The page versus the screen: The Massacre at Hardhome
By Corey Smith
If you’re like me, the Massacre at Hardhome left you crouching on the edge of your seat, jumping at the screen like a madman.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t that bad, but we can all agree that Hardhome was a fun episode, no? For book-readers, one of the primary reasons for this is because it occurs off-page in the Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin. Jon Snow learns of the events in bits and pieces via ravens sent from fellow Night’s Watch brothers attempting to rescue wildlings. For once, those know-it-all book readers were caught off guard.
Now, for those who haven’t read the novels, Reddit user mmilovanovic87 has produced a handy infographic detailing all those changes. As you can see, they were quite extensive.
One of the biggest departures from the novels, obviously, is the involvement of some of our favorite characters, as neither Jon, Tormund, Dolorous Edd nor Wun Wun participate in the battle in the books. Stannis’ fleet also does not lend support in the novels, as the Night’s Watch has its own ships, and commandeers/hires ships from the Free Cities instead.
It does appear as if showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss drew upon the novels for inspiration however. In particular, Melisandre’s vision is a fairly accurate description of what we see onscreen, from the “wooden wall” to “the white mist” that sweeps over the scene.
Putting the battle onscreen was more exciting than learning of it via raven, and Jon’s killing of a White Walker with his Valyrian steel sword could prove to be pivotal knowledge going forward. What if that moment was held until the final battle of the series however? Or at least until Jon’s ranging north of the Wall in season 7 to capture a wight? The butterfly effects are interesting to contemplate, and much easier with a pretty picture to illustrate it. Now where is my season 5 DVD…
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