It's an unfortunate truth that all good things must come to an end, which is exactly what Game Of Thrones will be doing after 13 more episodes of the cultural phenomenon. The end of the Game Of Thrones TV show is bittersweet news for its many fans, as those who watch will be given the ending to a story that started being told in the books over 20 years ago. However, the ending of the Song of Ice and Fire series doesn't necessarily mean the end of Westeros. With so many characters, unique locations, and unexplored possibilities that can't possibly be wrapped up in the remaining episodes, there are countless opportunities to continue exploring the world of Westeros. But what would a Game of Thrones spinoff be based off? Well, there are many possibilities.
While it has taken a while for George R. R. Martin to deliver his long-awaited The Winds Of Winter, he's dedicated plenty of time to writing other stories set in the world established in the Song Of Ice And Fire series of books. These stories, while not always directly related to Game of Thrones, still flesh out the world and story that fans of the show are familiar with. And, as Martin wrote in a personal LiveJournal entry, "HBO, when acquiring the rights to the SONG OF ICE & FIRE novels, also acquired film and television rights to the world of Westeros." This means that HBO has the rights to any and all filmed adaptations of Martin's world, which is great news. Here are some of the possible directions that a Game of Thrones spinoff could take.
1. Tales Of Dunk & Egg
The most obvious choice for a Game of Thrones spinoff is simply to adapt its sister series, Tales Of Dunk and Egg . Set 90 years before the events of the show, Dunk and Egg follows a Ser and his squire throughout Westeros. They come across many recognizable locations and notable Westeros families, but the effects of their travels have had little to do with the show. The prequel series has actually been hinted at in the series proper, as Maester Aemon calls out to his brother, Egg, as he dies.
2. The Ascent Of Lyanna Mormont
Westeros is full of leaders of great houses, continued on from generation to generation. None of these leaders introduced in GoT have made as immediate an impression on viewers, though, as Lyanna Mormont, who effortlessly created her own fanbase after appearing in Season 6. Lyanna's story hopefully won't end before Game of Thrones wraps up its eighth season, and following Lyanna of House Mormont as she comes of age while ruling with an iron fist could provide years of entertainment.
3. The Coldest Hands In The North
Benjen was gone for about six seasons, and suddenly reappeared mowing down wights and alive in only the most technical sense of the term. Benjen told Bran that he was almost killed by the White Walkers, but was saved by the magic of the Children of the Forest. However – can fans trust Benjen? What really happened beyond the wall? There are so many questions in his story that a season or two dedicated to Benjen's disappearance would satisfy many fans.
4. Robert's Rebellion
Game of Thrones is usually a flashback-adverse series, focusing more on telling the story in the present than hashing out what happened in the past. While the occasional flashback would pop up in the series — to capture moments like a young Cersei visiting Maggy the Frog — Season 6 used Bran's Three-Eyed Raven training to explore the youth of his father, Ned Stark. Fans we treated to flashed of Ned's life during Robert's Rebellion as well as Jamie slaying the Mad King, the final act of rebellion against Aerys Targaryean. There's so much to explore here that although the outcome is known, it could provide a lot of insight to give fans a look at what really happened here.
5. Just Dorne
The Dorne storylines in Game of Thrones are famously bad. Many fans were disappointed at the portrayal of Dorne and how it fit with the rest of the show, but perhaps HBO taking another crack at that world in the form of a spinoff would be better.
6. The First War
The largest conflict in Game of Thrones — that between the living and the White Walkers — stretches back to the beginning of Westeros. There's a lot of talk about the "first men" when talking about the history of Westeros in Game of Thrones, specifically the battle between the Children of the Forest and the first men. This war eventually resulted in the creation of the ultimate weapon – the White Walkers. The ultimate opportunity for a prequel series, focusing on the battle between the first men and the Children of the Forest, would tell an entirely new story in a familiar world and still manage to provide a lot of insight into the Westeros fans are familiar with.
7. The Princess Of Thornes
Olenna Tyrell is the best, that's a fact. The Queen of Thornes has been pulling strings in Westeros for most of her life as the matriarch of the powerful Tyrell family. Game of Thrones lines up with Olenna in her old age, but surely Olenna didn't suddenly become the powerful ruler seen in Game of Thrones overnight. Her rise to the top could serve as a fascinating look at power, anchored by the sharpest tongue in the seven kingdoms.
8. Rowin' With Gendry
What's Gendry up to? It's been three whole seasons since Gendry rowed off into the night. Surely he's going on some wild adventures, and fans need to see what happened.
Game of Thrones is rife with opportunities for storytelling, having filled each scene, setting, and character with such dense detail. Every character has his or her own story that extends far beyond the story seen in Game of Thrones, so much so that HBO could probably produce three spinoffs simultaneously. Hopefully, as long as audiences keep following the story of Westeros, Essos, and all the other worlds that George R.R. Martin created, HBO will continue visiting the deep well of stories it established with Game of Thrones.
mage: Macall B. Polay/courtesy of HBO; Giphy (8)
