Game Of Thrones: 8 Changes To The Books That Were Completely Justified

4. Brienne Vs The Hound

The Hound's path goes much the same way as it does in the books, insofar as his journey ends with Arya leaving him to die (although his return should be confirmed if/when The Winds of Winter is released). In A Storm of Swords, Sandor Clegane is wounded during a fight with Polliver, eventually succumbing to his wounds. Brienne, meanwhile, is still focused on her search for Sansa at this stage.

In the show's epic Season 4 finale, she finds the other Stark girl, coming across Arya and the Hound after the pair are turned away from the Eyrie. A bloody and brutal custody battle breaks out, each believing they're the one to look after Arya and neither trusting the other, which stands as one of the most violent and visceral Thrones has delivered.

The balletic swordplay is left behind, there's no big CGI, just two equally matched warriors slugging it out in a storm of swords and stones, with Brienne winning the duel. It's a major boost for her character, who'd largely just been wandering around - as she does in the books too - and a major shock for fans of the Hound, leaving a massive cliffhanger that wouldn't be resolved until Season 6. It remains perhaps the greatest example of one-on-one combat in the series (though Oberyn and Gregor might disagree), and received a wonderful callback in the Season 7 finale.