Wow, Season 3 of Game of Thrones. We're left with triumphant Lannisters, a heartbroken Sansa, a wounded Jon Snow, and a purposeful Stannis. And we will just have to suffer until next spring (presumably) to find out about Bran's journey north of the Wall.
But let's comfort ourselves by knowing that there is so much ahead of us. The third book in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Storm of Swords is so packed with shocking, arc-altering plots that the show's creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, decided to split it into two seasons.
As book readers know, Benioff and Weiss have taken increasing liberties with Martin's stories and characters. Theon, for instance, isn't in A Storm of Swords at all; Talisa, Robb Stark's wife, is a wholly different character in the books (Jeyne Westerling), she is not pregnant, and she does not die at the Red Wedding. Those are two of many examples of plot deviations.
So who knows how the huge Storm of Swords plot points still to come will unfold? Or even whether they will.
Whatever happens, I got very excited making this list of what from the third book wasn't in Season 3 — and it's not even a complete list! So commenters, instead of excoriating me for "forgetting" something, maybe just tell everybody what you're looking forward to that I don't mention below. Note: I did omit Daenerys on purpose. After achieving the dramatic heights of the freeing of the Unsullied, triumphantly rendered in Episode 4, the Dany character begins to wander around aimlessly and boringly until deep into A Dance with Dragons, Martin's fifth book. Totally frustrating, and odd, considering what an awesome creation she is. Sunday's finale ended with some fairly terrible colonial imagery of the Dany-among-the-brown-people, but I refuse to give up hope that her story can't be bettered in the adaptation. Please fix Dany's arc, Benioff and Weiss!
It should go without saying, but I will say anyway, that if you haven't read the books and you don't want to be spoiled, then a) why did you click on this story! and b) do not read another word.