is there time travel in game of thrones

‘Game of Thrones’: Explaining Hodor’s Time Travel Paradox

Warning: Massive spoilers for  Game of Thrones Episode 5 ahead. You’ve been warned.

The Hodor Dilemma

Last night’s tragic episode of  Game of Thrones featured the death of everyone’s favorite giant with a speech impediment. Hodor ‘s final sacrifice saved Bran and Meera ‘s life. It was a tear-filled goodbye and the end of Hodor piggy-back-rides.

It’s an epic revelation as to the source of Hodor’s unfortunate  nom de plume . Why did Wylis lose his ability to speak and start incessantly repeating Hodor? Because Bran warged into him in the past, branding his mind with Meera’s command to “hold the door” against an army of wights . Makes perfect sense!

So Hodor’s disability led to his ultimate sacrifice, which in turn led to his disability, which in turn led to his ultimate sacrifice… uh… wait a second. Bran changed the past, to create the future, that let him change the past, to create the future… Huh? If you’re sensing something isn’t right here, you’re correct.

This is a temporal paradox. This particular brand of time-travel-conundrum is called a causality loop. Here’s how it works in its most basic form: Event A causes Event B, which in turn causes, in some way, Event A. In this way, time forms a kind of loop, like a tangled knot in a piece of thread. Time continues on as normal, but the true source of the events is unknowable.

The Constant

This isn’t the first time  the causality loop appeared in pop-culture. This “self-existing” time phenomenon is sometimes called the bootstrap paradox, named after Robert Heinlein’s 1941 time travel story,  By His Bootstraps . In this story, a time-traveler passes on the blueprints to creating a time machine to someone, who then copies and creates those same blueprints. Heinlein would continue this causal loop theme in his 1959 story  All You Zombies , in which a woman/man becomes his own mother and father (yea, it’s a weird one).

This paradox appears again in  Dr. Who (of course),  Time Crimes,  Interstellar ,  Star Trek ,  and Lost . In fact, last night’s episode of  Game of Thrones was directed by Jack Bender, the same director who filmed  Lost ‘s memorable time travel episode, “ The Constant .” In this episode, the character Desmond is revealed to be unstuck in time, bouncing back and forth between 1996 and 2004. The time loop is a common trope, and most of the time it remains a paradox.

Hold the Door

Can we make sense of Hodor’s time loop? Maybe.

There are a couple of theories we can apply to  Game of Thrones to find the source of the Hodor-dilemma. First,  Game of Thrones could exist in a multiverse. If Bran isn’t warging into the past, but instead into an alternate universe, then we can kind of side-step the bootstrap paradox. This episode’s version would be one of many timelines and the loop would have a source, just not in  our timeline or universe.

Similarly, if we hold to the theory that messing with the past creates a new timeline, then we can imagine a source-timeline in which Wylis does  not suffer from single-word-syndrome. If so, perhaps Wylis still joined Bran north of the Wall , still encountered the White Walkers , and still had to “hold the door.” At which point, perhaps Bran warged into him anyway, causing the past Wylis to become Hodor, thus creating the causal loop and current  Game of Thrones  timeline we know and love.

Of course, all of this is a form of narrative gymnastics. This is the problem with causal loops. We have to come up with our own explanation.

Here is what I believe, setting aside the messy time travel paradox.

When Wylis was young, he lived through his own death. In his final moments, as Hodor, he lived it again. He faced his fear, not as a warg under Bran’s command, but as Wylis, the stable boy who loved the Starks with all his heart. I believe he knew, in that moment and with sudden clarity, where his circuitous path had led. His sacrifice, the noblest one, was made with courage and the knowledge he had played his part as destined. Hodor died as Wylis, a hero, and no amount of time travel can change that.

• Newsletters

Site search

• Israel-Hamas war
• 2024 election
• Solar eclipse
• Supreme Court
• All explainers
• Future Perfect

Filed under:

• Game of Thrones
• Game of Thrones, season 6, episode 5
• Game of Thrones season 6: the truth about Hodor, explained

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Twitter
• Share this on Reddit
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: Game of Thrones season 6: the truth about Hodor, explained

Spoilers follow for "The Door," the fifth episode of Game of Thrones ' sixth season.

Hodor. Hold the door. Hold door. Hodor.

Game of Thrones ' beloved gentle giant appears to have perished at the hands of the White Walkers, after Bran Stark "warged into" (took control of) his body  during the attack on the cave where they'd been hiding out. It's a gut punch, since Hodor was one of the rare sources of joy in a deeply depressing show.

But in addition to being tragic, it's also game-changing. It sure looks like Bran just manipulated time, creating a link between Hodor's mind in the past and the present that warped the young Hodor's mind. That means Bran just demonstrated an ability to manipulate time and change the past — a skill with potentially earth-shattering consequences for the Game of Thrones universe.

How Hodor's mind was broken

Ever since Hodor was introduced in season one, one of the big questions surrounding the character is "why is 'Hodor' the only word he can say?" Now we've finally gotten the answer — and it explains what happened.

In that last scene, Bran is using his Greenseer powers, the name for his ability to observe events in the past and have visions of the future. Most of his plot this season has been spent exploring those abilities with his mysterious tree-bound mentor, the Three-Eyed Raven. In this episode, the two of them are watching a scene of a young Ned Stark at Winterfell, with young Hodor in the background (he worked in Winterfell as a stableboy).

When the White Walkers attack Bran's cave, Meera and the Three-Eyed Raven urge Bran to use his "warg" powers on Hodor, a longstanding ability of Bran's that is separate from Greensight. Warging allows Bran to take control of the bodies of other beings and use them as if they were his own. Other characters, like the wildling Orell from season three, have only been shown using this ability on animals. But Bran can and has done it to Hodor.

This happened for the first time in season three, when Bran and his companions were hiding (from Orell, coincidentally). Hodor's yelling threatened to give them away, and Bran warged into him to calm him down.

Throughout the show, Hodor has been either afraid of fighting or unwilling to do it. Bran taking control of his body is the only way to wield his massive strength in defense of Bran and his friends. In season four, when they were captured by Roose Bolton's man Locke, Bran warged into Hodor to kill Locke and escape. Hence why Bran needs to take over Hodor now: They need him to get up and help escape the White Walkers.

So Bran wargs into Hodor — but crucially, he does it while he's still observing the past . Bran is watching the past and controlling Hodor's body in the present at the same time.

That appears to have created a psychic link between past Hodor and present Hodor. We see past Hodor's eyes go white, which is what happens when Bran seizes control. Past Hodor hears Meera Reed yelling, "Hold the door," through the link, which he starts repeating. He eventually shortens this to "Hodor," and that becomes the only thing he can say for the rest of his life after that event.

So by seizing control of Hodor's mind in the present, just before his death, Bran screwed up his mind decades in the past. Bran created Hodor as we've known him on the show. Bran is responsible for the destruction of Hodor's mind.

Game of Thrones has been setting up Bran's time-travel powers for a while

This isn't the first time the show has suggested Bran has time-travel powers. Two weeks ago, during "Oathbreaker," Bran watched his father Ned's battle at the Tower of Joy. He yelled at Ned, and it seemed like Ned turned his head.

At the time, the Three-Eyed Raven suggested that Bran had done nothing and Ned had turned around for some other reason. "The past is already written," the Raven said. "The ink is already dry."

But now it looks like this is false. Indeed, in interviews after that episode, Isaac Hempstead Wright — the actor who plays Bran — suggested that Bran really does possess the power to change events in the past.

"It's enough of a utility to just be able to look back in time and allow that to inform your decisions in the future, but the fact that you might be able to change time? It's massive. It's unprecedented," Hempstead Wright told the Hollywood Reporter . "For Bran, it presents a humongous kind of challenge, because we all know from Doctor Who that if you start messing with time, things go wrong. I think the temptation now is definitely there."

Now it seems clear that Hempstead Wright wasn't speaking in hypotheticals. Bran's Greenseer power doesn't just give him power to watch things. It looks like he can actually affect events in the past.

It's possible, however, that the Three-Eyed Raven was still technically right. Bran might have the power to affect the past, but only in a way that leads to outcomes we already see in the present. Hodor was only capable of saying "Hodor" before the events of this episode.

That would mean that Bran couldn't go back in time and prevent Ned Stark from being executed. But he could have played some role in the sequence of events that ended with Ned's execution. Remember, Bran is invisible to the people in the past unless he tries to make himself known, which means that Bran could have been secretly manipulating everything that we've seen on the show so far.

In other words, anything that's happened so far could theoretically be Bran's fault.

This suggests some crazy fan theories could be true

If Bran really can reach out and affect things he sees with his Greensight, then the implications for world of the show are enormous.

Fans of the books and the show have long suspected that Bran's Greensight gave him the power to affect the past, and so have developed a lot of theories about Bran's secretly huge role in the narrative.

One theory, from redditor NegativeKarmaSniifer , is that Bran is responsible for the war that kicked off the whole thing. Remember, the reason that Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark rebelled against King Aerys Targaryen way back in the day is that Aerys burned Ned's father and brother, Rickard and Bran Stark, to death. Aerys had a habit of doing this; he was called the "Mad King," and obsessively said, "Burn them all," near the end of his life. His killing of the Starks kicked off the rebellion, putting Robert on the throne and ultimately culminating in the events of the past six seasons.

NegativeKarmaSniifer suggests that Aerys's madness came from Bran attempting to contact him in the past and warn him away from his path. Perhaps contact with the future drives people insane, or maybe Bran was attempting to warn him about the White Walkers. But either way, the theory is that Bran caused everything that's happened by trying to prevent it.

Another theory, which Redditor SecretTargaryens calls "Bran Stark = Bran Stark," goes back even further in time. It suggests that Bran actually founded House Stark and built the Wall centuries ago.

The legendary founder of House Stark and builder of the Wall was supposedly named Bran the Builder . It's possible that he took that name because he's Bran Stark projected back in time. It gets even weirder: There have been many Bran Starks throughout the history of the house, so it's possible all of them were controlled (in whole or in part) by our Bran.

A passage in the first book ( A Game of Thrones ) sort of supports this. Old Nan, Bran's nurse and Hodor's mother, apparently confuses Bran with other Bran Starks she's known:

Sometimes Nan would talk to him as if he were her Brandon, the baby she had nursed all those years ago, and sometimes she confused him with his uncle Brandon, who was killed by the Mad King before Bran was even born. She had lived so long, Mother had told him once, that all the Brandon Starks had become one person in her head.

Yeah, it's a pretty huge stretch. But this is the kind of thing we have to start thinking about, now that we know Bran could theoretically be responsible for everything that's happened.

Watch: The secret about Game of Thrones

Will you support Vox today?

We believe that everyone deserves to understand the world that they live in. That kind of knowledge helps create better citizens, neighbors, friends, parents, and stewards of this planet. Producing deeply researched, explanatory journalism takes resources. You can support this mission by making a financial gift to Vox today. Will you join us?

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via

In This Stream

Game of thrones season 6: news and episode reviews.

• Let’s predict which Game of Thrones characters will survive the rest of the series!
• Why I think Game of Thrones will make Daenerys the villain, not the hero

Next Up In Culture

Sign up for the newsletter today, explained.

Understand the world with a daily explainer plus the most compelling stories of the day.

Thanks for signing up!

Check your inbox for a welcome email.

Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again.

Iran’s retaliatory attack against Israel, briefly explained

Life is hard. Can philosophy help?

Don’t sneer at white rural voters — or delude yourself about their politics

You probably shouldn’t panic about measles — yet

Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, explained

A hack nearly gained access to millions of computers. Here’s what we should learn from this.

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

Will Bran Change History on Game of Thrones?

He's definitely solving a mystery

Spoilers for the latest episode of Game of Thrones past this point!

Right now on Game of Thrones , Bran Stark ( Isaac Hempstead-Wright ) is solving a mystery... but can he rewrite history?

Or more specifically, on the last episode of the show, Bran proved that his developing powers may be able to do more than show him the past of Westeros; he may be able to influence it as well. Traveling back to a key moment in his father's life, Bran -- ostensibly an invisible spirit -- ran towards his Dad, and shouted, "Father!"

And the young Ned Stark ( Robert Aramayo ) turned to look in Bran's direction! Granted, Ned didn't see anything there; and when Bran returned to the present, his mentor, the Three-Eyed Raven ( Max von Sydow ), told Bran that "the past is already written and the ink is already dried."

But in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter , Hempstead-Wright didn't exactly deny the possibility. And given that a version of this scene exists in the books, fans have long toyed with the idea of a time-traveling Bran Stark. They've even gone so far as to point out that A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin has mentioned the word "fly" in relation to Bran so many times that it must be a reference to Back to the Future 's Marty McFly. Dear Game of Thrones : Kill the humans, but leave the direwolves alone

It's not. But let's assume for the moment that Bran hasn't seen any of the Terminator movies, and doesn't know anything about causality and multiple timelines. Let's say that as Bran's powers develop, he won't be able to just see the past -- he'll be able to influence it.

With that in mind, how could Bran actually change the history? Where -- and when -- would he have to go?

1. The Tower of Joy

Everything seems to be leading here, right? Fans know that something went down in the Tower of Joy, and most likely this is where Lyanna Stark gave birth to Jon Snow ( Kit Harington ), gifted the half-Targaryen baby to Ned, and made her brother swear he wouldn't reveal Jon's lineage to anyone, not even his wife Catelyn ( Michelle Fairley ).

But what can Bran do here other than witness the secret? Telling Ned, "Yo, be honest, dude," wouldn't really change anything; and in fact, Robert Baratheon's ( Mark Addy ) "KILL ALL TARGARYENS" policy would spell doom for Jon -- and maybe Ned as well.

We'll almost certainly see what actually went down in the Tower this season, but it isn't a good place for Bran to pull a Looper . Spoilers for Looper , by the way.

2. The Death of the Mad King Aerys

Here's a moment we haven't seen on the show yet, but has been described at length: when Jaime ( Nikolaj Coster-Waldau ) became Kingslayer, killing the Mad King Aerys -- something that could be considered one of the kick-offs for the events of the show. There's a number of key events that happened here, including the death itself.

But perhaps more importantly, there's the moment Jaime took to rest on Aerys' throne after king-slaying him. The way Jaime describes it, he was exhausted and wasn't thinking anything of sitting on the Iron Throne; but when Ned ( Sean Bean ) entered and saw him, the Stark took it as a Lannister overstepping his bounds.

Maybe if Time-Travelin' Bran kicked a stool over next to Jaime or something, we wouldn't have gotten decades of animosity between the Starks and the Lannisters, and they would have been more interested in working together in the future.

In fact, some fans theorize that the "whispers" Aerys hears in the books, the ones that drove him mad and caused Robert to start the war to take the Mad King out of power, were Bran trying to change things and whispering through time. This, though, gets into the whole problem of causality in time travel and I promised we wouldn't do that, so someone please travel from the future to warn me not to type this paragraph. Thanks. Kingsmoot 101: Game of Thrones star explains what's next for the Iron Islands

3. The Death of Ned Stark

To my mind, this is the most likely place Bran could significantly change history: In the first season, poor, naïve Ned thought he could take down Cersei Lannister ( Lena Headey ) by revealing her son Joffrey ( Jack Gleeson ) was the product of incest. Only, Ned was betrayed by his "ally" Littlefinger ( Aidan Gillen ) in a long-range grab for power/revenge for Ned marrying Littlefinger's lifelong crush Catelyn.

This show is complicated.

Anyway, if Ned was somehow warned of Littlefinger's betrayal, the Stark-father wouldn't have just avoided his own execution, he would have removed Joffrey from power (as well as the Lannisters); and instead, Stannis Baratheon ( Stephen Dillane ) would have ascended to the throne following the death of his brother Robert.

Granted, Stannis on the throne has its own host of problems (more in the books, where he's a teeth-gritting, unwaveringly lawful a--hole, versus the righteous jerk in the show); but at the very least you'd have someone who wants to do the right thing as king, versus an insane teenager with a penchant for torturing whores.

4. The Push

There's one other big moment that could change everything, and it involves Bran... which makes the Three-Eyed Raven's warnings of danger, and unwillingness to let Bran stay in the past too long all the more suspect. That's the almost literal cliff-hanger at the end of the first episode of Game of Thrones ever, when Bran discovered Jaime and Cersei making the beast with two backs; so Jaime pushed Bran out a window.

After that, Bran was in a coma long enough for Ned to leave, the conflict between the Lannisters and the Starks to ignite, Jon to head North to the Wall... basically everything that went down on the show happened -- not because -- but in spite of Bran falling. And in fact, Bran doesn't remember what he saw, to this day. Game of Thrones : We're one step closer to learning who Jon Snow's parents are

On the other hand, if Bran had somehow avoided that push -- say, if another version of Bran from the future had distracted Jaime long enough for past-Bran to escape -- he would have been able to tell Ned that Jaime and Cersei were doing the country's most forbidden act. This would have prevented the death of Robert Baratheon, the War of the Five Kings, and possibly even the ascendance of Daenerys. Without the destabilization of Westeros, Robert would have (probably) chosen a new wife and continued his lineage, meaning Dany would have no strong reason to return (probably).

So is any of this accurate? Is Bran a time-traveler, and the show will end with Bran wiping out everything that ever happened, leading to a bright sunny future? I mean, of course not. Because the one thing we're ignoring here is the threat of the White Walkers and the Night's King. At the end of the day, the Three-Eyed Raven's warnings most likely have nothing to do with the Stark or Targaryen family lineage. Like Arya ( Maisie Williams ) learning that she's "no one" so that she can focus on the fight ahead, Bran needs to concern himself less with the problems of mortals, and more with figuring out how to stop the undead ice army heading towards the destruction of everything.

Or maybe he could travel back in time and trip the Night's King at Hardhome on a banana peel? That would be hilarious .

• Entertainment
• This <em>Game of Thrones</em> Fan Theory About Bran Will Blow Your Mind

This Game of Thrones Fan Theory About Bran Will Blow Your Mind

Warning: This post contains spoilers from both the Game of Thrones TV show and George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.

With the Tower of Joy flashback in the third episode of Game of Thrones ‘ sixth season, the HBO drama has officially begun exploring uncharted territory for the Song of Ice and Fire series. Functioning mainly as a prelude to a (presumably) future scene that will depict Ned Stark’s final conversation with his sister Lyanna, the sequence also gave viewers some insight into the rules of time travel in the G.o.T. universe.

After journeying into the past to witness a legendary sword fight between Ned and Ser Arthur Dayne, Bran Stark found himself calling out for his father as he ascended the tower’s stairs. To his — and many fans’ — great surprise, Ned seemed to hear him, turning to look behind him with a bewildered look on his face. http://i.giphy.com/3o7qDDyXV6xXxN4vmw.gif

Of course, Bran was forced back to the present almost immediately following this moment, leading to an argument between him and the Three-Eyed Raven. “The past is already written,” his mysterious mentor tells him. “The ink is dry.”

Read More: People Think That Direwolf Death Points to a Larger Game of Thrones Conspiracy

However, despite the Three-Eyed Raven’s insistence, some believe this scene foreshadows a game-changing revelation about the young Stark. Reddit user NegativeKarmaSnilfer recently posted a theory in which he explains how Bran’s exploration of his abilities will be the catalyst for the beginning of Robert’s Rebellion. “From S6E3, Bran realizes that others can hear him during the visions from the past, but doesn’t understand that they cannot fully understand him,” the Redditor writes. “He attempts to reason with King Aerys when shown a vision of him. The King only hears whispers, and is driven mad by it. Bran tries to fix this, however makes it worse. Mad King Aerys burns Bran’s grandfather alive while Bran frantically tries to stop him. All he hears is whispers. Bran sets the events of the show in motion.”

And before you say, “there’s no way that could happen,” consider the fact that we just saw Jon Snow come back from the dead. Right now, it seems like anything is possible in the world of Game of Thrones .

(h/t Mashable)

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Contract With Israel
• Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
• Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
• The Sympathizer Counters 50 Years of Hollywood Vietnam War Narratives
• The Bliss of Seeing the Eclipse From Cleveland
• Hormonal Birth Control Doesn’t Deserve Its Bad Reputation
• The Best TV Shows to Watch on Peacock
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Write to Megan McCluskey at [email protected]

Game of Thrones: Complete Timeline, Explained

Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon offers a unique look at Westeros. But there are other great eras that make up the dense timeline.

Quick Links

When does game of thrones take place, when does house of the dragon take place, when was aegon's conquest, the times before aegon's conquest.

• In Game of Thrones , years are measured in AC and BC, putting all events in relation to Aegon’s conquest of Westeros about 300 years before the main series.
• The main series takes place over the span of six to seven years. With Robert’s Rebellion 17 years before Season 1.
• Season 1 of House of the Dragon covers 28 years. The ending of House of the Dragon Season 1 takes place 168 years before the start of Game of Thrones .

Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon can sometimes feel uninviting to new viewers. Both shows, set in George R.R. Martin's fictional land of Westeros, are dense with details, characters, politics, and histories. With so much going on and so many things for fans to keep up with, it can be hard to keep the full timeline of events straight. The timeline of Westeros is not only limited to the timeline of the two shows--which themselves are set almost 200 years apart--but has a full history that stretches back thousands of years.

Even within the shows themselves, the changing timelines and ages of characters can be tricky to keep up with. Beyond the boundaries of the shows, the history of Westeros is what shaped the playing field of the story. It determines who has and hasn't got power, what relationship the great Houses have to each other, and even explains why some Houses still follow the Old Gods. The first thing to know about the Game of Thrones timeline is how years are referenced. In the real world, years are referred to as relative to the Common Era, either before or after (BCE or CE). Westeros uses a similar system, except the pivot point is around Aegon Targaryen's conquest and uniting of six of the seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Hence, years are measured in BC before the conquest and AC after.

• Robert's Rebellion is one of the most desired battles that fans want to see brought to life.

Game of Thrones: Every Main Character's Age

Robert's rebellion.

The main event that sets the stage for the main Game of Thrones series is Roberts's Rebellion . This is the war that started after Prince Rhaegar Targaryen allegiantly abducted Ned Stark's sister and Robert Baratheon's lover, Lyanna Stark. This happened in 280 AC, along with the burning of Ned Stark's father and brother by the Mad King, and resulted in Robert leading an open rebellion against the Iron Throne.

The rebellion lasted about a year, stretching throughout 281 AC. Key events included the double marriage of Ned Stark and Jon Arryn to Catelyn and Lysa Tully and the siege of Storm's End, where Robert's younger brother, Stannis, held out against the Tyrells until being saved with food shipments from the smuggler Davos, later Ser Davos Seaworth, the Onion Knight. The decisive battle of the conflict was the Battle of the Trident, where Robert Baratheon killed Rhaegar Targaryen with his warhammer. The war concludes with the sacking of King's Landing, where Jaime Lannister killed the Mad King and Gregor Clegane raped and murdered Princess Elia Martell and her two children. After the conflict, Ned finds his sister dying at the Tower of Joy, where she hands him a newborn baby that he takes and claims as his bastard. At the same time, Robert is crowned king and marries Cersei Lannister.

The year after the rebellion, in 282 AC, Robert orders Stannis to rebuild the royal fleet and take the island of Dragonstone, the last Targaryen stronghold. On Dragonstone, the Mad King's wife and sister, Rhaella, gives birth to her third child, Daenerys, during a summer storm. Rhaella dies in childbirth, and with the garrison at Dragonstone ready to surrender to Stannis, Daenerys and her older brother are smuggled away to Essos.

In 289 AC, Balon Greyjoy declares himself the king of the Iron Islands. Robert calls his banners and reunites with Ned to put down this rebellion. In the war that ensues, Balon's oldest two sons are killed. The Lord of the Iron Islands capitulates to Robert and bends the knee. As a consequence of his rebellion, his last remaining son, Theon, is taken to be a ward and prisoner of Ned Stark at Winterfell.

The Main Series

The prologue and parts of Game of Thrones' first episode, "Winter is Coming," takes place towards the end of 297 AC, but the bulk of the first season takes place over 298 AC. It can be hard to precisely map the show's timeline, but some ideas can be had by equating it to books. As said, the bulk of season one, from the death of Jon Arryan to the beheading of Ned Stark, takes place in 298 AC. After that, it seems the War of the Five Kings, which consumed seasons two and three, took place over the course of a year, 299 AC. The War of the Five Kings, season three, and the year 299 AC seem to end with the Red Wedding in Season 3, episode nine, "The Rains of Castamere."

The Purple Wedding, which takes place in Season 4, Episode 2, "The Lion and the Rose," takes place on the first day of the year 300 AC. From there, the events of Season 4 seem to take only a few months, ending with Tyrion's escape from King's Landing and Daenerys taking control of Meereene. The events of Season 5 bring the show most of the way through the year 300 AC, at which point it passes the books, and creating a definitive timeline becomes impossible. Seasons 6, 7, and 8 of Game of Thrones are known for greatly compressing time to fit events into fewer episodes. This, along with the aging of the younger characters, makes it likely that the show's final three seasons occupied as much time as its first five. Putting the Series Finale around 303 AC.

• Though the time jumps in House of the Dragon haven't been warmly received, they represent the importance of the Targaryen history over those years.

Every Current Potential Game of Thrones Spin-off

The great council.

House of the Dragon begins with a prologue at the Great Council of 101 AC. Presiding over the council is King Jaehaerys, the fourth Targaryen king. Jaehaerys had ruled since 48 AC and was one of Westeros's greatest and longest-serving kings. His reign was a time of peace, and he hoped to maintain that after his death by calling a council to serve his successor. At the council, a vote was held to choose the hair for the Iron Throne; the main choices were between Prince Viserys and Princess Rhaenys, who was married to the Sea Snake Corlys Velaryon. The former was chosen and became king upon Jaehaerys' death in 103 AC.

House of the Dragon

The first season of House of the Dragon has become infamous for its time jumps. Years regularly pass between episodes, with a decade-long time jump in the middle of the season. This is a breakdown of when each episode takes place.

After the prologue, most of episode one takes place nine years later in 110 AC. This is when Viserys loses both his wife and newborn son and names his daughter, Rhaenyra, as his hair. Episode two occurs six months later, in 111 AC, when Viserys marries Alicent.

Episodes three, four, and five all take place three years later in 114 AC. The war in the Stepstones has been raging for three years, and Alicent has given birth to two children. Episode five ends with Rhaenyra's marriage to Laenor Velaryon and initiates the season's major time jump.

Episodes six and seven pick up ten years later in 124 AC, with recastings for the major younger actors. By this point, Alicent's children have grown into adolescents, and Rhaenyra has just given birth to her third child. These episodes conclude with Rhaenyra marrying her uncle Daemon and initiating another mini-time jump of four years. The final three episodes take place in 130 AC and mark the start of the Dance of Dragons, the conflict that will define the rest of House of the Dragon .

• Aegon's conquest has yet to be explored in live-action.

Game of Thrones' 9 Free Cities of Essos, Explained

The fall of valryia.

Before the Seven Kingdoms were united, the great Empire of Valryia existed in the East; that's where the Targaryen and their dragons originated. The empire first came to prominence in about 8,000 BC and became the undisputed power around 4,700 BC. In 114 BC, Daenys Targaryen had a prophetic dream that caused her father to take her and her family away from Valryia. They settled on the Valryian outpost of Dragonstone, and twelve years later, in 102 BC, the Doom came for Valryia. The great Valryian empire and all their dragons were wiped out overnight, leaving the Targaryens as the last Dragonlords.

The Conquest of Westeros

One hundred years after the Doom of Valryia, Daenys Targaryen's descendant, Aegon, along with his two sister wives, set sail for Westeros. This starts the two years of Aegon's conquest, where six of Westeros' seven kingdoms were united with fire and blood. One of the most destructive battles of the conflict was the Field of Fire , where Aegon burned the armies of the Reach and its king. This led to the Tyrells surrendering Highgarden and being made Lords of the Reach. It also motivated the surrender of House Lannister, who gave up their title as Kings of the Rock to become the Lords of the Westerlands.

Meanwhile, Aegon's bastard brother, Orys Baratheon, commanded an army that defeated the Storm King in the field. As a reward, Orys was granted the ancient castle of Storm's End and became Lord of the Stormlands. The Riverlands and Iron Islands were being ruled by King Harren of Harrenhal. He wasn't a well-liked king, and the Tullys had already chosen to side with Aegon against him. Harren and all his sons were burned alive inside Harrenhal, and the Tullys were made Lords of the Riverlands. Seeing the destruction being brought to the rest of the continent, the kings of the Vale and the kings of North, house Arryan and Stark, bent the knee to Aegon rather than be burnt alive.

Aegon was crowned King of the Seven Kingdoms in Oldtown, and this is the day from which 1 AC is measured. Although he was crowned King, Aegon still had not conquered the seventh kingdom of Dorne. In 4 AC, Aegon launched a campaign to take Dorne; it was a war that lasted nine years and was ultimately unsuccessful. Dorne would not enter the Seven Kingdoms until 161 AC.

• The Long Night was one of the most anticipated battles in Game of Thrones .

10 Most Controversial Storylines in Game of Thrones

The coming of the rhoynar.

The Rhoynar were a people originating in the southern part of Essos. During the Valryian expansion, the Rhoynar and the Valryians entered into a conflict that lasted over two hundred years. The Valryians eventually gained the upper hand, and many great Rhoynar cities were destroyed. In 700 BC, Queen Nymeria led people west aboard 10,000 ships, ultimately landing in Westeros at Dorne. Once there, Nymeria married into House Martell and assimilated her people with the Dornish. This is why the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms is also the ruler of the Rhoynar.

The Coming of the Andals

In about 6000 BC, the Andals crossed from Essos and made land in Westeros. They came under the banner of the Seven-Pointed Star, hoping to spread the Faith of the Seven across Westeros. At the time of their arrival, the continent was primarily controlled by the First Men, who still had some interactions with the Children of the Forrest. The Andal invasion stretched for centuries, resulting in many wars with the old kings. Eventually, the Andals had conquered almost every corner of Westeros, marrying into old families, fashioning themselves as the kings of the realms, and preaching the Faith of the Seven everywhere they went, with only two exceptions. The first is the Iron Islands, the last place the Andles managed to conquer; the new arrivals assimilated with the old ways of the island and didn't force the Faith of the Seven upon them. The other exception was the North, where the First Men held off the invaders and kept their bloodline pure. This is why the North still follows the Old Gods and seems rather different from the southern kingdoms. The amount of Andal blood in Westeros is why the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms is also known as the ruler of the Andals.

The Age of Heroes

The further back in the timeline, the more events start to resemble myths and legends rather than tangible history. This is the case with the so-called Age of Heroes that lasted between 10,000 and 8,000 BC. It was the time when many of the great houses and great castles of Westeros were founded. Brandon the Builder worked with the Children of the Forest and Giants to construct the Wall and founded House Stark. Lann the Clever tricked the Casterlys out of their seat in Casterly Rock, giving birth to the song The Rains of Castamer.

The Age of Heroes is also the time of The Long Night , a mysterious period where winter lasted a generation, and the White Walkers invaded Westeros. They were eventually defeated by an alliance between the First Men and the Children, led by Azor Ahai and his flaming sword, Lightbringer. It was also at this time that the Night's Watch was founded and given its solemn duty.

Game Of Thrones

Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for a millennia.

The Winds of Winter: Everything We Know About the Next Game of Thrones Book

Winter is (eventually... hopefully) coming..

The Winds of Winter, the long, long-awaited sixth book in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, is among the most-anticipated works of fiction. The next entry in the fantasy saga on which HBO’s Game of Thrones was based has been in the works since Book 5, A Dance with Dragons, which was released back in 2011. In the 13 years since, HBO aired Seasons 2-8 of Game of Thrones and Season 1 ( and soon 2 ) of its first GoT spinoff series, House of the Dragon.

While Martin continues work on the next A Song of Ice and Fire novel, we’ve compiled an overview of everything we know about The Winds of Winter, from Martin’s comments on the book’s length and publishing timeline to the story’s characters and differences from the show.

• When will it come out?
• How long will it be?
• Story details
• Book vs. TV series

Winds of Winter Release Date

There is no release date or window for The Winds of Winter.

Martin and his publishers initially hoped to have the manuscript completed by the end of October 2015 in order to release Winds the following March ahead of Game of Thrones: Season 6, according to Martin . That soft deadline then turned to the end of 2015, which also came and went without a completed manuscript. In January 2017 , he expressed optimism that it’d be out before that year’s end. In 2020, the author aimed to finish the project's initial work by 2021 , though that timeline didn’t pan out. This seems to be the last time Martin made a public estimation for when Winds will be published.

In October 2022, Martin said he was about 75% done with the manuscript. Little progress was seemingly made over the next year, as Martin announced in November 2023 that 1,100 pages had been completed — the same amount he mentioned in a December 2022 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert . Martin last mentioned Winds in a December 2023 blog post , in which he stated he’d been working on the book in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he resides.

Do you think George R.R. Martin will finish A Song of Ice and Fire?

Winds of winter length.

The Winds of Winter will be around 1,500 pages. Martin said, as of November 2023, he had written roughly 1,100 pages and had “ hundreds more pages to go ." The author has said the final two A Song of Ice and Fire books will collectively come in at over 3,000 pages.

Should The Winds of Winter come in at 1,500 pages, it’d be the longest A Song of Ice and Fire book so far. The current longest is the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, which was just over 1,000 pages in its original hardcover release.

Winds of Winter Story

There are no spoilers in this section, save for the names of characters who will appear in The Winds of Winter.

The Winds of Winter will continue the events of the fourth and fifth books: A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. (Books 4 and 5 followed different characters but narratively ran parallel to each other.) Martin, speaking with Smarter Travel in 2012, said Winds will start with a bang:

“There were a of cliffhangers at the end of A Dance with Dragons. Those will be resolved very early. I’m going to open with the two big battles that I was building up to, the battle in the ice [between the forces of Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton in and around Winterfell] and the battle at Meereen — the battle of Slaver’s Bay [between the forces of Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers of Yunkai across the Narrow Sea].”

The 25 Best Game of Thrones Episodes

Daenerys Targaryen’s and Tyrion Lannister’s paths will finally cross “in a way,” Martin told EW in 2014, “but for much of the book they’re still apart. They both have quite large roles to play here. Tyrion has decided that he actually would like to live, for one thing, which he wasn’t entirely sure of during the last book, and he’s now working toward that end — if he can survive the battle that’s breaking out all around him. And Dany has embraced her heritage as a Targaryen and embraced the Targaryen words. So they’re both coming home.”

In that same interview, Martin confirmed the Dothraki will return “in a big way” and, as the end of Book 5 suggests, “a lot of stuff is happening at The Wall.” On a more direct yet less consequential note, Martin has said Winds will introduce his “interesting take on unicorns,” according to Winter Is Coming .

Overall, Martin has said to expect things to “get worse before they get better.” “There are a lot of dark chapters right now in the book that I’m writing,” Martin said at the Guadalajara International Book Fair in 2016 (via EW ). “It is called The Winds of Winter, and I’ve been telling you for 20 years that winter was coming. Winter is the time when things die, and cold and ice and darkness fill the world, so this is not going to be the happy feel-good that people may be hoping for. Some of the characters [are] in very dark places.”

Winds of Winter Characters

As of 2016 , Martin was not planning to include any new point-of-view characters in Winds. Here’s a quick list of all the characters confirmed to have chapters told from their perspective, per Martin’s hitherto released preview chapters, blog posts, and public readings:

• Tyrion Lannister
• Cersei Lannister
• Jaime Lannister and/or Brienne of Tarth
• Sansa Stark
• Theon Greyjoy
• Asha Greyjoy
• Victarion Greyjoy
• Aeron Greyjoy/Damphair
• Barristan Selmy
• Arianne Martell
• Jon Connington

While unconfirmed, it’s all but certain Daenerys Targaryen will again be a point-of-view character. Other potential POV characters include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. We also know Robb Stark’s wife Jeyne Westerling (replaced in the TV series by a character named Talisa Maegyr) will appear in the prologue, according to Hypable , though Martin didn’t say the section would be written from her perspective.

House of the Dragon Season 2 First Look Images

Winds of Winter: Book vs. TV Show

Given the larger cast and overall scope of the book series, Winds of Winter will differ from what viewers experienced in Game of Thrones . Martin has said characters who died in the series won’t die in the books, and characters who survived in Game of Thrones won’t survive in the books. New characters will be introduced; characters who never appeared on-screen will have important roles to play in the story to come.

Martin wrote about the topic in length in a 2022 blog post :

What I have noticed more and more of late, however, is my gardening is taking me further and further away from the television series. Yes, some of the things you saw on HBO in Game of Thrones you will also see in The Winds of Winter (though maybe not in quite the same ways)… but much of the rest will be quite different.

And really, when you think about it, this was inevitable. The novels are much bigger and much much more complex than the series. Certain things that happened on HBO will not happen in the books. And vice versa. I have viewpoint characters in the books never seen on the show: Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, Areo Hotah, Jon Connington, Aeron Damphair. They will all have chapters, and the things they do and say will impact the story and the major characters who were on the show. I have legions of secondary characters, not POVs but nonetheless important to the plot, who also figure in the story: Lady Stoneheart, Young Griff, the Tattered Prince, Penny, Brown Ben Plumm, the Shavepate, Marwyn the Mage, Darkstar, Jeyne Westerling. Some characters you saw in the show are quite different than the versions in the novels. Yarra Greyjoy is not Asha Greyjoy, and HBO’s Euron Greyjoy is way, way, way, way different from mine. Quaithe still has a part to play. So does Rickon Stark. And poor Jeyne Poole. And… well, the list is long. (And all this is part of why Winds is taking so long. This is hard, guys).

Oh, and there will be new characters as well. No new viewpoints, I promise you that, but with all these journeys and battles and scheming to come, inevitably our major players will be encountering new people in lands far and near.

One thing I can say, in general enough terms that I will not be spoiling anything: not all of the characters who survived until the end of Game of Thrones will survive until the end of A Song of Ice & Fire, and not all of the characters who died on Game of Thrones will die in A Song of Ice & Fire. (Some will, sure. Of course. Maybe most. But definitely not all.) ((Of course, I could change my mind again next week, with the next chapter I write. That’s gardening)).

And the ending? You will need to wait until I get there. Some things will be the same. A lot will not.

Martin’s comments should be good news for the many fans who felt the quickened pace of Game of Thrones’ final season diluted the character arcs and overarching narratives that came before it.

One last tease: Martin told IGN in 2016 that The Winds of Winter will feature a major twist that couldn’t be done in the show. “It’s something that involves a couple characters,” said Martin, “one of whom is dead in the show [by the end of Season 5] but not dead in the books.”

A Dream of Spring and Other Future Works

A Dream of Spring is the seventh and final book Martin has planned for A Song of Ice and Fire. It, too, is expected to be 1,500 pages or more, according to Martin. As for the story, Martin offered this during the Guadalajara International Book Fair in 2016: “I’m not going to tell you how I’m going to end my book, but I suspect the overall flavor is going to be as much bittersweet as it is happy.” There is no timetable for its release.

In addition to finishing Winds and preparing for A Dream of Spring, Martin is authoring a second volume of his Targaryen history, potentially titled Blood & Fire, and additional stories in his Tales of Dunk and Egg series of novellas, which serves as the basis for HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms . Martin continues to serve as an editor of Wild Cards, a shared-universe sci-fi book series he created in 1987. He’s also a producer for two active TV series: House of the Dragon and AMC’s Dark Winds.

Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.

In This Article

IGN Recommends

Follow Polygon online:

• Follow Polygon on Facebook
• Follow Polygon on Youtube
• Follow Polygon on Instagram

Site search

• Dragon’s Dogma 2
• FF7 Rebirth
• Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Baldur’s Gate 3
• PlayStation
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Magic: The Gathering
• Board Games
• All Tabletop
• All Entertainment
• What to Watch
• What to Play
• Buyer’s Guides
• Really Bad Chess
• All Puzzles

Filed under:

• Entertainment
• Game of Thrones

How and when to watch House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel

Go back 200 years on Aug. 21 and learn the secrets of House Targaryen

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Reddit
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: How and when to watch House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel

House of the Dragon , the prequel series to HBO’s epic Game of Thrones , premieres Aug. 21. The show is available on both HBO and HBO Max, which means we’re back to the good old days of a combined network/streaming air date and time.

Here’s what Game of Thrones fans need to know for watching House of the Dragon the moment new episodes are available.

When does House of the Dragon premiere?

The first episode of House of the Dragon airs Sunday, Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. on HBO and HBO Max. As TV subscribers know, HBO has East Coast and West Coast feeds for cable TV providers there. So if you get HBO West but also subscribe to HBO Max, you can catch the episode at 6 p.m. PDT instead of waiting to 9 p.m. PDT.

When will the rest of the episodes air?

From there, House of the Dragon will air weekly on Sundays by the same 9 p.m. schedule for both HBO and HBO Max. There will be 10 episodes in all for House of the Dragon , meaning the season 1 finale will air Oct. 23.

What do I need to know heading into House of the Dragon ?

As a prequel, you can go into this having never seen a minute of Game of Thrones (though you can now catch up in 4K and HDR on HBO Max). But of course, half of the intrigue will come from seeing events that are referenced in dialogue or flashback from the main series.

If you’re curious, or you need to study up before sinking into episode 1 on Sunday, we’ve published a primer on House Targaryen , the central figures of House of the Dragon . The show is based on the second half of George R.R. Martin’s 2018 novel Fire & Blood and it is set about 200 years before the events of the original series.

Who stars in House of the Dragon ?

Paddy Considine is King Viserys Targaryen, the heir to the Iron Throne and successor to Jaehaerys I Targaryen. Emma D’Arcy portrays his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, and Matt Smith is Viserys’ younger brother Prince Daemon. Rhys Ifans is Otto Hightower, Hand of the King to Viserys, and Steve Toussaint is Lord Corlys Velaryon, whose family is an important Targaeryen ally.

Next Up In Game of Thrones

The next level of puzzles.

Take a break from your day by playing a puzzle or two! We’ve got SpellTower, Typeshift, crosswords, and more.

Sign up for the newsletter Patch Notes

A weekly roundup of the best things from Polygon

Just one more thing!

Please check your email to find a confirmation email, and follow the steps to confirm your humanity.

Oops. Something went wrong. Please enter a valid email and try again.

The poo-stained humanity of Sasquatch Sunset

When does the Frostpunk 2 beta start?

Target gift cards are 10% off today only

The best thrillers to watch on Netflix this April

Kung Fu Panda 4, Argylle, Netflix’s The Bricklayer, and every new movie to watch this weekend

• Dragon’s Dogma 2 guides, walkthroughs, and explainers

How to get to the Nameless Village in Dragon’s Dogma 2

Screen Rant

Game of thrones: how long it takes to travel from winterfell to king’s landing.

How long would it take to travel from Winterfell to King's Landing in Game of Thrones? We broke down the distance and figured out the travel time.

How long does it take to get from Winterfell to King's Landing in Game of Thrones ? Author George R.R. Martin created the vast world of Westeros to serve as the setting of his epic fantasy, and once the fictional continent made its way to the small screen, it had many fans wondering how the characters navigate the enormous terrain.

Most of the action in Game of Thrones takes place in Westeros. It sits to the west of the Narrow Sea, the body of water that separated the continent from  Essos . Westeros is the home of the  Seven Kingdoms (now Six, thanks to Sansa Stark ), including the locations of all the Houses in the realm. Beyond the Wall, in the north of Westeros, is a vast expanse of untamed land occupied by the Free Folk, and it's unknown how far this land stretches as no one has been able to map the Lands of Always Winter. The continent also stretches thousands of miles south to Dorne. In between, there are a number of popular locations often featured in the series - the two most prominent being Winterfell and King's Landing.

Related:  Game of Thrones Theory: Arya DID Fulfill Melisandre's "Green Eyes" Prophecy

Since much of Game of Throne 's early conflict focused on the tension between the  Starks and the Lannisters , it made sense that Winterfell and King's Landing heavily appeared in the series. Characters often traveled between the two locations with ease, particularly as the show went on, but exactly how long would the travel time take? A fan (via Reddit ) composed the distances of key landmarks within Westeros. According to the breakdown, Winterfell and King's Landing are 1,460 miles apart .

In order to get from Winterfell to King's Landing, you would most likely need to take the Kingsroad. The highway of sorts begins at Castle Black and travels south of King's Landing before ending at the castle of Storm's End. Here are some timeframes for how long it would take based on different forms of travel.

• Walking at an average 3 mph: ~486 hours (over 20 days)
• On horse at an average 5 mph: ~292 hours (over 12 days)
• Dragon speed at speculated 50 mph: ~29 hours

It's highly unlikely that any character could travel this distance without making numerous stops along the way. That would mean the timeframe for the travel should be increased by days or even weeks. There's also the option of traveling from Winterfell to White Harbor and sailing to Blackwater Bay, which was a popular route in Game of Thrones . Despite the long distance, the series often made it seem like it was an easy task to travel throughout Westeros.

In Game of Thrones season 8 , Daenerys and her fleet were able to leave Winterfell and arrive in King's Landing the very next episode. Even though she would have arrived quickly by with her dragon, her army would have taken weeks to get there. Jon left with his forces later and still showed up at King's Landing shortly after Daenerys. The same goes for Arya, the Hound, and Jaime who left after the Battle of Winterfell and arrived in King's Landing before Daenerys' massacre. Sometimes in these situations, it's best to overlook the reality and just enjoy the story.

Next: Tyrion’s King Speech Proves The Problem With Game of Thrones' Finale

How To Watch the Game of Thrones Franchise in Order

Rachel Ulatowski

Official JustWatch writer

After an almost two-year hiatus, the Game of Thrones franchise is returning to the screen with House of the Dragon season 2, meaning now is a great time to dive into or revisit the fantasy series. This guide will show you how (and where) to watch the Game of the Thrones franchise in order. This includes which TV show to watch first if you're watching in release or chronological order, and where you can find them on streaming services.

Game of Thrones first started as a book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, by author George R. R. Martin. The series became a New York Times bestseller, with all five books earning Locus Award, Hugo Award, and Nebula Award nominations. However, the vast scope of the story, which spans countless story arcs, characters, continents, and time periods, was initially believed to be impossible to adapt, similar to other sci-fi/fantasy epics like Dune and The Wheel of Time .

Martin, as well as TV writers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, admitted that the scale of the book series would be impossible to capture in a film adaptation. Hence, Benioff and Weiss decided to go in the direction of an HBO TV series. The show received widespread critical acclaim for its scale, ensemble cast, and complex story. It pulls from all five of Martin’s novels, as well as two of his future novels, for which he provided the outline. Game of Thrones takes place on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, following a long political conflict between nine noble houses vying for the throne after years of peace were disrupted by the Targaryen madness. Throughout its eight seasons, it follows a large cast of characters, including Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldua), Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams).

Although the show concluded in 2019, it didn’t take long for the prequel series House of the Dragon to arrive. It adapts parts of Martin’s book Fire and Ice and takes place 200 years before Game of Thrones, following House Targaryen when it ruled the Seven Kingdoms. The show has been very well received, earning numerous accolades, including several for the performances of Emma D’Arcy, Milly Alcock, and Matt Smith. Another prequel series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight , is in development.

How to watch the Game of Thrones franchise in chronological order

House of the dragon.

• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight (coming late 2025)

Game of Thrones

There are two ways to watch The Game of Thrones franchise: chronologically or by release date. For those wishing to watch it chronologically, they would watch season 1 (and eventually season 2) of House of the Dragon which takes place in  101 AC. Then, once released, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight will take place in 209 AC, between the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. You can then finally begin watching all eight seasons of Game of Thrones, which begins in 298 AC.

Watching chronologically removes the risks of spoilers for House of the Dragon, but we recommend watching in the release date order below to understand the Game of Thrones world before delving into the prequel.

How to watch the Game of Thrones franchise in release order

Below you can find the entire franchise in release order, including the latest streaming offers for each of George R. R. Martin's fantasy TV shows. This will show you whether you can watch Game of Thrones on streaming services such as Netflix, MAX, Prime Video and more. We'll also let you know if you the franchise is available to watch legally online for free.

Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.

The Targaryen dynasty is at the absolute apex of its power, with more than 15 dragons under their yoke. Most empires crumble from such heights. In the case of the Targaryens, their slow fall begins when King Viserys breaks with a century of tradition by naming his daughter Rhaenyra heir to the Iron Throne. But when Viserys later fathers a son, the court is shocked when Rhaenyra retains her status as his heir, and seeds of division sow friction across the realm.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight

A century before GOT, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his squire, Egg wandered through Westeros, while the Targaryen dynasty ruled the Iron Throne and dragons were still remembered, great destinies and enemies await the incomparable friends.

• Entertainment
• Celebrities
• Ticket Sales
• Promoted: What to Watch on Prime Video

Recommended

Breaking news, kit harington reveals ‘game of thrones’ spinoff is officially ‘off the table’: not worth it.

• View Author Archive
• Follow on Twitter
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Jon Snow seems to know something.

Kit Harington , who played the beloved “Game of Thrones” character Jon Snow, delivered some heartbreaking news about the potential spinoff series on Tuesday.

“I hadn’t really ever spoken about it, because it was in development,” Harington, 37, told Screen Rant while promoting his new film “Blood For Dust.”

“I didn’t want it leaked out that it was being developed, and I didn’t want the thing to happen where people kind of start theorizing, getting either excited about it or hating the idea of it, when it may never happen.”

According to the British actor , the people involved “look at every angle” to “see whether it’s worth it.”

“Currently, it’s not,” he lamented. “Currently, it’s off the table, because we all couldn’t find the right story to tell that we were all excited about enough. So, we decided to lay down tools with it for the time being.”

While the spinoff could potentially be revisited in the future , it is “firmly on the shelf” for now.

In November 2023, HBO CEO Casey Bloys told TV Line that the potential spinoff was still in limbo .

“We always have ‘Game of Thrones’ scripts in development. We greenlit ‘Dunk and Egg’ in the spring,” Bloys told the outlet, referring to a series of novellas written by author George R.R. Martin.

According to Bloys, the “ Dunk and Egg” series  is the only spinoff that has been given the go-ahead so far.

“I wouldn’t say there is anything else in that world that is close to a greenlight or anything,” the HBO head honcho added. “But we are always working on different scripts and ideas.”

In June 2022 , Martin, 75, initially teased the series about the King of the North in a blog post that said the series’ working title was simply “Snow.”

Should it ever see the light of day, the show would follow the beloved hero after he was exiled from the fictional land of Westeros after murdering his aunt, Daenerys Targaryen .

The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the possible spinoff was “boldly from a creative standpoint” as the series would totally “upend” the lackluster finale of the “Game of Thrones” series, which aired in 2019.

Shortly after the news broke, Harington joked that his character “would’ve felt he got off lightly.”

“At the end of the show when we find him in that cell, he’s preparing to be beheaded, and he wants to be. He’s done. The fact he goes to the Wall is the greatest gift and also the greatest curse,” the Emmy winner told Entertainment Weekly.

“He’s gotta go back up to the place with all this history and live out his life thinking about how he killed Dany, and live out his life thinking about Ygritte dying in his arms,” the actor continued. “And live out his life thinking about how he hung Olly, and live out his life thinking about all of this trauma, and that, that’s interesting.”

“He’s not OK,” the “Eternals” star said, referring to his character’s mental health.

As of now, the only “Thrones” spinoff is “House of the Dragon,” which premiered in August 2022 and is currently set to return for Season 2 on June 16 .

Share this article:

Advertisement

I visited the 'Game of Thrones' studio 5 years after the series finale. The $37 tour reminded me why I love the show.

• I recently visited the Game of Thrones Studio Tour in Northern Ireland for $37.
• It offers an exclusive look at the HBO series , which spent millions of dollars on each episode.
• Even five years after the series finale, the studio is still a worthwhile experience for fans. 

It's been five years since the series finale of HBO's "Game of Thrones," but I'm as big a fan as ever.

When a work trip took me to Northern Ireland , I knew I had to detour to the Game of Thrones Studio Tour. By season eight, the HBO drama was spending $15 million per episode , and like any true fan, I wanted a behind-the-scenes look at where some of that money went — and what made the show so visually incredible.

The tour, located in one of the show's original filming locations , Linen Mill Studios, opened in 2022, and standard tickets cost £29.50, or about $37.

I wanted to see just how relevant the studio is today — especially in the lead-up to the new season of the "House of the Dragon" prequel series in June — and if the widespread passion of the fandom is still alive.

It felt like the studio was hidden in plain sight.

There's no onsite parking at the studio, so getting there felt like being escorted to some secret location. Luckily, the instructions were clear: Meet at The Boulevard, a large shopping district in Banbridge, Northern Ireland.

From there, a complimentary shuttle took me down a long, formal-looking driveway. It's easy to see how the studio remained low-key during its filming heyday — it's almost as if it's hidden in plain sight.

My excitement overflowed as I stepped off the bus to blasting theme music and a massive Game of Thrones Studio Tour sign. About 10 other visitors immediately began posing for photographs.

After the 10-minute shuttle ride, it took me a good five minutes to reach security and start the experience, but the atmosphere was already infectious. Even the staff seemed genuinely excited to greet me.

The impressive theming immediately drew me in.

After passing a dragon skull and armored "guard," the tour started with a green-screen photo while we waited for some dramatic doors to swing open.

A tour guide quickly explained the studio rules — mostly, no touching the exhibits (which were used during filming) and absolutely no photos of the pre-tour movie.

I won't spoil too much, but the short film gave me goosebumps. At the end, the screen parted, and we entered the studio from "beyond the wall."

The studio clearly takes immersion seriously.

On the other side of the screen, we were blasted by fog machines before standing toe-to-toe with the Wildlings. Everything was incredibly immersive.

This was one of my favorite rooms. It had elaborate costumes from the show , including coats laden with bones and oysters. I learned that some weighed up to 15 pounds.

I also caught a glimpse of Wun Wun — or, at least, the costume that 7-foot-1 Ian Whyte wore during filming. It supposedly took the actor three to five hours a day to transform into the giant.

It was fun to walk through the different memorable sets.

The studio is made up of a trail of set rooms, including Mess Hall in Castle Black, the Crypts of Winterfell, King's Landing, and the Great Hall of Winterfell.

Costumed mannequins stood in each room to mimic the real scenes from the show.

I learned a lot about the making of the show throughout the tour.

In addition to walking through the sets, I got an insight into the show's creation process.

The 30-foot dragon skull of Balerion the Black Dread took six weeks to make before being shipped to Spain for filming. While standing next to the masterpiece, I could hardly believe that something of its scale could be transported across Europe .

Equally staggering, we learned that the crew went through 52,000 bags of fake snow and 163 tons of propane (for pyrotechnic effects) throughout the series.

Hearing about these intense behind-the-scenes efforts brought the series' magic back to life and made the visit worthwhile for me.

Behind-the-scenes exhibits and interactive experiences made the experience even better.

Other rooms were dedicated to the show's costume design , music creation, and set design. There was even a sword display room that housed famous props like Arya's Needle.

I'd nearly forgotten about the significance of the show's many props before embarking on the tour. But I almost squealed at Jaime Lannister's golden hand.

There were activities throughout the tour, too, including adding your face to the Hall of Faces and creating your own sigil.

I was entranced up until the very end of the experience.

The tour finished at the Iron Throne, a dragon flitting behind the rubble on a digital back wall.

It was a fitting endpoint seeing as it was the location where Jon killed Daenerys, controversially culling her brewing tyranny and ending the series.

I don't think the "Game of Thrones" buzz is going to die down anytime soon.

The studio wasn't packed, but Northern Ireland tends to be a little quieter in February and busier during the Easter holiday and summer. Honestly, I was grateful I missed the heavier crowds.

Overall, the "Game of Thrones" fandom seems to be building momentum rather than slowing down — especially with the second season of "House of the Dragon" looming.

I saw plenty of visitors bringing their children, too, so love for the series seems to be getting passed down to the next generation.

Initially, £29.50 seemed steep to me. But comparably, it's cheap for a studio tour — the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London charges a base price of £53.50.

Plus, I thought it offered great value. It packed so much in and the staff's passion is evident, which makes all the difference for visitors.

• Main content

The worst TV series finales of all time

Posted: March 25, 2024 | Last updated: March 26, 2024

The 22 worst series finales

What makes a series finale bad? Well, there are a lot of factors, but one key to a truly terrible series finale is how much worse it sounds when you actually take a moment to explain what happened. Because when a series finale is that bad, you end up sounding like the weirdo, not the ones responsible for the episode. But really, they need to take that responsibility for their actions. They never will, but they should.

Then there’s the hive mind of it all. To be perfectly honest, not all of these are even necessarily bad finales. But the public consciousness has complained enough about them being bad that they’ve gotten that reputation. For example, the "Lost" series finale isn’t bad, based on the story it wanted to tell when all was said and done. (Was the story itself bad? Considering how much of the series was made up as it went, that’s honestly more the case.) The "Seinfeld" finale? Also not necessarily bad, considering the show’s whole ethos and “show about nothing” concept...but enough people have called it bad, so it’s on this list.

“Remember the Monsters?” (“Dexter,” 8x12)

Honestly, the Lumberjack Dexter isn’t even the worst part of this whole thing. Deb dying and Dexter simply strolling out of the hospital with her is up there. As is Dexter driving his boat right into the awful-looking (as in, the computer graphics) storm and somehow surviving...to become Lumberjack Dexter. Dexter’s girlfriend Hannah ending up having to raise Dexter’s dumb kid in South America because Dexter decided to drive his boat into that awful-looking (just absolutely cheap) storm. The entire eighth season, honestly.

You may also like: 21st-century TV shows canceled too soon

“New York, I Love You XOXO” (“Gossip Girl,” 6x10)

Dan Humphrey is Gossip Girl. Gossip Girl is Dan Humphrey. That means Dan Humphrey was a psychopath of the highest order — as Gossip Girl often insulted him and actively ruined his life — and it also means that Serena ended up marrying her abuser when all was said and done. But don’t worry: The same could be said for Blair (who married Chuck) and Serena’s mother, Lily (who got back together with her ex-husband…who gave her fake cancer). At least Rufus ended up with Lisa Loeb, five seasons after Lisa Loeb shows up one time on the show to sing “Stay.”

Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive entertainment content.

“The Iron Throne” (“Game of Thrones,” 8x06)

Honestly, "Game of Thrones" fans don’t really know bad series finales if they think this is truly one of the “worst” of all time. But they’ve complained enough about it — you may have heard of a little petition   — that it makes the cut on a pure examination basis alone. But at the same time, to think that Bran winning the game of thrones and ending up king is a good idea — or good story — is a disaster in its own right.

You may also like: 20 great but forgotten movies from the 2000s

“Into That Good Night, Part 2” (“Roseanne,” 9x24)

The thing about shows that eventually go on to have revivals (like "Roseanne," "Will & Grace") or get saved by another network is that the original series finales still actually happened. Even if it’s retconned out of canonical existence. The original "Roseanne" series finale ended with an infamous 15-minute voiceover monologue that the events of the series were actually Roseanne writing a book based on her life, only she apparently changed some of the events that she didn’t like. Essentially a twist on the “it was all a dream” approach to bad storytelling but absolutely no better.

“The Finale” (“Will & Grace,” 8x23)

As I was saying. While the revival thankfully rectified the situation that was this disappointing series finale, it still aired on NBC, and for 11 years, it was the last memory anyone had about series. The series ended with Will and Grace having a falling out — after Grace forgives ex-husband Leo for his infidelity and accepts his marriage proposal — and remaining out of each other's lives (save for a single failed parent-trapping from Karen and Jack a couple of years after the falling out) until they finally run into each other when moving their children into college dorms. (Oh, and Beverley Leslie died after being blown off a balcony by a gust of wind.)

You may also like: Actors who won Oscars before the age of 30

“The Family Hour” (“Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” 4x22)

This is one of those unplanned series finales, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was still ultimately the series finale. No, “The Family Hour” wasn’t supposed to be a cliffhanger — the next season was supposed to feature Lois and Clark raise a rapidly aging Kryptonian baby together. But honestly, the show should’ve been put out of its misery the previous season, when Clark married a Lois clone (after all the promotion of Lois and Clark getting married).

“Last Forever” (“How I Met Your Mother,” 9x23/9x24)

Why couldn’t it have just ended with Ted meeting Tracy? Why did it have to undo years of work after the fact? Why couldn’t it just accept its own storytelling that Ted and Robin didn’t belong together and were actually toxic for one another? Why did it make Barney the type of guy who hates that his wife works all the time instead of (as it would have previously) thrilled that she continues to be so awesome? Why didn’t creators Bays and Thomas think for a second how it would look that Ted got to have the perfect life he wanted — one where he was able to have kids, which Robin physically wasn’t — and then settled for Robin after he got that whole thing (and dead wife) out of the way? At least we got Cristin Milioti out of all this.

You may also like: The best bass players of all time, ranked

“The End” (“Entourage,” 8x08)

Oh, yeah! But really: all right. Sure, it’s absurd to imagine that a show as mediocre as "Entourage" would’ve had a good  series finale, and to put it on this list is kind of punching down. At the same time, "Entourage" deserves all the punching down it’s ever gotten. The series ended with Vince on the way to tie the knot (with a very unprofessional journalist), seemingly ready to settle down for the next stage in his life…which was immediately undone for the "Entourage" movie, because why would there be growth in "Entourage"? Despite clearly being created as a series finale, “The End” was, impressively, one of the most underwhelming episodes of the series. Oh, yeah.

“The Last One” (“St. Elsewhere,” 6x22)

The original “worst series finale,” in terms of people really talking about its badness. Six seasons of a medical drama ended up being a daydream world from a little boy named Tommy Westphall, who just so happened to have a snow globe with the hospital-building setting in it. (It was also apparently important that Tommy was autistic, for some reason.) The funny thing is that "St. Elsewhere" was “recognized for its gritty, realistic drama;” so the series finale just kind of spat on that. At the same time, this is the rare bad series finale that — despite the implications that it has — didn’t retroactively “ruin” the whole series. Though, that could also be because social media didn’t exist at the time.

You may also like: The 20 best political satires in movies and TV

“Bon Voyage” (“Gilmore Girls,” 7x22)

The further removed we get from the original run of "Gilmore Girls," the clearer it becomes to see that Rory Gilmore was the worst. (Lorelai’s not exactly great either, but Rory got the “perfect kid” designation early on, and it was never taken away, despite her imperfections.) So an episode that culminates in the whole town having a party dedicated to Rory’s farewell is more annoying than heartwarming. The series finale also historically didn’t end in the way series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino had originally intended, as she and her husband Daniel had left the show before the seventh season.

“The Last Broadcast” (“Being Human” - U.K. version, 5x06)

You know, there’s nothing inherently wrong about rebooting an entire series — during the series run — and getting new cast members.  The show still just has to be, you know, good. That’s not what happened with the original BBC iteration of "Being Human." The show about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost living together as roommates actually could have worked as an anthology with a rotating cast, but since that wasn’t what anyone signed up for, it had a spectacular failure. (People like to say all British shows know when to pack it up, but the five-season "Being Human" is proof to the contrary.) And the series finale involved the new trio facing the literal Devil…and losing.

You may also like: 25 crushes from the '90s who still own our hearts

“The Hand of God” (“Battlestar Galactica” - 1978 version, 1x24)

(Please note that this means Donald Bellisario wrote two episodes on this list: The other was the "Quantum Leap" series finale.) “Apollo and Starbuck, in the series finale's last scene, narrowly miss receiving Apollo 11 Moon landing transmissions from Earth.” Wow, I can’t imagine a more absurd way to end a series that seemingly takes place in the future.

“Daybreak (Part 1)”/”Daybreak (Parts 2 & 3)” (“Battlestar Galactica” - 2004 version, 4x21/4x22)

Wait. Never mind. Where to start…angels (and God) existing? The crew of the Galactica abandoning technology and coexisting with early humans on Earth? The epilogue with Baltar and Six? And even more God talk?

You may also like: 20 of the most popular country songs performed by Black musicians

“It’s Time (Part 1)”/”It’s Time (Part 2)” (“Weeds,” 8x12/8x13)

You know how great all the “future” touches in the "Parks and Recreation" series finale were? That’s not the same for the "Weeds" series finale. Plus, "Weeds" was already long past its expiration date at this point. But like "Dexter," this finale says a lot about Showtime’s anti-hero problem (in addition to running shows past their prime): Considering how much Nancy ruined the lives of everyone she supposedly cared about with her selfishness, you would think she’d finally get her comeuppance. Instead, she gets filthy rich, and the whole crew — Silas, Shane, Andy, and Doug — all share a one big, happy family moment to end it all.

“Everybody Dies” (“House,” 8x22)

You might not remember this, but "House" ended with Dr. Gregory House faking his own death. Really think about this show — think about the type of show it was, its genre, everything — and try to understand how there was any world in which “House fakes his death” was a natural end to anything. At least this episode had some good cameos, which is really all you can give it credit for.

You may also like: 20 songs that should have won a Grammy

“Mirror Image” (“Quantum Leap,” 5x22)

Another “we didn’t mean for it to be the series finale” cliffhanger type of ending. In this episode, Sam ends up actually leaping into himself…his fully grown self…in 1953...on the day of his birth. (Not his birthday, but the actual day he was born. So he should’ve been a baby. Don’t worry, it gets more confusing.) He leaps into himself in a bar where the people there are actually people he’s met before in his time-leaping, only as new characters, Ziggy, Gushy and Al. (Sound familiar? And like it had no pay-off) Then he leaped again to save the real Al’s marriage. The series ended with a post-script: “Dr. Sam Becket [sic] never returned home.” Yes, the show ended by misspelling its lead character’s last name wrong.

“My Princess” (“Scrubs” - NBC version, 7x11)

Scrubs ultimately went on to have a second life on ABC, with a far superior “series finale,” despite the fact that it also pulled a "How I Met Your Mother" in terms of having the couple it spent the entire series explaining were completely wrong and toxic for each other end up together. (The season eight finale was the “series finale,” prior to the underrated "Scrubs: Med School" season, which really should’ve been a spin-off instead, as intended.) But its last episode in its original NBC run — another one of those finales that was only meant to be a season finale and not a series — was literally a fairy tale. Even “just” as a season finale, it was a mind-boggling decision...but it was also the result of the infamous Writers Strike. Because of that, the season was only 11 episodes, and this one — originally episode nine — was moved into the finale spot. Really, an unwinnable situation.

You may also like: 20 Disney movies so moving they’ll make you cry

“Of Course He’s Dead” (“Two and a Half Men,” 12x15/12x16)

Why? That question could be used a lot for many things about "Two and a Half Men," but in this particular instance, it’s all just about the series finale. Specifically the conclusion : “Charlie, shown only from the back, approaches the beach house and rings the bell, but before anyone answers the door, he is killed when the helicopter drops the piano on him. The camera then pulls back to reveal the series' set and Chuck Lorre, sitting in the director's chair. He says ‘Winning!,’ just before a second grand piano falls on him.” ...Why?

“Finale” (“The Office” - American version, 9x24/9x25)

Again, sometimes a show just needs to know when to call it quits — and by season nine, "The Office" should’ve been long past quits. Especially as the finale was just another reason for "The Office" to trot out celebrities for cameos, which was ultimately what the later seasons were more about than a good show. The final season also decided that the documentary aspect of the show really needed to be focused on, so that’s what we get here. More of that.

You may also like: The 20 best character actors in television history

“The End” (“Lost,” 6x17/6x18)

Sorry, "Game of Thrones," the "Lost" ending is still the most hated (and referenced as such) series finale of all time. To the point that I don’t even have to explain why people hate it, especially as a lot of that hatred tends to come with misunderstanding the ending altogether.

“The Finale” (“Seinfeld,” 9x23/9x24)

Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer end up in prison for being the worst. Well, not exactly that reason, but pretty much. And you know what? They deserved it. Sorry, not sorry.

Did you enjoy this slideshow? Follow us on MSN to see more of our exclusive entertainment content.

More for You

Iran warns US to ‘stay away’ as America shoots down drone launched at Israel

Popular media company files for bankruptcy, plans to liquidate

Use this 2-word phrase when your boss asks you to do more work than you have time to do, according to a therapist

New doc uncovers racism and inappropriate behavior at popular retailer

Florida Removes 1.4 Million People from Health Care Plan

27 Side Characters That Stole The Spotlight

There’s a lot happening with the FAFSA. Here’s what to know now.

Founder of Toms shoes went on a men’s retreat with other entrepreneurs to combat his loneliness and depression: ‘I lost a lot of my clear meaning and purpose’

Iranian missile intercepted over Jerusalem

The dog breeds that are plummeting in popularity, according to data

3 underrated Netflix movies you should watch this weekend (April 12-14)

Bengals' Joe Burrow would like to see the NFL do away with this one penalty

11 Rude Hotel Habits You Should Stop ASAP

How to 'quiet quit,' from a former teacher who did it for 2 years so she could enjoy a better life while still getting a paycheck

Zendaya Wears a Stormy Gray Gown with a Heart-Racing Deep V-Neckline

50 movie characters you've probably quoted at least once

I study people with high emotional intelligence for a living—8 things they never ever do when talking to others

RFK Jr. says he has ruled out Libertarian run for president

New 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Footage Introduces Jenna Ortega's New Character

78 Riddles for Adults That Will Test Your Smarts

'Game of Thrones' star Kit Harington says Jon Snow spinoff is no longer in the works

The Jon Snow show is a no-go at HBO.

A " Game of Thrones " spinoff series centered on Kit Harington's character is no longer in active development, the actor revealed in an interview with Screen Rant .

"Currently, it's off the table, because we all couldn't find the right story to tell that we were all excited about enough," Harington said. "So, we decided to lay down tools with it for the time being."

USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for HBO for comment.

A Jon Snow series was confirmed to be in the works in 2022, and it was expected to take place after the events of "Game of Thrones." In the show's 2019 series finale, Snow went into exile beyond the Wall after murdering the queen, Daenerys Targaryen ( Emilia Clarke ), to protect the realm. The potential spinoff would not have any book material to work with, as author George R.R. Martin has not yet completed writing the original series.

In 2022, Clarke revealed to the BBC that the idea for the Snow spinoff was "created by" Harington himself, a fact that was then confirmed by Martin. The author also revealed Harington had selected writers and showrunners.

Kit Harington has a harsh message for ‘Game of Thrones’ critics

"Yes, it was Kit Harrington who brought the idea to us," Martin wrote on his blog . "I cannot tell you the names of the writers/showrunners, since that has not been cleared for release yet … but Kit brought them in too, his own team, and they are terrific."

While the show is not currently being developed, Harington told Screen Rant it's possible he and HBO could revisit the project down the line.

"There may be a time in the future where we return to it, but at the moment, no," he said. "It's firmly on the shelf."

The actor also expressed disappointment that the project was leaked in the first place because he didn't want fans to start getting excited about a show that "may never happen," adding, "Because in development, you look at every angle, and you see whether it's worth it."

Hannah Waddingham recalls being 'waterboarded' during 'Game of Thrones' stunt

At a "Game of Thrones" convention in 2022, Harington teased that Snow is "not okay" at the end of the series finale, without explicitly promising that this will be explored in a potential spinoff.

"I think if you asked him, he would've felt he got off lightly," he said, according to Entertainment Weekly . "At the end of the show when we find him in that cell, he's preparing to be beheaded and he wants to be. He's done. The fact he goes to the Wall is the greatest gift and also the greatest curse."

Even without Harington's show, HBO has several spinoffs of "Game of Thrones" in development following the success of the prequel series " House of the Dragon ." The second season of "House of the Dragon" premieres in June, and "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight," an adaptation of Martin's "Tales of Dunk and Egg" novellas, is on the way. Like "House of the Dragon," it will be a prequel to the original series.

In a blog post last year , Martin also said three animated "Thrones" projects are in the works, including "Nine Voyages," which would center on Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) from "House of the Dragon."

"Will any of them make it to air? Happen? No way to know," Martin said. "Nothing is certain in Hollywood."

How HBO's Latest Game Of Thrones Prequel Can Rescue The Franchise From Itself

This week, HBO announced the main cast members for "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight," which is an upcoming TV adaptation of author George R.R. Martin's Dunk and Egg stories. While "Game of Thrones" and "House of the Dragon" are about ancient families vying for power, with lots of dragons and palace intrigue and backstabbing (both metaphorical and literal!), this show will take place about a hundred years before the events of "Game of Thrones" and be a much smaller stakes tale about a good-intentioned but somewhat bumbling knight named Ser Duncan the Tall and his very young squire nicknamed Egg as they wander around Westeros getting into adventures.

I don't know about you, but part of me is dreading "House of the Dragon" season 2. I simply did not think it was as captivating as "Game of Thrones," and the latest "House of the Dragon" trailers have this weight to them, as if every little thing that happened in season 1 is of massive importance. I was so excited about "Game of Thrones" and was so invested in that series that, when it was between seasons, I could rattle off several questions I hoped would be answered in the next season or regale you with lists of things I was desperate to see. But for "House of the Dragon," I can barely recount the broadest possible strokes of what happened in season 1. I was honestly thinking that I might just be done with all things Westeros, that HBO might never again be able to capture that special "Game of Thrones" magic. But the fact that they're moving forward with this show indicates that they realize they don't actually have to recapture it — they can do something different instead.

Westeros is more than just dragons and palace intrigue

For me, this new show sounds like it could be an antidote to the uber-serious approach to telling stories in this universe. "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight" sounds like a very welcome left turn into a different corner of the world and a way to engage with different types of characters and social strata in Westeros than what the previous two shows prioritized. By shifting the focus away to the ground-level stories of citizens in the realm, this show might be able to save this franchise from becoming a self-important parody of itself and,  like "Andor" did for the "Star Wars" universe , prove that there are plenty of other stories worth telling here — even if they don't involve some of the iconography fans might expect from a story set in this world. 

I spoke about this on today's episode of the /Film Daily podcast, which you can listen to below:

You can subscribe to /Film Daily on Apple Podcasts , Overcast , Spotify , or wherever you get your podcasts, and send your feedback, questions, comments, concerns, and mailbag topics to us at [email protected]. Please leave your name and general geographic location in case we mention your e-mail on the air.