During a recent talk show chat, "Game of Thrones" actress Maisie Williams revealed she had listened to fans' online opinions when crafting her scrappy Arya Stark character, originally written as a left-handed swordswoman in George R.R. Martin's book series. "The fans are so die-hard; they're like, 'I wonder if Maisie's going to [make Arya left-handed],' and 'She's only 12, so she probably won't,'" recalled Williams, who is now 17. "I was like, 'Challenge accepted.'"
And so, Arya is now a left-handed swordswoman in the books and on TV. But when it comes to adapting a beloved property into a televised series, show runners can't always be so accommodating.