Game Of Thrones Writer Credits Genius Stan Lee As An Inspiration For Him Writing Shocking Deaths

George R. R. Martin, the author of #GameofThrones, says #Marvel comics great Stan Lee influenced him to create some of the series' most horrifying deaths

Game of Thrones startled audiences with a slew of character deaths over the course of its eight-season run. The show became infamous for its unflinchingly cruel treatment of cherished characters, never hesitating to punish those who made bad choices.

Martin says in a recent interview with The Independent that Stan Lee, the legendary Marvel comics writer, was one of the people who inspired him to put horrific deaths into Game of Thrones. One of Martin's main influences is Wonder Man from Avengers #9 in 1964. The author points out that, despite becoming a villain, the hero finally chose not to betray the Avengers before dying unexpectedly. Martin's complete response on Lee's effect on his work can be seen here:

“That’s all Stan Lee, and you can see it all over my work! Unexpectedly killing characters, characters who are not what they seem, characters who are partly good and partly bad. Grey characters. You don’t know which way they’re going to jump when the moment of crisis comes. Stan Lee’s fingerprints are all over that.”

Game of Thrones was known for its complicated characters, seldom showcasing out-and-out heroes, in addition to its dramatic character deaths. Instead, the show focused on the lives of deeply flawed, multidimensional characters who could seldom be classified as "good" or "evil." Lee's Marvel comics and the A Song of Ice and Fire books appear to be diametrically opposed. However, it's easy to see how the great comics creator impacted a young Martin when crafting his own fantastical characters.

Many fans have noted that, after surpassing Martin's books in season 5, Game of Thrones lost a lot of what made the books so adored, trading in some of the delicacy and complexity in its character work for more direct spectacle. While Lee is known for his work in Marvel comics and for influencing the MCU's overall story, Martin's comments show that his work has had far-reaching consequences, even in the area of adult-oriented fantasy fiction. Despite the fact that Game of Thrones is now gone, the new spinoff House of the Dragon will ideally preserve the essence of Martin's original book as well as Lee's major influences.

Source: The Independent