There are a number of Game of Thrones spinoffs on the horizon, but the most exciting one on HBO’s roster will tell the Targaryen prequel story we really need. House of the Dragon is already digging into the history of the Targaryen family, depicting the Dance of the Dragons described in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. The Game of Thrones prequel is expanding on the civil war that weakened the Targaryen dynasty and killed off many of its dragons. This makes it an ideal follow-up to Daenerys’ story in Game of Thrones.
However, because House of the Dragon is about two factions of Targaryens feuding over the Iron Throne, it has a lot in common with Game of Thrones. This makes it less exciting than some of HBO’s other Game of Thrones spinoff plans, as it doesn’t feel like the freshest way to expand Martin’s world. Fortunately, new additions to the franchise will explore time periods further removed from Game of Thrones and stories that feel quite different from it. And one will tackle the most interesting piece of Targaryen history from Martin’s books: Aegon’s Conquest.
Aegon’s Conquest Is The Most Exciting Upcoming Game Of Thrones Spinoff Series
The Origin Of The Song Of Ice & Fire Prophecy & Targaryen Dynasty Must Be Adapted
Aegon the Conqueror is a fascinating figure from the Song of Ice and Fire universe, and HBO’s Aegon’s Conquest spinoff will explore the character in more depth. It will show viewers how he came to claim Westeros for House Targaryen, digging deeper into the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy in the process. It could also include his reign, which initially stirred bitterness among the Great Houses of Westeros but led to peace later on. It served as the foundation of many world-building elements and loyalties seen in Game of Thrones, meaning there’s room to draw crucial connections.
A spinoff covering Aegon’s Conquest has a lot of potential, as it’s similar enough to Game of Thrones and House of Dragon to capture what works about both shows.
A spinoff covering Aegon’s Conquest has a lot of potential, as it’s similar enough to Game of Thrones and House of Dragon to capture what works about both shows: the political maneuvering, great battle sequences, and dragons. However, as the series would be set 300 years prior to the original show, it would offer a different depiction of Westeros. In addition to that, it would spend time in places that don’t get enough attention in GOT, like Dorne and the Iron Islands. And it would tell a Targaryen narrative with a better outcome than GOT or HOTD offer.
Why Aegon’s Conquest Is The Targaryen Prequel Story We Really Need
Aegon’s Conquest will tell the Targaryen story we really need: the one responsible for the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy that could connect everything that happens over the next 300 years. Game of Thrones doesn’t dig into the Long Night or the Prince That Was Promised nearly as much as it should, and while House of the Dragon is touching on these things, it’s not necessarily the right prequel to do so. Aegon is the one who dreams of the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy and initially attempts to rally the Seven Kingdoms to prepare for what’s coming.
Aegon’s Conquest adds needed context to everything that unfolds in both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, and seeing it on-screen could answer some important questions about the events of both shows. Additionally, it’d be nice to see a successful Targaryen conquest, especially after Daenerys’ efforts to take the Seven Kingdoms ended so poorly. House of the Dragon also sees House Targaryen on a downward spiral, but Aegon’s Conquest could highlight what made the Targaryens so fearsome and mighty.
