, but this interfered with the actor's performance as emotion is conveyed through the eyes.
• Illyrio Mopatis's appearance is different to his description in the books: in the series, Illyrio is overweight and has dark brown hair flecked with grey with a forked beard. In the books, Illyrio is morbidly obese with gold, oiled hair and a forked yellow beard.
• Khal Drogo's appearance is slightly different to his description in the books: in the books, he has long mustachios with rings in them and many bells in his long braid. In the series, he has a beard with a single ring in it and does not have bells in his hair.
• In the book, Daenerys, Viserys and Illyrio go to Drogo's manse in Pentos and attend a party there to celebrate Drogo and Daenerys's engagement. Many people appear in this party, including guests from other Free Cities; several other khals; also, this party is where Jorah Mormont is first seen. In the series, Drogo simply rides up to Illyrio's manse with his Bloodrider to assess Daenerys.
• Tyrion's appearance is different to his description in the books: in the books, he has stunted legs, a swollen forehead, a squashed-in face and eyes of different colors. He walks with a profound waddle.
• In the book, the arrival of the royal party is described from Eddard's point of view, thus the following scenes in the series are not present in the books: Catelyn and Luwin preparing for the feast; Robb, Theon and Jon preparing themselves for the arrival of the royal party; Bran sighting the royal party on the top of the wall; Catelyn scolding Bran for climbing up the wall; Arya watching the arrival of the royal party; House Stark and their retainers lining up to greet the royal party and Arya's whimsy.
• In the book, the wheelhouse of Cersei and the royal children is very huge, as the book goes, it is "pulled by forty heavy draft horses" and "too wide to pass through the castle gate"; thus the queen has to debark outside and walk into the castle. In the series, the wheelhouse is much smaller and is pulled by lesser horses into the castle.
• Tyrion's introduction in the books is different. He is introduced at the feast through the POV of Jon. In the TV series, he is introduced in a scene with the prostitute Ros after Robert Baratheon's arrival.
• The prostitute Ros does not exist in the books. In the TV series, she is a recurring character.
• In the book, Robert visits Lyanna's tomb (guided by Eddard) first, and then requests Eddard to be his Hand of the King. In the TV series, he does these two things in reversed order.
• In the book, Robert does not place a feather in the hand of Lyanna's statue.
• There's an additional conversation between Catelyn and Sansa, which introduces Sansa and her personality. In books, she is only briefly described at the feast and her personality is shown at the Trident.
• The entrance of the Royal Family and House Stark to the feast, described in the book, was omitted in the TV series.
• In the book, Benjen Stark enters the feast along with the Royal Family and the other members of House Stark; in the TV series, he arrives late, after the feast begins.
• In the TV series, Jon doesn't attend the feast at all. He meets his uncle Benjen outside, when he is practicing with a sword. In the book, he attends the feast but is not permitted to sit at the main table with the royal family. Instead, he sits with the squires and other noble-born boys of similar age, but is actually pleased with this as, out of sight, he is free to drink as much wine as he pleases (and gets drunk as a result). As the book goes, this feast is among the few times "when Jon Snow was glad he was a bastard". Then Benjen approaches him and they have their conversation inside the feasting hall.
• In the book, the description of the feast is from Jon's POV, thus it focuses on his conversations with Benjen and Tyrion; and the scenes depicting the activities of other people in the feast are mostly not present in the book - these include Robert's activities and Cersei's reactions; conversation between Benjen and Eddard; conversation between Catelyn and Cersei; conversation between Jaime and Eddard about tournaments; Sansa speaking to Cersei and Arya throwing food at Sansa, etc.
• In the book, when Maester Luwin goes into Eddard's bedroom with the letter about Jon Arryn's murder, Catelyn is naked. She even gets out of bed naked, remarking that it does not matter as Luwin delivered all of her children. In the episode, she is dressed in a sleeping gown.
• Lysa Arryn's letter isn't coded in the TV series and is delivered by a messenger. In the book, it is coded, found in a box with a false bottom, and was left in Luwin's room by an unknown party.
  • Production images revealed that the prop letter actually was written in a symbolic code invented for the TV series, but this plot point was omitted in the final version of the episode (apparently to simplify the narrative for TV-first viewers). In the final version, the camera never actually sees what is written on the letter, only Catelyn's reaction.
• Daenerys and Drogo's wedding scene is shown earlier in the TV series than in the book. Jorah is introduced in this scene rather than in Daenerys's first scene.
• In the books, Daenerys's mare is not white but grey, with a mane like silver smoke.
• Jorah's appearance is different: in the books, he is described as bald, stocky, hairy, and unattractive, but is strong and fit. In the series, he has short blond hair and is leaner and more attractive.
• In the book, Drogo treats Daenerys affectionately and sensitively; he gently caresses her, asking her "No?", and waiting patiently until she overcomes her fear, feels ready for the consummation, and tells him "Yes". In the show, Drogo does not wait for Daenerys to consent to sex, and unlike the book, Daenerys does not seem to take pleasure in it, crying while he takes her from behind.
• In the book, Ned does not wish to become King Robert's Hand, but Catelyn persuades him to, claiming that Robert will react very harshly to a refusal; Ned reluctantly changes his mind. In the TV series, Catelyn is afraid for him and begs him not to accept.
• In the book, Eddard plans to take Bran to King's Landing, before he is injured. There is no mention of this in the episode.
• Cersei and Jaime are both naked in the book, when Bran finds them in the tower. In the series, they are both dressed; the reason is that Lena Headey was pregnant during filming of the scene.
• In the book, Cersei and Jaime talk about the previous events that transpired with the former Hand, Jon Arryn. This discussion instead takes place in the scene showing Jon Arryn's corpse.
• In the book, Cersei stands with her back to a wall when Bran sees her from the window, while a man stands before her with his back to Bran and his hand between the legs of Cersei. In the series, Cersei is on her hands and knees while Jaime mounts her from behind. A body double is used for this scene.
• In the book, Jaime pushes Bran from the window with his right hand. In the show, he uses his left hand.

"The Kingsroad"

• In the TV series, Jon decides to go to the Night's Watch completely on his own and no one wants to stop him. There are also no requests by Catelyn for him to leave.
• In the book, Tyrion does not sleep in the dog pen. He spends the entire night at the library without sleep, and in the morning he comes outside and encounters Joffrey and Sandor Clegane.
• An additional scene between Jorah and Viserys. In the books, Jorah speaks about Eddard Stark with Daenerys, and his tone is far more bitter and resentful.
• An additional scene, which shows the making of the sword Needle and a conversation between Jaime and Jon about the Night's Watch.
• An additional scene, where Cersei comes to Bran's bedroom and speaks about her first child. In the book, Cersei tells Ned in a much later chapter that she never gave birth to any of Robert's children, and had an abortion when pregnant with one. Robert was unaware of both the pregnancy and the abortion.
• In the series, Catelyn is overtly hostile towards Jon when he visits Bran for the last time, telling him she wants him to leave. In the books, she is cold instead; her parting words to Jon are "It should have been you."
• An additional scene, where Ned and Jon say goodbye to each other.
• Daenerys's scene with Doreah, Jhiqui and Irri is shown much earlier in series. So is the scene of making Drogo happy. In the series, the scene with Daenerys and Doreah is shown rather than implied.
• Doreah has blonde hair in the books. In the series, she has brown hair.
• In the book, Robert's and Eddard's conversation about Daenerys takes place during the riding. In the series, it takes place at breakfast. In the book scene, Jorah is revealed to the reader as an informer to the Small Council. In the series, that is first mentioned in "The Wolf and the Lion".
• In the TV series, Yoren doesn't appear in the scene with two rapists. The book also doesn't specify that Rast is one of the captive rapists.
• An additional scene in the TV series, where Catelyn searches the old tower and finds a golden hair. She suspects that the Lannisters are involved in Bran's accident even before she identifies the Valyrian steel dagger.
• In the TV series, the Winterfell meeting between Catelyn, Robb, Theon, Rodrik Cassel, and Luwin takes place in the godswood, instead of in the castle.
• In the book, Catelyn does not generally suspect the Lannisters of Bran's fall, nor does she doubt their loyalty to the crown. Instead, she puts the blame on Jaime, mentioning that he did not join the hunt the day Bran fell, but remained in the castle.
• In the book, Tyrion teases Jon by describing what lowlife scums his new brothers are, nearly moving Jon to tears. In response, Ghost knocks Tyrion to the ground. Jon orders Ghost to let go of Tyrion only after the latter asks him nicely.
• There's an additional scene, when Jon arrives at the Wall.
• In the TV series, there is no conversation between Sansa and Arya about riding in a wheelhouse. At the Trident, Sansa first appears, when she meets Ilyn Payne and the Hound. She first confronts Arya in her sword practice with Mycah.
• In the TV series, Barristan Selmy and Renly don't appear at the Trident, only Ilyn Payne arrives and scares Sansa.
• In the book, Sansa and Joffrey go riding around the Trident and they are away for a long time, before they find Arya. In series, they go only for a short walk and find Arya nearby.
• The TV series also shows what happens to Nymeria, after she wounds Joffrey. In the TV series, it's clearly seen that Arya throws a stone at Nymeria and sends her away. In the book, Arya mentions this scene after she's brought back. The event happens after Jory finds her and together they throw several stones at her.
• Arya is missing for four days. When found she is taken before Robert, it doesn't take place at Castle Darry (the book), but at the Inn at the Crossroads. Jory who finds her in the books, not Lannister soldiers.
• In the book, when Sansa lies that she does not remember what happened, Arya knocks her down to the ground, beating her.
• In the book, Renly is also present when Joffrey and Arya are called before Robert. He bursts out laughing when he hears how Joffrey was disarmed by a little girl, and Robert orders him to leave. In the series, Robert himself remarks with anger on Joffrey allowing this, but immediately moves on.
• In the TV series, Eddard executes Lady with a dagger. In the book, he uses the great sword Ice.
• Bran doesn't have dreams about the Three-Eyed Raven before he wakes up for a first time (In book, these dreams wake him up). In series, he wakes up, when Lady is executed. The book does not indicate any connection between Lady's death and Bran's awakening.
• In the books, Robert initially acquiesces to Cersei's demand that Lady be killed in place of Nymeria; however, when Ned beseeches him to reconsider, invoking the name of his sister Lyanna, Robert turns back toward Cersei and curses her. Ned also goes on to tell Robert to do the deed himself, but Robert walks away in shame. He later apologizes to Ned for allowing Lady to be killed, saying he knew Joffrey was lying about the incident. In the TV series, Ned protests against killing Lady but doesn't invoke Lyanna's name, and Robert shows no concern for Lady or Sansa before the former is killed, nor does he express any remorse later on.
• In the books, Eddard orders Lady's body be taken back to the North, in order to prevent Cersei or one of her retinue from taking her fur coat.
• In the books, the Hound tosses Mycah's body in front of Ned and after Ned identifies the body, he states that the Hound rode the boy down. The Hound laughingly replies that the boy didn't run very fast. In the TV series, Sandor doesn't stop nor talk to Eddard when he brings the body. When asked about the body, Sandor bluntly states that the boy didn't run very fast without a hint of humor.
  • Furthermore, Lady was killed before Eddard sees Mycah's body in the book. The order of the events was swapped in the TV series.
• Bran doesn't wake up after dreaming about the Three-Eyed Raven in the TV Series. There was also no mention of him even dreaming at all. Three-Eyed Raven didn't speak in the series either.
• Bran also doesn't meet Robb or name Summer right after waking. The episode simply ends with him opening his eyes.
  • In fact, Summer's name (along with Grey Wind's) is not revealed in the TV series until much later.
  • Shaggydog's was also revealed much earlier in the book, even before Bran fell, unlike in the series where it was only revealed near the end of the season when Bran and Rickon were trying to find Ned in the tombs.

"Lord Snow"

• In the book, Catelyn and Ser Rodrik arrive at King's Landing before Eddard Stark. They also arrive by ship from White Harbor. In series, they come by riding horses on the Kingsroad and they arrive after Eddard.
• In the book, as soon as Catelyn and Ser Rodrik enter King's Landing, they enter an old inn. Ser Rodrik goes to visit Aron Santagar, and in his absence Catelyn is taken to Littlefinger by several Gold Cloaks. Thus Ser Rodrik is not present at the meeting between Catelyn, Varys and Littlefinger.
• In the book, Littlefinger has Catelyn summoned to meet him in the Red Keep, not in a brothel he owns (the TV series gives the explanation that she would be easily noticed if she went to the Red Keep). Thus Catelyn's negative reaction, and the line "back alley Sally", do not appear in the books.
• In the book, as Ned slams Littlefinger against the wall, he says "Brandon was too kind to you" (in the show he says "You're a funny man, a very funny man") and shoves his dagger up under Littlefinger's chin. Ser Rodrik, not Catelyn, stops him.
• An additional scene in King's Landing, where Eddard confronts Jaime at the Iron Throne. Jaime describes the scene, when he stabbed Aerys II Targaryen.
• According to the books, Jaime did not stab the Mad King in the back but slit his throat. It was later mentioned in "Kissed by Fire" that Jaime first stabbed Aerys in the back and then slit his throat to make sure that he died.
• When Jaime tells Catelyn in A Clash of Kings how the Mad King executed Ned's father and brother, he mentions only the Lord Commander Gerold Hightower that was present there, instead of the 500 knights.
• Robert claims to have killed a Tarly boy during the Battle of Summerhall. In the books, there is no mentioning of any Tarly involved in that particular battle. Robert first fought the Tarlys in the Battle of Ashford (in which he was defeated). Additionally Robert had killed Marq Grafton during the Taking of Gulltown, which predated the Battle of Summerhall by several months.
• Another additional scene in the series: a conversation between Cersei and Joffrey about what it will mean when he is a king.
• In the books, when the Royal Steward summons Eddard to the Small Council, Eddard asks for and is provided with appropriate garments; in the TV series the Steward suggests so, and Eddard ignores.
• In the books, Lord Commander Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard is present at the Small Council meeting, but he is absent in the TV series. This occurred because the writers didn't want Barristan to know that Jorah was a spy in the TV series. In Season 3's episode "Kissed by Fire", there is even an invented scene in which Barristan specifically explains that he should have been present on the Small Council, but he just avoided council meetings because he dislikes politics (this is actually the reason Jaime, not Selmy, rarely attends the council meetings).
• In the books, the badge of the Hand that Eddard uses is a clasp at the throat that clutches the cloak together. In the series it is a broach on the chest.
• The saying about the Hand is changed as well: in the book, the saying is, "The King eats, the Hand takes the shit"; in the series, the saying is, "The King shits, and the Hand wipes".
• Many recruits in the Night's Watch are omitted in the series such as Toad and Halder, and Dareon's character only makes a brief appearance. Parts of Dareon's dialogue is given to Pyp's character. In the first scene at the Wall, there are three notable recruits: Grenn, Pyp, and Rast. Rast also gets more screentime than in the book. There is also an unnamed recruit with long hair who often appears with Rast, who may possibly be Satin, but his name is never mentioned.
• In the book, Rast is called Rat and Grenn is called Aurochs by Alliser Thorne; these derogatory nicknames are not mentioned in the series.
• In the fight with Grenn, Jon breaks Grenn's wrist; in the show, Jon breaks his nose. He is also shown fighting more recruits in series (in the book, he fights only Grenn).
• It is not Tyrion but Donal Noye the blacksmith who breaks the fight between Jon, Grenn, Todder, and two others (Rast and Pypar do not participate in that brawl), chides Jon for humiliating the other recruits, and advises him to befriend them.
• The breakfast scene at King's Landing is extended in the series. Arya is stabbing the table, Eddard appears at the breakfast and gives Sansa a doll. Septa Mordane doesn't follow Arya into her bedroom.
• Jeyne Poole only briefly appears in the first episode. In the book, she also appears in many scenes in King's Landing. She goes to the Hand's Tournament and becomes ill when Ser Hugh of the Vale is killed.
• In the TV series, Old Nan's story about White Walkers is told days before Tyrion returns from the Wall. Bran is also more pessimistic in the series - he repeats the sentence "I'd rather be dead".
• The conversation between Jaime and Cersei, in which Jaime uses the phrase "the war for Cersei's cunt", does not happen in the books on-screen; Jaime recalls it as a flashback in A Storm of Swords.
• There's an additional scene at King's Landing, which shows a conversation between King Robert, Barristan Selmy and Jaime. They share stories about killing their first men. Aerys Targaryen is mentioned again. The scene also introduces Lancel Lannister.
• There is no mentioning in the books that Aerys ever said "Burn them all".
• When Jaime was fifteen, he did not kill any outlaws in the battle of the Kingswood Brotherhood. He saved his master Lord Crakehall and crossed swords with the Smiling Knight (who was killed by Arthur Dayne).
• Lord Commander Mormont doesn't have a raven in the series.
• In the TV series, Yoren is introduced in conversation with Tyrion at the Castle Black rather than in the scene with two rapers as Jon is on his way to the Wall. Benjen also appears in this scene.
• In the TV series, many of Mormont's lines were given to maester Aemon in the scene with Tyrion. In the books, Aemon does appear in this scene, but he remains mostly in the background. Ser Alliser is also absent from that scene in the series.
• An additional scene at the Wall where Benjen and Jon say goodbye to each other; in books, this scene is only mentioned.
• An additional scene across the Narrow Sea. Jorah and Rakharo discuss Dothraki weapons, Irri then appears and announces Daenerys's pregnancy.
• In the book, Daenerys orders the khalasar to stop not because she feels sorry for the slaves, but because she is awed by the sight of the Dothraki Sea.
• In the TV series, Rakharo seems to be based on Jhogo; in the books, it is Daenerys rather who makes Viserys walk after he attacks her.
• When Ned talks with Arya in the book, he does not defend Sansa's lies. Instead he says that Jory's lie (that they did not find Nymeria) was not without honor.
• Syrio Forel's appearance is different in series. He has curly black hair instead of being bald.
• In the book, Littlefinger specifies the main creditors of the Crown, in addition to the Lannisters: the Iron Bank of Braavos, House Tyrell, everal Tyroshi trading cartels, and the Faith.

"Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things"

• An additional scene at Winterfell. Bran is dreaming. He is preparing to shoot an arrow, when the raven appears. He follows it to the tomb entrance and sees, it has three eyes. Then he wakes up.
• In the TV series, Theon comes for Bran instead of Maester Luwin.
• In the TV series, a conversation between Tyrion and Theon reveals the latter's past and origins.
• Castle Black is shown to have walls and a gate in the series. In the novels, it has none, so the Night's Watch can only defend against enemies coming from the North, and not rebel against the Seven Kingdoms.
• Samwell Tarly's introduction is slightly different in the series because of omitted recruits of the Night's Watch. In the book, Sam is attacked by Halder first. When Jon defends him, Alliser Thorne orders Halder, Rast and Albett to fight him. Grenn and Pyp intervene and take sides with Jon. In the series, Rast attacks Samwell. Jon then alone takes a fight against Rast, Grenn and Pyp.
• In the TV series, Ser Alliser and Rast often call Sam "Lady Piggy". In the book, they call Sam both "Ser Piggy" and "Lady Piggy".
• In the TV series, Sam tells Jon about his father ordering him to join the Night's Watch. In the book, Sam relates to a scene with his father skinning a deer. This scenario was used for the introduction of Tywin Lannister, when he is talking to Jaime about living up to his destiny ("You Win or You Die").
• There is an additional scene where Viserys and Doreah are having a bath. They talk about dragons and the skulls in the Red Keep. In the book, it is only mentioned that Viserys and Doreah have had sex.
• In the books, there is no mention of dragons named Ghiscar, Valryon, Vermithrax, Essovius and Archonei.
• An additional conversation between Septa Mordane and Sansa about Sansa's future, Joffrey, the Iron Throne and the deaths of Rickard and Brandon.
• In the TV series, Sansa says that Jeyne Poole's mother had five daughters. There is no mentioning in the books that Jeyne has any siblings.
• In the book, Littlefinger tells Ned not only about Hugh of the Vale, but about three other people who belonged to Jon Arryn's household: a kitchen girl, a stablehand who joined the City Watch, and a potboy. Jory speaks with all of them, but only the potboy provides useful information.
• In the book, it is not Littlefinger but the potboy who tells Ned about the armorer whom Jon Arryn visited.
• In the book, the conversation between Jory and Hugh occurs off-screen.
• In the book, Tobho Mott tells Eddard Stark that a mysterious lord paid him Gendry's apprentice fee.
• In the book, both Mott and Gendry tell Eddard that Stannis accompanied Jon Arryn. In the show, Stannis is not mentioned with regard to Arryn's investigations.
• Gendry's character is aged up in the series. In books, he is 16 years old; in the series, he must be over 20.
• Another additional conversation between Jaime and Jory. Jaime is guarding the door, while Robert is having group sex. Jory comes with the message for the king. He tries to give it to Jaime, but he refuses. Thoros of Myr is mentioned.
• The Greyjoy Rebellion is revealed from their conversation.
• There is no mentioning in the books that Jaime and Jory took any part in the Greyjoy Rebellion.
• Additional scene at the Wall after Jon's confrontation with Rast at night: the recruits don't dare to attack Sam because Jon has threatened them. Ser Alliser grows furious because of that.
• Another additional scene at the Wall in which Jon reveals his story with prostitute (which is Ros in the series). Ser Alliser then comes and tries to frighten them with his story about the winter beyond the Wall, in the books Ser Alliser is not a ranger and doesn't go north of the Wall.
• In the book, Jon tells Sam about a dream he occasionally has: he is in Winterfell, which is completely empty, and fearfully goes down to the dark crypts without any source of light. He screams he does not belong there, then wakes up.
• There's an additional conversation between Eddard and Cersei.
• The Tournament of the Hand is a lot shorter in the series. The only notable participants are the Mountain, Hugh, Loras Tyrell and partly the Hound. The only shown fights are the jousts between Hugh and Gregor, Gregor and Loras, and the duel between the Hound and Gregor. There is no mention made of the archery contest or the melee. In the books the jousting alone is over the course of two days.
• In the TV series, Littlefinger tells Sansa the story about the Clegane brothers. In the book, the story is told by the Hound himself. He warns Sansa that if she tells anyone, he'll kill her.
• In the TV series, Arya attends the tournament. In the book, Jeyne Poole accompanies Sansa there.
• When Tyrion comes to Winterfell, the direwolves attack him for no apparent reason (he does not have any malicious intent, on the contrary).
• The woman with whom Jon refuses (initially) to have sex is Ygritte, not Ros (who does not exist in the books), and that happens much later. One of the reasons for Jon's refusal is that he fears he may get her pregnant.
• There is no mentioning in the novels that any members of the Night's Watch ever resorted to cannibalism.
• In the book, Pycelle tells Ned that Maester Colemon treated Jon Arryn with purges. Pycelle claims that he thought such treatment would kill Arryn, so he sent Colemon away. In the show there is no mention of Colemon.
• In the book, it is not Bronn but an unnamed freerider in a faded blue cloak, who tells Tyrion that he can have his room.
• In the book, none of the Freys who are present at the inn act as Catelyn requests.

"The Wolf and the Lion"

• In the book, Robert's demand to participate the tourney is not simply whimsical; Cersei deliberately prompts him to, using reverse psychology, by forbidding him to in the presence of his brother, his knights and half the court.
• In the book, Varys reveals to Ned that the Lannisters sought to kill Robert during the mêlée; among the participants someone would have killed Robert, making it look like an unfortunate accident.
• In the TV series, the Hound isn't shown participating in the tourney, and he spends all the time near the Robert and Joffrey. He only gets involved when his brother is about to kill Loras Tyrell.
• In the books, Gregor Clegane's shield bears the three black dogs sigil of his house. In the show, there is only one dog painted on the shield.
• Catelyn tells Tyrion that Littlefinger said the dagger belonged to him, and he lost it to Tyrion in a wager when Jaime was defeated in a joust by Loras. Tyrion explains to Catelyn why Littlefinger is lying: he [Tyrion] never bets against his family. In the series, Catelyn does not reveal to Tyrion who set him up.
• There are actually two sellswords accompanying Catelyn's party into the Vale: Bronn and Chiggen.
• Catelyn's party suffers from more than one ambush by the hill clansmen on the way to the Vale, and most of their party is killed. Chiggen is heavily wounded, and Bronn slices his throat to prevent him from making noises and attract more ambushes. The only survivors are Catelyn, Tyrion, Ser Rodrik, Bronn, Marillion, and Willis Wode. In the series, only a few of their party were killed by the clansmen.
• During the attack of the hill tribes, Tyrion fights only with a shield; in the book, he uses an axe.
• Besides the hill tribe ambushes, Catelyn's party also suffers from starving in the long road, and they have to kill horses to feed themselves.
• In the book, Ser Rodrik is severely injured during the fight; and Catelyn fears for his life. He barely makes it to the Vale.
• More additional scenes at Winterfell: A conversation between Bran and Maester Luwin and a sex scene between Theon and Ros.
• Arya doesn't confront Myrcella and Tommen when she is chasing cats in the series. In the book, they see her and set the guards to catch her, but she escapes before anyone recognizes her. It is in the process of the escape that she gets lost under the Red Keep and comes to overhear the conspirators, as well as finding the dragon skulls.
• In the TV series, Arya finds only one dragon skull in the Red Keep's dungeons (probably the skull of Balerion due to its size) instead of finding several (as in the book).
• In the TV series, the dragon skulls are white. In the books, dragonbone are black due to a high iron content.
• The two men in the dungeons are clearly seen in the series (Varys and Illyrio). In books, they are not identified (Illyrio can be identified because of his visual description. Varys is much harder to identify because he probably wears makeup - "scared face and stubble of dark beard". The easiest way to identify him is by his sentence - "...I must have gold and 50 birds...").
• There is an additional conversation in the Red Keep between Littlefinger and Varys. They are spying on each other and Eddard is revealed.
• The sexual habits of Lord Paxter are not discussed in the books.
• In the book, Arya comes back to surface miles away from the Red Keep. She is also covered in sewage and must bathe in a river before she can return to the Keep. In the series she leaves the dungeons via the tunnel beneath Aegon's Hill on which the Red Keep is located.
• In the show, Yoren tells Eddard on-screen about Catelyn kidnapping Tyrion. In the book, the meeting takes place off-screen, and is described in a flashback.
• In the book, Eddard takes Yoren to court and asks if any noble will do honor to his house and volunteer to serve at the Wall. Since no one volunteers, Eddard allows Yoren to pick criminals from the king's dungeons.
• Desmond the guard, not Jory, is the one who escorts Arya to her room at Eddard's command, and assures her no harm will happen to her father.
• The Eyrie's appearance is different in the series. In the books, it's a small traditional castle made of seven towers located on a shoulder of a very tall mountain - the Giant's Lance. The path is also guarded by three smaller towers. The castle in the series is located on the top of a much smaller mountain and its path doesn't seem to be guarded by towers.
• The guarded pass Bloody Gate, which is the main entrance to the Vale in books, also doesn't appear in Season 1 (it is later depicted in Season 4), neither do the characters of Brynden Tully and Donnel Waynwood, who are the guardians of the Bloody Gate at this time point (Brynden is not introduced until Season 3). Their roles are given to Ser Vardis Egen in the series. There is a possibility that they already passed the Bloody Gate before meeting ser Vardis.
• Catelyn's way from the foot of the mountain to the Eyrie isn't shown in series. She makes the climb riding on the back of a mule. Mya Stone, the bastard daughter of King Robert, whose job it is to escort people to the Eyrie, is absent in the series.
• In the book, Catelyn first reaches the Eyrie alone and meets her sister in her chambers. Tyrion is then brought after her, being winched up the next day in a basket. In the series, Catelyn and Tyrion reach the Eyrie together and both confront Lysa in the main hall in front of all important residents. There follows an additional scene, which shows Tyrion's imprisonment and briefly shows Mord.
• Robert Arryn is renamed Robin Arryn in the series, probably to avoid confusion with King Robert Baratheon.
• Lysa's appearance is different: in the series, she is very skinny; in the books, she is overweight with pale and puffy face.
• An additional scene in King's Landing involving Loras and Renly. This scene confirms that they are lovers, which is only hinted at in the books.
• Another additional scene involving Robert and Cersei. It shows that their marriage doesn't contain any love, and it is the only thing holding the kingdom together. Lyanna Stark is also mentioned.
• Littlefinger does not offer Eddard to take him to see the last person to see Jon Arryn alive, but to the brothel that Arryn and Stannis were reported to visit.
• The brothel where Barra and her mother live is not owned by Littlefinger, but by Chataya.
• The brawl between Jaime and Eddard is significantly different in the series. In the book, Eddard and his guards are horseback, and are away from the brothel when confronted by the Lannisters; Jaime wants only to frighten Eddard and orders his men to kill the Stark guards; Eddard does not duel with Jaime, and he is not injured by a Lannister guard, but when his wounded horse falls on him, shattering his leg; Jory Cassel's killer is not named; Jaime does not take part in the brawl; the scene takes place at night, when the heavy rain is falling.
• In the book, Wyl is not speared. The Lannister guardsmen pull him off his horse and kill him with their swords.
• The dream/flashback Eddard experiences about the Skirmish at the Tower of Joy and his dying sister, after he's wounded, is omitted from the show.
• As in the television series, Varys supports the move to have Daenerys assassinated, even though he is apparently in league with her in secret. This is explained in the epilogue of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, where Varys reveals that he is in secret a Targaryen supporter, though it is not Daenerys he is supporting, but a young man claiming to be Aegon Targaryen (son of Elia Martell), who was thought to have died as a baby in the Sack of King's Landing. The plotline with Aegon has been totally cut from the television series, and Varys's support in season 5 has been revealed to be towards Daenerys, leaving it unknown as to why Varys would arrange to have Daenerys assassinated, though in the episode "Hardhome", Tyrion quips to Daenerys that Varys "did what he had to do to survive".
• In the book, Barristan Selmy attends the meeting of the Small Council. He takes sides with Ned.

"A Golden Crown"

• An additional scene in Vaes Dothrak, in which Daenerys holds a heated dragon egg. When Irri grabs it, she gets her hands burned while Daenerys remains unharmed.
• When Robert and Cersei come to see Eddard, he tells Robert that he went to that brothel to see his baby bastard Barra. Robert is rather embarrassed to hear that, while Cersei shows no emotion.
• Another dream of the three-eyed crow, which is the same as the one in the fourth episode.
• When Bran falls into ambush while he is on the ride, there are four attackers shown in series: Stiv, Wallen, Osha, and an unnamed man. In books, there are six attackers - the previous four, another unnamed man and a short fat woman named Hali. The direwolves (Summer and Grey Wind) don't get involved in the fight in the TV series. In the book the wolves arrive with Robb and kill several of the wildlings.
• The TV series also shows one of Tyrion's failed attempts to get Mord's attention by offering gold. In the book, he convinces him by his first attempt and men come to Tyrion's cell to confirm his willingness to confess, allowing him to get them to make Mord return Tyrion's shadowcat skin coat.
• There is another additional scene in King's Landing showing another sword practice between Arya and Syrio and mentioning Syrio's series-only quote, "There's only one thing we say to Death... Not today."
• In the book, Eddard tells Arya who is angry that she will have to stop her lessons with Syrio Forel, if she is sent back to Winterfell, that Syrio may come with them if he chooses to enter Eddard's service. This is not mentioned in the episode. In both the fate of Syrio is uncertain.
• In the book, a big fight between Arya and Sansa precedes Eddard's talk with the girls about leaving King's Landing. In the series, this fight does not transpire.
• Eating the stallion's heart seems to be the only part of the Vaes Dothrak ceremony in the series. In the books, there follows the procession around the sacred city.
• The ceremony is also shown more from Ser Jorah's and Viserys's perspective in the series rather than Daenerys's in the book. There also follows additional series scene in which Viserys tries to steal Daenerys's eggs; this scene occurs off-screen in the book.
• Tyrion's confession of his crimes is extended in the series. In the book, he is stopped immediately, while in the series he gives several funny examples.
• An additional scene involving King Robert on his hunt, along with Renly, Barristan Selmy, and Lancel Lannister. He speaks of "good old times" and "making the eight". Lancel is clearly shown goading Robert into drinking strong wine. In the book, the hunt takes place off-screen, and Varys tells Lord Eddard about the overly strong wine that Cersei gave Lancel for Robert. The term "making the eight" never appears in the book.
• In addition to Renly, Lancel and Ser Barristan Selmy, Robert is accompanied at the hunt by Joffrey, the Hound, Ser Balon Swann, Lord Yohn Royce and many more courtiers. Ser Robar Royce joins them later, delivering a message from Ned to Robert. Joffrey, the Hound, the Royces, Ser Balon and twenty more of the party return to King's Landing before the fatal encounter with the boar.
• There is no mention in the books that the Mad King, among the vicious atrocities he committed, slaughtered women and babies because the voices in his head told him they deserved it.
• In the book, Joss and the other farmers are accompanied by Ser Karyl Vance, Ser Raymun Darry and Ser Marq Piper.
• In the book, Joss and the other villagers report that the Mountain sacked not only the Mummer's Ford, but also the holdfast of Sherrer and Wendish Town.
• In the book, Loras Tyrell volunteers to capture the Mountain, but Ned refuses to give him the task.
• In the book, Ned commands Thoros of Myr, Ser Gladden Wylde, and Lord Lothar Mallery to assemble 20 men each and join Beric Dondarrion in his mission. In the show scene, none of those three is mentioned.
• In the book, Tywin is not summoned to the court by Eddard to answer for the Mountain's crimes in the Riverlands.
• In the book, there is no scene between Ros and Theon, as she is leaving for King's Landing. Ros is possibly the unnamed, only mentioned red-haired prostitute, but no prostitute is mentioned leaving Winterfell much less talking to Theon about it.
• There are several changes in Tyrion's trial by combat:
  • In the series, it takes place in the Eyrie's High Hall by the opened Moon Door, immediately after Tyrion's confession. In the book it takes place in the Eyrie garden, the next morning.
  • Beforehand, Catelyn unsuccessfully tries to dissuade Lysa from going ahead with the trial by combat, arguing that Tyrion is no use to them dead. She also worries that Bronn will defeat Lysa's champion, having seen him fight against the hill tribes.
  • In the book, Lysa gives Vardis Jon Arryn's ceremonial sword, to use in the duel instead of his own sword. It seems to Catelyn that Vardis feels uncomfortable with the unfamiliar sword.
  • In the book, Bronn gets slightly injured and loses a tooth during the duel. In the TV series he is totally unharmed.
  • Vardis's death is more dramatic in the TV series: in the book, he is stabbed in the chest while he is pinned to the floor by a statue Bronn dropped on top of him. In the TV series, he is injured several times, stabbed in the neck and finally thrown through the Moon Door.
• In the TV series, the Moon Door is an opening in the floor of the Eyrie's High Hall. In the books, the Moon Door is a weirwood door that stands between two pillars in the Eyrie's High Hall.
• In the book, in the feast where Viserys receives his "golden crown", two other khals are present because their khalasars are also in Vaes Dothrak, and Drogo talks about Viserys with them. In the TV series, no other khals are depicted.

"You Win or You Die"

• The scene at the Lannister camp with Tywin and Jaime does not occur in the books.
• In the book, Tywin's appearance is described as bald, bushy golden side-whiskers and green eyes flecked with gold, quite different from how he appears in the TV series.
• In the book, Tywin tells Tyrion, not Jaime, that although he does not care much about Tyrion - he has to go to war, because no one insults the Lannisters with impunity. Tyrion then recites the official House words of the Lannisters "Hear Me Roar".
• In the book, Eddard arranges his confrontation with Cersei about Jaime in the Red Keep's godswood "so the gods can see" as he explained. The scene takes place in an outside courtyard in the series instead. Cersei also attempts to seduce Eddard in the book, and slaps him when he spurns her advances. Cersei reveals that she never gave birth to any child of Robert, and the only time she got pregnant from him - she had an abortion. Robert was unaware of both the pregnancy and the abortion.
• When Eddard warns Cersei of his intentions in the book, he specifically advises her to leave for the Free Cities, or even further to the Summer Isles or the Port of Ibben. She calls his mercy of exile a "bitter cup to drink from" but he counters that it is a "sweeter cup than your father served Rhaegar's children and kinder than you deserve." In the series, Eddard does not mention any of those places, nor does he bring up the Targaryen children.
• There is an additional scene in Littlefinger's brothel where he talks about his past and coaches Ros and another prostitute, Armeca, who is exclusive to the series.
• There is a scene at Winterfell between Theon and Osha. Luwin comes in and asks Osha why the wildlings were south of the Wall.
• There is also an additional scene at the Wall, which shows the return of Benjen's horse without his rider. That makes all of Castle Black worried. In the books, the men of the Night's Watch become worried only because of Benjen's long absence.
• In the TV series, Eddard is warned by Renly that something terrible has happened to Robert. In the books, he only suspects that because of dead silence on his way to Robert.
• Tomard, one of the guards at Winterfell, is sent to Dragonstone with a letter informing Stannis that his brother has no rightful heirs, making him next in line to succession; however, Tomard is killed in the throne room before he can deliver the letter. In the books, Stannis had already investigated this with Jon Arryn and knew that Jaime was the father of Cersei's children.
• Littlefinger goes into greater detail when trying to convince Eddard of Stannis's unsuitability to the throne. He claims that Stannis will purge the Small Council and refill it with his own loyalists and asserts that Stannis's ascent to the throne will mean war; Stannis will kill Cersei and her children to secure his claim to the throne (inciting Tywin and the houses sworn to Casterly Rock to war); unlike his brother, who forgave old enemies so long as they swore fealty to him, Stannis will also seek revenge against Mace Tyrell and Paxter Redwyne for the Siege of Storm's End and upon Balon Greyjoy. Littlefinger insists that anyone who fought on the wrong side during Robert's Rebellion or the Greyjoy Rebellion will have cause to dread Stannis becoming King. He also suggests that Eddard wed Sansa to Joffrey as initially planned, Arya to Tommen, and Robb to Myrcella.
• Tomard's appearance is different from the book. He is nicknamed Fat Tom, but in the series, he is not shown to be particularly overweight. He is one of the many guards that Eddard Stark brought from Winterfell, but he has diminished screen time in the series as Jory was more prominent.
• In the TV series, every recruit is passed out of training and becomes a man of the Night's Watch (Ser Alliser mentioned that in "Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things"). In books, Ser Alliser passes on only eight recruits (Jon, Halder, Grenn, Pyp, Toad, Matthar, Albett, Dareon). Sam was thought to remain a recruit.
• In the book, on his deathbed, Robert claims that the gods sent the boar to punish him for giving the order to kill Daenerys, and that he has been a wretched king, as bad as Aerys. He does not say that in the show.
• In the book, Jon Snow is worried that Sam might not be initiated with the other recruits and is afraid Ser Alliser will hurt or kill Sam in training without himself and their friends to protect Sam. Jon talks to Maester Aemon of Sam's literary skills, in hopes Aemon will make Sam his steward; most recruits are lowborn, many criminals, and few can read - while Sam can not only read but is well-educated, so he can be useful helping the blind Aemon handle messages in the rookery. Aemon promises he'll think about that, and eventually does as Jon asked. In the TV series, Sam graduates with his fellow recruits without incident, and automatically leaves training, though he is still assigned to work with Aemon.
• Pyp is named to the stewards in series instead of being named to the rangers. Rast is named to the rangers, but in the books, he remains a recruit.
• In the TV series, Aemon gives orders to the new stewards instead of Bowen Marsh in books. First Builder Othell Yarwyck does not appear in this scene, his lines being given to an unnamed Night's Watch officer.
• In the book, it is Bowen Marsh who accompanies Jon and Sam to the weirwood trees, instead of Othell Yarwyck in the series.
• Cersei mentions that Robert had a beard at the time of their wedding. In the books, it's mentioned that Robert was clean-shaven during the time and only grew a beard later in life to cover his double chin.
• In the book, Renly advises Ned to take Joffrey into custody as in the show (and his siblings too), but does not claim that he should be the new king. Neither he nor Ned speak about Stannis.
• In the book, it is not the Royal Steward but Pycelle who informs Eddard that Robert died.
• In the show, Tywin gives Jaime the command over 30,000 soldiers; in the book, Jaime's troops consist of about half that number (12,000 foot and 2,000-3,000 cavalry).

"The Pointy End"

• In the TV series, Septa Mordane tells Sansa to go and lock herself in their rooms, while she goes to confront the Lannister soldiers coming down the hall. In the book, Sansa and Septa Mordane are not together when the massacre occurs. Sansa is distraught with her father breaking her engagement and sending her back to Winterfell, goes to Cersei to get her to talk to him and change his mind. This causes Cersei to accelerate her plans to prevent it. Cersei has the Kingsguard take Sansa to a tower room and imprison her there immediately afterwards, before the massacre takes place.
• The soldiers that fight Syrio in the book are more lightly armored, and Syrio with a wooden sword does far greater damage to them, killing them with stabs through the neck and eyes. In the series, he merely disarms and injures them.
• There are several scenes showing the Lannisters' massacre of the Stark people: Vayon Poole is killed, Sansa gets captured by the Hound, and Septa Mordane makes a stand. The book describes only the aftermath through Arya's eyes.
• Arya's stableboy killing looks more like an accident in the TV series.
• Sam and more of the attending brothers have several more observations to make about the dead rangers in the books, in addition to the lack of stench:
  • The dogs and horses fearfully stay away from the corpses.
  • The blood of the corpses has totally dried.
  • Although the corpses have been lying for days in the open, no scavangers or maggots touched them.
  • Their clothes are bloodstained, but there are no blood stains on the ground near them, despite the severity of their injuries.
  • Othor and Jafer's eye color is blue, although they did not have blue eyes in their lives.
  • Othor's body wears a hunting horn, but the rangers heard no horn blast.
• The two corpses are closely examined by Mormont, Jaremy Rykker and more Watch members at the place where Ghost found them. Only afterwards they are taken to Castle Black.
• Othell Yarwyck is not among the brothers who examine the corpses. It is not him but the ranger Dywen who smells the corpses.
• It is not Sam but Rykker who notices the corpses do not stink.
• It happens much later in the novels (in A Feast for Crows) that Sam reads books about the Others and tells Jon the information he found.
• When Jon enters the common hall after hearing the news about his father, there is no awkward silence. Instead, Jon's friends encourage him and assure him they know the allegations against Ned are all lies.
• While Jon is on his way to the Lord Commander's quarters, he finds the body of a guard who was killed by Othor the wight, his head had been twisted completely around.
• When Jon cuts off the wight's hand, the severed limb does not simply drop to the floor, but keeps fighting independently. It grabs Jon's calf, and Jon barely manages to pry it off.
• In the show, Jon kills the wight by throwing a lantern at it, severely burns his arm while doing so. It heals painfully, and he is left with very bad scars. In the book, Jon throws burning curtains over the wight.
• When making their way through the mountains, Tyrion tells Bronn about his first wife Tysha. This does not happen in the TV series until they reach Tywin's camp. Bronn asks how Tyrion knew that he would champion for him. Tyrion says he didn't, but anticipated that as a sellsword, Bronn would do it for gold, the reason he originally helped escort Tyrion to the Eyrie was in the hope of a reward from Catelyn Stark.
• In the book, when Tyrion, Bronn and the clansmen arrive at the Lannister camp, Tywin and Kevan are not in a tent; they are in a common room at the Inn at the Crossroads.
• In the book, Shagga does not enter quietly to the room where the Lannisters are; a guard tries to stop him, but Shagga forces his way inside, throws the guard across the room and breaks his sword, startling Tyrion and Kevan. Bronn and the other clansmen follow him.
• In the book, no message about Ned's arrest is sent to the Eyrie. Lord Manderly tells that (and also about Robert's death) to Catelyn when she arrives at the White Harbor, on her way back from Vale.
• In the book, a message is sent to the Eyrie, but it is not about Ned: it is from Edmure, informing that Jaime is massing troops at Casterly Rock, and that Edmure commanded Lord Vance and Lord Piper to guard the pass below the Golden Tooth.
• In the book, there is no conversation between Catelyn and Lysa about Ned and the imminent war.
• In the book, Catelyn offers Lysa to take her son to be fostered at Winterfell for a few years. Lysa responds: "If you try to steal my son, you will leave by the Moon Door".
• Lord Yohn Royce, not Catelyn, demands that the knights of the Vale join the Starks' host, but Lysa refuses.
• In the book, When Catelyn and Ser Rodrik leave the Vale, Brynden Tully joins them.
• In the book, when Catelyn arrives at Robb's camp, she is escorted by her uncle and Lord Manderly's sons. She sent Rodrik earlier to Winterfell, to serve as the castellan.
• In the book, at least a dozen clansmen encounter Tyrion and Bronn, and report their names. The first is Gunthor son of Gurn, the chief of the Stone Crows, and it is him that speaks the TV-series line of Shagga: "When you meet your gods, say it was Gunthor son of Gurn of the Stone Crows who sent you to them." Shagga son of Dolf is actually the second. Gunthor is not identified in the TV series, only his name is mentioned in "Baelor".
• The clansmen ambush Tyrion and Bronn because Bronn captures a goat for food, which they claim to be theirs: "Our mountain, our goat."
• In the book, when Tyrion teases the Stone Crows for their cowardice, it is not Shagga but another clansman, Jaggot, who injures him, using a spear. Shagga roars and threatens to harm Tyrion, but Gunthor silences him and lets Tyrion keep talking.
• The Lhazareen girl Eroeh who is the first one Daenerys saves, and who then becomes devoted to her, is absent from the series. In the series, Daenerys is shown rescuing many women, primarily Mirri Maz Duur.
• In the book, Mago does not speak directly to Drogo; he complains about Daenerys to Haggo, and the latter tells that to Drogo. After his claim is verbally denied, Mago does not challenge Drogo's authority, and there is no subsequent fight between them. Mago is shown still alive in a later chapter. The duel was added to the series as Jason Momoa, the actor playing Drogo, believed that the audience hadn't been shown Khal Drogo's combat prowess.
• Drogo is injured in off-screen battle against rival a khalasar, led by Khal Ogo. It is not Mago that injures Drogo, but a bloodrider of Khal Ogo.
• The wound that Mirri Maz Duur infects was worse than the one shown in the series, which was superficial.
• In the book, neither Cersei nor any other character calls Sansa "little dove".
• After being dismissed, Ser Barristan throws his sword at Joffrey's feet and tells him to add it to his throne. He suggests that Stannis will soon arrive to depose the "boy king" anyway. After the old knight leaves, Joffrey decides that his last words were treasonous and orders the Gold Cloaks to go after Selmy and apprehend him. Barristan has to kill two members of the city watch and escapes from the city. In the series, he is simply allowed to leave.
• In the book, it is Tyrion, not Robb, who mentions (in his thoughts) the joke that Tywin shits gold.
• In the book, Varys visits the imprisoned Ned only once. In the show, the scene is divided into two parts: the first part is in this episode, and the second part is in the following episode "Baelor".
• In the book, Varys reveals to Ned that in any case, soon or later Cersei would have made her move to dispose of Robert, because he was becoming unruly, and she needed to get rid of him in order to free her hands to deal with Renly and Stannis.

"Baelor"

• In the book, Varys tells Eddard explicitly that if he does not accept Cersei's terms - it will cost Sansa's life. He relates to Rhaenys Targaryen's death, to emphasize that the Lannisters have no qualms about killing children.
• In the book, Roose Bolton (not Greatjon Umber or Theon) is the one who warns Robb that if he enters the Twins alone, Lord Frey may sell him to the Lannisters, throw him in a dungeon, or slit his throat.
• In the book, it is Elmar Frey to whom Arya is betrothed. In the series, she is betrothed to Waldron Frey, a name which never appears in the books.
• In the book, Walder Frey imposes one more condition on the Starks: two of his young grandsons, "Big" Walder and "Little" Walder, will be taken to Winterfell as wards. Catelyn agrees, thinking that Bran needs the company of children of his age.
• Theon does not snicker when Catelyn tells Robb the terms of the pact with the Freys.
• In King's Landing, Arya is seen in the series trying to trade the dead pigeon to the baker for bread. In the books, the baker has tarts, and Arya first asks for a lemon one. This is an interesting choice as lemon is often referred to as Sansa's favorite. When Arya was invited to have lemon cakes with the Queen in her wheelhouse, she couldn't care less. Now she appreciates them.
• Arya drops the pigeon when the crowd draws her to the Sept of Baelor for Eddard's execution, in the series. In the book, Arya takes the pigeon with her to the docks, where she discovers that the Wind Witch, the ship her father had hired to take her back to Winterfell was still at the dock, with men dressed in Eddard's colors. At the last minute, she realizes that it is a trap. She loses the pigeon, which is on her belt, as she is getting away, but, whether it fell or was stolen by a pickpocket, she is unsure.
• The TV series changed Shae's back story (which wasn't detailed in the books as much anyway) as being from the Free Cities, because they enjoyed the audition of actress Sibel Kekilli, but wanted to have some explanation for why she speaks with a German accent. It is specified in Season 2 that she is from Lorath.
• In the book, Tyrion, Bronn, and Shae do not play the drinking game, and Tyrion tells them about Tysha separately. He had already told Bronn about his first wife while they were still in the mountains of the Vale. He does not tell Shae about her until much later.
• The story about Tysha in the books is slightly different than in the series: Tysha was the orphaned daughter of a crofter, not a wheelwright's daughter; Tyrion was thirteen when he met her, not sixteen; after she was gang-raped by the soldiers, Tywin forced him to be the last. Tywin's soldiers paid her with a silver coin each. Tyrion was ordered to give her a gold coin, as Lannisters are worth more.
• In the book, Tyrion is depicted giving a battle speech, before riding in the vanguard and fighting a knight whom eventually yields. He is also described as wearing a mish mash of armor instead of his custom suit from TV, because his armor is still at Casterly Rock. This causes the audience to miss him spearing a horse with a unicorn helm, the only thing they could find that fit his head. In the series, Tyrion is knocked out before the battle even starts by an errant warhammer and wakes once everything is over.
• In the book, Podrick Payne is introduced at the same time that Shae is, in Tyrion's army camp tent. Podrick is a minor cousin of the more famous Ser Ilyn Payne. Podrick does not appear in Season 1 of the TV series, but he is introduced at the beginning of Season 2.
• In the book, there is no mention of Ned urgently saying the word "Baelor" to Yoren before his beheading. The execution is depicted from Arya's viewpoint, however, and nothing precludes the conversation from having occurred; it explains how Yoren finds Arya in the large crowd.
• In the book, between Eddard's false confession and his execution at the Great Sept of Baelor, it is the High Septon who gives the speech "As we sin, so do we suffer..." and asks Joffrey how to deal with Eddard. In the TV series, Pycelle does this speech and asks the question instead.
• In the book, Ned is shoved to be executed by Gold Cloaks at Slynt's command (in Sansa's flashback - it is Slynt himself who throws Ned down), not by Kingsguard.
• In the book, after the execution, Slynt lifts Ned's bloody head by the hair. It does not happen on-screen, but is revealed in Cersei's flashback, while she performs the walk of atonement.
• In the book, Aegon V and Maester Aemon are respectively the Mad King's grandfather and great-uncle rather than his father and uncle. Jaehaerys II, the son of Aegon V and father of Aerys II in the book, was excluded from the show.
• The Painted Dogs are not among the Hill tribes that Tyrion recruits, and later participate in the battle on the Green Fork.
• In the book, Robb sends most of his troops to the Green Fork; in the show, he sends there only 10% of the Northern host.
• In the book, Roose Bolton commands the Northern troops at the battle on the Green Fork; in the show, it is not mentioned who is the commander.
• In the book, half of the clansmen are killed in the battle on the Green Fork; in the show, it is not mentioned how many casualties they suffered.
• Kevan, not Bronn, tells Tyrion that the Hill tribes fought well.

"Fire and Blood"

• In the books, Janos Slynt, not the Hound, is the one who lifts Eddard's head; it is revealed in Cersei's flashback in the fifth novel (chapter 65, Cersei II).
• In the books, Yoren tells Arya that the man (Varys) who brought Gendry to him was the same one who told him to delay leaving and be at the Sept of Baelor, because the trial of Eddard was supposed to result in him being sentenced to take the black and he would be going with Yoren to the Wall.
• In the books, Luwin, not Osha, is the one who takes Bran down to the crypts below Winterfell to show him that his father is not there, and Shaggydog bites him. Bran and Rickon then go with him back to his tower and are there when the raven arrives with word of their father's death (their wolves begin to howl and Rickon begins to cry before the raven comes).
• In the book, before Joffrey commands Sansa to watch Eddard's head with him, he is handling a series of disputations and cases with the Small Council: he leaves nine out of ten cases (which seem to bore him) to the Small Council, and makes judgments himself on the rest, in a willful way. The bard depicted in the series, who performs the song about King Robert and the boar and lions, and then gets punished for this, is actually the accused one in the last case in the books.
  • Also, the punished bard is not Marillion but an unnamed fat one in the books; in the books Marillion remains at the Eyrie after the first trial by combat of Tyrion Lannister (corresponding to "A Golden Crown"), until he plays an important role in two important events much later at Eyrie, at a time point corresponding Season 4 episodes "Mockingbird" and "The Mountain and the Viper" in the TV series; please refer to the relating items in Differences in adaptation/Game of Thrones Season 4 for details.
• An additional scene from the novel A Clash of Kings, when Arya meets Gendry, Hot Pie and Lommy, is shown in the series.
• The brawl between Arya and Hot Pie is very violent in the book: Arya breaks Hot Pie's nose, and when she turns to Lommy, Hot Pie attacks her with a jagged rock, Arya beats Hot Pie till he soils his pants.
• Arya only threatens Hot Pie with Needle in the series. In the book, she beats him with a wooden sword before Yoren punishes her. This took place during their journey instead of the streets of King's Landing.
• In the books, Gendry does not intervene in the brawl. He just tells Lommy and Hot Pie to leave Arya alone, and when Hot Pie attacks Arya with a jagged rock from behind - he warns Arya in time.
• Lommy doesn't use the nickname "Lumpyhead" for Arya in the TV series.
• Rorge and Biter are seen with a hooded man, presumably Jaqen H'ghar; Rorge isn't missing his nose.
• In the book, Sam does not ride out with Grenn and Pyp, after Jon who is deserting the Night's Watch. Sam tells the others, and seven recruits ride out. Ghost gives away Jon's position, who hides from the recruits.
• Jaime is initially imprisoned in a convenient tower cell in Riverrun, not in a pen at Robb's camp, and without shackles. After an unsuccessful escape attempt, he is held shackled in a dungeon.
• The scene between Catelyn and the imprisoned Jaime is based on a similar scene between them in the novel A Clash of Kings. In the show, the scene is broken into two parts: one part in this episode, and the other in Season 2 episode "A Man Without Honor", when she goes to see Jaime with Brienne. The dialogue between the two here is only a small fraction of the whole conversation, and does not include Jaime's teasing comment about Bran: "I seldom fling children from towers to improve their health. Yes, I meant for him to die".
• In the book, at that point Catelyn still has no idea that Bran's fall was not an accident. She figures what really happened to him after learning from Stannis about the incestuous relationship between Jaime and Cersei, and that happens in the next book.
• In the book, Catelyn does not hit Jaime.
• In the book, Jaime reveals to Catelyn why he tried to kill Bran, without being asked to. His confession confirms what Catelyn has already figured out.
• In the book, before Daenerys steps into the pyre, she asks Rakharo, Jhogo and Aggo to be her bloodriders and assigns them as her kos. All the three riders refuse at this point, declaring that only a male can lead a khalasar and have bloodriders, but she is khaleesi. They only promise to accompany her back to Vaes Dothrak, and protect her en route until she joins the Dosh Khaleen there safely (in accordance with Dothraki tradition). However, after she emerges unharmed from the pyre with three hatched dragons, the three Dothraki warriors recognize her as "blood of my blood". These are omitted from the TV series. It is later revealed in Season 2 that Daenerys's bloodriders in the TV series are Kovarro, Rakharo and Aggo - slightly different from in the books.
• In the book, when Daenerys steps into the pyre, it all occurs in the same night. In the series, the scene ends the next morning.
• In the book, when Daenerys is found in the smoldering remains of the fire, the dragons are nursing mother's milk which she has as she was pregnant. Also, though her skin is unburnt, all of her hair has burned away (it eventually grows back at a normal rate).
• Tywin expresses his anger not only in respect of Eddard's execution, but also about other extremely foolish acts of Joffrey:
  • Granting Janos Slynt the title of Lord of Harrenhal; Tywin considers it an insult that a castle that was once the seat of kings has been given to the son of a butcher.
  • Dismissing Ser Barrsitan Selmy as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard; even though he was old, his name still has meaning in the realm, and he lent honor to any man he served - in contrast to the Hound.
  • Naming the Hound to the Kingsguard, as he is not a knight and refuses to be anointed as one. Tywin states that "You feed your dog bones under the table, you do not seat him beside you on the high bench".