10 Game Of Thrones Scenes WAY More Brutal In The Books

3. The Red Wedding

The Red Wedding Game Of Thrones
HBO

It's hard to believe that viewers were first subjected to the trauma of the Red Wedding almost a decade ago. With this scene any hope that the Starks might defeat the Lannisters was crushed. Robb, his wife, his mother and all of his companions were killed in a storm of crossbow bolts and Frey knives. It was a moment that shocked viewers, but there are several book to show changes that make the written version far more disturbing.

One key difference is that many Northmen - probably Karstarks - burst into the hall with huge axes, to take part in the slaughter. Three members of Robb's personal guard, who do not appear in the show, are described as suffering particularly harrowing endings at the hands of these Northmen.

Dacey Mormont, the younger cousin of Jorah Mormont, desperately uses a wine jug as a weapon before she's hacked to death. Smalljon Umber, the son of the Greatjon, has his head removed after several brutal swings to the neck. Finally, Wendel Manderly, is described as being so shocked by the carnage his mouth drops open only for a crossbow bolt to pierce it.

But the most shocking moment comes at the end. In the show Catelyn kills Lord Frey's young wife out of despair, in the books she actually saws through the throat of Walder Frey's grandchild, Jinglebell, a mentally disabled boy.

Contributor

Before engrossing myself in the written word, I spent several years in the TV and film industry. During this time I became proficient at picking things up, moving things and putting things down again.