George R.R Martin’s book remained superior to Game of Thrones regarding the presentation of one significant event.

Game of Thrones is undoubtedly one of the greatest TV shows that was bold, imaginative, and groundbreaking in network TV. People tuned in every week to their TV screens to find out what was going to happen next in Westeros. The series is well known to be unafraid to kill off fan-favorite characters at the drop of a hat.

Game of Thrones has not been shy of killing off major characters | HBO
Among the many shocking narrative twists that the show has delivered over the years. The Red Wedding episode in season 3 remains the most audacious one. While the event shocked and traumatized many viewers across the world, the book version of the same event was more powerful in details that were not necessarily drastic but added more to the tragic nature of the event.

Tragic Red Wedding Event In Game of Thrones Is Better Handled In The Books

The brutal events in The Rains of Castamere in Game of Thrones came as a complete shock to audiences | HBO

Game of Thrones‘ unpredictable and shocking turn of events at unexpected junctures was the show’s greatest strength in its first five seasons. It is all a testament to George R.R. Martin‘s brilliant storytelling in the A Song of Ice and Fire book series. Season 3 of the show would level up the shock factor with the brutal Red Wedding episode titled The Rains of Castamere.

The episode has traumatized fans worldwide with its shocking twist that no one saw coming. The infamous episode saw the Starks being betrayed by The Freys (despite their previous alliance), and Roose Bolton. The graceful and serene wedding between Edmure and Roslin turns into a bloodbath as the Freys and Bolton along with Tywin Lannister carry out their conspiracy to eliminate the Starks

Robb gets shot with multiple crossbows and is ultimately killed by Roose along with his wife Talisa and mother Catelyn. Knowing how great and audacious the episode was, the event was even more detailed and intense in the book (via YouTube). In the show, Robb’s army seems to have no chance and is quickly killed with no one left to defend their king.

In the book, A Storm of Swords, the third book of A Song of Ice and Fire where the event is shown, The Northern lords are resilient and do everything they can to defend their king. In contrast to the show’s depiction of Smalljoh Umber, the book presents Umber as fiercely loyal to the Starks and dies defending him.

The book also differs in who Catelyn threatens to kill as she chooses Walder’s grandson Jinglebell instead of his wife (on the show). Roose’s final words to Robb are more specific in the book as instead of the infamous “The Lannisters send their regards”, he says “Jaime Lannister sends his regards”, reminding him of the family that killed his father.

The book’s depiction of the event is more intense and personal than its adaptation. This is not to say the adaptation was not good, it is in fact, it’s one of the show’s most glorious moments. However, the source material still trumps in raising the stakes and consequences a tad bit more.

Olivia Cooke Details The Taxing Shoot of House of the Dragon Season 2

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon | HBO
The Game of Thrones prequel shows started with a bang with the incredible first season of House of the Dragon. The show is soon returning with a second season with warring factions The Blacks (Rhaenyra) and The Greens (Alicent) desperate to do anything possible to destroy each other.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Olivia Cooke who plays Alicent Hightower detailed how she was completely exhausted by the time she finished shooting season 2. The actress couldn’t even form a sentence and felt like an empty shell. She asserts that she has to find some ways to harness energy if they do a season 3. Cooke said,

Oh my God, by the end of Season 2, I was a f—ing shell of myself. I was a husk. I could not form a sentence. I was so tired. I need to implement some way of getting through Season 3, if there’s a Season 3, to really harness as much energy as possible. It is a behemoth.

House of the Dragon season 2 will also see the return of Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, and many others.

The first episode of the season will air on Max on June 16, 2024, with the remaining 7 episodes dropping weekly.