What To Expect From The Game Of Thrones Spinoff
It’s probably no longer news to anyone that HBO are planning to have a prequel show ready to follow the conclusion of Game of Thrones, a show that has just started filming it’s eighth and final season over in Belfast.
There are currently five different shows being actively developed, and all with some involvement from author George RR Martin himself. Now, that’s not to say there are going to be five shows, but what HBO are doing is developing five different ideas for shows, in order that they can choose to go ahead with the best of the bunch. You can see our own story below for further details.
RELATED: Game Of Thrones HBO Head Talks Spinoffs
As someone who has read up on the varied and detailed histories of the fantasy world designed by Martin, (who I will refer to as GRRM from here on), I thought it would be a good idea to detail some of the most famous time periods and the events we fans know about from his world. In doing so, we hope to predict which of these histories are most likely to be used for the five competing ideas.
I should preface by saying that there are so many historical gaps in this world, and with GRRM involved. they could just as easily be covering events we do not currently know about. GRRM has been and remains quite happy to write the histories of his creation and expand upon what he already has.
Here is what George RR Martin had to say himself on the matter of the ideas being developed:
“None of these new shows will be ‘spinning off’ from [Game of Thrones] in the traditional sense. We are not talking Joey or AfterMASH or even Frazier [sic] or Lou Grant, where characters from one show continue on to another. So all of you who were hoping for the further adventures of Hot Pie are doomed to disappointment. Every one of the concepts under discussion is a prequel, rather than a sequel. Some may not even be set on Westeros. Rather than ‘spinoff’ or ‘prequel,’ however, I prefer the term ‘successor show.’ That’s what I’ve been calling them.”
How To Date Events In Westeros
Before we start, it’s necessary to explain the dating system used in the history of GRRM’s world, as this will inform you of how close or far away from the time period in which Game of Thrones is set, these events take place. It is similar to our own dating system, which revolves around the birth of Jesus Christ, as I am sure we all know. We of course use BC (Before Christ) or BCE (Before Common Era) and count backwards from zero, and use AD (Anno Domini) and count forwards from zero. Therefore, If a historical event happened around 4000 BC that would be roughly just over 6000 years ago.
In Martin’s world, the recorded history actually goes back even further than our own, despite our civilization being far more advanced than the one we see in Game of Thrones. And it all revolves around the conquest of Westeros by Aegon Targaryen, the day he was accepted as the new King by the High Septon is essentially the start of 1 AL (Aegon’s Landing) and previous periods are classified as BAL (Before Aegon’s Landing) and counted backwards in the same way we do with our own dating system.
Ok… That all feels a bit too educational for an entertainment site, so let’s move on quickly.
Famous Periods We Can Rule Out?
There are some periods of history that are mentioned heavily in Game of Thrones, and I think this in itself is the main reason we will not see any of these timelines developed further. Although fans may be disappointed by some of the events we are ruling out here, it make sense that they would avoid events fans may already have preconceived notions about.
The Long Night – 8,000 BAL
A period of time that essentially pre-dated recorded history, where the stories of each generation were passed into the next verbally. Much like our own history this leads to many myths, exaggerations, and also dismissing of events, which seem far too alien to have occurred in modern times.
The Long Night occurs not long after the Children of the Forest initially made peace with the First Men of Westeros after a long war between the races. Of course, we know from Game of Thrones already that the main reason for this alliance seems to be the rise of the White Walkers, whom we also know were created by the Children of the Forest to help fight against the First Men. Realizing they made a terrible mistake the warring parties joined together to repel the invasion of the dead. We still don’t know exactly how the White Walkers were defeated and whether the stories of Azor Ahai, Lightbringer and the Age of heroes were really true, either literally or metaphorically.
Likelihood?
Very unlikely, but not dead — We are talking about a period of time before much civilization had happened in Westeros, before any of the great fortresses were built, and the only House we would be familiar with are the Starks. Also the story is of course very similar to the events of Game of Thrones and it’s why we have all the prophecies and myth that have sprung up around Jon Snow and Daenerys over 8000 years later. Writing had not even been brought to Westeros yet, and the final nail in the coffin could be that we may well have some of the events of this period explained at the end of Game of Thrones Season 8. We can surmize that Jon Snow will somehow have to deal with the invasion of the dead again like they did in The Long Night, after all GRRM said it would not end in a Zombie apocalypse. Sam has been looking for information about the Long Night for the last 2 Seasons to help Jon defeat the White Walkers, I would be surprised if we did not find out more before the end.
In short, this particular story is too tied in with the current one in Game of Thrones to stand on its own, and would only make for an unfulfilling standalone. With Season 8 on the way, we’re likely to delve even more into it.
Dunk and Egg – 209-233 AL
These are a series of unfinished stories by GRRM about Ser Duncan the Tall and his Squire “Egg,” who is really Aegon Targaryen, the man who will one day unexpectedly sit on the Iron Throne. Egg is also the younger brother of Maester Aemon Targaryen of the Night’s Watch, the character who passed away in the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones, and was instrumental in making sure Jon Snow was elected Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.
GRRM has currently written three books about the adventures of Dunk and Egg, and plans to finish the series at some point. He has also said that this period would definitely not be used for any spinoff prequel series, due to the fact he wants to finish the stories himself, and he has also been quoted in the past as saying the Dunk and Egg books would be great for adapting into feature films due to their size and much lighter tone…Once they are finished!
Likelihood?
Definitely not – Here is a quote from GRRM on this very matter:
“We all know how slow I am, and how fast a television show can move. I don’t want to repeat what happened with Game of Thrones itself, where the show gets ahead of the books.”
Robert’s Rebellion – 280 – 282 AL
The end of this story was 17 years before the start of Game of Thrones Season 1. This is probably the period most fans think they want to see adapted into a story, but the reality is we really don’t, and GRRM understands this better than fans do right now. Simply put there would be no surprises left for fans, as this story directly leads into Game of Thrones and we know the end point for almost every character who would appear in this show. We also have the fact that all the parts, even the flashback’s we have seen would have to be recast with younger actors and would seriously put a dent in the continuity for certain prominent characters. Ultimately, it’s just not going to happen, as GRRM has the same feelings towards this period and said so, as quoted below. Essentially, by the time Game of Thrones ends, we will already know all there is to know about Robert’s Rebellion.
Liklelihood?
Definitely not – Here is GRRM again on this matter:
“I know thousands of you want [Robert’s Rebellion], I know there’s a petition. But by the time I finish writing ‘A Song of Ice and Fire,’ you will know every important thing that happened in Robert’s Rebellion. There would be no surprises or revelations left in such a show, just the acting out of conflicts whose resolutions you already know. That’s not a story I want to tell just now; it would feel too much like a twice-told tale.”
So where does that leave us? Actually, with a massive amount of time and famous periods that can still be covered, I have detailed the ones I think are most likely in the next section. Though also feel free to add your own ideas to this list in the comments below!
Go to page 2 for a list of the most likely settings for spinoff shows!
Page 2:
Most Likely Periods For Successor Shows
Continue Reading
| 1 | 2 | Next > > |
Most Likely Periods For Setting Successor Shows
Aegon’s Conquest – 2 BAL – 1 AL
Probably the most referenced period of time in any of the books or the show itself. After the Doom of Valyria roughly 100 years earlier (More on this below), the Targaryens have settled in Dragonstone, and are the only remaining dragon lords left in the world, with seemingly the only three dragons left.
For 100 years the Taragryens kept to themselves, and were not directly involved in any of the wars and power struggles of the seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Then in 2 BAL, for reasons we do not yet understand Aegon Targaryen and his two sister wives Rhaenys and Visenya, used their three dragons and a reasonably small army to start the conquest of Westeros. Within 2 years of Aegon landing at the site where King’s Landing was later built, he was accepted by the High Septon of Old Town as King of all seven Kingdoms.
We know that the Gardeners of High Garden were wiped out when they joined House Lannister to stand against the conquerors, and that the Lannister’s were allowed to bend the knee and rule the West for Aegon. Harrenhall was destroyed completely, causing the rest of the Iron Born who built it to flee back to the Iron Islands, and leaving House Hoare extinct.
The Stormlands were conquered by Aegons half brother Orys Baratheon, who then founded house Baratheon. Tohren Stark apparently marched the North to battle, and after seeing the devastation of the Lannisters and Gardeners, decided to bend the knee, and was therefore given the North to rule as Warden.
Now the reason this might be a very ripe period for a story is the fact that GRRM has always written his history from the view point of the winners, as our own history has often been. So while all this may be the official version of events, there could be far more shades of gray we don’t know about, because they don’t suit Aegon’s cause and were therefore forgotten.
It is also quite possible that a show about this period could begin earlier in the timeline and lead up to the events which caused Aegon to make the decision to conquer Westeros to begin with. It could cast a better light on Aegon than the ruthless conqueror we imagine from the tales. Perhaps he did it with the best intentions after seeing the pain caused by all the infighting between the seven Kingdoms in Westeros.
Likelihood?
Very Likely — Whether we actually get a show made in this period is another matter, but I would be very surprised if this is not one of the timelines currently being developed.
The Doom of Valyria – 100 BAL
For 6,000 years, Valyria was the superpower of Martin’s fantasy world, echoing the great Roman Empire in our own history. Valyria, which was a continent connected by 14 massive volcanoes all being used by dragons to lair in, rose up from obscurity to defeat the previous superpower, the Ghiscari empire, who are very much based on Egyptians. Valyria became the most advanced civilization on the planet and conquered all the lands from Pentos to Mereen. Many of the secrets of Valyria were lost when it fell, like how to make Valyrian steel, the kind of steel that Jon uses to kill White Walkers in Game of Thrones.
Around 100 BAL, Valyria was destroyed when its volcanoes erupted, completely destroying the continent, and creating a massive power vacuum which resulted in a century of constant warfare in the East as each province vied for control of the others. It is unclear whether the destruction of Valyria was a result of a natural disaster, or whether some other force was responsible for the eruptions. Valyria used slaves, and many of these escaped to start the hidden City of Braavos, and there are hints that perhaps the Faceless Men were somehow involved in Valyria’s destruction to free all the slaves. There is also some involvement with the Lannisters and the gold they paid for the Valyrian sword, Brightroar.
Not long before the Doom of Valyria, the Targaryen’s had built Dragonstone in order to use it as a trading post with the continent of Westeros. It’s worth noting that of the forty-odd dragon lord families of Valyria, the Targaryen’s were one of the weaker families, and could well have been directly involved with the plot to wipe out Valyria. Then Aenar Targaryen had some kind of vision that told him that Valyria would fall and that he must go to Westeros…or perhaps he knew because he had a hand in it. Either way, Aenar relocated all the Targaryens to Dragonstone just in time before Valyria was destroyed.
To give you an idea of the kind of tale that could be told here, I have also included an animated pilot for the ‘Doom of Valyria’. Remember it is fanmade so don’t expect HBO quality, though for a fanmade project it really is quite good, and it gives an idea of the tone this series could have and the characters/setting involved.
Check out the 20-minute video below:
Likelihood?
Strong — This is a period of time that despite being talked about a lot, it is still wrapped in mystery, and it is arguably the most important event to happen to this world since the Long Night 8,000 years earlier. It is also quite possible to have a show set earlier in the timeline during the height of Valyria, and that it could lead up to the fall itself, or that we can have a show that’s even much earlier showing the rise of Valyria to power over the Ghiscari Empire around 6,000 AL. Definitely a strong contender, and I’d put money on Valyria being involved in one of these projects. Also worth remembering is that the invasion of the Andals into Westeros, another big event, happened across the first 2,000 years of Valyria’s reign as world champs, so an early Valyrian uprising could also show the changing of Westeros by the Andals, who brought writing to Westeros for the first time (Think the Norman conquest of Britain in 1066 while the Roman Empire was amassing it’s power in the Middle East and Europe).
The Dance Of Dragons – 129 -131 AL
Aegon the Conquerer’s great grandson Viserys I dies after a long and peaceful reign, the head of the Kingsguard names his son as successor Aegon II. However, prior to his death, the King had named his daughter Rhaenyra. A civil war erupts for the Iron Throne, with Targaryen v Targaryen and dragon v dragon. The result of this civil war is that it wiped out most of the Targaryen dragons, or at least destroyed their ability to breed them successfully. Rhaenyra’s son, Aegon III, ends up with the Iron Throne, as the other two perish leaving him as the only successor. The last surviving Targaryen dragon, a sickly green runt, dies during Aegon III’s reign, earning him the nickname “Dragonbane”.
Likelihood ?
Strong — So Targaryen vs Taragaryen in a battle for control of the Iron Throne and the rest of Westeros suffering as consequence. Sound good?
This seems a really ripe period for a story and has the mix of infighting, familial politics, incest, and dragons that Game of Thrones is famous for. Plus, the family names and ancestors will all be somewhat familiar to fans of the show, and same lands and strongholds such as Winterfell, Casterley Rock, The Red Keep, the Eyrie, The Twins and Highgarden would all be involved. This familiarity would be rewarding for audiences.
It took a whole generation for Westeros to recover from this terrible civil war, like Aegon’s Conquest. The only downside I can see for this historical period is the likely very high budget requirements with all the dragon battles. However that’s likely a consideration for HBO to make further down the line than at the developmental stage.
The Blackfyre’s Rebellion 195 – 197 AL
Set upon the backdrop of the very recent Conquest of Dorne (up till this point, Dorne had resisted any attempts to invade by waging guerilla warfare), this rebellion see’s the bastard son of King Aegon IV, a famously cruel and petty king, trying to take the throne from Aegon’s eldest son Daeron II. Blackfyre is the name of the new house he started that will rival the Targaryens for many, many years right up to the events of Robert’s Rebellion and even Game of Thrones. (Hint – they are the Golden Company of Essos that should be appearing in Season 8).
There are in total five Blackfyre Rebellions over the next 65 years. However each rebellion was less successful than the first and the later rebellions also lead straight into the period covered by GRRM’s Dunk and Egg books.
Likelihood?
Early initial Rebellion leading on from Conquest of Dorne?
Strong — And there are no dragons, this could be a plus for HBO as it means less budget in VFX, but it could also limit the marketing potential of the series.
The later rebellions leading into the Dunk and Egg timeline?
Unlikely — Due to the fact they never got very far and also that it leads into Dunk and Egg, which I mentioned above that GRRM has already ruled out.
This is by no means an exhaustive list. After all, we have about 8,000 years of recorded history, and at least another 6,000 years of verbally passed down history prior to that. Much of this has been untouched, and most of the things that have been devised by GRRM cover very large periods of time. This is especially the case for events prior to Aegon’s Landing in 2 BAL.
I am going to say that it is highly likely that the five shows in development will all come from the periods mentioned above. That being said, they could throw us a curveball and carve out a piece of history we aren’t yet aware of. After all, GRRM is involved, so he could very well pull something from his well of backstory.
Looking through these periods of history, what ones would you like to see developed into a show by HBO, and are there any you think I’ve missed that could be contenders to rival Game of Thrones? Let me know in the comments below!
Don’t forget to share this post on your Facebook wall and with your Twitter followers! Just hit the buttons on the top of this page.
Page 1:
Periods Not The Successor Show Will Likely Not Cover
Continue Reading
| < < PREVIOUS | 1 | 2 |
