In the fictional world of George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, there exists a number of complex and morally ambiguous characters. But among them, one figure stands out for his cunning, ruthlessness, and sheer Machiavellian nature. It’s none other than Petyr Baelish, popularly known as Littlefinger.
However, the portrayal of Petyr Baelish in the HBO television adaptation Game of Thrones significantly diverged from George R.R. Martin’s original vision. This particular change led to a portrayal of the iconic character in a way that the author himself did not entirely anticipate nor endorse.
George R.R. Martin Address the Evolution of Petyr Baelish
George R.R. Martin has often been vocal about his opinion on the HBO adaptation of his book series A Song of Ice and Fire. Through different interviews, the renowned author has expressed his appreciation and disappointment in Game of Thrones. However, during one particular interview shared on YouTube by a channel named Aegon Targaryen, Martin opened up about how the show changed his intricate details surrounding Petyr Baelish.
Beginning the conversation by sharing his original vision for Petyr Baelish, aka Littlefinger, George R.R. Martin shed light on the evolution of the character within the context of the television series. Expressing his views on how Petyr Baelish was interpreted and adapted by the showrunners, Martin highlighted areas where the portrayal diverged from his own intentions.
I think some of the most Machiavellian characters in Game of Thrones are those who aren’t born to the great families. A character like Petyr Baelish, Littlefinger, who is their treasurer or master of coins as we call it of the realm when the books open. Although he is born to a noble house, it’s a very weak noble house. His lands are a few acres and a kind of run-down tower house, he has a lot of sheep and sheep pellets that’s his inheritance.
But he has his mind, and he has subtlety and he climbs and he maneuvers, he has great skill with finances, which is something that a lot of the higher born nobles consider beneath them, worrying about money and stuff like that. So he’s able to accumulate more and more money and more and more power. And befriending everyone, he’s everybody’s friend, he’s always very helpful and people find him very useful to their schemes and as a result, he gets everybody’s ear, he gets involved in all these plots. He’s probably the most Machiavellian character in Game of Thrones.
Explaining the extent of Petyr Baelish’s Machiavellianism in his books, George R.R. Martin thereafter went on to discuss how the character was significantly changed in the show. The character took on a more overtly villainous role in the show, with actions that sometimes seemed more driven by personal scheme than strategic calculation.
Game of Thrones Significantly Diverted from Petyr Baelish’s Original Character
While George R.R. Martin’s novels depicted Petyr Baelish as a master manipulator, adept at playing the intricate political games of Westeros with skill and finesse. The author explained how the show significantly diverted from the original vision. While Martin’s vision of Baelish was nuanced, portraying him as a character with depth and complexity, the author believed this particular subtlety was sometimes lost in the show, where his actions were portrayed in a more black-and-white manner.
But book Littlefinger and television show Littlefinger are very different characters. They’re probably the character that’s most different from the book to the television show. There was a line in the recent episode of the show where he’s not even present but two people are talking about him and someone says ‘well no one trusts Littlefinger and Littlefinger has no friends’.
And that’s true for television show Littlefinger, but it’s certainly not true for book Littlefinger. Because book Littlefinger in the book, everybody trusts him cause he seems powerless. And he’s very friendly and he’s very helpful. He helps Ned Stark when he comes to town, he helps Tyrion, he helps the Lannisters. He’s always ready to help. He helps Robert… So he’s everybody’s friend.
Therefore, explaining how the character in A Song of Ice and Fire was different from the television adaptation, George R.R. Martin mentioned that some aspects of Petyr Baelish and his narrative were faithfully translated into Game of Thrones. However, the majority underwent significant changes to fit the constraints of the medium or the vision of the show’s creators.
Nonetheless, despite these differences, Petyr Baelish became one of the most intriguing and memorable characters in both the novels as well as in Game of Thrones. Littlefinger’s complex interplay of power and ambition, as depicted in the show, continues to fascinate audiences worldwide.
Game of Thrones is available on Max.
