History AdaptationalBadass / GameOfThrones

* Lady Olenna Tyrell is the blunt matriarch of the Tyrell family, unafraid to speak her mind, who helped mastermind the assassination of a King in both the show and books, but the show makes her into de facto head of the family, comparable to Tywin Lannister (and she actually bests the selfsame MagnificentBastard in one of the most badass verbal duels in the show). In the books, her power is more limited to a woman of her station and she complains bitterly that her son doesn't listen to her on decisions of the household.

[[WMG:[[center: [- '''Tropes for ''Series/GameOfThrones'''''\\
GameOfThrones/TropesA ([[AdaptationalAttractiveness/GameOfThrones Adaptational Attractiveness]], '''Adaptational Badass''', [[AdaptationalHeroism/GameOfThrones Adaptational Heroism]], [[AdaptationalModesty/GameOfThrones Adaptational Modesty]], [[AdaptationalVillainy/GameOfThrones Adaptational Villainy]], [[AdaptationalWimp/GameOfThrones Adaptational Wimp]], [[AdaptationDistillation/GameOfThrones Adaptation Distillation]], [[AdaptationDyeJob/GameOfThrones Adaptation Dye-Job]], [[AdaptationExpansion/GameOfThrones Adaptation Expansion]], [[AdaptationExplanationExtrication/GameOfThrones Adaptation Explanation Extrication]], [[AdaptationInducedPlotHole/GameOfThrones Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole]], [[AdaptationNameChange/GameOfThrones Adaptation Name Change]], [[AdaptationPersonalityChange/GameOfThrones Adaptation Personality Change]], [[AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul/GameOfThrones Adaptation Relationship Overhaul]], [[AdaptedOut/GameOfThrones Adapted Out]], [[AgeLift/GameOfThrones Age Lift]], [[AnimalMotifs/GameOfThrones Animal Motifs]], [[AscendedExtra/GameOfThrones Ascended Extra]], [[AssholeVictim/GameOfThrones Asshole Victim]], [[AsYouKnow/GameOfThrones As You Know]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesB ([[BadassBoast/GameOfThrones Badass Boast]], [[BaitAndSwitch/GameOfThrones Bait-and-Switch]], [[BullyingADragon/GameOfThrones Bullying a Dragon]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesCToD ([[CallBack/GameOfThrones Call-Back]], [[CanonForeigner/GameOfThrones Canon Foreigner]], [[CompositeCharacter/GameOfThrones Composite Character]], [[CruelAndUnusualDeath/GameOfThrones Cruel and Unusual Death]], [[DeathByAdaptation/GameOfThrones Death by Adaptation]], [[DemotedToExtra/GameOfThrones Demoted to Extra]], [[DueToTheDead/GameOfThrones Due to the Dead]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesEToF ([[EstablishingCharacterMoment/GameOfThrones Establishing Character Moment]], [[FamousLastWords/GameOfThrones Famous Last Words]], [[FanDisservice/GameOfThrones Fan Disservice]], [[FantasyCounterpartCulture/GameOfThrones Fantasy Counterpart Culture]], [[Foil/GameOfThrones Foil]], [[Foreshadowing/GameOfThrones Foreshadowing]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesGToK ([[HateSink/GameOfThrones Hate Sink]], [[JerkassHasAPoint/GameOfThrones Jerkass Has a Point]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesLToO ([[Leitmotif/GameOfThrones Leitmotif]], [[OhCrap/GameOfThrones Oh, Crap!]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesPToS ([[PragmaticAdaptation/GameOfThrones Pragmatic Adaptation]], [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome/GameOfThrones Surprisingly Realistic Outcome]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesTToZ ([[WhamEpisode/GameOfThrones Wham Episode]])]]]]-]

* In the books, giants stand 10-12 feet high and are more Sasquatch than human, with limited vision and almost no technology. In the show, they're closer to 18 feet, able to stomp human-sized wights flat, and intelligent enough to wear clothes and use complex technology like bows and saddlery.

* Jon Snow ''is'' a skilled fighter in the books, but the show ramps him up to MasterSwordsman and OneManArmy status, slaying a White Walker general in open combat and racking up the highest kill count in the series in direct fighting. The Battle of the Bastards, in particular, sees him score the highest number of kills in a single battle for any fighter on the show, as shown [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MTm4fV1ji3U here]].

** One of the major aspects of Daenerys' character arc in the book is that she was never 100% in control of her own fate - even after becoming Queen, she was constantly manipulated and only managed to win by exploiting her opponents own arrogance with help from her advisors. In other words, she must learn to play the game. Here in the show, after her visit to Qarth and her spiritual trip, she was never not in complete control. Her marriage to Hizdahr zo Loraq is a stand out case: In the book, she was forced into it in a desperate attempt to keep the Sons of the Harpy in check, was almost poisoned and Hizdahr did actually have his (ten-second) way with her. In the show, she forces him into a dragon-fire shotgun engagement solely as a political means to an end and she outright tells her paramour, Daario, that she will not even ''dream'' of trying to create a new Ghiscari dynasty with Hizdahr; considering her contempt for their society.

* Bronn is a badass in the books, but he gains way more impressive feats in the show. He is more gifted as a commander, as seen by Jamie who pretty much makes him his secound-in-command and most trusted confidant. He also fights and kills dothraki, who is seen as one of the most deadly groups of fighters in the series, during the battle of the roseroad. During the same battle he even fires a ballista-shot at a dragon, being the only one to damage it during the battle.

* The handless Jaime manages to defeat a Dornish knight in "Sons of the Harpy" and holds his own against Obara Sand in "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken", while at the equivalent point in the books he continues to get his ass handed to him by a sparring partner who is hardly a gifted swordsman. Of course, in the books he compensates by becoming a badass general, negotiator and administrator, an aspect that is missing in Seasons 4 and 5, though it appears in Season 6 onward as he is the one who forges alliances with the lords and outwits Tyrion by sacrificing Casterly Rock (temporarily as he points out they won't be able to hold it) to seize control over the Reach and stranding the Unsullied army there, weakening Daenerys' force to the point she is the one on the losing side of what would have been a CurbStompBattle in her favor.

GameOfThrones/TropesA ([[AdaptationalAttractiveness/GameOfThrones Adaptational Attractiveness]], '''Adaptational Badass''', [[AdaptationalHeroism/GameOfThrones Adaptational Heroism]], [[AdaptationalModesty/GameOfThrones Adaptational Modesty]], [[AdaptationalVillainy/GameOfThrones Adaptational Villainy]], [[AdaptationalWimp/GameOfThrones Adaptational Wimp]], [[AdaptationDistillation/GameOfThrones Adaptation Distillation]], [[AdaptationDyeJob/GameOfThrones Adaptation Dye-Job]], [[AdaptationExpansion/GameOfThrones Adaptation Expansion]], [[AdaptationExplanationExtrication/GameOfThrones Adaptation Explanation Extrication]], [[AdaptationInducedPlotHole/GameOfThrones Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole]], [[AdaptationNameChange/GameOfThrones Adaptation Name Change]], [[AdaptationPersonalityChange/GameOfThrones Adaptation Personality Change]], [[AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul/GameOfThrones Adaptation Relationship Overhaul]], [[AdaptedOut/GameOfThrones Adapted Out]], [[AgeLift/GameOfThrones Age Lift]], [[AnimalMotifs/GameOfThrones Animal Motifs]], [[AscendedExtra/GameOfThrones Ascended Extra]], [[AssholeVictim/GameOfThrones Asshole Victim]], [[AsYouKnow/GameOfThrones As You Know]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesB ([[BadassBoast/GameOfThrones Badass Boast]], [[BaitAndSwitch/GameOfThrones Bait-and-Switch]], [[BullyingADragon/GameOfThrones Bullying a Dragon]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesCToD ([[CallBack/GameOfThrones Call-Back]], [[CanonForeigner/GameOfThrones Canon Foreigner]], [[CompositeCharacter/GameOfThrones Composite Character]], [[CruelAndUnusualDeath/GameOfThrones Cruel and Unusual Death]], [[DeathByAdaptation/GameOfThrones Death by Adaptation]], [[DemotedToExtra/GameOfThrones Demoted to Extra]], [[DueToTheDead/GameOfThrones Due to the Dead]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesEToF ([[EstablishingCharacterMoment/GameOfThrones Establishing Character Moment]], [[FamousLastWords/GameOfThrones Famous Last Words]], [[FanDisservice/GameOfThrones Fan Disservice]], [[FantasyCounterpartCulture/GameOfThrones Fantasy Counterpart Culture]], [[Foil/GameOfThrones Foil]], [[Foreshadowing/GameOfThrones Foreshadowing]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesGToK ([[HateSink/GameOfThrones Hate Sink]], [[JerkassHasAPoint/GameOfThrones Jerkass Has a Point]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesLToO ([[Leitmotif/GameOfThrones Leitmotif]], [[OhCrap/GameOfThrones Oh, Crap!]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesPToS ([[PragmaticAdaptation/GameOfThrones Pragmatic Adaptation]], [[RealityEnsues/GameOfThrones Reality Ensues]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesTToZ ([[WhamEpisode/GameOfThrones Wham Episode]])]]]]-]

GameOfThrones/TropesA ([[AdaptationalAttractiveness/GameOfThrones Adaptational Attractiveness]], '''Adaptational Badass''', [[AdaptationalHeroism/GameOfThrones Adaptational Heroism]], [[AdaptationalModesty/GameOfThrones Adaptational Modesty]], [[AdaptationalVillainy/GameOfThrones Adaptational Villainy]], [[AdaptationalWimp/GameOfThrones Adaptational Wimp]], [[AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul/GameOfThrones Adaptation Relationship Overhaul]], [[AdaptationDistillation/GameOfThrones Adaptation Distillation]], [[AdaptationDyeJob/GameOfThrones Adaptation Dye-Job]], [[AdaptationExpansion/GameOfThrones Adaptation Expansion]], [[AdaptationExplanationExtrication/GameOfThrones Adaptation Explanation Extrication]], [[AdaptationInducedPlotHole/GameOfThrones Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole]], [[AdaptationNameChange/GameOfThrones Adaptation Name Change]], [[AdaptationPersonalityChange/GameOfThrones Adaptation Personality Change]], [[AdaptedOut/GameOfThrones Adapted Out]], [[AgeLift/GameOfThrones Age Lift]], [[AnimalMotifs/GameOfThrones Animal Motifs]], [[AscendedExtra/GameOfThrones Ascended Extra]], [[AssholeVictim/GameOfThrones Asshole Victim]], [[AsYouKnow/GameOfThrones As You Know]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesB ([[BadassBoast/GameOfThrones Badass Boast]], [[BaitAndSwitch/GameOfThrones Bait-and-Switch]], [[BullyingADragon/GameOfThrones Bullying a Dragon]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesCToD ([[CallBack/GameOfThrones Call-Back]], [[CanonForeigner/GameOfThrones Canon Foreigner]], [[CompositeCharacter/GameOfThrones Composite Character]], [[CruelAndUnusualDeath/GameOfThrones Cruel and Unusual Death]], [[DeathByAdaptation/GameOfThrones Death by Adaptation]], [[DemotedToExtra/GameOfThrones Demoted to Extra]], [[DueToTheDead/GameOfThrones Due to the Dead]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesEToF ([[EstablishingCharacterMoment/GameOfThrones Establishing Character Moment]], [[FamousLastWords/GameOfThrones Famous Last Words]], [[FanDisservice/GameOfThrones Fan Disservice]], [[FantasyCounterpartCulture/GameOfThrones Fantasy Counterpart Culture]], [[Foil/GameOfThrones Foil]], [[Foreshadowing/GameOfThrones Foreshadowing]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesGToK ([[HateSink/GameOfThrones Hate Sink]], [[JerkassHasAPoint/GameOfThrones Jerkass Has a Point]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesLToO ([[Leitmotif/GameOfThrones Leitmotif]], [[OhCrap/GameOfThrones Oh, Crap!]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesPToS ([[PragmaticAdaptation/GameOfThrones Pragmatic Adaptation]], [[RealityEnsues/GameOfThrones Reality Ensues]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesTToZ ([[WhamEpisode/GameOfThrones Wham Episode]])]]]]-]

GameOfThrones/TropesA ([[AdaptationalAttractiveness/GameOfThrones Adaptational Attractiveness]], '''Adaptational Badass''', [[AdaptationalHeroism/GameOfThrones Adaptational Heroism]], [[AdaptationalModesty/GameOfThrones Adaptational Modesty]], [[AdaptationalVillainy/GameOfThrones Adaptational Villainy]], [[AdaptationalWimp/GameOfThrones Adaptational Wimp]], [[AdaptationDistillation/GameOfThrones Adaptation Distillation]], [[AdaptationDyeJob/GameOfThrones Adaptation Dye-Job]], [[AdaptationExpansion/GameOfThrones Adaptation Expansion]], [[AdaptationExplanationExtrication/GameOfThrones Adaptation Explanation Extrication]], [[AdaptationInducedPlotHole/GameOfThrones Adaptation-Induced Plot Hole]], [[AdaptationNameChange/GameOfThrones Adaptation Name Change]], [[AdaptationPersonalityChange/GameOfThrones Adaptation Personality Change]], [[AdaptedOut/GameOfThrones Adapted Out]], [[AgeLift/GameOfThrones Age Lift]], [[AnimalMotifs/GameOfThrones Animal Motifs]], [[AscendedExtra/GameOfThrones Ascended Extra]], [[AssholeVictim/GameOfThrones Asshole Victim]], [[AsYouKnow/GameOfThrones As You Know]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesB ([[BadassBoast/GameOfThrones Badass Boast]], [[BaitAndSwitch/GameOfThrones Bait-and-Switch]], [[BullyingADragon/GameOfThrones Bullying a Dragon]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesCToD ([[CallBack/GameOfThrones Call-Back]], [[CanonForeigner/GameOfThrones Canon Foreigner]], [[CompositeCharacter/GameOfThrones Composite Character]], [[CruelAndUnusualDeath/GameOfThrones Cruel and Unusual Death]], [[DeathByAdaptation/GameOfThrones Death by Adaptation]], [[DemotedToExtra/GameOfThrones Demoted to Extra]], [[DueToTheDead/GameOfThrones Due to the Dead]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesEToF ([[EstablishingCharacterMoment/GameOfThrones Establishing Character Moment]], [[FamousLastWords/GameOfThrones Famous Last Words]], [[FanDisservice/GameOfThrones Fan Disservice]], [[FantasyCounterpartCulture/GameOfThrones Fantasy Counterpart Culture]], [[Foil/GameOfThrones Foil]], [[Foreshadowing/GameOfThrones Foreshadowing]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesGToK ([[HateSink/GameOfThrones Hate Sink]], [[JerkassHasAPoint/GameOfThrones Jerkass Has a Point]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesLToO ([[Leitmotif/GameOfThrones Leitmotif]], [[OhCrap/GameOfThrones Oh, Crap!]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesPToS ([[PragmaticAdaptation/GameOfThrones Pragmatic Adaptation]], [[RealityEnsues/GameOfThrones Reality Ensues]]) | GameOfThrones/TropesTToZ ([[WhamEpisode/GameOfThrones Wham Episode]])]]]]-]

* Ramsay is portrayed in the show as a deadly archer able to kill half a dozen men in seconds and swordsman capable of leading the defenses against a squad of "the best killers in the Iron Islands" while shirtless, coming out without a scratch, and also personally leads a commando raid to cripple an army. In the books, Ramsay isn't nearly so competent at fighting because he was never given any training by a master-at-arms and as such, his own father describes him as more a butcher than a swordsman. His greatest command achievement in the books is a surprise attack against an army that had mistaken his forces for allies, a much less difficult achievement than his victories in the show.

** She shows complete ''immunity'' to flame, and even heat in general ''before'' the famous pyre scene, unlike in the novels where the pyre was a one-time thing that burnt off her hair and she later suffers burns on her hands when [[spoiler: mounting Drogon]] for the first time. In the show, she picks up a blazing hot dragon's egg with nary a mark. She's not sun-burnt in the Red Waste despite having ivory skin, gets dragon-flame from her three kiddos shot past and nearly ''through her'' without any ill affects, develops a more intimate bond with her children to the point that she can lock them away herself and almost tame Drogon with calm and poise alone; and she even assassinates every one of the Dothraki Khals gathered in the temple of Vaes Dothrak by starting one helluva fire, which consumes them all but leaves her once again unburnt in the process. Hell, some fans even think Dany has outright PlayingWithFire with how it portrayed her execution of Khal Moro.

** One of the major aspects of Daenerys' character arc in the book is that she was never 100% in control of her own fate - even after becoming Queen, she was constantly manipulated and only managed to win by exploiting her opponents own arrogance with help from her advisors. In other words, she must learn to play the game. Here in the show, after her visit to Qarth and her spiritual trip, she was never not in complete control. Her marriage to Hizdahr zo Loraq is a stand out case: In the book, she was forced into it in a desperate attempt to keep the Sons of the Harpy in check, was almost poisoned and Hizdahr did actually have his (ten second) way with her. In the show, she forces him into a dragon-fire shotgun engagement solely as a political means to an end and she outright tells her paramour, Daario, that she will not even ''dream'' of trying to create a new Ghiscari dynasty with Hizdahr; considering her contempt for their society.
** There is also her relationship with Daario Naharis. In the book she is utterly infatuated with him and jumped into bed with him out of loneliness and despair. In the show, she is somewhat smitten but resists him for a while before casually picking him as a consort for entertainment after a hard day's ruling in Meereen.

** In the novels, Robb is a lesser swordsman (though a better jouster) than Jon and though he fights where the fighting is thickest in both the books and the show, in the books he is protected by an ample bodyguard including Theon and 30 skilled warriors (mostly the sons and one daughter of his bannermen) and his direwolf, while in the show, Jon and Theon both consider him TheAce and the bodyguard is left mostly implied. Of course Jon holds his brother in very high regard and might believe that he is the better swordsman.

* Jon Snow ''is'' a skilled fighter in the books, but the show ramps him up to MasterSwordsman and OneManArmy status, slaying a White Walker general in open combat and racking up the highest kill count in the series in direct fighting. The Battle of the Bastards in particular, sees him score the highest number of kills in a single battle for any fighter on the show, as shown [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MTm4fV1ji3U here]].

* Lady Olenna Tyrell is the blunt matriarch of the Tyrell family, unafraid to speak her mind, who helped mastermind the assassination of a King in both the show and books, but the show makes her into de facto head of the family, comparable to Tywin Lannister (and she actually bests the selfsame MagnificentBastard in one of the most badass verbal duels in the show). In the books her power is more limited to a woman of her station and she complains bitterly that her son doesn't listen to her on decisions of the household.

* The Renly Baratheon of the series is shown as less of a YesMan towards Robert than his book counterpart, and is willing to criticize his brother in the face. Most notably, TV!Renly stood up to his brother and rebuke his romanticization of the rebellion, which doesn't happen in the books.

* In the books the High Sparrow has to back down in front of the Tyrell's army and release Margaery, in the show he has Tommen's trust and so the King's army and his Sparrows backing him and takes over the capital fast.

* Tyene wields two daggers in the show; in the books she has no apparent fighting ability, though she is confirmed to be a MasterPoisoner with a great knowledge of the subject. The TV series put a twist on this to make her more active: she's still a MasterPoisoner, but she wields daggers coated in poison, instead of just surreptitiously slipping people poison unawares. This is played out when she lands a hit on Bronn, who only survives because Tyene gives him the antidote after a brief bit of toying with him. When Yara's fleet is attacked by Euron, Tyene tallies up the most kills out of all the Sand Snakes and is the last to be taken down, while Obara and Nymeria are killed by Euron, Obara failing to get a single kill in the battle.

* In the books, Alliser Thorne is never seen fighting and is implied to be a bit of a SmallNameBigEgo given how rangers like Dywen look down on him, but in the show he fights skillfully and heroically until he's wounded and dragged away by his men.

* Daario Naharis' combat prowess is something of an InformedAbility in the books, with him not doing much on-page fighting once he brings the heads of the other Stormcrow commanders. On the show, he kicks all kinds of ass in the seige of Yunkai and demonstrates himself to be quite the LightningBruiser, takes the AdaptedOut Strong Belwas's place as Dany's Champion and ''curb stomps'' the champion of Mereen, and is basically a OneManArmy.

* There's no indication that Book!Euron is particularly skilled in combat. TV!Euron seems to have gained the combat prowess of his AdaptedOut brother Victarion and retains all of his manipulative intelligence.

* Davos is hit with the mildest touch of this during the battle of the bastards, where he wades into the battle of the bastards, sword in hand. While he isn't shown fighting like Tormund or Jon, he does manage to survive.

** In Season 6, she rides Drogon straight into a fleet of artillery cruisers and obliterates one so thoroughly the whole fleet surrenders, effectively defeating the Wise Masters (which she has yet to do in the books).
** In Season 7, she rides Drogon and commands a horde of Dothraki, this time defeating the Lannister army. Also, she saves Jon and company from an undead horde.

* Ned is an excellent general in the books, but his size, strength, and swordsmanship are never described as exceptional and even Ned himself regards his late brother Brandon as the better man. In the show, Ned impresses the legendary Barristan Selmy, matches the prodigious Jaime Lannister blow for blow, and is described by Littlefinger as "even more impressive" than Brandon. In the books, Ned barely puts up a fight when he's outnumbered by Jaime and the Lannister men.

* Lady Olenna Tyrell is the blunt matriarch of the Tyrell family, unafraid to speak her mind who helped mastermind the assassination of a King in both the show and books, but the show makes her into de facto head of the family, comparable to Tywin Lannister (and she actually bests the selfsame MagnificentBastard in one of the most badass verbal duels in the show). In the books her power is more limited to a woman of her station and she complains bitterly that her son doesn't listen to her on decisions of the household.

** Also, in the original book series, her killing of Polliver was done in the heat of the moment. In "Two Swords", however, Arya kills one mook, and later has Polliver at the pointy end of her sword Needle which he stole from her, with bonus points for reenacting the way Polliver killed Lommy by quoting him word for word before killing Polliver the exact same way.

* Stannis is certainly no slouch in the novels, but like Ned, his reputation stands much more on his generalship than his personal skill so he prefers to command from the rear where he has a good overview. Not so in the show, where he's the first man up the ladders at King's Landing and fights like a OneManArmy.

* Daenerys shows complete immunity to heat and flame, unlike in the novels where the pyre was a one-time thing that burnt off her hair and she later suffers burns on her hands when [[spoiler: mounting Drogon]] for the first time.

* Shae isn't afraid of using a knife, a trait that's totally original to the show.

* The show's surly, cynical, and brutal Brienne is a far cry from the novels' [[WideEyedIdealist naive]] and [[ShrinkingViolet insecure]] girl. In the books, she's quite skilled but tends to win only narrowly and [[GainingTheWillToKill never kills]] until well into ''Literature/AFeastForCrows''. The show has her attack and kill small groups of soldiers with some regularity, and even hacks down a pair of Kingsguard (something Loras does in the books instead). Her biggest achievement in the show is besting the ferocious Sandor Clegane, whom she never even fights in the books.

* The show's surly, cynical, and brutal Brienne is a far cry from the novels' [[WideEyedIdealist naive]] and [[ShrinkingViolet insecure]] girl. In the books, she's quite skilled but tends to win only narrowly and [[GainingTheWillToKill never kills]] until well into ''Literature/AFeastForCrows''. The books have her attack and kill small groups of soldiers with some regularity, and even hacks down a pair of Kingsguard (something Loras does in the books instead). Her biggest achievement in the show is besting the ferocious Sandor Clegane, whom she never even fights in the books.

* Jon Snow ''is'' a skilled fighter in the books, but the show ramps him up to MasterSwordsman and OneManArmy status, slaying a White Walker general in open combat and racking up the highest kill count in the series in direct fighting. The Battle of the Bastards in particular, sees him score the highest number of kills in a single battle for any fighter on the show.

* Sam shows notable bravery in "The Watchers on the Wall" by soothing Pyp's jangled nerves and killing a Thenn, whereas in the books he's not present for the battle and (though he has improved) largely remains a timid coward who freezes up at the first sign of danger.

* The show's surly, cynical, and brutal Brienne is a far cry from the novels' [[WideEyedIdealist naive]] and [[ShrinkingViolet insecure]] girl:
** In the books, she's quite skilled but tends to win only narrowly and [[GainingTheWillToKill never kills]] until well into ''Literature/AFeastForCrows'' where her body count reaches just ''four''[[note]]Pyg, Timeon, Shagwell, and Rorge.[[/note]]. In the show, in Season 2, she easily and remorselessly dispatches entire bands of nefarious mooks (including a pair of Renly's Kingsguard while still sobbing at his murder), kills a small squad of Stark soldiers in barely a few seconds a few episodes later, easily defeats Jaime with swords, and in Season 4 even beats the Hound (whom she never met, let alone fought in the books) in a swordfight with similar ease, and she out-wrestles and is able to physically overpower him in an extremely brutal brawl a few seconds later, sending him earless and tumbling down a cliffside. In the Hound's defense, the infection in his neck put him at a bit of a disadvantage.
** In Season 6, she kills three Bolton men-at-arms pursuing Sansa and Theon as they escape; one outright as she charges in on horseback, a second in a duel after she gets dismounted, and a third after she ''tackles both horse and rider to the ground''.

* Ramsay is portrayed in the show as a deadly archer able to kill half a dozen men in seconds and swordsman capable of fending off a squad of "the best killers in the Iron Islands" while [[MadeOfIron shirtless]], coming out without a scratch, and devastating an entire army by raiding their camp with twenty men. In the books, Ramsay wasn't nearly so competent at fighting because he was never given any training by a master-at-arms and as such, his own father describes him as a very uncouth fighter who lacks proper training, driven by butchery rather than skill and his most impressive combat feat is cutting the arm off an elderly knight who mistook him for an ally. Also, he's more of a general in the series and listens to his father's military judgment during TheSiege of Winterfell whereas Book!Ramsay's main approach was mainly subterfuge, guile. Justified in-series because Season Five reveals that Roose took Ramsay in as a baby when, in the books, he made himself known to his father in his teens, so Ramsay seems to have far better training in the television series than the complete lack of it that he had in the books.

* Jaime manages to defeat a Dornish knight in "Sons of the Harpy" and holds his own against Obara Sand in "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken", while at the equivalent point in the books he continues to get his ass handed to him by a sparring partner who is hardly a gifted swordsman. Of course, in the books he compensates by becoming a badass general, negotiator and administrator, an aspect that is missing in Seasons 4 and 5, though it appears in Season 6 onward as he is the one who forges alliances with the lords and outwits Tyrion by sacrificing Casterly Rock (temporarily as he points out they won't be able to hold it) to seize control over the Reach and stranding the Unsullied army there, weakening Daenerys' force to the point she is the one on the losing side of what would have been a CurbStompBattle in her favor.

* Euron Greyjoy never displays any physical prowess in the books, relying more on sorcery and his skill as a strategist and manipulation. The show makes him a CompositeCharacter with his brother Victarion who in the books is TheBrute, and makes him a fearless raider who personally fights in the thick of the action. Most tellingly, while Victarion is something of a DumbMuscle, Euron trades none of his cunning in exchange for this improved martial skill, instead only not displaying any talent for sorcery.

* Daario Naharis' combat prowess is something of an InformedAbility in the books, with him not doing much on-page fighting once he brings the heads of the other Stormcrow commanders. On the show, he kicks all kinds of ass in the seige of Yunkai and demonstrates himself to be quite the LightningBruiser, takes the AdaptedOut Belwas Strong's place as Dany's Champion and ''curb stomps'' the champion of Mereen, and is basically a OneManArmy.