From the very beginning of the series, the Lannisters have been one of the most powerful and intimidating houses in Game of Thrones. Even though Robert Baratheon sat the Iron Throne in Season 1, it was clear which family held the power. From there, they have rose higher in power, had some massive set-backs and some pretty extreme family issues to deal with.
Despite their prominence in the series, the show has only scratched the surface with the Lannisters. The book offers a lot more interesting insight into the prominent Lannisters, as well as some significant changes with how they are depicted on the show. Check out some fun facts about the Lannisters that Game of Thrones leaves out.
Casterly Rock
Casterly Rock had been talked about as the Lannister’s home since early in the show. Though never seen, it was described as if it was a more impressive seat of power than even King’s Landing. We finally got to see “The Rock” last season when the Unsullied attacked and it was a bit underwhelming.
In the books, Casterly Rock is an awe-inspiring sight. The castle is carved into a massive stone hill in the shape of a lion. It is also extraordinarily tall, measuring three times higher than the Wall. What else would you expect from one of Westeros’ wealthiest families?
Tywin’s Happy Marriage
Though his children can be cunning and fearsome, Tywin Lannister is without a doubt the head of the household. It is a position he rules in with an iron fist, controlling his entire legacy with little regard for how it affects the rest of the family. But though he might be cold to his children, it is said that Tywin was head-over-heels in love with his wife.
The mother of the Cersei, Jamie, and Tyrion is mentioned in the show, but we never got the sense that Tywin adored her and she was likely the only person who could tell him what to do. It’s hard to imagine stern, ruthless Tywin in such a way.
Tyrion Lannister’s Appearance
A large part of Tyrion Lannister’s personality is defined by how society treats him as a freak. He is constantly referred to as an ugly little monster which shaped him into something of a loner. The show’s problem is that Peter Dinklage is a pretty good-looking guy.
In the books, Tyrion is a much more disfigured character. He has a large, jutting forehead and mismatched eyes. His appearance is made worse after he is injured in the Battle of Blackwater. Unlike the simple scar in the show, Tyrion loses his nose in the books leaving him a ghastly sight.
Tyrion’s Acrobatics
One of the strangest aspects of Tyrion’s character in the books is that he is a surprisingly skilled acrobat when he is first introduced. When the Lannisters and Baratheons come to Winterfell, Tyrion is introduced by leaping from the castle gates, flipping in the air and landing on his feet.
It’s a pretty bizarre scene that George R.R. Martin has actually admitted he wishes he could change. Not only is the feat a little hard to swallow, but no mention is ever made about such abilities ever again. This was one the show wisely left out.
Myrcella In Dorne
The storyline in Dorne is largely seen as the low point for the show. The setting and characters had potential, but were let down by poor writing. The book fares much better in Dorne with a somewhat similar but much more interesting conspiracy afoot.
Like in the show, the daughters of Oberyn Martell want vengeance on the Lannisters and target Myrcella Lannister to achieve this. However, instead of just assassinating Myrcella, the Sand Snakes plan to marry her to Trystane Martell and take the Iron Throne from the Lannisters. This plan goes awry leading to some genuinely exciting scenes that were absent in the show’s Dorne adventure.
Trading Places
Needless to say, Jamie and Cersei Lannister have a close relationship. The twin Lannisters have barely been able to hide their incestuous relationship over the years, now reaching a point in the show where Cersei is completely open with it.
Their unhealthy attachment started from a young age where they were inseparable, looking so similar that people had difficulty telling them apart. This inspired them to play tricks where they would switch clothes and pretend to be each other. While they were obviously silly kid games, it does hint at Cersei’s long desire to be taken seriously in this world run by men.
Cersei And Rhaegar
Even though Cersei has continuously risked everything to be with her brother Jamie, she has had eyes for other men in the past. In the show, Cersei admits she once loved Robert Baratheon and was happy to marry him. We all know how that turned out.
Another marriage that Cersei was even more keen about was the potential betrothal to Rhaegar Targaryen. Tywin had hoped to marry his daughter to the Mad King’s son and Cersei was not objecting. When the Mad King broke off the marriage, Cersei had to settle back with her brother.
Tywin Cleaning House
The show has made it quite clear how Tywin feels about Tyrion’s penchant for whores. It is a subject that comes up between them constantly right up until Tywin’s death at the hands of his son.
As it turns out, Tywin’s aversion to mistresses goes back a long way. Tywin’s father was by all accounts an ineffective ruler. Once his father died and Tywin took power, he immediately began to regain the respect House Lannister had lost. His first order of business was to deal with his father’s mistress. He had the woman stripped naked and marched out of Lannisport for all to see. The horrible mistreatment eerily mirrors Cersei’s own “Walk of Shame”.
Tyrion’s Wife
Though he is immediately presented as a cold individual, we get out first sense of how truly evil Tywin Lannister with the story of Tyrion’s short-lived marriage. Tywin revealing the girl was a whore and the subsequent cruelty he shows her and his son as a lesson is beyond vile.
However, there is one aspect of the story left out of the show that changes everything. When Jamie helps Tyrion escape King’s Landing, he reveals the truth that the woman, Tysha, was not a whore and married Tyrion because she was in love with him. This makes the act all the more awful.
The Valonqar
At the beginning of Season 5, we get a rare flashback to Cersei Lannister when she was a child. We see her visit a fortune teller of sorts. Everything the woman tells her, including the deaths of her children, has come true. However, the show leaves out the most significant and intriguing aspects of the prophecy. The woman says Cersei will eventually be killed by “the valonqar”, which is High Valyrian for “little brother”. This has led to endless theories about who the “valonqar” could be. Considering the scene is otherwise kept intact for the show, it’s a shame this prophecy wasn’t included.
