Game Of Thrones Wiki Guide

Oathkeeper Differences

This page contains a log of TV/book differences and discrepancies in Season 4's episode Oathkeeper to A Storm of Swords (Third Novel), A Feast for Crows (Fourth Novel), and A Dance with Dragons (Fifth Novel). Naturally, the content on this page contains spoilers.


Character Changes

  • As with previous episodes, Locke, the hunter of Roose Bolton, is a new character in the TV series. He replaced Vargo Hoat as the one who captures Jaime LannisterIn the show he is sent north and arrives at the Wall, searching for the surviving Stark boys. In the show he tries to join the Night's Watch, hoping Jon Snow will lead him to Bran Stark and Rickon Stark.
  • The character Lothor Brune seems to have been omitted from the show.  In the books he is a middle-aged loyal knight who serves Littlefinger, he commands the crossbowmen who kill Dontos and knows some of Littlefinger's secrets.

Scene Changes

  • Again, in the novels, Jaime Lannister mainly trained sword-fighting with Ilyn Payne, the tongueless headsmen of the royal family. In this way his fighting weakness would not be revealed to others. In the show, Tyrion Lannister offers the services of Bronn for training. There is also no talk of Jaime being Tyrion's champion in the books.
  • In the books Missandei does not have much interaction with Grey Worm and does not teach him the Common tongue as in the show.  In addition, when asked about her past, she says two of her brothers who were captured with her became Unsullied.  
  • Daenerys Targaryen takes Meereen by sending Barristan Selmy and other soldiers on a suicide mission through the sewers of Meereen in the novels. They fight their way through chest deep water and a creature that is likely an alligator or crocodile. In the novels while her army use a battering ram to open the city gates the group of soldiers free slaves from the fighting pits to take back the city.  In the show Grey Worm and other Unsullied are sent to convince the slaves to revolt against the Masters.
  • In the books Tyrion Lannister's squire Podrick Payne finds Brienne much later, he follows her outside King's Landing when she is on her quest to find Sansa Stark.  In the show he is a "gift" of Jaime Lannister along with Oathkeeper and a set of armor.  Again, Podrick Payne is not threatened to testify against Tyrion in the novels.
  • The show has Samwell Tarly tells Jon Snow all about his brother Bran Stark crossing Beyond the Wall.  In the books Coldhands makes Sam promise not to tell Jon about Bran's whereabouts.
S4E4 Targaryen.png

Added or Extended Scenes

  • Janos Slynt and Alliser Thorne are not at Castle Black for some time when Jon Snow returns in the books.  Alliser Thorne does not become acting Commander, as in the show, and actually becomes Janos Slynt's lieutenant as Janos attempts to gain control of the Night's Watch.
  • The storyline involving the mutineers at Craster's Keep is new to the show.  There is no ranging led by Jon Snow in the books. Also, the scenes involving Bran Stark and company running into the Karl and the mutineers at Craster's Keep have been added. 
  • Ghost is not captured by the mutineers or anyone in the novels, he is merely trapped Beyond the Wall when Jon Snow scales it with the Wildlings. The show adds a scene where he is seen to be in a cage at Craster's Keep.
  • As mentioned earlier, the scene where Grey Worm incites the slaves of Meereen to revolt is new to the show. In the books while the slaves were set free to fight the Masters, this scene is not actually detailed. Also, the slave uprising from within the walls occurs simultaneously with several attacks from the main army of Daenerys.
  • The scene where Margaery Tyrell attempts to woo Tommen Lannister, her husband to be, in his bedroom is new to the show. She does attempt to get him away from the influence of his mother, but in different ways and later in the novel timeline.
  • Olenna Tyrell basically admitting to Margaery about being part of a plot to kill Joffrey Baratheon was added to the show.  She also never tells Margaery to manipulate Tommen or talks about her seducing her own husband.  Part of her efforts in the books was to give Tommen three black kittens, one of which was Ser Pounce.
  • Jaime Lannister has no contact with Tyrion Lannister prior to his trial in the novels. He is in King's Landing only after the Purple Wedding. In the show he visits Tyrion in his cell partially in order to find out if Tyrion actually killed Joffrey Baratheon.
  • The show adds a scene with a White Walker carrying Craster's son to other White Walkers to be turned into a White Walker-like creature. In the books the fate of Craster's sacrifices is unknown, as are the White Walkers origin and how new ones are created. In addition, in the books Craster offers his sons to the White Walkers, but as the White Walkers come more often he offers them other livestock, such as sheep. Also, the White Walker with head spikes, known as the Night's King from HBO's viewer guide, is entirely new to the show.

In This Wiki Guide

Game of Thrones Image

Game of Thrones

Release DateMarch 6, 2012