George R.R. Martin repeats several of his key phrases and ideas throughout A Song of Ice and Fire, helping to sear them into his readers' brains. This is why so many of the books' catchphrases stick in audiences' minds so easily. Even people who have never read Martin's work or seen an episode of Game of Thrones know where the lines "All men must die," "You know nothing, Jon Snow," and, of course, "Winter is coming" come from.
However, not every one of Martin's recurring phrases, beats, or motifs made the transition from page to screen. These five instantly recognizable story elements from A Song of Ice and Fire found themselves lost in the translation, despite their omnipresence in the books.
1. Daenerys' Red Door
Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) has never really known home. After her family lost the Iron Throne, she and her brother Viserys (Harry Lloyd) fled across the Narrow Sea, where, in his squalor, Viserys earned the unfortunate nickname "The Beggar King." This lack of a home motivates Daenerys to one day return to Westeros and take back the kingdoms her family once ruled.
In the books, Daenerys grew up in a house with a red door, under the care of the Targaryen Master-at-Arms, Ser Willem Darry. After Ser Willem's death, Viserys sold the house and he and Daenerys lived on what money came from the sale. Throughout her inner monologue, Daenerys often thinks of the red door, as well as the lemon tree outside her bedroom window. The imagery represent a more peaceful time where she had a home, before her thoughts had to turn to armies, conquest, and dragons.
2. "Fear cuts deeper than swords"
Although her time training under the swordsman Syrio Forel (Miltos Yerolemou) proved to be brief, the teachings of the First Sword of Braavos stuck with Arya Stark (Maisie WIlliams). In addition to the swordplay, Arya grew to appreciate Syrio's wisdom, often repeating his mantras to herself in her head. Arya's most commonly used Syrio-ism throughout the books is "Fear cuts deeper than swords," a reminder to be brave even when faced with threatening situations.
However, due to the absence of internal monologues in Game of Thrones, this iconic Syrio quote never actually appears in the series. Instead, the show compartmentalizes his mantras behind one easily recognizable line, "What do we say to the God of Death? Not today." While this ultimately pays off when Arya kills the Night King (Vladimir Furdik), it is also worth remembering that fear can sometimes cut deeper than swords.
3. "Lancel and Osmund Kettleblack and probably Moon Boy for all I know"
Jaime Lannister's (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) rescue of his younger brother Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) following his trial for the murder of King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) plays out very differently on screen than it does in the books. In the show, Jaime busts Tyrion out of prison the night before his scheduled execution and helps whisk him off to Essos. The two say goodbye with little other drama between them.
However, in the books, when Jaime realizes that this will probably be the last time he ever sees his brother, he confesses that Tyrion's ex-wife Tysha was not a prostitute, as he previously believed, and that his father Tywin (Charles Dance) had attempted to wipe Tyrion's slate clean for the sake of the honor of House Lannister. An enraged Tyrion tells Jaime that his sister/lover, Cersei (Lena Headey), has been sleeping with other men, saying "She's been f***ing Lancel and Osmund Kettleblack and probably Moon Boy for All I Know." Jaime replays this refrain in his head throughout his next appearances, and its repetition creates insecurities in his relationship with Cersei, helping to eventually drive a wedge between them.
4. Mormont's Raven
In the books, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont (James Cosmo) owns a raven companion capable of speech. The raven will often repeat words from conversations it overhears, emphasizing the most important words from the previous sentences. After Mormont's death, the bird almost represents his specter on the wall, and even helps Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) officially become elected as Mormont's successor.
However, the show cuts the raven altogether, with Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughn) instead casting the tie breaking vote in Jon's election. While animals, including the Starks' direwolves, tend to play a smaller role overall in Game of Thrones than they do in A Song of Ice and Fire, the raven's haunting echoes ultimately make the Castle Black scenes feel less ominous.
5. "Wherever whores go"
Given the changes made to Tyrion and Tysha's story, the death of Tywin Lannister plays out very differently in the show as compared to the books. While both mediums feature Tyrion shooting his father dead on the toilet, the books include a further confrontation about Tysha. When Tyrion asks where she is, Tywin simply replies, "Wherever whores go."
This line's absence in Game of Thrones completely change the trajectory of Tyrion's future storyline. Tyrion's most recent appearance in A Dance with Dragons sees these words haunting him, taking his story in a darker direction as he tries to decode Tywin's message. In contrast, the show's take on Tyrion towards the later seasons sees him gravitate less towards his internal darkness.
For more from the world of Westeros, make sure to stream House of the Dragon season 3 on HBO Max.
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