Game of Thrones had one of the most expansive casts in TV history. Indeed, the cast was so far reaching that some fans forgot about certain characters. However, while the show’s cast is huge, the cast in the books is gargantuan.
Many of these characters were excluded from the show, impacting how the story would develop at a later stage. With the criticism of the final season in mind, perhaps including some of these characters may have led to a more successful conclusion to Game of Thrones.
Patchface
Patchface is one of the creepiest characters in the world of ice and fire. Patchface is the jester of House Baratheon and was brought to Storm’s End by Stannis’ father, Steffon Baratheon. However, Lord Steffon’s ship crashed just outside of Storm’s End and everyone was killed. Patchface was pulled out of the water three days later and, while the jester had been described as witty before the accident, he now spoke in strange, prophetic riddles and sang of things ‘under the sea’.
Patchface hangs around with Shireen Baratheon and Melisandre sees him as dangerous, claiming that she’s seen him ‘surrounded by skulls with bloody lips’ in her fires. Some fans believe that Patchface was resurrected by the Drowned God of the Iron Born, but his ultimate purpose is unknown.
Arianne Martell
Arianne Martell is the eldest daughter of Doran Martell and plays a huge role in the books, with the character being pivotal to what many fans have come to claim is a "Dornish Master Plan".
Arianne is one of the most interesting characters from Dorne, and in many ways the exclusion of Arianne Martell is symbolic of the mess the showrunners made of the Dorne storyline.
Marwyn The Mage
Marwyn the Mage is one of the most interesting characters in the series. Marwyn is one of the few characters to have earned his Valyrian Steel chain link, which means that he mastered the art of magic at the Citadel.
Additionally, the character has also been to Asshai by the Shadow and has links to Mirri Maz Duur. Including the character in the show could’ve allowed for more exploration of the mysterious magic in the world of ice and fire.
Young Griff
The show cut out one of the most interesting plots in the books. On his travels to meet Daenerys, Tyrion bumps into a character called Young Griff. It is later learned that Young Griff is actually, or is claimed to be, Rhaegar Targaryen’s son, Aegon.
The character has been raised to be King and commands the Golden Company, with Varys and Illyrio Mopatis plotting to seat the character on the Iron Throne. What is interesting here is that some fans believe that Aegon is actually a Blackfyre (a bastard bloodline of House Targaryen) and that Young Griff is someone that Daenerys has been warned about.
The Night’s King
In the show, a character named the Night King appears. This character is the leader of the White Walkers and was, according to the show, the first White Walker. However in the books, a character from thousands of years ago is mentioned, the Night’s King.
This character was the Thirteenth Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and was said to have taken a woman with milk pale skin and eyes like blue stars for a wife, bound his brothers to strange sorcery, and made sacrifices to the Others. While the character doesn’t appear, he is important to the books. He shows that not only have the Wildlings and Northmen worked together before, but also that (as per Craster) the White Walkers can be reasoned with and deals can be struck with them.
Jeyne Westerling
In the show, Robb Stark breaks his vow to marry one of Walder Frey’s daughters after he falls in love with a woman named Talisa. At the Red Wedding, Talisa is murdered along with Robb and Catelyn Stark.
However, in the books Robb Stark marries Jeyne Westerling. He likely married her out of a sense of honor more than love, because they hooked up when Robb was devastated after Bran and Rickon's supposed death, and marrying her was the right thing to do after taking her virtue. And many fans suspect that the Westerlings (a family from the Lannister's Westerlands) may have been part of a plot to destroy Robb's alliances with the Freys.
Victarion
Arguably, Euron Greyjoy could’ve taken a place on this list. While Euron appears in the show, his character is very different from the books. However, this entry goes to his brother, Victarion Greyjoy.
Victarion Greyjoy is a famed warrior of the Iron Islands who was sent to meet Daenerys and propose a marriage between Euron and the Mother of Dragons. However, Victarion also brings a magical horn called Dragonbinder with him. Euron found the horn in the ruins of Valyria and it’s said to bind dragons to its master’s will. Though, it kills the person who blows it, and this doesn’t bode well for Victarion.
Reek
In the show, Reek was the character Theon Greyjoy became after his mental and physical torture at the hands of the sadistic Ramsay Bolton. Reek is a broken man who is terrified of Ramsay Bolton, with the character even forgetting his past as Theon for some time.
In the books, though, Theon’s Reek wasn’t the first one. Reek was originally a close friend and servant of Ramsay Bolton, with a reputation for being just as bad (if not worse) than Ramsay himself.
Lady Stoneheart
Perhaps the most famous character to not be included in the series, Lady Stoneheart is at the center of one of the most interesting plots in the book series. For those who are unaware, Lady Stoneheart is the name Catelyn Stark goes by after she is resurrected by Beric Dondarrion in the epilogue of A Storm of Swords.
While Catelyn Stark is resurrected, she comes back different. Catelyn Stark, commanding the Brotherhood Without Banners, is hellbent on revenge against the Freys and Lannisters, indiscriminately hanging any Frey or Lannister she can get her hands on. Additionally, she also possesses Robb Stark’s crown and, due to Robb Stark naming Jon Snow as his successor, she may be instrumental in crowning Jon the King of the North.
Jeyne Pool
This is entry may be cheating slightly, as a character by the name of Jeyne Pool did indeed appear in the show. However, the character only appears once and never again, with her main plot point being given to Sansa Stark in the show.
In the books, Jeyne Pool marries Ramsay Bolton, with the Boltons passing Jeyne Pool off as Arya Stark in order to command the loyalty of the Northern Lords.