HBO's hit show, Game of Thrones, is well known for its impressive world-building and sweeping storytelling. Between rich political intrigue, the ever-looming supernatural threat, and fascinating character arcs, Game of Thrones seemingly had it all. Amid the brutality of Westeros, Game of Thrones also introduced compelling dynamics and relationships, like Grey Worm and Missandei, and purposefully inserted other running gags, like Stannis Baratheon and Ser Davos Seaworth grammar-policing one another. It also wasn't uncommon for improvisations to make it into the final cut during Game of Thrones' original run. In fact, one of the best running gags in Game of Thrones was totally unscripted.
That gag, of course, is Tormund Giantsbane of the Free Folk's affection for Brienne of Tarth. Admittedly, the interactions between the fan-favorite Wildling and the knight of House Tarth were based less on mutual romance and more on acts of unrequited love. A moment of improvisation in Game of Thrones Season 6 initiates a series-long pattern in which Tormund expresses his attraction and infatuation for Brienne, who couldn't be less interested. Though this may seem unfortunate for Tormund, it provided viewers with plenty of unplanned comic relief.
With how meticulously most of its episodes are planned out, some of Game of Thrones' storylines are better than the books. As much as that success comes from well-executed storyboards, sometimes the best things are inspired by the actors' wit. In Season 6, Episode 4, "Book of the Stranger," Weiss and Benioff had written Tormund as captivated by a woman unlike any he'd ever seen. Hivju took the creative freedom it offered, and springboarded Tormund's passion for Brienne from the otherwise simple direction. For context, in Game of Thrones' Free Folk culture, women can be warriors like men, and Tormund's impressed by Brienne's strength, height, and sword skill. Thus, in the moments that followed, Hivju improvised Tormund laying down his hilariously uncomfortable and intense game to Brienne.
That scene last season when Tormund was eating and lasciviously staring at Brienne was one of our favorites. Usually, when we really love something there are a few other people who like it as well. It’s great because there was no dialogue written for that, or major stage direction, there was just a line like, “He stares at Brienne because he’s never seen a woman like that before.” And then we let the actors do what they do.
In Season 6's "The Door," Tormund stares deeply at Brienne with a wide-eyed smile and a raised brow. As she looks, he greets her with a slightly wider smile, only for the bold wildling to be immediately shot down as she looks away in disgust. The improvised scene lasts all of seven seconds, but it's immediately representative of their dynamic. In another scene, an unblinking Tormund sits across from Brienne during a meal at Castle Black. Here, instead of keeping it simply at a leering gaze, the lustful wildling takes a mouthful bite into a hefty slab of meat as he locks eyes with Brienne. His confident posture and demeanor thereafter may read as if his move was successful, but Brienne was, in fact, visually repulsed by him. The sentiment was also shared by another unnamed character who was caught in the moment's crossfire.
It's easy to imagine the difficulty in maintaining one's composure during any improvised scene, especially when it's meant to be comedic. To that, Gwendoline Christie noted she struggled not to laugh during Hivju's performance. Thankfully, Christie quickly adapted with subtle expressions, true to Brienne's well-composed nature. With rarely a word exchanged between Brienne and Tormund in all their scenes together, the actor elevated each moment with brow-furrowed looks of confusion and frowns of disgust to communicate clear rejection of Tormund's advances. Despite how her character may feel toward the wildling warrior, Christie is actually a fan of their one-sided romance. During the height of both characters' popularity, she mentioned that she enjoyed portraying Brienne's navigation of the wildlings' unwanted attention.
Christie isn't alone in being a fan of their dynamic either. Even after Game of Thrones ended its original run, viewers still believe that Tormund should have won Brienne over. Hivju has also gone so far as to express his interest in them as a couple. While agreeing that she doesn't need a man, he felt they are perfect for each other— and it's hard to argue against him. Certainly, the characters may seem from two different worlds, but they still bear plenty of similarities. Both are high-ranking socially, as Brianne comes from nobility, and Tormund is a chieftain and advisor among the Free Folk.
Though he may come off as unhonorable and too brash for Brienne, Tormund has shown loyalty towards those he cares about, most notably Jon Snow. Add these facts alongside Brienne's incredible prowess with one of the most controversial swords in Game of Thrones, Oathkeeper, and it's no wonder Tormund professes his love for the Maid of Tarth whenever possible. He even declares to the Hound that she is waiting for him back home as the two men travel to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, a Night's Watch outpost believed to be targeted by the White Walkers.
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