History ShoutOut / GameOfThrones

* George R. R. Martin has admitted that Samwell Tarly is based on Samwise Gamgee. Their similar names are a hint.

** The whole play-within-the-series in Braavos lampooning the events of Seasons 1–4 with the actors speaking in verse is the most direct homage.

** Arya [[spoiler:killing Lothar Frey's sons and serving them unknowing to their father in a pie]] is straight from ''Theatre/TitusAndronicus''.

* Might be unintentional, but [[spoiler: in Season 7's finale, the undead Viserion now breathes blue fire, which is very similar to [[Film/Godzilla2014 the iconic Godzilla's atomic breath in the 2014 movie.]]]]

** Also, Sam's full first name is "Samwell".
** And his desire to be a wizard also nods [[Franchise/HarryPotter in another direction]].

* One of the names Viserys mentions when listing the Targaryen dragons is [[{{Film/Dragonslayer}} Vermithrax]].
* Shade of the Evening [[Franchise/{{Dune}} both gives the Warlocks power and changes the color of their lips]].

* Riverrun, the Tully family seat, seems to [[Literature/FinnegansWake have been named]] in homage to Creator/JamesJoyce.

* "No One" features a lingering shot of a pile of oranges in the scene before [[spoiler: the Waif's death]] after Arya accidentally knocks over a fruit vendor's cart while fleeing the Waif. This is almost certainly a reference to ''Film/TheGodfather'', where Creator/FrancisFordCoppola famously [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadowed]] every character's death with a shot of an orange.[[note]]Or, later on in the movies, the [{ColorCodedForYourConvenience color orange]].[[/note]]

* "No One" features a lingering shot of a pile of oranges in the scene before [[spoiler: the Waif's death]] after Arya accidentally knocks over a fruit vendor's cart while fleeing the Waif. This is almost certainly a reference to ''Film/TheGodfather'', where Creator/FrancisFordCoppola famously [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadowed]] every character's death with a shot of an orange.

** The whole prehistoric backstory of the First Men and the Children of the Forest suggests Middle-Earth's prehistory. Valyria is a ruined city that was legendary in its time, and destroyed by some supposedly supernatural force—just like Numenor.

* The assassination of [[spoiler:Jon Snow]] at the end of Season 5 bears a striking resemblance to the [[Theatre/JuliusCaesar traditional portrayals]] of the assassination of UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar.

* An HBO special: In "Two Swords", when asked why he's willing to kill civilians but not steal, Sandor Clegane says "A man's got to have a code," the line Omar Little of ''Series/TheWire'' used to explain why he was willing [[KarmicThief to steal from other criminals]] but not civilians.

* The assassination of [[spoiler:Jon Snow]] at the end of Season 5 bears a striking resemblance to the [[Theatre/JuliusCaesar traditional portrayals]] of the assassination of [[Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar Julius Caesar]].

* Stannis, much like Agamemnon in the myth of [[Creator/{{Euripides}} Iphigenia]], is a leader faced by unfavorable weather and a stalled military campaign who considers [[spoiler:sacrificing his only daughter]] to appease the gods and ensure victory. Also like Agamemnon, [[spoiler: that decision ultimately leads to his destruction]] after he [[spoiler: meets his death at the hands of a vengeful woman]].

* Stannis, much like Agamemnon in the myth of [[Creator/{{Euripides}} Iphigenia]], is a leader faced by unfavorable weather and a stalled military campaign who considers [[spoiler:sacrificing his only daughter]] to appease the gods and ensure victory.

* And then there's the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII Onion Knight]].

* And then there's the [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII Onion Knight]]

* And then there's the [[FinalFantasyIII Onion Knight]]

* Ser Davos Seaworth is [[RedBaron known by the nickname]] of [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII the Onion Knight]].