The live-action television universe based off George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire added new characters in regards to the literary canon.
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Game of Thrones
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While vastly condensing the number of characters, the show also invents a few and replaces existing characters with original ones.
- Ros was invented to receive Sexposition in the first season, though her role is expanded in later seasons.
- Talisa Maegyr replaces Jeyne Westerling as Robb's love interest. Rather than being the girlish daughter of a Lannister bannerman, she's a spirited and opinionated combat medic from a wealthy Volantene family. Talisa originally shared the name Jeyne as well, but GRRM requested it be changed to avoid an In Name Only character.
- Alton Lannister replaces Cleos Frey as the Stark emissary to the Lannisters, to avoid spending time explaining Cleos' connection to the Lannisters. Rather than being Jaime's cousin who is killed by outlaws, Alton is a distant Lannister relative murdered to facilitate his escape attempt. Alton winds up dying earlier in the show than Cleos, who managed to last until A Storm of Swords.
- There is no Spice King in the novels, though there is a Guild of Spicers. His look and demeanor are vaguely similar to the Xaro of the novels, hinting at a Decomposite Character, and his refusal to support Daenerys is taken from the Pureborn, the elite of Qarth in the novels.
- Olyvar was invented to resolve a minor plot point in Season 3 but carried on to operate Littlefinger's brothel and provide Guy on Guy Is Hot fanservice.
- Daenerys' Season 2 bloodrider Kovarro.
- Virtually every prostitute in Littlefinger's brothel, since the few such characters from the novels have been Adapted Out.
- The Creepy Child assassin in "Valar Dohaeris" replaces the Sorrowful Man who comes for Daenerys in the books.
- Locke and his unit are a less bizarre replacement for Vargo Hoat and the Brave Companions, performing their task of capturing and abusing Brienne and Jaime. Locke's later actions are original to the show.
- Karl Tanner is an original character who replaces several mutineers and receives much more characterization. Like his namesake, Clubfoot Karl, he antagonizes Craster and Mormont about the hidden food, but perhaps his closest counterpart is Dirk, a fellow Psycho Knife Nut who also kills Craster and takes a woman hostage.
- Lady Olenna's backstory regarding her eventual marriage mentions a sister named Viola Redwyne, who was to be betrothed to Luthor Tyrell while Olenna was to marry an unnamed Targaryen (Daeron, the youngest son of Aegon V in the books) before Olenna seduced and married Luthor. In the books Olenna is never mentioned to have a sister; Luthor was betrothed to Shaera Targaryen, who eloped with her brother Jaehaerys against their parents' wishes. Since Jaehaerys II and his sister-wife Shaera have been Adapted Out (their children Aerys II and Rhaella reinterpreted as Aegon V's children), Viola was created for the show to substitute as Luthor's original wife-to-be.
- Ramsay's lover, Myranda, is wholly original to the show, although she has some aspects of the Bastard's Boys from the novels, who accompany Ramsay on his hunts.
- Olly, the young Night's Watch recruit who joins up after his village is massacred by wildlings, was created for the show. He later takes two of the most significant actions of a show-original character when he kills Ygritte and later on when he delivers the fatal blow in Jon Snow's assassination.
- Mossador, the freed Meereenese slave who serves on Daenerys' council, is an original character who takes on aspects of the Shavepate and of an Unsullied named Mossador, Missandei's brother, from the books.
- In the books, there has been no mention of a poison called "The long farewell", nor of any other poison with similar or equal effects.
- Karsi and Loboda, the wildling chieftains in "Hardhome", are both original characters, though they bear resemblance to the characters of Val and Sigorn from the books. Karsi's outfit, which includes seashells, seems inspired by people of the Frozen Shore from the books.
- So far in the novels, there are no characters named Flynn or Morgan among the ranks of the Brotherhood Without Banners.
- Tansy takes the place of Kyra, a girl from Winter Town who's Theon's mistress, and later a prisoner in the Dreadfort. The manner in which they die is largely identical.
- The Master Torturer doesn't have a book counterpart, at least as far as we know. This is largely as we don't know his name.
- Harald Karstark has no counterpart in the novels. He takes on aspects of Arnolf Karstark from the books.
- House Mazin have no book counterpart.
- There is no such Reginald Lannister in the books.
- There's no counterpart to Orson Lannister in the books. The closest thing he has is Tyrion's joking claim that his father locked up "drooling cousins" deep within Casterly Rock for being embarrassments.
- In the books there's no Belicho Paenymion, the Volantene noble seen in Season 6 alongside Razdal mo Eraz and Yezzan zo Qaggaz.
- There's no Maester Wolkan in the books. He seems to be a composite of Maesters Henly, Medrick and Rhodry.
- Ned Umber, Smalljon Umber's son, is original to the show.
- GRRM has gone on record to state that the show's version of Littlefinger is so different from what he wrote he considers him a different character alltogether.
- Qhono has no book counterpart and was created solely for the show.
- Malakho's name is never mentioned in the books. He may be inspired by Rommo, an aged Dothraki warrior of Dany's khalasar.
- While Tywin Lannister is giving examples of Kings to his grandson Tommen he mentions Baelor the Blessed, Robert Baratheon and then Orys the First. Baelor is a major figure in westerosi history whilst Rober Baratheon is a major character in the first book and season. Orys however has no direct equivalent in the text.
House of the Dragon
- Ser Gerold Royce doesn't exist in either A Song of Ice and Fire or Fire & Blood.
