Game of Thrones is one of the most popular TV shows of all time. Since the show debuted in 2011, Game of Thrones became a cultural phenomenon, helping to usher in the golden age of TV and introduce the concept of 'event TV' to a whole new generation. However, it is important to remember that the incredible TV series spawned from George RR Martin's amazing book series, a Song of Ice and Fire.

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Martin has always described himself as a 'gardener' when it comes to planning his novels, meaning that he doesn't necessarily stick to a rigid plan, instead allowing his work in progress to expand naturally over time. This means that his original ideas for the story changed drastically from how he initially imagined it. This article will list 10 ideas George RR Martin abandoned when writing a Song of Ice and Fire. 

Sansa Betrays The Starks

When we're first introduced to Sansa Stark, she is a young girl who is enthralled by the charming and wonderful stories of princes and knights from the south of Westeros. As a result, she is overjoyed at the chance to leave the north and move to King's Landing with Joffrey.

However, over time she receives harsh treatment from the Lannisters and then the Boltons (in the show), before accepting her Stark bloodline. Although, George RR Martin originally planned to have Sansa side with the Lannisters over the Starks, rejecting her family in the process.

No Red Wedding

Robb Stark stands before Walder Frey before he is murdered at Game OF Thrones' Red Wedding

Without a doubt, the most shocking moment in both the books and the TV series was the Red Wedding. This moment shocked audiences as Robb and Catelyn Stark were betrayed by the Boltons and the Freys and murdered in cold blood, ending Robb's march south and triggering the Lady Stoneheart plot in the books.

However, George RR Martin didn't initially plan for a Red Wedding. Instead, Robb was to die on the battlefield after wounding Joffrey.

Jaime's Character Arc

While Jaime Lannister started the series as the main villain after he pushed Bran from the Winterfell Tower and attacked Eddard and his men, his character began to change over the seasons and books, showing that the character had several redeeming features.

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According to George's original plan, however, Jaime was to be far more of a central antagonist to the series, with the character even taking the Iron Throne at one point.

Catelyn Is Killed By White Walkers

Lady Catelyn Stark on Game of Thrones

As already covered in this list, George RR Martin didn't originally plan for the Red Wedding to occur. Instead, Robb would meet his end in battle, but what about Catelyn Stark? Martin initially foresaw Catelyn fleeing north with her remaining children after Robb's death, going beyond the Wall and seeking the protection of Mance Rayder.

However, this is not to say that Catelyn would have lived in Martin's initial plan. Catelyn Stark was to meet her end at the hands of the Others, rather than the Boltons.

Trilogy

Drogon Rhaegal Viserion Targaryen Fleet Game of Thrones

While the book series is currently unfinished but expected to consist of a volume of 7 books upon completion, George RR Martin initially planned for a Song of Ice and Fire to be a trilogy, in much the same vein that the classic Lord of the Rings trilogy was.

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However, as said earlier, George RR Martin is a gardener when it comes to writing and this trilogy became 4 books, before then morphing into 7. The second book in the series was said to cover Dany's return to Westeros before the Others would then attack in the third and final installment.

Arya And Jon

A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones are not strangers to incest. Cersei Lannister and Jaime Lannister have been showing this on the screen since the very first episode and there are frequent mentions of Targaryen incest in both the books and the wider lore.

However, in what most would consider to be shocking, George RR Martin initially planned for Arya and Jon to fall in love at one point. It's certainly a good thing that George changed his mind here.

Tyrion Was To Sack Winterfell

Tyrion is one of the most popular characters in both the show and the books due to his sharp wit, intelligence, and complex morality that tended to side more to good than bad. However, in George RR Martin's original plan, Tyrion was said to attack the ancestral home of the Starks, sacking and burning the castle in the process.

It seems that this deed was instead split between Theon Greyjoy and the Boltons, with Theon capturing the castle before the Boltons eventually came and burned large sections of it.

The Neverborn

Night King converts a baby

While this one still has a chance to appear in the books series, the fact that it hasn't even been mentioned in the books or shown in the series means this is unlikely. In an early letter to his publisher, George RR Martin explained his broader ideas with where the book series would go. In this letter, George RR Martin says "from the icy wastes beyond the Wall, where... the inhumane Others, raise cold legions of the undead and the neverborn prepare to... extinguish everything that we would call life.

It is unclear as to what the Neverborn are or what George RR Martin saw them as being. However, Secrets of the Citadel on YouTube has a fantastic video explaining potential theories surrounding the concept.

No Dragons

Perhaps the most surprising thing you may hear about George Martin's initial plans for a Song of Ice and Fire is that he did not initially plan on including the dragons in the series. Rather, he saw the Targaryens as possessing fire powers instead, with this tying into their dragon symbolism.

Fortunately, George RR Martin changed his mind after fellow fantasy author Phyllis Eisenstein convinced him to include the dragons, with George even dedicating a Storm of Swords to Eisenstein as a result.

Daenerys Lives?

Jon kills Daenerys in the Game of Thrones finale

This one may be considered cheating as George RR Martin still hasn't finished his book series and the ending to the series may be entirely different from the ending of the TV series. However, in George RR Martin's initial 1993 outline, the author listed Jon Snow, Bran Stark, Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, and Daenerys Targaryen as surviving to the end of the series.

This certainly places the outline in stark contrast to the ending of the TV series, as the show famously and controversially killed off Daenerys Targaryen in the final season.

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