8 Missing Characters From A Song Of Ice And Fire That Should Have Appeared In Game Of Thrones

The Iron Islands' storyline in Game of Thrones was a bit of a mixed bag, to say the least.

What is a complex, storied power struggle in Martin's books is simplified down to its bare bones in the HBO adaptation. This is exemplified by the cunning, enigmatic character of Euron Greyjoy being reduced to a crude, loud mouthed boor in a hamfisted performance by Pilou Asbaek. Euron's appearances seem painfully out of place in Game of Thrones' usually razor sharp script, featuring some particularly cringeworthy dialogue.

This makes the omission of Euron's elder brother and Theon's uncle Victarion even more puzzling. In Martin's canon, Victarion plays an integral role as the struggle for the Iron Islands unfolds; a formidable warrior renowned for his bravery and pious faith, Victarion wears heavy plate armor at sea as he has no fear of drowning.

Providing another wrinkle that would have made for TV gold is the fraternal conflict between Victarion and Euron. Victarion killed his wife after she was seduced and impregnated by Euron but despite his burning hatred for his brother, could not bring himself to break the kin-slaying law of the land.

The explosive relationship and backstory between the two mercurial brothers would have made for must see viewing and added a character with a rich backstory to a narrative already short on compelling characters. A truly surprising and disappointing decision from Benioff and Weiss.