The world of Game of Thrones has always been an eventful one, irrespective of the fate that befalls the characters and the gruesome incidents that traumatize the viewers. But even for the audience who comes from a background of having read A Song of Ice and Fire, the HBO series could get a little daunting due to the nature of its transgressions from the original text.

Game of Thrones [Credit: Home Box Office Inc.]

Years later, the author, who noticed one such transgression, himself let his wrath be known for a line that was crossed by the actions of his own characters. In one radical change instituted by the creators of the HBO show, an incident that was fairly harmless in the books was transformed into a horrific plot device.

One Game of Thrones Arc Angers George R. R. Martin

Despite the HBO series’ sensationalism and the audience’s attachment to the storyline, a subtle protest could be heard from the author due to his despair over one Daenerys Targaryen arc. George R. R. Martin’s favor for the show stood on rocky grounds after Dan Weiss and David Benioff radically transformed one scene involving Emilia Clarke and Jason Momoa from their original version in the novels.

Jason Momoa and Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones [Credit: Home Box Office Inc.]

In James Hibberd’s Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon, George R. R. Martin reveals the scene that annoyed him with the independent creative liberty of the HBO show. Martin claimed:

“Why did the wedding scene change from the consensual seduction scene that excited even a horse to the brutal rape of Emilia Clarke? We never discussed it. It made it worse, not better.”

In the novels, despite Daenerys Targaryen being forced to marry the Dothraki warrior, Khal Drogo, the night of consummation of their marriage clearly dealt with consent. The unaired Game of Thrones pilot that featured Tamzin Merchant in the series’ leading role maintained the innocence of the scene from the original text that was later redacted after Emilia Clarke was hired.

Game of Thrones Universe Culminates in a Spin-off Universe

House of the Dragon [Credit: Home Box Office Inc.]

The multiversal epic that is the billion-dollar Marvel Cinematic Universe holds no candle to George R. R. Martin’s epic arc that birthed Game of Thrones. After the Season 8 blunder, however, the unbound and unchecked optimism finally stumbled on a roadblock that left a lasting impact on the viewers.

In the end, the television adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s masterpiece was a success that branched off into multiple spin-off shows, including House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight. The former explores the last glorious vestiges of the Targaryen dynasty – set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones – and the events that led to its eventual downfall.

Already in its second season, House of the Dragon offers a compelling prequel that holds up the reputation of its parent series. HBO is currently developing a direct prequel to House of the Dragon focusing on the conquest of the Seven Kingdoms brought on by the maniacal age of Aegon’s conquest that casts a shadow in the history of A Song of Ice and Fire. 

Game of Thrones is available for streaming on Max.