By James Martin George R.R. Martin never shied away from articulating his frustration and dismay over issues in both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. As the creator of the world these shows were based on, he has every right to express his displeasure.
Over the years, he had been airing his concerns about them, whether they be changes in characters or storylines. Many of his comments were scathing, and while some were lighter than others, it does not diminish the impact of Martin’s criticisms.
1. GRRM Complained Over Lady Stoneheart’s Omission
As if the Red Wedding scene wasn’t already a shock to the mind, what comes next in Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire was even more brutal: the resurrection of Catelyn Stark as Lady Stoneheart. The vengeful version of the Lady of Winterfell did not appear in the series, and Martin said in his interview with Time Magazine that it was “the first major diversion of the show from the books.”
He argued against the decision, but of course, showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss had the last say. Their reason for excluding the character had something to do with the impact of deaths in the series, especially since they were also planning to revive Jon Snow.
2. GRRM Did Not Approve of Littlefinger’s Actions
Littlefinger is one of the most complicated players in the game, and the show failed to do him justice. Martin said in James Hibberd’s Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon that the book version of Littlefinger would never give Sansa Stark away, especially to Ramsay Bolton. “He’s not going to give her to somebody who would do bad things to her,” Martin stated.
In the show, Littlefinger himself delivered Sansa to the Boltons to legitimize their claim to the North. The showrunners once responded to the issue and said that Littlefinger was never aware of Ramsay’s cruelty.
3. GRRM Couldn’t Forgive Daenerys & Drogo’s Wedding Night
Martin was enraged over the change made during Khal Drogo and Daenerys’ wedding night. It was one of the most distressing scenes in Game of Thrones, and the author’s opinion of it made it even more controversial.
Speaking with Hibberd in the Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon book, Martin questioned the whole sequence, which was the complete opposite of what he depicted in his book: “Why did the wedding scene change from the consensual seduction scene… to the brutal r*pe of Emilia Clarke?” Furthermore, he revealed that they never discussed it and that the change made the scene worse.
4. GRRM Wanted Five More Seasons of Game of Thrones
Season 8 was a disaster because it felt rushed, and Martin had the solution all along. Speaking with Variety, he said the show could have gone on for five more seasons because they had enough material. He argued against the showrunners’ initial plan of seven seasons, ultimately settling for eight.
The delay of The Winds of Winter became a problem for the series, but, if only the show had not skipped too many parts from the books and fully fleshed out important arcs, such as Daenerys’ descent into madness, perhaps it would have come to a satisfying ending.
5. GRRM Hinted At An Upcoming Long Post About Blood And Cheese
Fans weren’t the only ones upset with the Blood and Cheese episode. It seemed bizarre that everyone was looking forward to it, knowing it involved the brutal killing of a child, but this was the very reason the show drastically changed the whole sequence.
Martin mentioned Blood and Cheese on his website, Not A Blog, but he did not go into the nitty-gritty details. “Somewhere down the line, I will do a separate post about all the issues raised by Blood and Cheese… and Maelor the Missing,” he wrote. Regardless, Martin was aware that it drew a lot of criticism, and this was the start of his rant regarding Maelor.
6. GRRM Was Furious Over Four-Legged Dragons Sigil & Wandering Creatures
In another lengthy post, Martin criticized the Targaryen sigil on Daenerys’ fleet having four legs instead of two, calling the business a sloppy one. Then, he went on his tirade about his dragons not being nomadic, a direct commentary on House of the Dragon’s slip-up putting Sheepstealer in the Vale.
Martin ended the rant on his blog with a warning, “Fantasy needs to be grounded. It is not simply a license to do anything you like,” he said, later adding that if they ignore the canon, this world they have created on television will fall apart.
7. GRRM Teased Post About Everything Wrong In House of the Dragon
The author once again teased an upcoming post in another entry, only stating that he doesn’t feel too excited writing “about everything that’s gone wrong with HOUSE OF THE DRAGON…” That line felt like a dagger to the heart, for sure.
Martin is usually fine with little changes, but when important characters get omitted, like Maelor, it already seems like a cog in the wheel has been removed, and the machine doesn’t operate the way it should anymore. That’s most likely what will happen in the prequel series.
8. GRRM Wrote And Deleted A Long Rant About Toxic Butterflies
The most talked-about complaint from Martin, his now-deleted ‘Beware the Butterflies’ post contained some of his most frank criticisms on the removal of Prince Maelor. This goes back to the Blood and Cheese episode, where the child is supposed to play a significant part in Queen Helaena’s choice.
Martin remarked that this seemingly small change could cost the Bitterbridge scene, which was Helaena’s motivation in taking her own life.
He ended the post with a warning, “There are larger and more toxic butterflies to come,” he said, referring to the show’s potential modifications that might take place in Seasons 3 and 4.
Which criticism from Martin was your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are currently available to watch on HBO Max.
