The Winds of Winter Author George R.R. Martin Reveals 'More Attractive' Character Who Forced a Rewrite of His Book

For over a decade, the literary world has lived in the shadow of a single, unanswered question: when will the long-awaited penultimate chapter of the Westeros saga finally arrive? Yet, as the years pass, the mystery of the release date is rivalled only by the intrigue of what lies within the pages.

In a rare admission that highlights the strange, symbiotic relationship between a creator and his creation, George R.R. Martin has revealed that his upcoming work will be shaped by the very television show it inspired — specifically through the lens of a character he feels the screen actually improved. The admission comes as Martin continues to work on the massive manuscript, which he has previously stated will be roughly 1,500 pages long, exceeding the length of the series' previous installments.

It is a peculiar phenomenon when an author looks at an actor's interpretation and realizes their own original blueprint was perhaps too modest. For Martin, that epiphany came via Natalia Tena's portrayal of the wildling Osha. In the original novels, Osha was a rugged, older woman, a secondary figure whose purpose was largely functional. However, Tena's performance in Game of Thrones brought a ferocity and a magnetism that the author found impossible to ignore.

How Natalia Tena Redefined Osha For The Winds Of Winter and George R.R. Martin

Speaking candidly about the influence of the television medium, the author noted that Tena's version of the character forced him to look at his own writing with fresh eyes. 'The only actress who's really made me rethink a character is Natalia Tena as Osha. She's younger, more attractive and more dynamic than I had initially written that character. And, when Osha comes back into the story, as I hope that she will, I'm definitely going to take that into account', Martin told Collider.

This reimagining is more than just a change in aesthetic; it is a promise of narrative weight. In the television series, Osha met a grisly end in Season 6 after Ramsay Bolton stabbed her in the neck. However, in the literary world of A Song of Ice and Fire, her heart still beats. While the screen version saw her arc cut short, the written word offers her a chance at a far more significant legacy.

The Osha we meet in the future will be a 'Tena-fied' version — sharper, more vibrant and poised to play a pivotal role in the survival of the Stark bloodline. This shift mirrors a broader trend where Martin has acknowledged that certain characters, such as Shae and Margaery Tyrell, were also given more depth on screen than in his original point-of-view chapters.

The Skagos Mystery: A Defining Arc in The Winds Of Winter and George R.R. Martin

The last time readers encountered Osha, she was slipping into the shadows following the devastating sack of Winterfell. Her mission was one of immense consequence: protecting the youngest Stark, Rickon, and his lethal direwolf, Shaggydog. While the show eventually brought them back into the fold only to discard them, the books suggest a much more exotic and dangerous journey.

In A Dance with Dragons, clues emerged via the mute squire Wex Pyke that Osha had led Rickon to the island of Skagos. Known as a land of cannibals and mythical unicorns, Skagos is a place where even the boldest sailors fear to tread. It is here that Davos Seaworth, the 'Onion Knight', has been dispatched by Lord Wyman Manderly to retrieve the boy in exchange for Northern loyalty to Stannis Baratheon. This upcoming collision between a seasoned smuggler and a newly 'dynamic' Osha is one of the most anticipated subplots of the new book.

Despite this creative pivot, the author remains steadfast that the broader, often controversial conclusion of the television series will not dictate his literary finale. Addressing the polarizing reception of the show's ending, Martin told The Guardian, 'No, it doesn't. It doesn't change anything at all...' He has long maintained that while he knows the ending in 'broad strokes', his path to get there remains his own.

He remains committed to his original vision, despite the series having concluded its run on HBO back in May 2019. For the fans who felt the television show rushed its secondary characters, the promise of a more robust Osha serves as a reminder that in the world of The Winds of Winter, the smallest players can still change the fate of empires.

While the wait for the next chapter of the Westeros saga continues, George R.R. Martin's willingness to evolve his characters proves that the world of A Song of Ice and Fire remains a living, breathing entity. The transformation of Osha from a minor figure into a dynamic force is just one of many surprises hidden within the 1,500-page manuscript. As the literary world prepares for the eventual arrival of The Winds of Winter, now is the perfect time to revisit the lore.