3. Shireen Marked For Sacrifice
In the show: As Stannis prepares to head into battle with the Boltons, Melisandre pleads with him to allow her to use Shireens blood - kings blood - in order to sway the impending war in his favour, much as she had done previously. When she states that using leeches wont be enough, and that they must kill her, Stannis refuses. In the books: Shireens role in the books isnt as big as it is in the show, mostly serving as an introduction to greyscale. Instead, the kings blood that Melisandre targets is that of Mance Rayders infant son. Jon Snow realises this, and swaps the baby with Gillys, meaning her and Sam take the King-Beyond-The-Walls child to safety. Why the change? Mance Rayder doesnt have a son in the show, so this is the next best thing. Theyve brought Shireen into focus more this season, partly because of greyscale, but now we realise because of this as well. The father-daughter bonding between her and Stannis a few episodes ago is all the more effective thanks to his refusal to sacrifice her now. In the books, though, Stannis does not take her with him when he rides for Winterfell; she is instead still at Castle Black, along with Melisandre. If the Red Priestess were to realise that Mances son isn't at The Wall, her gaze may fall on Shireen, and Stannis wouldnt be there to protect her. Could this be some foreshadowing from the show of the fate that awaits her in the books? Hopefully not, but then Shireen is a character surely too good to live in Westeros.
James Hunt
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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.
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