George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice gave way to a whole fantasy world we now know as Westeros. From fire-breathing dragons to all-knowing crows to walking zombies, they have it all. The fair maiden, the lone wolf, the court politics, the secrecy, war, blood, death, and gore – any of it is hardly amiss. The book was adapted into Game of Thrones by HBO, and it became one of the most popular TV shows of all time.
While the show has multiple important characters, all with their own stories, at the center of the center is the mother of dragons – Daenerys Targaryen – played by the immensely talented Emilia Clarke. From the very first episode of the show, till the last, the actress gave more than what was asked of her. And that is why, she is considered one of the best parts of the show, even though the showrunners could (and should) have done much better by her.
Jamie Lannister Actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Was Not Fond of How The Show Treated Emilia Clarke’s Character in Season One
Emilia Clarke became a worldwide sensation with her role as Daenerys Stormborn in Game of Thrones. From the very first episode of the very first season, she showed the audience her brilliance in acting, going from being someone vulnerable and dependent to a strong woman, a queen in every sense of the word. But some things that the character had to endure did not sit well with many – her fans as well as her co-stars.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau played the warring hero/anti-hero, Jamie Lannister, in Game of Thrones. From being one of the most hated characters to becoming one of the fan favorites, his character development was one of the best in the show. The actor once spoke of how badly of Emilia Clarke‘s character was treated in season 1 of the show. Talking about Daenerys and Drogo’s wedding night scene from the very first season of the show, Coster-Waldau said to The Times:
For Emilia to play that in Series One was really tough and degrading, because what that character goes through is horrific.
In the show, Daenerys and Drogo’s wedding night turns into a nightmare for the Targaryen princess, when her new husband r*pes her on their wedding bed. This particular scene was written much different in the books, which is why even author GRRM did not like what the show did with this particular scene.
George R. R. Martin Was Pretty Upset With Game of Thrones Showrunners Because of This Particular Scene
The scene in question is that of Daenerys and Drogo’s first night as a married couple. After their wedding, Drogo comes back to his tent, where Dany is waiting for him, and r*pes her. The scene was pretty disturbing to watch, and did not sit well with many. Including the author of the book the show is based on – George R. R. Martin. In the books, all that happens in their wedding night was consensual, which is why GRRM was furious that the show made it into something disturbing.
Talking about the scene (via Winter is Coming) he said:
Why did the wedding scene change from the consensual seduction scene that excited even a horse to the brutal rape of Emilia Clarke? We never discussed it. It made it worse, not better.
Responding to the brutal comments, showrunner DB Weiss said:
[We] just didn’t have that amount of time and access to the character’s mind. It turns too quickly. It was something the actors themselves felt wasn’t gelling. They weren’t able to find an emotional handhold.
They changed it, as they couldn’t find an emotional connection to how the scene was portrayed in the books. But later, Weiss and co-showrunner David Benioff admitted that if they could, they would change a few things on the show. Hopefully, including that scene.
Game of Thrones is available for streaming on Max.
