Differences in adaptation/Game of Thrones: Season 4

The following is a list of differences between Game of Thrones: Season 4 and the second of half of A Storm of Swords, the book from which it is adapted.

Differences by episode

"Two Swords"

• Tywin never sends for a smith from Volantis to re-forge Ice, and it is never said that there are only three smiths able to work with Valyrian steel. The deed is performed by Tobho Mott (Gendry's former master, who appears in Season 1 and Season 2), who is from Qohor. Qohor is famous for having the only blacksmiths who can reforge Valyrian steel, and there are more than three of them. It is possible that the actor who played Tobho Mott was simply unavailable.
• The forging of the swords is done off-screen.
• In the books, the conversation between Jaime and Tywin soon becomes a fiery exchange of words: Jaime explodes in rage when stating that he will remain at the Kingsguard. Tywin responds harshly "You are not my son". This is their last book conversation.
• Jaime tells Ser Flement Brax, not to Qyburn, "If you admire the bloody thing so much, lop off your own sword hand and you can have it."
• In the books, Jaime is angry to receive the new sword, considering it as a cruel jape after his mutilation.
• Tywin first unveils the sword which will be gifted to Joffrey on his wedding day in the Small Council chamber, and Tyrion is the first person he shows it to. This happens well before the Red Wedding, around the time that Jaime was still in the Riverlands.
• It is not Jaime but Tyrion who muses (not mentioning aloud) that the Lannisters have wanted a Valyrian steel sword for years. Tywin's longstanding quest to acquire one for the family is covered in more detail in the books. He attempted to buy one from various impoverished lesser houses, but their swords were so treasured that none would part with them. Tywin's younger brother Gerion led an expedition to recover Brightroar, the Lannisters' lost ancestral sword, and did not return.
• Sansa meets with Ser Dontos much earlier in the books: this happened a few days after the tourney during Joffrey's name day in Volume two, A Clash of Kings, a time point corresponding to early stage of Season 2 in the TV series. Furthermore, Dontos gives her a hairnet in the book, not a necklace.
• In the books, the wildlings' army numbers between 20,000 - 30,000 people (including the non-combatant ones) according to Thoren Smallwood's estimation, not 100,000.
• The Thenns are not cannibals in the books. This is basically combining them with another wildling tribe, the ice-river clans, who are cannibals. The Thenns are actually the most civilized of the wildlings, living under their own lords who enforce their own laws.
• In the books, Jon claims that he was a better swordsman than Robb. In the show, Jon says Robb was better than him.
• The interrogation of Jon takes place later in the novels. When Jon arrived at Castle Black, both Ser Alliser and Lord Janos were not present as they were both at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. The position of Acting Lord Commander was held by Bowen Marsh, then by the smith Donal Noye and finally by Janos Slynt, not by Ser Alliser. By the time Ser Alliser and Lord Janos were interrogating Jon, Maester Aemon was already satisfied by his explanation.
• In the books, Brienne and Jaime arrive at King's Landing after Joffrey's death. Some of Jaime's scenes are from the books but occur much later, after his return. Jaime's scene in the White Sword Tower with Joffrey, however, has no counterpart in the books.
  • This does mark the first time that Ser Preston Greenfield has been mentioned by name as a member of the Kingsguard; before this his name was known only from the books. It also confirms Preston survived the riots in King's Landing.
• It is not Jaime but Tywin who claims that Stannis will not stop fighting despite his defeat at the Blackwater. He says that to Pycelle at a meeting of the Small Council. Joffrey and Meryn Trant are not present.
• In the books, Brienne is not allowed to wander around freely in the city. Shortly after she and Jaime arrive, he orders her imprisoned for her protection, following the nearly-bloody encounter with Loras, who accused Brienne of Renly's death and challenged her to fight.
• Jaime never tries to evade his oath to Catelyn. He is unable to fulfill it since he and Brienne arrive at King's Landing too late, after Sansa escaped (and long after Arya escaped). He does his best, however, to fulfill the other part of his oath - not to take up arms against Starks or Tullys.
• Oberyn's host arrives at King's Landing before the Red Wedding. When Tyrion meets them he is accompanied by Lord Gyles, Jalabhar Xho and Ser Addam as well as Bronn and Podrick and a retinue of the Gold Cloaks. Furthermore, Oberyn meets Tyrion here rather than in a brothel.
  • Oberyn does mention when he meets Tyrion that he wants to avail himself of the city's brothels, and that Ellaria is interested in joining him. It also established that Ellaria is sexually interested in women as well, because he said she had never been with a blonde woman before. Thus this scene was implied within the books, but happened "off screen".
  • Lord Blackmont reveals that Doran Martell's health has confined him to Sunspear. In the novels, however, Prince Doran has not set foot in the Dornish capital for two years, preferring the peace and isolation of the Water Gardens; his summer seat.
  • It is at this point in the books that Oberyn tells Tyrion of their first encounter when Tyrion was a baby; in the series this conversation was held back until Oberyn visited Tyrion in his cell while awaiting his trial by combat.
• In the books, Dornishmen get involved in bloody brawls with Highgarden men, not with Lannister soldiers.
• It is never stated that Grey Worm has any attraction to Missandei; apart from anything else, she is only ten years old in the books.
  • The books do later point out that just because the Unsullied do not have a man's parts does not mean they do not have a man's heart, and they can still develop emotional attachments to people, more so now that Daenerys has freed them from their utterly regimented slavery.
• Grey Worm and Daario Naharis never gambled with each other.
• It is not Bronn but Joffrey who makes a joke at the expense of the Dornish: "How many Dornishmen does it take to shoe a horse? Nine. One to do the shoeing, and eight to lift the horse up".
• Daario does give Daenerys flowers ostensibly to show her what the country and its people are like, but this is something he does regularly at his daily reports to the Queen, while in the TV show this was turned into a single, specific scene.
• The TV series has made no mention of Ser Arthur Dayne before, and in some respects combined his legendary status with Ser Barristan Selmy - though Ser Barristan was a Kingsguard alongside Ser Arthur and a living legend in his own right. Season 4 has reversed this trend by explaining who Ser Arthur was.
• The encounter involving Arya, the Hound, Polliver, and his companions takes place at the Inn at the Crossroads; in the show, it is an unspecified tavern.
• Arya Stark killing Polliver mixes elements from three separate deaths in the books. In the books, three of Ser Gregor Clegane's men are on her revenge list: Polliver took Needle, but it was Raff who killed Lommy (by driving a spear through his neck), while the Tickler was the head torturer at Harrenhal.
  • The Tickler was killed by Jaqen H'ghar in the TV series, but in the books she had him kill another guard named Chiswyck. In the books, Arya does encounter both Polliver and the Tickler at the Inn at the Crossroads (in the TV series it was a different inn). Also, they fought only three men (Polliver, the Tickler and their squire) not five. It was Sandor, not Arya, who killed Polliver, but Arya killed the Tickler. She killed him in a frenzy by stabbing him repeatedly, sarcastically shouting the questions he interrogated innocent prisoners with as he tortured them: "Is there any gold hidden in the village?! Silver?! Gems?! Where is Lord Beric?!" - the Tickler's great cruelty being that he knew there was no gold but tortured people anyway. Arya continues stabbing him until Sandor has to physically pull her off of his corpse. Sandor was also hideously wounded in the fight.
  • In a separate scene, Arya kills Raff, the man who killed Lommy in the books, by forcing him into the same position Lommy was when he brutally killed the injured boy: she stabs Raff in his leg, making him beg her to carry her to a healer, then she sarcastically quotes the cruel taunt he made to Lommy as he killed him ("'Carry me' he says? Think so?") and then stabs him through the throat. Because Raff's role was condensed with Polliver in the TV series, Polliver was given Raff's death at Arya's hands from the books.
• In the books, when Arya and the Hound reach the inn, Arya has a horse of her own - a mare that they found wandering riderless the morning after the slaughter at the Twins. Arya names her Craven.
• In the books, Arya never tells the Hound about Lommy.
• In the books, Arya and the Hound see no one outside the inn. Arya does not want to enter, claiming there might be ghosts inside. The Hound insists on entering, since he wants wine and information about the Ruby Ford.
• There is no character named Lowell in the books.
• In the books, Polliver and the Tickler take a look at Arya, but other than that they do not pay her any attention, and do not make the Hound any offers regarding her.
• In the books, it is not Polliver but the Sarsfield squire who taunts the Hound about running away from the Battle of the Blackwater.
• In the books, the girl sits in Polliver's lap, and no one else touches her. The innkeeper does not refer to the girl, and there is no mention they are related.
• In the TV series, both Arya and the Hound survive the fight at the inn, but in the books, the Hound is severely wounded and the injury begins to fester. This is the point where Arya abandons the Hound as per his urging, but in the series, the scene is postponed to the season's climax, where the Hound is mortally wounded and hit off a cliff during a fight with Brienne (which never occurs in the books).

"The Lion and the Rose"

• In the books, Joffrey recklessly swings his new sword around, prompting some knights to step back. It is Ser Addam Marbrand, not Pycelle, who warns Joffrey to be careful with Valyrian steel, prompting his response: "I'm no stranger to Valyrian steel." This phrase, and Joffrey's reaction when Tyrion suggests him carrying a Valyrian steel knife (the one the assassin tried to murder Bran with), leads Tyrion to suspect that Joffrey had arranged for Bran's attempted murder. He then fears Joffrey will try to have him killed to keep the secret.
• When Joffrey is presented with a new Valyrian steel sword, Tyrion realizes that Tywin has had the Starks' ancestral greatsword Ice melted down and re-forged. He regrets not returning the sword to the Starks when they asked for it.
• In the book, Joffrey receives much more gifts, in addition to the chalice and the book, among them: a great bow and a quiver of arrows from Jalabhar Xho, and a scorpion-shaped brooch from Oberyn Martell.
• In the books, when Joffrey is given the chalice with seven facets (bearing the sigils of the seven Westerosi Great Houses), he states "a splendid cup, but we'll need to chip the wolf off and put a squid in its place," clearly in order to hurt Sansa, by reminding her the destruction of her family and the ironborn's invasion of the North.
• In the book, Shae is not present at the wedding. She asks permission from Sansa, but Tyrion does not allow her.
• In the books, Joffrey shows no sign of gratitude towards Tyrion's wedding present; instead, he crudely implies that Tyrion's love of books has left him impotent, as well as making another crass (and public) declaration of his intentions to bed Sansa at some point in the near future. It is Joffrey's great-uncle Kevan, rather than Tyrion, who recommends the book as one that all kings should read.
• In the books, after destroying the book with his new Valyrian sword, Joffrey is told by Garlan Tyrell that the book was one of only four known original copies; he simply sneers that now there are only three copies. Oberyn reveals that he was once lucky enough to view another of the originals while studying at the Citadel, and is particularly disgusted by Joffrey's senseless destruction of a treasured artifact.
• In the books, neither Joffrey nor Cersei ever spoke with Brienne.
• In the books, various people unjustly accuse Brienne of Renly's death, but Joffrey is not one of them.
• As he revealed to Sansa later, Littlefinger is the one who arranged the dwarf show. Joffrey was not thrilled about the idea until Littlefinger pointed out it would humiliate Tyrion.
• Littlefinger arranges for only two dwarf jousters, one sitting atop a dog and the other a sow, instead of five: one mocking Robb and the other mocking Stannis. In the TV series, they simply have fake mounts attached to their costumes. Benioff and Weiss explained that they actually wanted to use the pigs, but when they inquired, were told that this would be considered animal cruelty and thus they legally could not do it.
• In the books, the event was meant to offend only Tyrion and Sansa, and most of the wedding guests were laughing. In TV series, several guests were disgusted including the Tyrells, Oberyn, and Varys.
• There was no dwarf playing Renly in the book, and therefore Loras does not storm away in anger. In the books, Loras remains at the wedding throughout.
• Rather than Bronn, Jaime has his friend Addam Marbrand, and later Ilyn Payne, train him to use his left hand because Payne can't speak or write.
• The conversation between Jaime and Tyrion does not occur in the books.
• Jaime does not need Tyrion to encourage him to practice with his left hand.
• Jaime and Brienne do not attend the wedding, as they return to King's Landing after Joffrey's death.
• In the books, Alester Florent is the uncle, not the brother of Queen Selyse. He is burned to death (off-screen) some time after Davos persuades Stannis to travel north.
  • Meanwhile, Axell Florent is not burned alive as he has converted to the Lord of Light and is nearly as fanatic as Selyse.
  • In the books, Alester was burnt because he tried to make peace with the Lannisters by trying to send Shireen to King's Landing and arranging a wedding between her and Tommen in exchange for Stannis and House Florent retaining their lands and titles. Stannis viewed such attempts at negotiation by Alester as treason.
  • In addition, Lord Guncer Sunglass was burnt for not accepting the Lord of Light. The orders were given by Selyse while Stannis was fighting in the Blackwater Bay.
• The books do not reveal how Selyse reacted about her uncle's death.
• It is not mentioned in the books if other people were executed alongside Alester.
• Davos never chides Stannis about executing Alester.
• In the books, Selyse never talks about Shireen, neither affectionately nor critically.
• In the books, Roose Bolton doesn't "smuggle" himself into the North to reach the Dreadfort. He remained with his main army, which marched north from the Twins, but could not bypass the natural choke point at Moat Cailin. In the TV series, Roose must have circumvented the Neck by taking a boat across the Bite, then riding north to the Dreadfort.
• In the books, Roose Bolton returns to the North after Tywin is killed, which explains why he is not receiving any Lannister help in retaking the North from the ironborn.
• In the books, Cersei and Qyburn are the ones who hatch a plot to have Jon Snow assassinated, not the Boltons. That plot never comes to fruition.
• Ramsay's hunt of a girl in the woods in the opening scene is actually significantly toned down from the books. Typically, Ramsay rapes the women he recaptures in his hunts: subsequently, he will give them a quick death if they gave him "good sport", and if not, he will flay them alive. This may well be what Ramsay normally does in the TV series, though, as his dialogue with Myranda implies that this was an unusual request she made because she was offended that Tansy thought she was prettier than her.
• In the TV series, Ramsay has a friendship with Locke over their shared sadism. In the books, Ramsay never has any interactions with Vargo Hoat, Locke's book counterpart.
• In the books, Vargo Hoat (Locke's book counterpart) never comes to Dreadfort.
• In the books, Jaime's hand is made of solid gold, not of gold-plated steel like in the TV series.
• On two occasions Jaime clumsily knocks over a glass with his artificial hand while dining, but not in Tyrion's presence.
• In the books, Tyrion wasn't warned about Cersei finding that Shae is a whore and his mistress. Therefore he does not arrange for her shipping away to Pentos or any other place.
• In the books, the breakfast is held in the Queen's Ballroom, not outside.
  • There are many more guests attending the breakfast in the books than in the TV series. Among them are Oberyn Martell, Kevan Lannister and Addam Marbrand. Kevan and Addam are present at the feast as well.
• The wedding feast is held in the throne room in the Red Keep, not outside.
• In the books, Joffrey and Margaery cut the pie together and they used Ser Ilyn's greatsword, not Joffrey's new Valyrian sword.
  • Tyrion and Sansa don't sit with the other Lannister attendees. Oberyn is seated in a place of higher honor.
• In the books, Joffrey orders Tyrion to pour wine into the large wedding chalice that Mace Tyrell gave to him at the breakfast, but the chalice is never used at the wedding in the show.
• In the books, Tyrion refills the chalice twice at Joffrey's command, without any pose of defiance.
• In the books, when Joffrey suggests that Tyrion should fight the dwarf champion, Tyrion does not respond by ridiculing his "brave" conduct at the battle of the Blackwater, but says, "I'll ride the pig... but only if you ride the dog!" Confused, Joffrey replies that he is no dwarf and asks why him asks, stepping right into the trap Tyrion set for him. Tyrion answers, "Why, you're the only man in the hall that I'm certain of defeating!". Much to Tyrion's satisfaction, nearly the whole crowd bursts out laughing, while Joffrey and Cersei are enraged.
• In the books, while Joffrey is dying, the guests panic and many flee the scene; in the TV series, they don't flee but rather simply watch him die.
• In the books, Sansa had already been instructed by Dontos to escape, and there was no need for Dontos to take her away.
• Margaery does not seek to donate all of the wedding's leftovers to the smallfolk; Tyrion, however, muses that the city would riot again if they saw how much food the nobles had prepared for the wedding.
• When Joffrey collapses, Garlan Tyrell is the first to rush to help him, followed by Osmund Kettleblack and Meryn Trant.
• In the book, during the commotion Tyrion scoops the wedding chalice, which still contains some wine. Tyrion considers it for a moment, then empties the chalice for unknown reason.
• As he chokes to death, Joffrey gruesomely claws at his throat in a desperate bid to get air, leaving bloody gashes. In the TV series, he still claws at his throat briefly after falling to the ground, but it is far less violent than in the books and leaves no such gashes.

"Breaker of Chains"

• Following his arrest in the books, Tyrion is treated very gently (as is usually the case with highborn captives) and is simply confined to his own quarters, as opposed to being outright imprisoned in the Black Cells.
• In the books, Dontos is killed by three crossbow bolts to the chest, throat and belly. Lothor Brune then throws a burning torch upon the body, setting fire to the rowing boat. No trace is left of the body.
• In the books, Tywin never talks to Tommen about the qualities of a good King in the books. In fact, they never converse in the books.
• The first thing Jaime does upon his return to King's Landing is go to the Great Sept of Baelor, as he arrived sometime after Joffrey's death in the books.
• Both Grenn and Edd (and about ten more of those who remained loyal to Mormont) had made it back to Castle Black before Jon in the books. It's never mentioned that they were chained up after the mutiny - being outnumbered by the mutineers, they escaped without putting up any fight. This was probably done to explain the time discrepancy that resulted from expanding the third novel's storyline across two seasons. The Mutiny at Craster's Keep happened in the middle of the third novel, and both characters had returned to Castle Black by the end, but the TV series had to explain why they did not return for a full season.
  • Jon never proposes to march on Craster's Keep to deal with the mutineers, neither before nor after the battle of Castle Black, because the Free Folk and Thenns had already started to attack Castle Black.
  • The conversation between Sam and Gilly does not occur in the books. Sam never sends Gilly to Mole's Town. At this point in Jon's story, Sam and Gilly were still traveling north of the Wall and the Night's Watch was recruiting the refugees from Mole's Town to boost their numbers. By the time they reach Castle Black, Mole's Town has been abandoned, and they do not pass through it.
• In the books, Oznak zo Pahl faces off against Strong Belwas, who hasn't been introduced in the show canon so far. After three successful charges, Belwas injures Oznak's mount and forces him to meet him on the ground. Belwas allows him to cut him before he decapitates the champion, and then defecates next to his corpse. The TV series changed this to urinating in the general direction of Meereen's slave-masters.
• Daenerys doesn't order the chains and collars of freed slaves to be fired over the walls of Meereen in barrels.
• Davos mentions in the episode that he has managed to get three minor Houses to support Stannis: House Peasebury, House Musgood, and House Haigh. Stannis scoffs that they don't have enough men between them to raid a pantry. In the books, House Peasebury is indeed one of the few Houses from the Stormlands that stays loyal to Stannis. House Musgood is also from the Stormlands but is not mentioned as supporting him. House Haigh, meanwhile, is actually a minor House in service to House Frey, who fought for the Freys at the Red Wedding, and who continue to march in Frey armies in service to the Lannisters. It is thus odd that the TV continuity would have them switch to supporting Stannis (when the Lannister-Frey-Bolton alliance is at its peak of success). It may still be possible to reconcile this that the Haighs may have given a token offer of support to Stannis, i.e. in exchange for ridiculously high rewards, but they never acted on it.
• In the books, Davos informs Stannis and Melisandre about Joffrey's death.
• Davos never writes to the Iron Bank requesting financial aid, nor does he suggest hiring the Golden Company. Rather, Tycho Nestoris comes to treaty with Stannis after Cersei refused to honor the debt the Crown owed to the Bank, but it happens much later.
• At that point, Stannis does not hire sellswords because he is short of funds, not because it is against his principles. Once Tycho Nestoris loans him the money he needs, he orders one of his lieutenants to travel to Braavos and hire sellswords, preferably the Golden Company.
• There is no mentioning in the books that Davos was almost beheaded by a First Sword of Braavos.
• Although Oberyn is known to have studied to become a Maester in his youth - successfully forging several links of his chain - he is noted to have studied the poisoner's art while traveling the Free Cities, not at the Citadel, as the show specifies.
• Tywin never speaks in private with Oberyn about Elia's murder (in fact, they never converse in the books), nor does he offer to arrange a private meeting between Oberyn and Gregor Clegane. In the books, Tywin tells Tyrion in the aftermath of a Small Council meeting (the same one in which they learned of the Red Wedding) that he has no intention of honoring the previous deal Tyrion made with House Martell to hand Gregor Clegane over to face justice (along with Myrcella's betrothal) in exchange for Dorne's aid in the War of the Five Kings, as Clegane is too useful to him. Tywin explained his intention was to keep Clegane out of King's Landing so long as Oberyn was in the city and, if Oberyn pressed the matter, he would place all blame for the murders of Elia and her children on the deceased Amory Lorch.
• It is not Tywin who hints that Oberyn might have been the one who poisoned Joffrey; Oberyn himself says that, amusingly, when he speaks with Tyrion.
• Tywin does not regard the wildlings and the ironborn as enemies; on the contrary, he is content to learn from the reports that they are currently fighting against the people of the North.
• In the books, Tywin states that it is necessary to appease Dorne in order to prevent an alliance between them and Stannis; he never claims the Lannisters need Dornish aid to repulse a potential invasion by Daenerys. In the books, while most characters acknowledge Daenerys as the Mad King's last living heir, they both dismiss her as a threat and regard her dragons as nothing more than rumors. It is only in later books, when the rumors become too widespread and start coming from credible sources, that the lords of Westeros are forced to accept them as truth.
• In the books, it is not Pod but Kevan who informs Tyrion about the judges.
• In the books, when Tyrion asks Pod if he thinks Tyrion killed Joffrey, Pod hesitates, tries to speak, but produces only a weak sputter. That increases Tyrion's despair, nevertheless he thanks Pod for his loyal service.
• The characters of Sally and her father do not exist in the books.
• Arya and the Hound stay for a while at a small village. He pays the villagers by work. After the work is done, the Hound is paid, then he and Arya leave. The Hound does not harm any of the villagers.
• The conversation between Davos and Shireen does not occur in the books.
• The conversation between Olenna and Margaery does not occur in the books.
• It is not the Hound but Jeyne Heddle, a collaborator of the Brotherhood Without Banners, who states that the guest right does not mean much anymore, ever since the Red Wedding occurred.

"Oathkeeper"

• In the books, it takes much longer for the Siege of Meereen to end. The ships that brought Daenerys and her followers from Qarth to Slaver's Bay are broken up and turned into catapults and battering rams.
• Neither Missandei nor anyone else teaches Grey Worm to read.
• There is no evidence that Grey Worm learns the common tongue in the books; nor any information about where he is from.
• The conversation between the Meereenese slaves does not occur in the books.
• In the books, Grey Worm is not among those who invade Meereen via the sewers. It is not mentioned what role in conquering the city he is assigned to.
• In the books, the bronze harpy on the top of the Great Pyramid of Meereen is completely removed after Daenerys's conquest.
• The conversation between Olenna and Margaery in the gardens doesn't appear in the books. Olenna does bring up the fact she was supposed to marry an unspecified Targaryen much earlier, during her first meeting with Sansa.
• Luthor Tyrell was betrothed to Shaera Targaryen, not to Viola Redwyne (who does not exist in the books). Olenna did not need to seduce him, because Shaera eloped with her brother Jaehaerys.
• In the books, Olenna does not leave the capital immediately after Joffrey's death, but remains until after the wedding of Tommen and Margaery, then returns to Highgarden.
• Ser Pounce was actually one of three black kittens which Margaery Tyrell gave as gifts to Tommen.
• In the book, Jaime speaks very rudely to Brienne, calling her "stubborn stupid wench", and finally tells her to leave before he changes his mind.
• It is Jaime, not Brienne, who suggests the name "Oathkeeper" for the new sword.
• Tyrion never gives Pod any weapon.
• When Brienne sets out from King's Landing to look for Sansa, Podrick does not accompany her. Much later, following Tyrion's disappearance after killing his father, Brienne notices Podrick following her. He explains that he also wishes to find Sansa, as Tyrion may be with her, and because Sansa can prove her husband's innocence, so Brienne agrees to let him travel with her.
• In the books, Brienne never reads the White Book.
• Jaime and Bronn never converse in the books.
• Jaime does not visit Tyrion in his cell but until after the trial. Neither Bronn nor anyone else persuade him to visit Tyrion.
• To Jaime's question, Tyrion deliberately lies that he killed Joffrey.
• Tyrion does not ask Jaime to help him escape.
• Bronn never declares that he believes Tyrion is innocent.
• Sam never revealed to Jon that Bran was beyond the Wall.
• Vargo Hoat (Locke's analogous book character) was never at Castle Black.
• Bran's group never come across Craster's Keep in the books, and thus aren't captured.
  • Neither Ghost nor Summer are caught and imprisoned by the Night's Watch mutineers.
• The scene where Craster's last son is brought to the Land of Always Winter and turned into a White Walker is not present in any of published books.
• In the books, Sansa does notice that one gem is missing from the hair net. She has no idea who removed it until Littlefinger reminds her.
• The conversation between Margaery and Tommen does not occur in the books.

"First of His Name"

• The Bloody Gate is much farther away from the Eyrie in the books.
• Cersei never offers Tommen to marry Margaery in the books. It is rather the Tyrells who do, and Cersei is annoyed by the offer due to its proximity to the date of Joffrey's death, but reluctantly agrees, because the Lannisters need the Tyrells on their side. Cersei also never speaks about Joffrey with any contempt with Margaery (or with anyone else), but rather puts him on even more of a pedestal after his death.
• While Myrcella is at Dorne, Cersei does not show any interest about her, including sending her any gift.
• Tommen's coronation does not take place on-screen, and is not even mentioned in the novels.
• In the books, Cersei never speaks ill of Joffrey.
• The conversation between Tywin and Cersei does not occur in the books.
• Petyr has Sansa pose as his bastard daughter, not his niece.
• Petyr has Sansa dye her hair brown to hide her identity.
• Lysa marries Petyr at his ancestral keep on the Fingers, not at the Eyrie.
• Lysa reveals she was the one to kill Jon Arryn and send the false letter to Catelyn, and that Littlefinger made her do that, but this happens much later in the book, while she drags Sansa to the Moon Door. Marillion is also present when it happened. She also reveals that she once got pregnant by Littlefinger and that her father forced her to undergo an abortion.
• Lysa is much less joyful with Sansa in the books, seeing her mere presence as a threat to Robert (Robin's name in the books) since she is wanted by the Lannisters.
• Sansa does not eat lemon cakes with Lysa.
• There is no mention in the books that Catelyn had a sweet tooth, and that she had to go on a diet.
• Robin never refers to Petyr as "uncle" and receives no gifts from him.
• Robin never mentions the Red Wedding.
• Robin is unaware of Sansa's true identity and of their kinship. He believes she is Alayne, Littlefinger's bastard daughter.
• The gold mines of the Westerlands have not run dry in the books, they are as prosperous as ever.
  • The crown's debt is also mostly to House Lannister, not the Iron Bank.
• Arya never includes Walder Frey, Melisandre, Beric Dondarrion, and Thoros of Myr in her death prayer. She considers adding the Freys after the Red Wedding, but she does not know the individual names of the perpetrators. Gendry also stays with Beric and Thoros after Arya runs away, and she never meets Melisandre, thus has no reason to want them dead.
• The character Locke is based on from the books, Vargo Hoat, who is not killed by Hodor at Craster's Keep. He stays at Harrenhal and is captured by Gregor Clegane, who gives him a slow and gruesome death on Tywin Lannister's orders.
• Ghost comes back to Jon much later in the books, after the Battle of Castle Black is over, and does not kill Rast. Rast is among the defenders of the castle, and is killed by a Thenn during the first stage of the battle.
• The Second Sons do not capture any Meereenese ships. All the ships which harbor at Meereen at the time of its conquer - either flee or are destroyed by Daenerys's troops.

"The Laws of Gods and Men"

• Stannis's deal with the Iron Bank occurs later in the books, after he has defeated the wildlings beyond the Wall. He does not visit Braavos to negotiate with the Bank's representatives. Instead, Tycho Nestoris comes to meet Stannis while he is attempting to take the North from the Boltons. The Iron Bank agrees to fund Stannis because the Lannisters, specifically Cersei, refuse to repay the gold they owe.
• Davos is not present at the meeting between Stannis and Tycho Nestoris, because he was sent earlier to the White Harbor, in order to gain the support of Lord Wyman Manderly.
• Following the Battle of the Blackwater, ​Stannis's total troops are initially between 1,500 - 1,600 men in the books, more than half of them from House Florent. By the time he meets Tycho Nestoris, his army consists of about 5,000 men, reinforced by 2,000 - 3,000 men of the Northern mountain clans and hundreds of survivors of the Mormonts and other Northern houses.
• Davos never met up with Salladhor Saan in a Braavosi bathhouse.
• Davos is questioned by Ser Marlon Manderly, not by Tycho Nestoris, about the number of Stannis's men-at-arms. He does not answer, fearing that if he tells the truth - Lord Manderly will refuse to support Stannis.
• Asha Greyjoy never attempts to free Theon, but a similar scene occurs in the books just after the fall of Moat Cailin: to test Theon's loyalty, Ramsay offers him a chance to return to Pyke with the rest of the ironborn, but Theon, knowing full well that this is merely another one of Ramsay's tricks, chooses not to, and he sees he made the right choice when Ramsay flays the ironborn anyway. In the show, Theon fears that Yara's rescue attempt is one of Ramsay's tricks, and even if it isn't, he outright refuses to go with her unless she kills Ramsay.
  • At one point in the fifth novel, Asha has an idea that perhaps is to attempt to rescue Theon, not because she cares about him but due to the political affairs in the Iron Islands. She does not have a chance to carry out her idea, though.
• In the books, no reward is put on the Hound's head.
• The conversation between Varys and Oberyn Martell does not occur in the books.
• ​The trial of Tyrion lasts four days in the book. It takes Varys a whole day to deliver his testimony, as well as Shae.
• There are many more witnesses in the trial. Balon Swann is the first to testify.
• In the books, Cersei does not testify. Osney and Osfryd Kettleblack are the ones who testify of the threats Tyrion has made to her - that he would wait for a day when she was happy, and make her joy turn to ashes in her mouth.
• In the books, no one tries to bribe Podrick Payne into giving testimony against Tyrion.
• In the books, Bronn is not investigated for any aspect of Joffrey's murder.
• In addition to the nine types of poison that Pycelle counts (Tears of Lys, wolfsbane, manticore venom, the strangler, basilisk venom, widow's blood, sweetsleep, demon's dance, and blind eye), he mentions tenth poison - greycap.
• Oberyn Martell does not interrupt impatiently Pycelle's testimony.
• In the books, it is Ser Boros Blount who speaks up about being threatened.
• Tyrion does not ask Varys any questions. He asks Pycelle two questions, without requesting permission first, risking his father's wrath.
• It is not Tywin but Tyrion who questions Pycelle about the poison that was used to kill Joffrey.
• In the books, it is Kevan Lannister, not Jaime, who approaches Tyrion with the offer to join the Night's Watch in exchange for a plea for mercy.
• Jaime never agrees to leave the Kingsguard and marry in order to have Tyrion spared. Jaime and Tywin never speak to each other again after Jaime decides to stay in the Kingsguard, as Tywin disowns him afterwards.
• Shae's surprise testimony does occur in the books, but her motivations are changed. In the books, the character is more cynical and does not care about Tyrion, and her motive for testifying against him in the trial was financial, Cersei having bribed her for her testimony. In the show, her motives seem more based on revenge, and hatred for being rejected.
• In the books, the Strangler is not among the poisons in Pycelle's collection. This fact is brought to attention during the trial.
• In the books, it is not Tywin but Tyrion who chides Cersei for dismissing Ser Barristan Selmy from the Kingsguard.

"Mockingbird"

• In the books, Rorge is killed by Brienne, not by Arya.
• In the books, Biter is killed by Gendry, not by the Hound.
• The Hound is severely injured by Polliver and the Tickler during the Brawl in a tavern in the Riverlands, not by Biter.
• The dying man that Arya and the Hound find was injured by unnamed Bolton soldier, not by Rorge and Biter.
• In the books, it is not Rorge but Polliver who tells Arya and the Hound about Joffrey's death.
• The Hound never tells Arya, and she has no idea, how his face got burnt.
• Brienne and Podrick never meet Hot Pie on their travels, and his fate remains unclear after he leaves Arya and Gendry.
• The conversation between Jaime and Tyrion does not occur in the books.
• Jaime and Tyrion never speak about Shae in the books.
• The conversation between Cersei and Gregor Clegane does not occur in the books.
• The conversation between Melisandre and Selyse does not occur in the books (at least not on-screen, because they are not POV characters). Much later, Melisandre tells Mance Rayder and Jon about using her illusion spells to make people see what they expect to see.
• ​In the books, Tyrion anticipates the possibility of a trial by combat even before his court trial, and begins to consider the choice of his champion at this point. He already knows that, should he opt for a trial by combat, Cersei's champion would be the Mountain. Tyrion notes to himself that Cersei counters his moves before he makes them.
• While awaiting the trial by combat, Tyrion consoles himself with the new problems he has caused for his father. If Oberyn wins, Mace Tyrell will be enraged that the man who crippled his son Willas (who has been omitted from the TV series) has helped the man who nearly poisoned his daughter escape justice. If Oberyn loses, Prince Doran will demand to know why his brother was served death in King's Landing (particularly at the hands of Gregor Clegane) when he sought justice. Dorne may even respond by crowning Myrcella as Queen (under Dornish law she, and not her younger brother Tommen, would be considered Joffrey's rightful heir).
• Jorah is never stated to have served in the Golden Company.
• Oberyn tells Tyrion the story of when he visited Casterly Rock on the approach to King's Landing, not in the dungeons.
• Oberyn volunteers to be Tyrion's champion, should he need one, while his court trial is still ongoing, prior to Shae's testimony.
• In the books, when Sansa is working on her snow castle, Petyr helps her with the details. He kisses her before Robin joins them.
• In the books, Robin does not converse with Sansa. He uses his doll to break the snow castle down, announcing that he is a giant. Trying to stop him, Sansa unintentionally rips the doll, sending him into a "shaking spell".
• Sansa does not slap Robin. In a later scene, he demands a hundred lemon cakes and five tales. Sansa, growing sick and tired of her spoiled cousin, thinks "I'd like to give you a hundred spankings and five slaps", but never harms him physically.
• In the books, when Lysa drags Sansa to the Moon Door, the bard Marillion is ordered to sing at the top of his voice to drown out Sansa's screams. When Littlefinger kills Lysa, he summons the guards and blames it on Marillion, who confesses under torture. In the series Marillion was mutilated by Joffrey at the end of Season 1, and his whereabouts are unknown.
• Sansa resists Lysa, by grabbing hold of her braid.
• When Littlefinger talks to calm Lysa down in the books, he says "only Cat" before pushing her out the Moon Door, not "your sister".
• Lysa doesn't scream when she falls through the Moon Door.
• Littlefinger pushing Lysa through the Moon Door happens much later in A Storm of Swords.
• Daenerys is much disheartened by the news about Yunkai, but does not try to conquer it again.
• There is no counterpart to the scene in which Melisandre explains that they are taking Shireen Baratheon with them when they leave Dragonstone, because the Lord of Light "needs her". In the novels, Stannis didn't explain why he took Shireen with him: it was apparently just because he didn't feel she was safe on Dragonstone given that he left only a skeleton force to defend it, and more importantly, the Lannisters would soon get around to using the Tyrells' fleets to blockade it.
  • Westeros.org's review posited that Melisandre needs Shireen because as she previously explained, a "king's blood" has power she can use in magical spells - which is why she wanted to use Gendry in a human sacrifice (in the novels, she wanted to use one of Robert's other bastards, Edric Storm, but this was condensed with Gendry's storyline). Westeros.org went on to draw parallels between this and Iphigenia from the Trojan War.

"The Mountain and the Viper"

• In the books, the sack of Mole's Town takes place off-screen.
• Ygritte never met Gilly in the books, as she and Sam hadn't arrived at Castle Black but after the battle was over, and had not passed through Mole's Town.
• In the books, Mully, Kegs and Jack Bulwer are not in Mole's Town when it is sacked, but in Castle Black.
• In the books, it is not Lord Yohn Royce but his cousin Nestor and his son Albar who come to the Eyrie to inquire about Lysa's death.
• In the books, Littlefinger tells Lord Nestor Royce, not Yohn Royce, that Lysa often said he was "her rock".
• In the books, the singer Marillion was present when Petyr pushed Lysa out the Moon Door. Through torture, Petyr made him confess that Marillion pushed her out instead. This was aided by the fact the Marillion was hated by all the Lords of the Vale as he mocked them constantly, so Nestor Royce had no trouble believing he was guilty.
• It is not Sansa but Littlefinger who convincingly lies to the Lord Nestor Royce about Lysa's death. Also, Sansa never reveals her identity to him or to any of the Vale lords in the published books.
• Lord Yohn Royce and Lady Anya Waynwood do not come to the Eyrie to inquire about Lysa's death, but to make Littlefinger leave the Vale and hand them Lysa's son. Four other lords arrive with them: Lord Gilwood Hunter, Lord Horton Redfort, Lord Benedar Belmore, Ser Symond Templeton. Ser Lyn Corbray is also present.
• Grey Worm never shows any attraction or affection for Missandei, as she is a girl of 9-10 years old in the books.
• ​Moat Cailin in the books in not a single keep, but three towers clustered around the causeway. More are buried or fallen to ruin in the swamps around the remaining three.
• In the books, Ralf Kenning was near death when Theon arrived, suffering from his festering wounds, and was not in charge of the ironborn garrison. He was given a mercy killing by Theon. It is Dagon Codd who rejects Theon's offer, and dies from an axe to the head.
• In the books, none of the ironborn reads the scroll. Theon is almost certain that they cannot read.
• In the TV series, Theon/Reek carries a white flag as a sign of peace and parley. In the books, he carries a rainbow-colored flag: people in the Seven Kingdoms actually carry rainbow-colored flags as a sign of parley. This is because the dominant religion is the Faith of the Seven, in which the number seven is sacred, and rainbows are frequently used as a symbol of the Faith in the books. The TV series has entirely avoided this throughout its run, possibly because they thought it would look somewhat silly on-screen.
• Ramsay​ was legitimized earlier in the books, after the Red Wedding, and long before he used Theon to take Moat Cailin.
• Roose never speaks about the way Ramsay treated the ironborn at Moat Cailin, praisingly or critically. He chides Ramsay (generally, not in respect of any specific deed) for committing his atrocities openly.
• Ser Barristan reveals Jorah's secret much earlier, before they even conquer Meereen. Additionally, he knew Jorah was a spy not because of a letter from Varys, but because he was at the Small Council meeting where Varys brings King Robert Jorah's news of Daenerys's pregnancy. The TV series wanted to hold off on this shocking revelation until the Season 4 finale, but Ser Barristan joins Daenerys in Season 3, and makes no secret of his identity (because unlike in a book, the audience can see that he is Barristan, so this subplot was cut). In the books he told her Jorah's secret as soon as he revealed his true identity. The TV series addressed this by making it a point for Barristan to be absent from the Small Council meeting in Season 1, and for Jorah to even directly ask about this in Season 3, to which Barristan replied that he didn't attend Small Council meetings because Robert was a bit wary about having a former Targaryen loyalist listen to war plans - and Barristan avoided them anyway because he disliked politics. So Barristan simply never knew Jorah's secret before in the TV continuity.
• Daenerys originally plans to pardon Jorah, but is angered by his attitude: he does not show much contrition, and remains bullish and defensive about his actions. She appears very calm about exiling Jorah in the show, while in the novels she could barely hold back her tears and was very distraught. Additionally, Jorah is dragged from her presence by Strong Belwas (who does not appear in the show). In the TV series her reaction is more subtle, that of barely contained "tranquil fury" - the TV episode can't see into her inner thought monologue as the book can. Daario Naharis offers to kill Jorah for her, but she spares him.
• In the books, Arya and the Hound never reach the Bloody Gate. The Hound did plan to take her to the Eyrie with the same intention as in the TV series; however, when they arrive in the Mountains of the Moon in the Vale, they are told by the villagers that the roads have been blocked by snow and frost, and there are hill tribes robbing and killing, thus it would be impossible for them to go further. Thus the Hound has to abandon the plan. He plans to reach the Eyrie by boarding a ship at Saltpans, but collapses on the way there.
• In the books, Arya hears about her aunt's death when she is in Braavos. Her reaction is not laughter but indifference.
• Jaime and Tyrion never talked about their cousin, and the character is never seen or mentioned in the books.
• Although it is also agreed upon with the Lords of the Vale that Robin will tour the Vale, that is not the immediate reason Robin, Petyr and​ Sansa leave the Eyrie: winter is fast approaching and the stronghold becomes uninhabitable due the the whole mountaintop freezing over and the road up being blocked by snow.
• While the television version of the duel between Oberyn Martell and Gregor Clegane follows the source material quite closely, there are some noticeable differences:
  • Before the battle, Tyrion is shocked to find out that Oberyn plans to use a spear in the fight. Oberyn explains to a disheartened Tyrion that a long spear is the only way to counter Gregor's enormous reach but Tyrion is not convinced. He informs Oberyn that Gregor always wears thick armor, but Oberyn is indifferent, pointing out that there are always gaps in the armor's joints he can exploit. He also spins the blade in his hands, causing it to gleam black in the light, cluing Tyrion into the fact the spearhead is poisoned.
  • The High Septon gives the speech before the fight, not Grand Maester Pycelle. He is also not interrupted by Tywin.
  • ​The fight lasts much longer, to the point where Gregor was beginning to tire.
  • Both Oberyn and Gregor carry shields in the fight. Oberyn uses a polished mirror shield and Gregor carries an extremely thick oaken shield. Oberyn also wears a helmet in the book.
    • Gregor is so freakishly strong that he can wield a huge greatsword one-handed, even though it is intended to be used as a two-handed weapon. This gives Gregor the advantage that he has one hand free to carry a large shield. The TV series version has Gregor wield his greatsword one-handed, while - inexplicably - carrying nothing in his other hand, and simply letting it dangle free. If Gregor did not wish to carry a shield in the TV version, wielding his large sword with two hands would give him greater power and control over each blow - there is absolutely no benefit to simply leaving one of his hands free.
  • As Oberyn is carrying more than a spear, he does not perform a show-off move to the crowd. As Oberyn taunts Gregor during the duel, Gregor grows increasingly agitated and in his fury, cuts down a stable boy when he tries to charge Oberyn and ends up crashing into the crowd. Though arguably, in the TV version is performing show-off moves as a way to further taunt Gregor.
  • At one point, Oberyn reflects the sunlight into Gregor's narrow visor, blinding him and giving Oberyn an opportunity to find a gap in the armpit when Gregor lifts his arm to shield his eyes. The spear cuts through the mail and boiled leather, and Gregor begins to bleed heavily. When Oberyn finds another gap behind the knee, Gregor falls down on the ground.
  • Gregor does not cut Oberyn's spear in half with his sword. In the book, when Gregor goes down, Oberyn impales him onto the ground, breaking the spear in the process. Oberyn then grabs Gregor's greatsword. Tyrion speculates that Oberyn intends to either behead Gregor or drive the sword's point through his eye, but Clegane seizes and kills Oberyn before he can do either.
  • Oberyn does not attempt to implicate Tywin Lannister by asking the question "Who gave you the orders".
  • In the books, after Gregor knocked down Oberyn, first he gouged his eyes with a jab from his fingers, then he punched him so hard it knocked his teeth out, then he caved his skull in with another mighty punch from his armored fist. The TV version changed the order slightly: first having Gregor punch Oberyn so hard it knocked his teeth out, then gouge his eyes, and then cave his skull in (not with another punch but by squeezing together his bare hands).

"The Watchers on the Wall"

• The wildlings both north and south of the Wall don't attack Castle Black simultaneously. The wildlings south of the Wall attack first and are defeated, and then Mance launches his attack from the North shortly after.
• In the books, Tormund does not tell Ygritte, but to Jon, the story about having sex with a woman who was a she-bear. Tormund does not mention her name.
• Pyp and Grenn both ​survive the battle. The writers acknowledged this in the Inside the Episode video, but explained that because the TV adaptation has not had time to introduce many tertiary Night's Watch characters (such as Donal Noye), they felt that to show the real cost of the battle they had to kill off named characters that the audience was familiar with.
• Donnel Hill survives the battle.
• The conversation between Sam and Pyp does not occur in the books.
• Sam never asks Jon about Ygritte.
• Sam never reads any book about wildlings.
• Neither Ser Alliser nor Janos Slynt are present at the Wall at the beginning of the battle. They arrive much later stage of the battle, and do not contribute anything to the battle, only interfering.
• Sam and Gilly had not yet returned to Castle Black when the battle occurred.
• None of the giants use bows.
• In the books, the giant in the tunnel is killed by Castle Black's smith, Donal Noye, who is not in the series.
  • ​Additionally, it is Noye who is in command of Castle Black during the battle. Noye left the top of the Wall to defend the tunnel, leaving Jon in command (similar to how in the TV series, Ser Alliser leaves command of the top of the Wall to lead the defense of Castle Black itself, which is under more immediate threat).
• Ghost is not yet reunited with Jon during the battle.
• ​Tormund is with Mance during the battle and isn't captured.
• In the books, Jon does not face off against Ygritte before she is fatally hit by an arrow nor is it revealed who killed her. Jon finds her with the arrow in her and she dies in his arms, much as she did in the TV episode and with the same dialogue. For a moment Jon was worried that it was his arrow that killed her, but then he recognized that it wasn't one of his because the fletching was different.
• Jon does not engage in sword fight with any of the wildlings, due to his leg injury. Instead he shoots arrows from a safe distance.
• Styr is not killed by Jon. He and the other wildling raiders attacking from the south are not defeated in pitched battle, but by being lured up the switchback staircase that leads up to the Wall (which has not yet been shown in the series) and then the stairs are set on fire. The majority of the wildlings, including Styr, fall to their deaths when the fire causes the stairs to collapse.
• ​In the novels, Mole's Town is evacuated before the wildlings arrive, and many of the villagers fight alongside the Night's Watch in the battle.
• Most of the Night's Watch's remaining strength is lured to the west by an attack on the Bridge of Skulls, near the Shadow Tower in the books, leaving few fighting men at Castle Black. Ser Alliser and Janos Slynt come from Eastwatch-by-the-Sea with reinforcements after Styr's raiders are defeated.
  • The exact numbers in the battle are slightly different. In the books, Thoren Smallwood reports that the wildling host numbers perhaps 20-30,000 warriors, and more than half of those are women and children. After the disaster at the Fist of the First Men, the entire Night's Watch numbers around 700 men, 300 of which were in the west to defend the Bridge of Skulls. When Jon return, he is told that only 41 men were left to defend Castle Black - the old, the cripple and inexperienced brothers. Most of their officers and best warriors had already died at the Fist of the First Men. They were also supplemented by any Mole's Town refugees who could hold a crossbow. The TV series states that only about 100 men are left to defend Castle Black, while Mance Rayder's army is estimated to be about 100,000 strong. Thus in the TV series Jon states in dialogue that they are outnumbered "a thousand to one", while in the books the ratio was perhaps fifty to one - still hopelessly outnumbered.
• The wildlings use siege turtles to protect themselves while sapping the gates. These protect them from arrow fire, but they are crushed by barrels filled with ice and stone thrown from atop the Wall.
• ​There is no giant scythe to kill wildlings climbing the Wall, nor do any wildlings attempt a climb.
• The battle does not last a few hours before Jon goes to meet with Mance, but for several days. Jon also does not go willingly to kill Mance, he is forced by Ser Alliser and Slynt, who accuse him of betrayal.
• Jon does not leave his sword behind.

"The Children"

• When Jon meets with Mance, he carries Longclaw, and is about to use it when Stannis attacks.
• Jon meets Tormund first and speaks with him about Ygritte and Mag, not with Mance. Tormund is impressed to hear that one-armed blacksmith Donal Noye killed Mag.
• Varamyr and Harma urge Mance to kill Jon, but Tormund protects him.
• Mance shows Jon a massive horn, claiming it is the legendary Horn of Winter. He threatens that if his terms are not accepted within three days, Tormund will blow the horn to bring the Wall down, though Mance prefers not to - because then nothing will stop the Others.
• Mance has not sent any wildlings to climb the Wall five miles away from the castle. He tells Jon that he can continue the attack on Castle Black, and at the same time send troops to attack the Shadow Tower and the Eastwatch, and also send men and mammoths to dig out the gates of the abandoned castles.
• Tormund was present in Mance's tent when Jon went to treat with him, as was Mance's wife Dalla. She dies during the cavalry charge from sudden childbirth.
• Stannis's forces attacked from the East in three waves, not a North and South pincer maneuver.
  • Several dozen Night's Watch​ cavalry led the charge as Stannis's vanguard and scouts.
  • Davos isn't with Stannis during the charge. Selyse and Shireen are still at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, and do not come to Castle Black until much later in the books.
  • Melisandre uses sorcery to burn Orell's eagle mid-flight, causing great agony for Varamyr, another skinchanger who had taken the eagle for his own after Orell's death. Varamyr was the one who warned Mance of an approaching army, not the sound of trumpets.
• ​Mance does not easily surrender, he is captured by force after fierce fighting.
• ​Stannis's cavalry charge is initially blunted by giants riding mammoths, though they are eventually encircled as the left and right wildling flanks collapse.
• Cersei never sees Ser Gregor being treated in the books, but is relayed information from Pycelle and Qyburn about his condition.
• Pycelle disagrees with Qyburn's assessment of manticore venom, as it kills within seconds of reaching the heart. Qyburn theorizes the venom was "thickened" by Oberyn with dark arts to prolong Gregor's suffering.
• ​Gregor is unable to fall asleep due to the constant pain of the venom, nor does milk of the poppy render him unconscious. According to Gregor's squire, he frequently drinks milk of the poppy as a painkiller for recurring headaches he suffers, which has rendered him all but immune to its soporific effects; he is screaming in agony at all hours, so Cersei orders Qyburn to move Clegane to the dungeons, where his screams won't disturb her any longer, as well as gag him (both to silence Gregor's screams and stop him from biting off his own tongue in his convulsions).
• As he is treating Gregor, Pycelle requests that the remaining Dornishmen in King's Landing be detained to determine what type of poison was used by Oberyn but Tywin flatly refuses him, saying that there will already be enough trouble with Sunspear over Oberyn's death. In the aftermath of Gregor's public confession of his role in the murders of Elia and Aegon (which Tywin had always dismissed as malicious rumors), Tywin (not Cersei) orders Pycelle (not Qyburn) to get Gregor back to health enough so Ilyn Payne can later publicly execute him in order to placate House Martell (otherwise, Tywin fears that the Martells might possibly side with Stannis and help him prolong the war for years to come).
• Brienne and the Hound never encounter in the books. Their encounter is based on Brienne's fights or encounters with different parties, mostly throughout A Feast for Crows:
  • Members of the Brotherhood and their new leader, the monstrous Lady Stoneheart (the reanimated Catelyn Stark) accuse Brienne of switching to the Lannister side, since Oathkeeper is made of Valyrian steel and Lannister gold.
  • When dueling with Jaime, Brienne blocks his swing while kneeling on the ground.
  • Vargo Hoat tries to rape Brienne, but she resists and bites off one of his ears.
  • Brienne encounters and fights Rorge, who is masquerading as the Hound.
  • Biter tackles Brienne down and they wrestle.
• The Hound is severely wounded by the Tickler during the encounter the Inn at the Crossroads, and is left to die by Arya on the way to Saltpans; it happens much earlier in the books. Arya does not take his purse, but later wishes she had, as she cannot afford to book passage on a ship.
• The Hound is not "watching over Arya", nor does he ever claim to be. He intends to ransom her to her great-uncle Brynden Tully.
• Cersei never tells Tywin about her incestuous relationship with Jaime, nor does she threaten him with publicly revealing this information.
• Cersei objects to Tywin's demand to marry her, but does not defy him. She just asks for a few days to consider her options.
• Tywin's plan to marry Cersei to Loras Tyrell (Willas in the books) had already fallen through by this point. Instead he simply planned to send her back to Casterly Rock, leaving him a free hand to raise Tommen.
• Jojen does not die fighting against the wights. He is still alive in the book continuity.
• ​Leaf and the other Children of the forest speak with much deeper voices, described as an adult voice.
• In the books, Leaf does not use any magic to destroy the wights, but darts between them with a torch in hand, setting them on fire.
• The three-eyed crow has a much less human appearance. He is pale and skeletal and wears rotted black clothing. His skin is white, aside from a red blotch on his neck and cheek. He has fine, white hair long enough to reach the earthen floor. He is missing one eye, while the other is red. Weirwood roots grow through his leg and his empty eye socket.
• ​In the books, Jaime only returns to King's Landing after Joffrey's death. When he frees Tyrion from his cell, it is the first time the two brothers have seen each other since they were at Winterfell.
• In the books, when Jaime frees Tyrion, he confesses to his brother that it is partly out of guilt and admits that his first wife Tysha was not a whore at all. Instead, Tywin made him lie about it to teach Tyrion a lesson. This revelation enrages Tyrion, prompting him to strike Jaime, inform him of Cersei's unfaithfulness and falsely claim to having killed Joffrey. He swears to one day return and take revenge on all three of them (Jaime, Cersei and Tywin) for this final, unforgivable betrayal. This revelation about Tysha becomes Tyrion's primary motive for killing Tywin.
• Varys does not help Tyrion willingly. Jaime appears at his chambers brandishing a dagger and forces him to; when Varys protests, Jaime threatens to kill him shortly after Tyrion's execution if he refuses. Tyrion is handed over to Varys soon after being rescued from the cell, and Varys escorts him through the tunnels. When Tyrion wants to confront Tywin, Varys indicates him the secret passage, but tries to dissuade him from using it and risking his life. After dealing with Tywin and Shae, Tyrion returns to the spot where he left Varys.
• En route to the Hand's chamber, Tyrion hears two guards, Red Lester and Lum, talking about his upcoming execution, arguing whether he will face his executioner bravely or beg for mercy.
• In the books, Tyrion ​emerges from the secret passage at the hearth in the bedroom of the Tower of the Hand. In the TV series, he emerges at the ground of the meeting room.
• ​Shae does not grab a knife or fight back against Tyrion, except when he twists the necklace and begins strangling her, and then only feebly.
• In the books, the chain that Tyrion uses to strangle Shae is a golden necklace made up of hand-shaped segments, which is the badge for the Hand of the King that he and Tywin successively used. In the TV series, the badge for the Hand is changed to a hand-shaped brooch, thus the chain that Tyrion gave Shae in Season 3 episode "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" is used.
• ​When confronted by Tyrion, Tywin thinks that it was Varys who released him, and vows to have the eunuch's head. He reassures Tyrion that he still plans to send him to the Wall, and is only awaiting Mace Tyrell's approval. Tyrion enquires of Tysha's whereabouts. Tywin refers to Tysha as "your first whore". Tyrion is enraged at this and warns his father, "The next time you say that word, I’ll kill you" (he gives the same warning in the TV series, but referring to Shae instead). When Tywin nonchalantly remarks that Tysha went "wherever whores go", Tyrion releases the crossbow at him.
• ​Tyrion kills Tywin with a single bolt to the pelvis, which causes his bowels to loosen. He notices that "Lord Tywin Lannister did not, in the end, shit gold".
• The book makes a point that Tyrion could not reload the crossbow so easily; had he encountered the guards, at best he could have killed only one. As things turn to be, he did not need to shoot again.
• ​The whereabouts of Varys are not described in the book after the assassination of Tywin; all that is confirmed is that he does not return to his chambers.
• Tyrion is not stored in a crate, he freely roams the ship.
• The girl purportedly killed by Drogon was called Hazzea, not Zalla.
• In the books, Daenerys's advisors urge her to silence the girl's father, fearing that he is lying as part of a plot by Meereen's former slave-masters to turn public opinion against her, and she wasn't actually killed by Drogon. Daenerys quickly dismisses this idea, however, because she realizes that the goatherd waited to be heard last and only after all other claimants had left the throne room, which wouldn't make sense if his purpose had been to publicly discredit her. Instead, Daenerys pays the father a hundred times the worth of a lamb, and promises him that Hazzea's bones shall be laid to rest at the Temple of the Graces, and a hundred candles shall burn night and day in her memory. Daenerys also tells the father to come back every year at Hazzea's nameday, and she will make sure his other children want for nothing, but on condition that he does not tell anyone how Hazzea died.
• In the books, the chaining of the dragons is a far longer and more difficult process. Viserion was the first dragon to be chained; he was allowed to gorge himself on meat until he became drowsy and lethargic, and was chained up while he slept. Rhaegal was second and more of a challenge; because he could hear Viserion struggling to break free of his chains, he would not come willingly, and in the end, Rhaegal was trapped in a net while he basked in the morning sun and dragged into captivity, a process that took three days and left six men burned. Three unsuccessful attempts were made to capture Drogon, in which nearly forty men were burned, four of whom died. Afterwards, Drogon fled north in the direction of the Dothraki Sea.
• In the books, the Titan's Daughter is a galleas, a hybrid between a galleon and a galley, featuring both sails and oars. The ship in the episode is a small galleon, with no oars.