The Game of Thrones finale has come and gone, but we’re still mulling things over. There was lots left to chew on, whether it was the future of Westerosi politics, who ended up on the Iron Throne, or what new paths each character was setting out on. As we look ahead to the future of Game of Thrones as it will inevitably exist in other forms, it seems like the finale also planted lots of seeds for spinoffs and prequels.
Warning: Game of Thrones series finale spoilers ahead.
One line from Sansa, in particular, hinted at a possible prequel that could shed a whole lot of light on the history of Westeros in a new, interesting way. During the council meeting between the lords and ladies of Westeros — the same meeting that also saw Bran Stark elected king — Sansa told Bran that the North would never again bend the knee to a new king, something she believed was fair considering their role in helped to save Westeros from the Night King. Instead, the Lady of Winterfell declared that the North would “remain an independent kingdom, as it was for thousands of years.”
Sansa knows what the future of the North will be.
It’s easy to write this line off as a simple declaration and a way for Game of Thrones to tie up Sansa’s story. That’s true no matter what and it’s badass as hell. She deserves that crown.
But the personality and history of the North, now embodied by Sansa, remind us that this kingdom is one that’s never easily bent its knee to other rulers, has ferociously upheld familial traditions and values, and has given each succeeding generation a desire to continue to fight.
The reminder that the North will remain an independent kingdom free from King Bran the Broken’s rule feels like some very ripe territory to explore in a Game of Thrones prequel. And we’ve heard lots of stories and anecdotes over the course of the show about the early days of Westeros, when The First Men, the Andals, and the Rhoynar — the first three ethnic groups to emigrate to Westeros — settled on the vast continent.
Someone paid attention in history class...
Considering how little has been shown on screen of this time, centuries before Game of Thrones, and how much of it has been explored in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series, why not use this moment to recreate the magic of Game of Thrones in a completely new way?
Wars between the First Men and the Andals were fought as the different groups attempted to settle in Westeros, the North in particular. Worshipping the old gods and guest’s rights — those are traditions from the First Men that we have seen on Game of Thrones. “The North Remembers” isn’t just the Stark family motto, it’s an encouragement to dive deeper into remembered history and look at the origins of the world we’ve come to love over eight seasons.
The Starks are descended from the First Men and, as the ruling family of Westeros (Bran), the North (Sansa), and beyond the Wall (Jon Snow), going further into the North’s origins would also give us more opportunities to explore the Stark family origins and the groups that opposed them.
The Andals are the ancestors to houses like the Lannisters and the Arryns, and the First Men and the Andals often warred with each other. These could be central battles to a North-focused show. A prequel like this could show how the structure and boundaries of the North shifted over centuries, how the North went from independent to part of the Seven Kingdoms (likely covering the arrival of the Targaryens and their rule). Plus, there’d be no shortage of other political battles, magic, and all other manner of Game of Thrones elements that could be incorporated into a North-focused prequel.
There’s a good chance that the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel, currently titled Bloodmoon, will go even further back, detailing the war between the First Men (proto-Starks) and the Children of the Forest (plus the creation of the Night King). But there’s also plenty here that could merit a show focused on the first groups of people who landed in Westeros and fought to begin the family lines that have thrived and dominated in Game of Thrones centuries later.
Read up on the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel, Bloodmoon, here.
