A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones)

Warning: This answer contains Game of Thronesspoilers.

At the time this question was asked, seven seasons of Game of Thrones had aired for a total of 67 episodes, per IMDB. The show's notable for its twisting storylines and frequent violence, and as such, many of the actors get limited screen time. Characters die, disappear, or go on long quests that take them away from the cameras.

To date, Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister, has appeared in 61 of the 67 episodes, so if Game of Throneshas a star, it's him. He's followed closely by Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), who has appeared in 58 episodes. Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) and Kit Harington (Jon Snow) are tied for third place, as they've each appeared in 56 episodes.

But wait, isn't this show about the Starks? Sort of. Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) has been in 54 episodes to date, while Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) has been in 53. So, let's answer the logical follow-up question: Which character has appeared in the fewest number of episodes? Discounting extras and single-episode characters, that dubious honor goes to Viserys Targaryen, played by Harry Lloyd. Viserys seemed like a major character-until he was unceremoniously executed in the show's fifth episode.

Fortunately for Lloyd, he's got good company. Mark Addy played Robert Baratheon in seven episodes before his character died, and Jason Momoa played Khal Drogo for 10 episodes before-well, let's just say that Daenerys named a dragon after him. In the world of Game of Thrones, people don't last for very long unless they're lucky enough (or important enough) to survive.

It's a drink given to those who are in pain which makes them fall into a dreamless sleep, made from opiates from poppies.

Roy Dotrice- the Narrator for the Audiobooks- pronounces Poppy to sound like Puppy, but it's "Milk of The Poppy" which is an opiate akin to Laudanum or Heroin or Opium which are all extracted from the Poppy plant. I do love the sound of the phrase "Milk of The Puppy" however incorrect.

Warning: This answer contains Game of Thronesspoilers.

While Game of Thrones isn't exactly a historical drama--it features dragons, zombies, mages, and various other supernatural elements--many of its story points were inspired by historical events. Like many fantasy novelists, writer George R.R. Martin uses real-life parallels to give his stories some extra weight, and judging by Game of Thrones' ratings and book sales, it's an effective technique.

One of the most infamous moments from the show is the Red Wedding, in which Rob and Catelyn Stark are brutally murdered by a treacherous lord (hey, we warned you about the spoilers). The Starks are under the misguided impression that they're safe from an ambush because they've been given gifts of hospitality; unfortunately for them (and to the great dismay of Game of Thrones fans who didn't bother reading the books), they're wrong.

It makes for great drama, and it was likely inspired a distinct event from Scottish history: the Black Dinner.

The Black Dinner (which you'll notice sounds an awful lot like the Red Wedding) occurred around 1440. 10-year-old King James II of Scotland invited 16-year-old William Douglas to Edinburgh Castle. William was the Earl of powerful Douglas clan, which was becoming a threat to James' kingdom.

To the young king and his advisors, that wasn't acceptable. James' Lord Chancellor, Sir William Crichton, arranged for a black bull's head to be brought into the hall and dropped on the table as a symbol of death. William Douglas and his brother were beheaded after a mock trial. Substitute some chamber music for the bull's head, and that's basically exactly what happened to Rob Stark.

For the show's Battle of Blackwater, Martin likely took inspiration from the real-life siege of Constantinople in 718 A.D. Here's a very basic overview: Byzantine defenders were facing heavy attacks from Arab invaders, so they used a dangerous secret weapon to break the siege. That weapon was Greek fire, an explosive that seemed to defy the laws of physics by burning on water.

In Game of Thrones, Tyrion Lannister defends his bay by using wildfire, a magical substance with similar properties. He also uses a large chain to stop ships from making their way into the bay, and--you guessed it--that's exactly what the Byzantine defenders did.

Those two events are probably the best examples of Game of Thrones drawing inspiration from real history. Some critics have also noted that the overarching plot of Game of Thrones roughly mirrors the War of Roses, and various characters seem similar to major figures from that conflict.

However, we should note that Martin's plot points don't always have real-life counterparts, and he's adamant that he created most of the world of Westeros from his own imagination.