George Martin is well known for “killing” his characters in “A Song of Ice and Fire” series as well as its popular screen version. However “Game of Thrones” creators managed to get rid of several characters, which still remain alive in Martin’s novels. We’ve decided to recall some of the innocently murdered fantasy characters, who were “killed” just for the sake of unpredictability of the TV show.
1. Talisa Stark
Robb Stark’s wife character was completely rethought for “Game of Thrones” show. According to the book, her name is Jeyne Westerling and she is the daughter of one of the Stark’s vassals. The TV show presents her as an aristocrat from the Free Cities, known as Talisa Maegyr of Volantis. Talisa dies along with her husband and mother-in-law during so-called Red Wedding, while Jeyne is alive and mourns her dead husband.
Talisa Stark
Shireen Baratheon
2. Shireen Baratheon
In one of the most violent scenes of “Game of Thrones” series, the young princess Shireen is burned on fire by order of her father to shed the royal blood as a sacrifice to the god R'hllor. According to the plot of the original story, Shireen Baratheon is stuck in the snow during a trip to Winterfell along with her mother and father. And even though there are some hints that girl’s life might tragically end shortly, Martin hasn’t described her destiny yet.
3. Pyat Pree
You might remember the skinny pale bald warlock with blue lips, who Daenerys met in Qarth. This character appeared in the second season of “Game of Thrones” TV series. He was involved in a conspiracy to steal the dragons but died. Show creators burned the warlock and according to the plot of the novel he also disappears for a long time after the failure of the secret plan. However, in the fifth novel, Xaro informs Daenerys that Pyat Pree is alive and plans revenge.
Pyat Pree
4. Mance Rayder
Mance Rayder, also known as King-Beyond-the-Wall, dies by burning after refusing to bend the knee and to join the army of Stannis Baratheon. Wildlings, king’s people and watchers look at the suffering of the former King-Beyond-the-Wall with horror. Jon Snow then kills Mance by shooting him through the heart with an arrow to ease the pain of death. However, in “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels Mance is still alive. One of the leaders of the wildlings was given the look of Mance with the help of magic and burned instead. Of course, the show producers may still surprise viewers and return Mance. But since we know that the show writers like to cut minor storylines out of the series, it is unlikely to happen.
Mance Rayder
Jojen Reed
5. Jojen Reed
Jojen Reed is the younger brother of Meera Reed. This 13-year-old boy has wise look and some supernatural powers. He appears in “Game of Thrones” series for a while as one of Bran’s companions. From time to time Jojen sees a three-eyed crow in his dreams and gives out mysterious predictions. In the fourth season of “Game of Thrones,” Jojen Reed gets stabbed with a knife and his sister is forced to cut his throat. Soon after, Jojen’s body was destroyed by unknown magic.
According to the novels, Jojen, Meera and Bran safely reached the cave of the Children of the Forest and stayed there until Bran was educated. Unfortunately, their future destiny is unclear, but for some reason Reeds have disappeared.
6. Xaro Xhoan Daxos
Powerful wealthy merchant prince Xaro Xhoan Daxos, who according to “Game of Thrones” TV series organizes an attempt to steal Daenerys's dragons. After the conspiracy is revealed, Queen Daenerys locks Xaro along with her former maid Doreah in prince’s vault, leaving them to die. However, in the written version only Doreah dies of exhaustion, while Xaro appears in the fifth novel in Meereen. Нe tries to bribe Daenerys with thirteen ships in return that she will leave the Slaver's Bay. Xaro is concerned that the liberation of slaves has a bad effect on Quarth’s trading affairs. But the Queen rejects his proposal and Xaro joins the coalition against Meereen.
Xaro Xhoan Daxos
Pypar
7-8. Pypar and Grenn
“Game of Thrones” fans were shocked when they saw that in one of the last episodes of the fourth season close friends Pypar and Grenn are killed during the battle between the members of the Night's Watch and the wildlings. However in George Martin’s novels reader meets them again in the Eastwatch-by-the-Sea Castle in the book “A Dance with Dragons”, which describes later events.
9-10. Rakharo and Irri
Rakharo is a loyal Dothraki bodyguard and Irri is a young Dothraki woman, who is given to Daenerys as a handmaid. By the end of the last at this moment novel from the series “A Song of Ice and Fire” these two members of the Daenerys’s team are going to search for their Queen, who went out with one of her dragons and never returned. At the same time according to “Game of Thrones” show both of them are already dead. Rakharo was killed by someone from khalasar and Irri was strangled during the conspiracy on kidnapping Daenerys's dragons.
Irri
Barristan Selmy
11. Barristan Selmy
The fans of Ser Barristan Selmy were upset, when saw his tragic death in the middle of the fifth season. The former Knight was killed by an underground insurgency group known as the Sons of the Harpy. Instead, the book character receives the title “Hand of the Queen” after Daenerys disappears from Meereen. Barristan Selmy does everything possible to save the city until the Queen returns.
12. Catelyn Stark
Just like in the show “Game of Thrones” author George Martin describes the death of Lady Winterfell during the Red Wedding. But according to plot of “A Song of Ice and Fire” series Catelyn Stark returns later as a ghost called Heartless. Catelyn’s original goal was to point out Merrett Frey as one of the participants in the Red Wedding, which she does. But later the ghost gathers a gang, rumors of which spread all across the Seven Kingdoms. Even though Michelle Fairley, who played strong mother Catelyn in “Game of Thrones” series, clearly stated that her character will not return to the screen, we don’t know for sure yet.
Catelyn Stark
Hizdahr zo Loraq
13. Hizdahr zo Loraq
Hizdahr zo Loraq is one of the great masters of Meereen, an influential merchant, who was stabbed and killed by the Sons of the Harpy in one of the last episodes of the fifth season of “Game of Thrones” TV series. However, according to the novels Hizdahr zo Loraq stayed alive after the events in a Fighting pit.