10 Book Character Omissions That Hurt 'Game of Thrones'

Game of Thrones was one of the most popular shows of the 2010s and helped usher in a new era of fantasy television shows. Based on the Song of Ice and Fire books by George R. R. Martin, it follows various noble families in the seven kingdoms of Westeros and the eastern continent of Essos. Each noble house wants something different and is willing to go to war to achieve those goals, while in the far north, mysterious creatures called White Walkers begin forming an army of the dead.

Due to the nature of adapting books to television, many important book characters were missing from Game of Thrones, cut for time and budget reasons. However, the absence of some pivotal characters hurts the show's writing. Be it because of the interesting viewpoint they offer or because the writers have to jump through hoops and try to rearrange their roles with the characters they keep, these character omissions hurt Thrones' overarching narrative, especially in the latter seasons.

Game Of Thrones

10 Rodrik Harlaw

Should Have Appeared in Season 6

The Iron Islands are one of Westeros' most unique locations thanks to the culture of the Ironborn. Due to the inhospitable nature of their islands, they live a life of reavers and pillagers, sailing around the world to fill their hulls with gold, weapons, and women. They were kept in check by the rest of Westeros, but upon the outbreak of the War of the Five Kings, Balon Greyjoy (Patrick Malahide) declared his independence to return to the old ways. However, not all Ironborn agreed, such as Balon's brother-in-law, Rodrik Harlaw.

Known as the Reader, Rodrik is one of the few Ironborn who is outspoken about the Old Ways, how self-destructive they are, and that the islands should unite with Westeros to survive. Rodrik helped to flesh out the Ironborn culture by showing that not everyone wants to continue this life of constant violence, which fits with Martin's themes of the horrors of war and prolonged conflicts. He also could have been an ally to his niece, Yara (Gemma Whelan), when she pressed her claim to the islands after Balon died.

9 Penny

Should Have Appeared in Season 5

After killing his father, Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance), Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) flees across the sea and attempts to join forces with Queen Daenerys Targaryen (Emelia Clarke). Show watchers wouldn't know that he meets a dwarf woman named Penny, whose brother was killed by bounty hunters who mistook him for Tyrion. Penny's purpose is to act as a morality boost for Tyrion, who in the books is in a much darker place than his show version ever went. She helps remind Tyrion that there is still good in the world while opening his eyes to how other dwarfs with no family name or copious amounts of money have to make a living.

Since the show didn't go into Tyrion's more vengeful storyline, it's understandable why she was cut. Still, Penny's absence robs Game of Thrones of some much-needed attention to the small folk. Tyrion's experiences with Penny give him a unique insight into the people Daenerys is trying to govern, making him a far more effective aid once he reaches the Mother of Dragons. Conversely, show Tyrion proved a pretty bad Hand of the Queen, largely because of his overprotected life.

8 Septon Meribald

Should Have Appeared in Season 5

After delivering Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) back to King's Landing, Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) sets off to find the missing Stark girls, Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Arya (Maisie Williams). In the show, she finds Sansa rather quickly, but the book has Brienne travel through the war-torn countryside, where she and her squire, Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman), meet all sorts of colorful characters. One is Meribald, a barefooted Septon who once lived the life of a soldier.

Meribald and another member of the Faith of the Seven, the Elder Brother, were merged into the show-only character of Ray (Ian McShane), who saves the life of Sandor Clegane (Rory McCann). Unfortunately, Ray doesn't get a lot of screen time before he is killed off, nor does he go into his backstory like Meribald does. This change was unfortunate because Meribald's speeches about the horrors of war are among Martin's most powerful writing and a great way to convey the story's anti-war themes.

7 Barbery Dustin

Should Have Appeared in Season 5

Following the brutal Red Wedding, House Bolton assumes control of the North. Most of the other northern houses follow them begrudgingly since the family has some of their loved ones as hostages. However, one house that supports the Boltons without question is House Dustin of Barrowton, led by Lady Barbery. Once, she had loved Eddard Stark's (Sean Bean) older brother, Brandon Stark. However, after Eddard didn't bring back her husband's bones from the Tower of Joy, Barbery's heart turned against the Starks, a grudge she held for decades.

The omission of Barbery Dustin is unfortunate because it denies the show a chance to show more anti-Stark sentiment among the North. Instead, Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) gets help from the new lords Karstark and Umber, whose motivations for serving him despite his bloodthirsty nature are tacked on so Ramsay has an army to outnumber Jon Snow's (Kit Harington). Also, Barbery had memorable conversations with the broken Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) due to their shared history with the Starks. The political side of Thrones was always its strongest suit, and showing the complexity of the Northern houses would've made for a more riveting and less black-or-white depiction of Westeros' largest kingdom.

6 Genna Lannister

Should Have Appeared in Season 6

The only daughter of Tytos Lannister, Genna, was a mother figure for Tywin's children after their mother, Joanna, died giving birth to Tyrion. She was very close to Tywin, though their relationship became estranged after she told him that Tyrion was the child most like him, while Jaime was more like his uncle Kevan (Ian Gelder). After the War of the Five Kings, Genna and her husband, Emmon Frey, assume control of Riverrun but can't claim the castle due to Brynden "Blackfish" Tully's (Clive Russell) occupation.

Genna's role in the story is small, but it's a nice way to help flesh out House Lannister by showing a different side than Tywin's iron fist. Genna is more than willing to call out the strengths and weaknesses of their family, and though she delivers hard truths to Jaime, she still loves and wants to see him at his best. She offers another chance to show that women in Westeros don't need to wield a sword to be powerful; indeed, Genna can cow her husband and speak to the men on Jaime's war council as equals.

5 Marwyn the Mage

Should Have Appeared in Season 6

Within the Citadel in Oldtown, the archmaesters teach their pupils the various subjects they will need to forge their maester's chain and serve a great house as its educator, advisor, and healer. One of these archmaesters, Marwyn, specializes in the study of magic and wields a mask, ring, and rod made of Valyrian steel. Unlike other maesters who study magic, such as Luwin (Donald Sumpter), Marwyn believes it still has a place in the world, which makes him few friends among the learned men of the Citadel.

The Citadel was yet another wasted plotline in the later seasons of Game of Thrones, serving only as a place for Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) to learn about the White Walker's weakness to obsidian and the true parentage of Jon Snow. Had Marwyn been included, the show could have delved into more of the world's magic, such as glass candles that can communicate over long distances and a conspiracy among the Maesters to wipe out magic. At the very least, Marwyn could have made Sam's time at the Citadel more interesting.

4 Victarion Greyjoy

Should Have Appeared in Season 2

The younger brother of Balon and the mysterious Euron (Pilou Asbæk), Victarion Greyjoy, is the captain of the Iron Fleet and one of the most skilled reavers alive. He's so confident in his skills as a sailor and warrior that he wears a full suit of metal armor when he goes into battle, not caring if he drowns or not. He tries to become King of the Iron Islands after Balon's death, and after Euron's ascension, he sails east, hoping to marry Daenerys and use her dragons to defeat his brother.

Victarion was cut from the show, and most of his storyline was given to Yara and Theon, to the ultimate detriment of Yara's book storyline. Victarion's story also has a lot of magic tied to it, such as the Dragonhorn that can supposedly bind dragons to it and the Red Priest Moqorro, who saves Victarion's life and grants him a burning arm. The magical side of Game of Thrones was largely ignored, arguably the adaptation's biggest mistake. Victarion's sole presence would've provided a logical role for magic in the story while making the Iron Islands' story more compelling.

3 Young Griff

Should Have Appeared in Season 5

On his way to meet Daenerys in the books, Tyrion travels with a man named Griff and his son, Young Griff. He quickly deduces that they are, in fact, the exiled Hand of the King, Jon Connington, and a boy who claims to be Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar (Wilf Scolding), who was supposedly killed by Ser Gregor Clegane (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson). Thanks to some prodding by Tyrion, Aegon decides against offering an alliance with Daenerys and instead uses the Gold Company to launch an invasion of Westeros.

Young Griff's absence had massive effects on the later seasons of Game of Thrones. Along with being another roadblock between Daenerys and the Iron Throne, Varys the Spider (Conleth Hill) has been supporting Aegon from the beginning. Thus, removing Young Griff makes Varys' motivations make little sense by the end of the show. There are also theories about Aegon's parentage, which might be linked to House Blackfyre, who feuded with the Targaryens for control over Westeros.

2 Arianne Martell

Should Have Appeared in Season 5

Most fans can agree that the Dornish plot in Season 5 was one of the worst parts of Game of Thrones. It was a rushed affair dominated by poorly written characters that ultimately failed to make Westeros' most southern kingdom live up to the hype set by the Red Viper, Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal). Worst of all, it cut one of the most fascinating female characters from Martin's work: Princess Arianne Martell. The eldest child of Prince Doran Martell (Alexander Siddig), Arianne leads a disastrous attempt to crown Princess Myrcella Baratheon (Aimee Richardson and Nell Tiger Free) as Queen of Westeros.

Arianne's absence is among the worst aspects of Game of Thrones, as it robs the show of a fascinating and multifaceted female character with a good head on her shoulders for politics. Although doomed from the start, her plan for Myrcella impressed her father enough for him to inform her of his ambitions to bring down the legacy of Tywin Lannister. Sadly, the show gave her story to Oberyn's paramour, Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma), who in the books was one of the few characters who pleaded for peace over war, further contributing to the mess that was the Dornish storyline.

1 Jeyne Poole

Should Have Appeared in Season 1

The daughter of the steward of Winterfell, Jeyne Poole is the closest friend of Sansa Stark and shares many of her interests in songs and legends about chivalrous knights. She and her father accompany Sansa and her father, Eddard, to King's Landing, and after her father dies in Eddard's failed coup, Jeyne is taken by Petyr Baelish. He trains her to be a sex worker before sending her north to marry Ramsay Bolton, who forces Jeyne to pretend to be Arya Stark.

Jeyne's absence hurt the show immeasurably. The writers instead had Littlefinger offer Sansa to Ramsay in a convoluted plan to send the armies of the Vale against the Boltons. This plot makes no sense for several reasons, such as diminishing Littlefinger's intelligence and, once again, turning Sansa into a victim when the end of season 4 sets her up to begin learning how to play the game. It also makes more sense for a fake Arya to be offered since she was unaccounted for, and by the laws of Westeros, Sansa is still married to Tyrion.

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