Tormund Giantsbane’s ridiculous origin story is different in the Game of Thrones books

Spoilers ahead for Game of Thrones, season 8, episode 2, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Tormund Giantsbane, Game of Thrones’ resident comic relief, has a weird idea of what counts as a pickup line. In season 8’s second episode, when he finally reunites with Brienne of Tarth, who he’s been nursing a crush on for a while now, he tells her what sounds like a tall tale, claiming it’s the true story of how he got his nickname. The story he tells is an embellished version of one he tells in George R.R. Martin’s source books, and both versions sound pretty unlikely. Is there any way where the facts he states line up? In “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” Tormund asks Brienne and the group around her, “They call me Giantsbane. Want to know... Continue reading…