Now that HBO is officially giving Game of Thrones a prequel spinoff after the show’s series finale in 2019, rabid speculation is underway. Will the end of George R. R. Martin’s adaptation satisfy audiences with answers to all of its deep-seated mysteries? Or will any hope of answers require dedication to the spinoff (and other future spinoffs to come)?
With a number of spinoff concepts in the works, HBO has officially greenlit one of them: a prequel series from Jane Goldman. Having penned several screenplays for director Matthew Vaughn, like Kick-Ass and the Kingsman series, as well as doubling her talents as producer on those movies, Goldman’s pilot script (which she developed alongside Martin) is set “thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones” and “chronicles the world’s descent from the Golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour,” according to an official synopsis from HBO. With Goldman also serving as showrunner, and Martin, Vince Gerardis, and Daniel Zelman on board as executive producers, the upcoming series intends on showcasing Westeros’ dark history, which includes everything from House Stark to the White Walkers. And as exciting as this might be for devout fans, it suggests that Game of Thrones’ series finale next year won’t be nearly as wrapped up as fans might have hoped.
Given that there may not be nearly enough time in the show’s eighth season to tie a neat bow around various elements introduced earlier on in the series, the spinoffs stand to be necessary viewing, as opposed to supplementary. And given that Game of Thrones is HBO’s most successful series of all time, it’s no wonder that they would pull zero punches in the way they milk its successes. So, with that being the case, completists ought to prepare themselves for some long-term commitment.
- This Page: The First Spinoff Tackles Big Mysteries Page 2: Will Big Game of Thrones Reveals Be Held Back?
The First Spinoff Explores Key Game of Thrones Lore
The breadth of Martin’s world is massive. In fact, it’s so massive that a single spinoff alone couldn’t possibly do it justice. That would explain why this new spinoff is centering around an earlier period of time in the Known World’s history - specifically chronicling “the world’s descent from the Golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour.” This time period revolved around major plot points that forever changed the course of the series, including the Long Night, the creation of the White Walkers (which already got a nod in sixth season, in the episode titled “The Door”), the children of the forest finding allies in the First Men, and Azor Ahai. And given that the spinoff will also explore “the Starks of legend,” the timeline may not be quite as condensed as Game of Thrones, possibly even branching out into the creation of the Wall, Winterfell, and House Stark itself.
In fact, since it also refers to “the mysteries of the East,” it could be hinting at the origins of the First Men before they ever invaded Westeros. With the First Men deriving from Essos (which is where the Targaryens and Dothraki originate from), the spinoff could potentially date to the very beginning of Martin’s timeline in the Dawn Age, with a comprehensive perspective on where exactly the world was well before the titular “game of thrones” (as Cersei calls it) ever started. That said, it might also be referring to the Andals (who also invaded Westeros), and by extension, the origins of the Faith of the Seven, which plays a significant role in the current series.
Basically, if it’s important to the world but not directly relevant to the characters, it’s probably here rather than Game of Thrones.
Page 2: Will Big Game of Thrones Reveals Be Held Back?
Will Big Game of Thrones Reveals Be Held Back For the Spinoff?
In a series as meaty as Game of Thrones, fans of the books have every reason to assume that they’ll learn everything worth learning. If Martin laid the groundwork for something, then he’s most likely paved the way for an eventual payoff. However, the same can’t be said for fans of the television series. Even in eight years, an adaptation can only reveal so much. Without the benefit of substantial amounts of text breaking down the specifics of Martin’s fictional universe, the series has no choice but to condense the story and otherwise rejig the narrative. This is the case with most adaptations, whether in film or on television. And even though the series has been as true to the books as was logistically possible, the past couple of seasons have shown the most noticeable proof of struggling to tie up the bulkier and more unwieldy material - namely in last year’s seventh season (see: R+L=J).
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So, for the sake of not turning Martin’s overarching story into a dissatisfying rush-job, the spinoffs may turn out be life-savers. In the context of Game of Thrones being an independent series, pawning off plot reveals into later spinoffs will no doubt have negative implications on the way the series is received, but HBO’s scope is growing. The endgame is turning out to be bigger than they initially planned, given the popularity, so as frustrating as it might be to see the series end with long-standing Westerosi mysteries unaddressed, as opposed to wrapping a neat bow around the first eight seasons, audiences may want to prepare themselves for the new norm. After all, they are living in the era of expanded universes. Everything from the MCU to James Wan’s Conjuring series is predicated on setting up shared worlds as opposed to one-and-done standalone stories.
Given the topics that the one spinoff alone will explore, everything from the White Walkers and Azor Ahai to the origins of the Wall and even the Faceless Men might take a narrative backseat by the time Game of Thrones ends. Big reveals that have been more or less promised (or expected) for the finale may end up being saved for the spinoffs. There will, of course, be payoffs to direct and small-scale mysteries like the identity of the valonqar, whether or not Daenerys can carry children, and who eventually sits on the Iron Throne (if anyone), but the convenience of having more room and more time to flesh out the juicier topics may be too tempting to ignore. In the end, audiences should expect some shifts, with the bigger, more expansive payoffs coming later on (and if not in the greenlit spinoff, then in one of the others).
Is Game of Thrones Holding Information Back Actually A Good Thing?
A lack of finality in Game of Thrones’ finale could prove to be unsatisfying for fans, but that’s not to say that HBO would be wrong in withholding some of the show’s payoffs. There’s still a lot to say, but not a lot of time to say it. Season 8 will run a mere six episodes, and comprehensively exploring pivotal elements of Martin’s story in a single season wrap-up runs the risk of being messy. Even though fans may feel cheated out of a fully-realized story, assuming Season 8 saves some reveals for the spinoffs, the temporary disappointment will no doubt pale in comparison to how fans would react to rushed and shoddy storytelling.
So much of Game of Thrones is directly linked to what Goldman’s spinoff will cover, so the spinoff might serve as more of a companion piece than anything else. In fact, even though HBO might seem as though it’s simply trying to milk the series dry, the spinoffs prove that they are happy to flesh the series out as best as they can. Adaptations are often criticized for leaving out vital details. In this case, HBO is more or less guaranteeing that that won’t happen.
Read More: The Problem With Game of Thrones Season 7
Spinoffs have a history of going one way or another when it comes to favorable outcomes. There’s no long line of consistent successes to prove that a Game of Thrones spinoff has nothing to fear (see: Joey, That ’80s Show), but HBO has a proven track record. Of course, the spinoffs are capitalizing on the success of Game of Thrones, but that’s not to say they can’t represent something more fulfilling as well. Massive franchises are constantly branching out into sequels, prequels, and even alternative mediums, so why should something as massively beloved as Game of Thrones be any different? After all, Martin himself has already done this with his Song of Ice and Fire series, with his expanded book series. And until the show has officially jumped the shark, fans should consider approaching this expanded universe with an open mind.
