We Can Finally See What The Iron Throne Looks Like in George R.R. Martin’s Head

While the now iconic Iron Throne that we know as the seat of Robert Baratheon and King Joffrey is set in stone at this point in Game of Thrones’ run on television, the seat still doesn’t fit the imposing vision author George R.R. Martin had when he set out to write the A Song of Ice and Fire series.  The throne is supposed to have thousands of swords melted into it, but even in the world of the television show, Littlefinger has counted, and there “aren’t even 200.” Now we can see what George R.R. Martin believes is the closest rendering to his imagination, thanks to artist Marc Simonetti.

This image matches the uncomfortable, towering, spiny Iron Throne that Martin imagines in his books.  Obviously, the scale is huge, and the HBO Iron Throne is fairly imposing, but Simonetti’s painting takes the threatening throne to another level.  Martin revealed the design, which will be appearing in the upcoming The World of Ice and Fire concordance, on his livejournal, explaining the reason this image, and not the HBO design, is his definitive rendition of the throne.

In some ways the HBO throne is more real than mine could ever be. They’ve actually MADE theirs (though it is not actually made of iron)…The HBO throne has become iconic. And well it might. It’s a terrific design… Everyone knows it. I love it…And yet, and yet… it’s still not right. It’s not the Iron Throne I see when I’m working on THE WINDS OF WINTER… HUGE, hulking, black and twisted, with the steep iron stairs in front, the high seat from which the king looks DOWN on everyone in the court… my throne is a hunched beast looming over the throne room, ugly and assymetric.

Earlier in the post, Martin also acknowledged that the television version of the Iron Throne was more practical. After all, if would be difficult to find or construct a set large enough to accommodate the hulking chair in the image above, and HBO would certainly have a harder time touring such a throne at conventions and press events. So, when you read the books,remember that this is the throne that Martin wants readers to imagine, not the paltry, if recognizable, 200 sword seat that Tywin Lannister easily towers over when he confronts King Joffrey.

(via Not A Blog, Blastr, Quote from Episode “Chaos Is A Ladder”)

Previously in Game of Thrones

• CGI Turns Croatia Into Westeros
• Game of Simpsons
• George R.R. Martin Talks Race in Game of Thrones

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