Free Winning the Game of Thrones: The Host of Characters and their Agendas by Valerie Frankel Page B

shows up, filthy and bloody, to tell Robb off for his lack of compassion, a far stronger character emerges. This change, as Martin has remarked at conferences, mainly was implemented as the television writers wanted to show Robb’s romance (in the books his imprudent marriage appears as a complete surprise, with all the courting done offscreen). The meek little mouse was unlikely to gain anyone’s respect or affection, so as new scenes of Talisa’s character-shaping childhood with slaves were written, Martin suggested a new name for her new backstory.
    And most brothel scenes are new, as is the character Ros. Martin comments:
     
I like the fact that David (Benioff) and Dan (Weiss) are doing a faithful adaptation so when the scenes are the scenes from the books, I like those. And I like almost all of the new scenes, not from the books, that David and Dan and the other writers have added. The only thing that I miss is the scenes that are left out, scenes from the books that are not included in the TV show that I wish they would have included. As I watch a show I’m always thinking, “Oh, this is coming next” and then that scene isn’t there. But I understand the necessity for that. We have ten hours and that’s always we have. You cannot put every line of dialogue, every incident, in the TV show. You have to cut to the chase. [19]
     
    Martin   has been heavily involved, from casting decisions to writing a script each season (“The Pointy End,” “Blackwater,” “The Bear and the Maiden Fair”). He wrote many new Twilight Zone and Beauty and the Beast television episodes in the 1980s, and has even written some feature films. Of course, he’s still busy writing the book series, with two more volumes to go (to say nothing of companion books, short stories, and other projects.) He adds:
     
I talk constantly with David and Dan the executive producers and show runners. They’ve done an amazing job and stayed very faithful to the story. There’ve been some changes, but that’s inevitable on a project like this. It’s been a great ride so far and I hope it will continue for many years to come. [20]
 
    The realism is reflected in the unusually large number of deaths in his series. Book fans note that no one is safe, and new watchers were shocked and angered by Ned’s death after they’d grown to love him. Reactions ranged from amazement that a show would kill off the main character in season one to angry viewers canceling subscriptions. Martin has joked that he’ll need to go into hiding at season three’s end, when fans will be even more furious.
    Despite the fan disagreements on the value of the plentiful sex and violence, the show is amazingly popular. Fans of the book are pleased with it, though there are occasional complaints of a beloved scene getting cut.
     

    How Aged-up Are the Stark Children?
    Martin notes:
 
We had some real problems because Daenerys is only 13 in the books, and that’s based on medieval history. They didn’t have this concept of adolescence or the teenage years. You were a child or you were an adult. And the onset of sexual maturity meant you were an adult. So I reflected that in the books. But then when you go to film it you run into people going crazy about child pornography and there’s actual laws about how you can’t depict a 13 year old having sex even if you have an 18 year old acting the part – it’s illegal in the United Kingdom. So we ended up with a 22 year old portraying an 18 year old, instead of an 18 year old portraying a 13 year old. [21]
     
    Thus, as Martin explains above, everyone got “aged up.” Events of the TV series are seventeen years after Robert’s Rebellion, contrasted with the books’ fourteen. Daenerys is 16 instead of 13. With her, the other characters are aged as well: Robb and Jon Snow are 17 instead of 14. Bran is 10 instead of 7 and Rickon’s 6, not 3. Sansa is 13 instead of 11 and Arya is 11 instead of 9.