‘Game of Thrones’ Made Missandei Unrecognizable — and That’s a Good Thing

Game of Thrones takes some liberties with George R. R. Martin‘s books, but not too many compared to other adaptations, at least until it passed the written story. But it should be noted that several of the changes the show makes are actually an improvement. Yes, there are many storylines, and even entire characters are missing from HBO’s version of events, which readers are still sad to have missed. But Martin himself has admitted that some changes, like the characterization of Sibel Kekilli‘s Shae, are better than his writing. Another positive change the series made has to do with the character of Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel), who, while fulfilling a similar function, is vastly different than her Song of Ice and Fire counterpart.

Missandei is a constant in Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) story, in both the books and the show. Introduced as an enslaved translator, Missandei is an early and especially loyal supporter of Daenerys. She remains by Daenerys’ side through Meereen and into Westeros. In fact, the women go just about everywhere together, and no one is more aware of Daenerys’ inner thoughts and feelings than Missandei. While the series ultimately failed her with her tragic death, Missandei is still a vital part of the story, even serving as a catalyst for Daenerys’ ending. However, before portraying all of this, Game of Thrones chose to age her up dramatically. Technically, the series aged up many of its younger characters, Daenerys included, but in Missandei’s case, it led to her developing different relationships with the characters around her and, ultimately, getting more interesting storylines.

Why Did ‘Game of Thrones’ Change Missandei?

The biggest change to Missandei is evident on sight as Game of Thrones shows her as a young woman rather than the 10-year-old Martin initially wrote. Of course, there are several practical reasons for this choice. As it did with Daenerys, Jon (Kit Harington), the Stark kids, and so many others, aging Missandei prevented the need to hire a child actor and all of the rules that accompany that. This choice simplified the already difficult filming process and kept her age range consistent with other characters, like Daenerys, who had to be aged up due to the content of her story.

The convenience of filming with an adult actor was a benefit, but additionally, Emmanuel’s maturity is better for the character. Technically, Missandei could have remained a child as she is not the subject of any adult scenes early on, nor would it be a major issue for Daenerys to be much older than her, based on how the books are written. But the choice makes sense considering the dark elements of her story. Upon her Season 3 introduction, Missandei is enslaved, and though she is among those whom Daenerys frees when destroying Astapor, Missandei’s backstory is an important part of her storyline. Emmanuel was able to comprehend the tragedy of that better than a child could, which benefited the character. Especially with Missandei often serving as the voice of Daenerys’ formerly enslaved followers, aging her up offered a more mature perspective on the situation rather than her being a traumatized child.

Making Missandei Older Improved Her Relationship With Daenerys

While there was clearly logic behind the choice, Missandei’s story begins very similarly. She is still an enslaved translator who Daenerys sets free in Astapor, and like the Unsullied, Missandei chooses to stay with Daenerys. However, in the end, aging up Missandei created a unique relationship between Missandei and Daenerys. In the books, Missandei becomes a handmaiden for Daenerys, enjoying the safety that she can provide, and although the two characters are only a few years apart, Daenerys views her as a child. Meanwhile, Missandei repetitively admits that she sees Daenerys as a source of safety, even calling her “mother.” But in the show, they are friends. They discuss their romances and seem to understand each other better than most. Game of Thrones made them one of the best duos in the show, using Missandei and Daenerys as a rare example of a positive female friendship.

Of course, with Daenerys’ position of authority, every part of her life is touched by politics, and Missandei is no different. In Game of Thrones, Missandei gains more power as she works with Daenerys, becoming an advisor as well as a translator. Initially, she informs Daenerys about the culture of Slaver’s Bay, but as Daenerys moves on, she continues to ask for Missandei’s advice. In the later seasons, Daenerys has much more powerful advisors — Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Varys (Conleth Hill), in particular, have considerable political influence and experience in leading Westeros. However, Daenerys implicitly trusts Missandei, still taking her words into consideration. This element of their relationship requires Missandei to be older because if she were a child, Daenerys taking her advice would make little sense.

‘Game of Thrones’ Aging Up Missandei Made Way for Her Romance With Grey Worm

With the possible exception of Daenerys, Missandei spent the most time with Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson), eventually developing a romantic relationship with him. They become a rare, genuine relationship for Game of Thrones as the connection between Missandei and Grey Worm is based on actual love rather than politics. Their relationship builds slowly, and while it was never at the forefront of the series, it was a nice addition for their character arcs as they were finally able to explore their own identities and desires. They grow closer by sharing stories of their past, which none of the other characters can fully understand. They even plan to leave after the war, going back to Missandei’s home of Naath, but tragically, Missandei is killed, and, in the finale, Grey Worm chooses to go alone.

For obvious reasons, this storyline would not work if Missandei were a child and is, therefore, not in the books. However, as it is in the show, this storyline provides a lot of development for both Missandei and Grey Worm. Plus, it creates a storyline for them that is independent of Daenerys, which was needed to expand their characters. Although she is much different than the little girl Martin wrote, Missandei is yet another example that not all changes in the adaptation are bad.