“A Lannister always pays his debts”: Removing George R.R. Martin’s Darkest Story of Tyrion Lannister Hurt Game of Thrones Ending That Fans Cannot Forgive
George R.R. Martin has been working on the final two novels of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, which inspired the HBO show Game of Thrones. The ending of the fantasy show was met with severe controversies due to Daenerys Targaryen’s sudden turn in character. The character goes on a rampage and massacres King’s Landing, which many consider anticlimactic.
The show moved away from the books as Martin took longer to finish his climactic novels and developed storylines on their own. However, if the makers had stuck more to the storyline the author was building, the ending might have made more sense and would have been less controversial. This storyline involved Tyrion Lannister.
George R.R. Martin Set Up A Darker Path For Tyrion Lannister
Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones | Credits: HBO Entertainment/Television 360/Grok! Television/Generator
Tyrion Lannister is one of the most popular characters in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones. Played by Peter Dinklage in the HBO show, the character was a fan favorite and had many witty lines that often spoke the minds of the viewers. Born a dwarf, Tyrion was ostracized by the Lannisters due to his condition.
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By the third novel A Storm of Swords, the character undergoes a significant change. After being tried for the poisoning of King Joffrey Baratheon, his nephew, and losing his trial by combat, Tyrion waits in prison for his sentence when his brother Jamie helps him escape. While the show keeps it quick, the book sees Jamie reveal what the family did to Tyrion’s first wife Tysha.
A still from Game of Thrones | Credits: HBO Entertainment/Television 360/Grok! Television/Generator Entertainment/Startling Television/Bighead Littlehead
Jamie reveals that he had orchestrated Tyrion’s fateful meet with Tysha, which ends up with her being severely assaulted by his father Tywin Lannister’s guards. The exchange angers Tyrion who smacks Jamie in the face and causes him to turn darker subsequently. In the book, he says to Jamie,
Oh, you’ve earned more than that, Jaime. You and my sweet sister and our loving father, yes, I can’t begin to tell you what you’ve earned. But you’ll have it, that I swear to you. A Lannister always pays his debts.
As the character travels around and has more experiences, he gets darker with a quest for revenge against his family. He kills his father with a crossbow and vows to exact revenge on his sister Cersei and Jamie Lannister. While all of these elements were used sparingly, George R.R. Martin’s novels explored them more deeply.
Tyrion Lannister’s Dark Turn Would Have Contributed To Game Of Thrones’ Ending
A still from Game of Thrones | Credits: HBO Entertainment/Television 360/Grok! Television/Generator
George R.R. Martin has a penchant for killing off fan-favorite characters, but Tyrion Lannister has somehow managed to survive in the show and in the books for now. Though he ends up being one of the few characters who makes it to the end of the show, the books are yet to reveal what his fate would be, and judging by his vengeful spirit, he seems to be heading down a dangerous path.
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Game of Thrones does not fully explore this dark path for Tyrion Lannister and instead keeps him mostly noble until the end. However, had they actually explored this character path, the ending of the show with Daenerys Targaryen’s evil turn would have made more sense. Daenerys channels her inner ‘Mad King’ and goes on a rampage against King’s Landing in the final season.
Fans were disappointed with this ending as she was one of the nobler characters in the show and had spent building a reputation for not being like her ancestors. However, if Tyrion Lannister, who joins her in her campaign to Westeros, had a character arc as in the books, it would have seen both of these characters feeding off of each other and Daenerys’ turn would have made more sense.