Differences from the main series

This wiki's storyline follows a bespoke modified timeline diverging from the original timeline of *Game of Thrones*. Minor changes are made starting in Season 7 Episode 5 "Eastwatch", before significantly straying from the established series of events in Season 8 Episode 3 "The Long Night". On this page, there is a comprehensive list (in order of general significance) of all changes made from the original series of events, as well as general reasoning and justifications for each where applicable and practical.

**DISCLAIMER**: I am not a professional screenwriter or storyteller by any means. The following issues presented and the changes I've made to 'rectify' them are all entirely coloured by my own opinions and some of the most common criticisms I've come across of the final seasons of the show. I'm not trying to take an objective stance on the quality or validity of any aspect of the show, I'm simply seeking to portray a revised series of events in the most coherent and transparent way possible.

The following list only concerns changes and significant additions up until Season 8 Episode 6 "The Iron Throne" in 305 AC, and not events that take place if the custom post-show timeline thereafter, such as the events detailed in *A Dream of Spring* (a hypothetical sequel event taking place after Season 8)*.*

* The largest and most significant change is made to Night King. Unlike the rest of the White Walkers, the Night King seemingly cannot be killed by physical means, and is effectively immune to Valyrian steel and dragonglass weaponry, although strikes from these weapons can momentarily stun or weaken him. This means that when, during the battle at Winterfell, Jon Snow lands a seemingly fatal blow on the Night King with Longclaw, the Night King survives. With their plan of luring the Night King out to be killed via conventional means shattered, the living are forced to abandon Winterfell and escape south.
	+ I have always felt that the Night King in the show was reduced from what could have been an interesting character to a mere plot device, so the Army of the Dead could be destroyed in one fell swoop. While this aspect of the character I decided to maintain, the Night King really should not have been so easily killed, especially with how confidently he places himself in harms way. As will be elaborated on further, I feel his death should've been dealt by less mundane and more esoteric means, and with deep involvement from the character who was arguable the most adjacent to the Night King/White Walkers; Bran Stark.
	+ Furthermore, I believe the threat of the White Walkers really should have been the main and final battle presented in Season 8, and should not have been resolved less than halfway into the final season. The series should have ended with a final battle against the White Walkers, the series' original antagonists, and not a petty struggle for the Iron Throne.
* While their armies are regrouping in the Riverlands, Bran begins exploring the past, specifically events leading up to and during Robert's Rebellion. He feels a deep connection to Jon's father, Rhaegar Targaryen, and learns that he had obsessed himself with being "The Prince that Was Promised". Suffering from increasingly intense dragon dreams, he forged deep links with the Old Gods, regularly slipping away to visit the Isle of Faces. Rhaegar had also confided his beliefs in Lyanna Stark, falling in love with her, and eventually coming to believe he would need a new trueborn heir by Lyanna, should he fall in the wars to come. Ultimately, Bran discovers that the Night King himself was behind Rhaegar's visions, and was attempting to remotely possess Rhaegar, the heir to the Iron Throne, in order to effortlessly take control of the Seven Kingdoms. Rhaegar's decisions and actions were also seemingly influenced by the Night King, such as his decision to marry Lyanna. The Night King was close to taking full control of Rhaegar's body, but was stopped short by Rhaegar's death during the Battle of the Trident.
	+ I think Bran, and especially his visions into the past, and the potential character exploration facilitated by such flashbacks, represented some of the most undervalued plot threads in the series. Furthermore, Rhaegar and Lyanna's decision to run away together effectively caused Robert's Rebellion and the downfall of House Targaryen, so I feel a further exploration of their characters and *why* they chose to leave would have been worthwhile. I feel like presenting Rhaegar in this way satisfies both points. Rhaegar becoming obsessed with the prophecy is congruent with his character in *A Song of Ice and Fire*, and provides reasoning as to why he would he would do what he did while still being aware of the potential political fallout (the only realistic alternative is that Rhaegar was simply immensely irresponsible with no justification for his recklessness). And having Rhaegar ultimately unwittingly come close to bringing about the very thing he was trying to prevent reflects the series' traditional approach to prophecy; it may come true (as explained below) but certainly not in the way you'd expect or even like.
	+ By chance, Rhaegar's knowledge and resultant obsession with the prophecy of the White Walkers I feel fits in surprisingly well with the recent introduction of the Conqueror's vision and it's keeping as a hereditary Targaryen secret, as introduced in *House of the Dragon*.
* The forces of the Living, after deposing Cersei Lannister, make a final stand against the dead at King's Landing. During the final battle of King's Landing, Bran sits on the Iron Throne and wargs backwards in time, and as the Night King approaches him, Bran forcefully wargs the Night King back in time with him. Knowing he cannot be killed in his immortal form, Bran decides to use his remaining power to complete the connection to the mortal man he had tried to take control of twenty-four years earlier; Rhaegar Targaryen, just before his own death by the hand of Robert Baratheon. Furthermore, Bran wargs himself into Robert Baratheon at the same moment to ensure the Night King's death. Robert's strike on Rhaegar's chest is mirrored in the present, sending him flying backwards, landing at the feet of Jon Snow, his chest shattered open, crippled. Jon impales the Night King with Longclaw, and this time it finally proves effective, shattering the Night King to pieces. The rest of the White Walkers and the Army of the Dead follow.
	+ Bran being the one to effectively deal the crippling blow to the Night King is, in my opinion, the most logical conclusion for his character. His arc had always been so deeply tied to the White Walkers, and it makes sense for the climax of his arc to be that of the Night King's ultimate defeat. Furthermore, Bran making use of 'time-travel' not only makes full and proper use of one his teased abilities, but vindicates his previous accidental usage of it with Hodor, getting him to "hold the door" in the present but mentally disabling him for life in the past.
	+ While Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen each have their own crucial roles to play in the defeat of the Night King, are equally as important as Rhaegar in the past and arguably fit into different interpretations of "The Prince that was Promised" (see below), the Night King's death in this manner would vindicate Rhaegar's obsession with the prophecy he so vehemently believed in while still remaining true to the series' subversive manner of handling actions purely motivated by prophecy.
	+ Furthermore, it would add a layer of depth and irony to the Night King's character, making him effectively the architect of his own downfall, as in his initial effort to take control of Westeros, he had been the one to connect himself so deeply with Rhaegar Targaryen.
	+ While it would never be stated, Bran taking over Robert's mind at the very moment he killed Rhaegar could offer a deeper explanation to Robert's intense hatred of Rhaegar and the Targaryens, even so many years later, as he may have never received the satisfaction of killing Rhaegar in the first place.
* The other significant changes made from Season 8 concerns the characters of Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, and their relationship. Daenerys, while becoming noticeably darker in her final weeks, never succumbs to madness. Her relationship with Jon Snow is strained after she finds out his true lineage (finding out earlier than in the main show, from one of Varys's little birds), however all this results in is Daenerys, on the night before the battle, deciding to legitimise Gendry and name him her heir presumptive, Doing this to both spite Jon after he refused to keep his lineage secret from his immediate family, as well as in an effort to delegitimise any claim that Jon could make. Daenerys ultimately fights on unwaveringly against the White Walkers, both at Winterfell and in King's Landing (as well as in a skirmish at Dragonstone), and dies a hero at the hands of the Night King whilst protecting Bran Stark. One of her final acts involves her approaching the Iron Throne having deposed Cersei, but ultimately deciding not to touch it, as per her vision in the House of the Undying.
	+ While I personally subscribe to the common belief that Daenerys will ultimately succumb to madness in the books, and I do believe that Daenerys going mad could have been done justice in the show with the appropriate build up, but by Season 8 I just don't think there was enough time to create a satisfying madness arc for Daenerys, given the amount of screen time remaining against the mostly entirely positive portrayal of her character in the prior seasons. Instead, her dying nobly in the fight against the White Walkers, having wilfully given up her selfish pursuit of the Iron Throne to face head on and die fighting a much larger threat, I think would represent a more satisfying ending for her character, and one that I'd like to hope both fans and detractors of her character could unite in acceptance on.
* With the conflict against the White Walkers lasting the entire length of the season, Jon Snow also remains at the forefront, leading the fight against the Army of the Dead. Moreover, he duels the Night King himself on two occasions, the first time at Winterfell, where he makes the discovery of the Night King's immunity to Valyrian steel, and the second time in King's Landing, where he is fatally wounded, before dealing the final blow to the Night King on the steps of the Iron Throne. Mortally wounded, he ultimately dies in his brother's and sister Arya Stark's arms.
	+ It's been said by many that Jon was given very little to do in Season 8, something that I whole heartedly agree with. As mentioned, with the Great War lasting the length of the rewritten season, Jon is given far more to do, and him being able to duel and later kill the Night King not only pays off a long-teased confrontation, but would likely represent key highlight moments of his character. I decided to kill Jon off at season's end as I feel the only other satisfying alternative would be for him to become king. Like Daenerys, Jon coming to rule is something I don't feel would be his ultimate destiny, purely by the fact of how obvious an ending it would be. Instead, Jon would die having fulfilled his crucial role of uniting the living against the dead, as well as dealing the ultimate blow to the Night King. Combined with his role as Rhaegar's living breathing heir as envisioned by him (see above), fighting on after he had fallen on the Trident, would help Jon fall in line with being "The Prince that was Promised" both in lieu of and in conjunction with Rhaegar (and arguably Daenerys as well, as it would never be explicitly stated).
* With both Jon and Daenerys dead, Daenerys's designated heir, Gendry Baratheon, becomes king in the war's aftermath. Some time later, Arya decides to accept a marriage proposal from Gendry, becoming Queen Consort.
	+ I always thought Gendry was an intriguing yet seldom discussed candidate for the Iron Throne. Not only did he possess the right ancestry, but he had an acute understanding of the day-to-day realities of the smallfolk that not even Daenerys or Jon truly possessed. As mentioned above, Gendry's ascent would not necessarily arise organically, he would be succeeding Daenerys as her named and legitimised heir, chosen out of spite against Jon, and he would have on side numerous key supporters beside, chief among them being Davos Seaworth.
	+ Arya becoming Queen Consort is something I went back and forth on. On the one hand I understand the need to preserve Arya's agency, on the other I simply don't believe Arya leaving Westeros and abandoning her family she had fought so hard to return to is in any way congruent with her arc. I ultimately believe Arya's arc in Season 8 should've been a continuation of her arc in the prior seasons, finding her family and reconnecting with her humanity. And going with this storyline, Arya's character arc concluding with her getting a new lease on life and seeking to create a new family, I believe would be a decently satisfying end for her character. I also don't believe her becoming queen would rob her of any agency nor would it force her into a role "that's not her", especially married to a man who is mostly attracted to those non-conformist elements of her character. Arya has also at various points in the series expressed admiration for strong warrior-queens like Visenya Targaryen and Nymeria of Dorne, and it would logically follow that she could easily emulate their example.
	+ And of course, it would pay off, in the truest sense of meaning, Robert Baratheon's proposal to Ned Stark back in the series' very first episode; "I have a son, you have a daughter, we'll join our houses".
* Prior to the final battle against the White Walkers at King's Landing, Daenerys lays siege to the Lannister-controlled capital. Jaime Lannister sneaks into the Red Keep with help from Davos, in an effort to reason Cersei into surrendering. After Arya attempts (and fails) to assassinate Cersei, and Daenerys, pressed for time, begins storming the city, Cersei commands Qyburn to "burn them all". In a mirror of his actions during the dying hours of Robert's Rebellion, Jaime kills both Qyburn and Cersei to prevent them from destroying the city with wildfire. Jaime ultimately survives the Great War, rejoining the Kingsguard to continue serving under Brienne of Tarth.
	+ Jaime Lannister is of course another character where the general consensus regarding his character progression in Season 8 is overwhelmingly negative, his strong morality being entirely downplayed in favour of a final (and misguided in my opinion) return to his sister Cersei. In this rewrite, Jaime never 'relapses' into returning to Cersei (partially because the Great War does not end at Winterfell), and instead, he is once again forced to prove himself, not only by placing his morality above his honour and oaths, but above his deep-seated love for Cersei. In doing so, he gains a powerful moment of redemption for all his past wrongdoings, and ends the series a hero and saviour for having ended Cersei's cruel and self-destructive reign, albeit with deep personal conflict, conflict that, given that he now ultimately survives the series, he will presumably spend the rest of his life coming to terms with.
* Arya's assassination attempt of Cersei fails due to the intervention of Gregor Clegane. Arya is quickly overwhelmed by The Mountain, but is saved at the last moment by Sandor Clegane, whom having followed Arya into the Red Keep, duels his brother, before both are killed in the heat of battle much in the same fashion as how they do in the original series, with Arya ultimately fleeing the Red Keep.
	+ The confrontation between the Mountain and the Hound is mostly preserved from how it was originally, except Arya is not stopped by Sandor from confronting Cersei. The key difference to Arya's arc in particular being: her quest for revenge very nearly results in her death at the hands of the Mountain, and she witnesses first-hand Sandor kill himself in his own self-destructive thirst for vengeance against his brother. This ultimately results in Arya more solidly rejecting the idea of revenge as something that is pointless and self-destructive, and more actively pursues the idea of family and reconnecting with those she still has left, ultimately ending with her becoming queen as explained above.
* Two new side-characters, Edric Storm, another bastard son of Robert Baratheon, and Devan Seaworth, the second son of Davos Seaworth, are introduced in Season 7, and are based on the eponymous characters from *A Song of Ice and Fire*, albeit fairly loosely. The two have ruled Storm's End since Stannis Baratheon's death in Season 5, before travelling to Dragonstone on the request of Davos, around the same time he collects Gendry from King's Landing. The two then accompany Gendry throughout the Great War, including on a return expedition to Storm's End to marshal men from the Stormlands to fight the Army of the Dead prior to the final battle at King's Landing. Both survive the Great War, with Edric being legitimised as Edric Baratheon and named Lord of Storm's End after Gendry becomes king.
	+ Edric and Devan mainly exist to prop up Gendry as a slightly more significant character and further acknowledge his bloodline to the audience, so him becoming Daenerys's heir, and later king of the Seven Kingdoms, does not come entirely out of left field.
* Whilst returning from Storm's End, bound for King's Landing, the Baratheon forces are ambushed by Euron Greyjoy on Dragonstone. Soon after, the Night King arrives atop Viserion, followed by Daenerys atop Drogon. Ultimately, both Baratheon and Greyjoy forces abandon the fortress, and after the Night King is knocked off his mount, Viserion is incinerated alongside Dragonstone castle after a wildfire trap laid by Euron is tripped. The Night King of course survives however, leading Euron to abandon Cersei's cause and leave Westeros to it's fate. The Night King is trapped on Dragonstone for several days, until a ship manned by wights takes him back to the mainland ready for the final battle at King's Landing.
	+ While I don't really like Euron's overall portrayal in the show, him abandoning Cersei upon realising the hopelessness of her situation I believe is far more congruent with his character than him dying in a lover's quarrel of sorts. Moreover, Euron exiting the narrative with his life and fleet intact I feel is perfectly fine, and leaves the audience wondering what may happen in the future should he chose to return.
* Following the Fall of Winterfell, many of the surviving non-combatants detach from the main armies and travel further south into the Reach. Among them are Samwell Tarly, Gilly, Missandei and Varys. All of them, including Missandei and Varys, survive and are reunited with the survivors of the Battle of King's Landing following war's end. Varys later leaves Westeros for Pentos, while Missandei departs with Grey Worm and the Unsullied, bound for Naath.
	+ In the absence of any real conflict over Daenerys's morality, Missandei and Varys deaths can't exactly happen as they do in the show. While I did initially substitute their deaths at the hands of Cersei and Daenerys with then simply dying during the course of the Great War, I ultimately decided that there really was no reason for killing them off, and in many ways, their characters could be better served kept alive until the end.
	+ Furthermore, after the Fall of Winterfell, it should make far more sense for the non-combatants with nothing significant to contribute to the war effort, to travel to safety rather than follow the army of the living to King's Landing where they would be nothing but a liability.
* Throughout the war, characters are forced to confront their former friends and family, reanimated as wights. Among them including Rickon Stark, Jorah Mormont, and Theon Greyjoy. Yara Greyjoy, having travelled to King's Landing to assist in the final stand against the dead, is killed by her undead brother.
	+ The idea of the Night King turning fallen characters against their former comrades is a concept that I believe was underexplored, and I feel it goes without saying, direct confrontations could've made for some intense and emotional moments.
	+ After being freed by Theon, Yara is essentially given nothing to do, effectively being kicked out of the narrative with no conclusion to her story. Having an emotional and tragic final encounter with Theon enthralled to the enemy, I believe would've made for a truly heart-breaking conclusion to their close relationship.
	+ While the political situation in the Iron Islands would remain in flux, Yara would not be awkwardly shoehorned into making a seemingly out of character decision to give up her crown and accept the rule of the Westerosi monarch.
* Following the war, the North does not secede and instead remains part of the Seven Kingdoms, with Sansa Stark staying on as Lady of Winterfell and Wardeness of the North.
	+ While I do think Sansa's reasoning for once again detaching the North from the Seven Kingdoms was dubious and vague to begin with, such reasoning is regardless rendered void, as the White Walkers ultimately invade much of southern Westeros, with armies from all corners of the continent uniting to defeat the threat.
* Bran Stark regains his old personality upon the Night King's death. Furthermore, his paralysis has not rendered him infertile. As a result, he returns to Winterfell with Sansa, reconciling with and marrying Meera Reed.
	+ The Night King and "Three-Eyed Raven" are established as deeply linked mortal enemies, drawing from the same font of magic spawned by the Children of the Forest, so I believe it could be interesting if the "Three-Eyed Raven" ceased to exist with the Night King, much like how the magic animating the wights and White Walkers ceased to function on the Night King's death.
	+ Bran regaining his old personality would also permit him to have a final heartfelt moment with Jon Snow as he dies in his sibling's arms. Furthermore, him reconciling with Meera could offer better closure to their final scene in Season 7, where they had parted ways on difficult terms.
	+ The future of House Stark would no longer necessarily be in question, as even if Sansa failed to marry in the future, Winterfell could ultimately pass to Bran and/or his descendants by Meera.
* The small council at series' end consists of the following members; Bran as Hand of the King, Tyrion as Master of Coin, Davos as Master of Ships, Samwell as Master of Laws, and Brienne as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
	+ I originally felt like Davos would be the only person Gendry would pick as his Hand of the King, as he would have been instrumental in his ascent and would likely be one of the few people in the capital Gendry could fully trust. However, I also held some appreciation for the idea of Bran, as a hive-mind of knowledge largely divorced from emotion and ambition, would serve as a fine ruler for the realm. In this scenario, Bran becoming Hand of the King makes him the second most powerful person in the realm, but him reaching said position would be far more realistic and tenable. Furthermore, Davos could still offer Gendry sage and comforting advice, even from the post of Master of Ships.
	+ Bronn, as a former sellsword, realistically has no business serving as Master of Coin and running the realm's finances. Tyrion, having previously proved his competence in the role under Joffrey (and with his brother now serving as Lord of Casterly Rock), would be a far better choice.
	+ It doesn't really make much sense as to how Samwell could become Grand Maester. After openly stealing from the Citadel and ridiculing it's highest members, it seems very unlikely he'd ever be allowed back into the order, let alone be selected by the archmaesters to serve as Grand Maester. Instead, Master of Laws is a role Samwell could realistically just as easily fill, preserving his ultimate place on the Small Council without raising questions regarding the Citadel's relationship with Samwell.
* Bronn is not given Highgarden and dominion over the Reach. Instead, Bronn is given the Twins and made Lord of the Crossing, founding House Blackwater. In place of Bronn, Samwell is made Lord of Highgarden, while House Hightower are made the new Lords Paramount of the Reach, with Lord Baelor Hightower and his son and heir, Garlan Hightower, debuting at a final meeting during the series finale.
	+ It's been said by many, but Bronn being made Lord Paramount of the Reach would, have most likely, not been tenable. Instead, the former titles of House Tyrell would go to House Tarly and House Hightower, and with both Houses importantly possessing the bloodline of Garth the Gardener, this arrangement would be far more likely to be accepted by the nobility of the Reach.
	+ Bronn being given the Twins would be a somewhat tongue-in-cheek nod to his request have Cersei's offer of Riverrun doubled by Jaime and Tyrion; with the Twins, he'd get two castles instead of one.
* The Night's Watch is dissolved and the Wall left to decay. Tormund, in his capacity as leader of the Free Folk, is granted the former castles of the Watch and the Gift, which conjoined with the lands beyond the Wall, are annexed into the North and Seven Kingdoms as a whole. A treaty is signed which guarantees a significant amount of cultural autonomy to the Free Folk, provided they respect the King's Peace and the suzerainty of House Stark.
	+ With the White Walkers destroyed and friendly relations established with the wildlings, the Watch and the Wall really doesn't have any reason to exist, and many members of the Free Folk have also long wished to settle south of the Wall. The Free Folk being formally inducted into the realm in lieu of the Night's Watch, while still maintaining a significant degree of self-rule, would be enough to satisfy all parties.