Viewers of Game of Thrones have seen some minor deviations from the source material, but now we are definitely in some uncharted territory, at least when it comes to the state of play in the North.  In my mind, this is all to the good; this is a perfect example of why reading the books will be a worthwhile experience, even if major plot turns and resolutions are covering on the television show.  It’s very much a matter of the journey being the point, not the destination!


 

In other respects, it’s interesting to see the writers take two massive volumes and deftly reduce it down to the essentials.  And frankly, there’s a lot of repetition in the fourth and fifth books, even when subplots not covered on the show are taken into account.  Take Arya’s current experience as an example: several long passages are condensed into the most important points: the reality of the Faceless Men and the deity they serve, the rivalry with other acolytes, and the need for her to strip away her identity.  All of these drive home the essence of her transformative journey this season.




Jaqen’s presence is very different than the scenario in the source material, but I think the change is a smart one.  Despite the reality of the Faceless Men, their gifts, and their purpose, all of which amount to the possibility that this isn’t even the same man that Arya met earlier in the story, the audience needs a touchstone.  Jaqen allows the audience to understand what Arya is dealing with and what it represents.  That’s a smart change, and also gives Arya a relationship to continue to work within.

Meanwhile, back in King’s Landing, Margaery has finally managed to become a queen, which means not only a marriage, but also a consummation.  Even accounting for aging Tommen a bit compared to the books, this is a somewhat awkward reality for those of modern sensibility.  One can easily imagine Tommen thinking he is the luckiest man alive, that’s for sure!  More important to the actual story is the realization that Margaery now has eclipsed Cersei, and the Queen Mother (and everyone else) is quickly becoming aware of the implications.



Not to be undone, Cersei is already scheming to retain power, to be sure.  One has to see her aborning alliance with the High Sparrow as an indication of that.  At the same time, as history shows us, any time a political power decides to ally with religious fundamentalists in the name of power, it backfires.  I don’t buy the humility of the High Sparrow in the slightest.  If anything, the actions of his followers are a direct indication of what the High Sparrow is willing to allow in the name of his religious fervor.  Cersei is scrambling, and she may not like the consequences of acting without due consideration.  Readers will recognize the foreshadowing already provided in this episode.







Perhaps the most startling change from the source material is Sansa’s betrothal to Ramsay Bolton.  In the source material, Ramsay’s hold on Winterfell and the loyalties of the North were secured through a marriage to “Arya Stark”; in reality, it was an imposter.  Having Sansa play this role makes a lot more sense within the confines of the adaptation.  Not only does this combine two plot threads and streamline the storytelling, but it gives Sansa the perfect stage for developing those Littlefinger-esque skills.  And of course, it also means that the entire tension of having Westeros know that a Stark is in Winterfell and married to a Bolton remains intact.



It also means that whatever was initially planned for Littlefinger and/or Sansa in Book 6 might still be viable, and doesn’t need to be pulled forward into this season.  One can imagine that it will either be tossed entirely in favor of furthering this particular plot thread, or rearranged as the next step in the process.  The only real effect is that an actual Stark is in Winterfell now, as opposed to a false Stark.  In the short-term, this doesn’t change much; in the long-term, that could be a very important difference.







So far as Jon Snow and Stannis Baratheon are concerned, it won’t make a huge difference.  The presence of a Stark at Winterfell might actually render Stannis’ plan for Jon moot, actually.  The real question is: what is Stannis going to do, if the Boltons are making a serious move to establish themselves as the new power in the North?  Stannis made a strong argument for why the North is far more important than others in Westeros realize, so he’s going to have to act to counter this power play.



Which is also the mindset that Jon has to take as Commander of the Night’s Watch, since allowing dissention in the ranks is only going to prove that he’s not a leader.  And frankly, as one might recall from the very first scene of the very first episode, this is more or less what one expects from a Stark.  And if Davos is right, and I believe that counts as serious foreshadowing, Jon needs to be more than he currently is.  That means getting off on a strong footing, and while it’s unlikely to make him popular, dealing with Janos was a necessary task.  And Stannis gave him the royal nod, which actually counts for something, given that in many respects, Stannis is not the worst option in Westeros these days.







The action in Essos had nothing to do with Dany this time around, but rather, the further adventures of Varys and Tyrion.  Once again, we see how the adaptation is condensing subplots in the most efficient manner possible, while also giving little hints that certain elements of skipped-over material will still be pertinent before the season is done.  (Hint: we’ve heard more about greyscale this season than practically the entire series to date; it should be rather obvious by now that it will become important soon!)



Those familiar with the source material were waiting to see how Tyrion’s journey would end up intersecting with Ser Jorah’s exile, and here we are!  Now that Jorah is back in the picture, it’s going to be interesting to see how the anticipated future progression is handled in the adaptation.  There is a lot that could be excised or condensed, after all.  But that’s the brilliance of this season so far: a lot has been removed without losing any of the strength of the narrative.