A Game of Thrones prequel serials is in development that will most likely cover the Dance of the Dragons – but what’s the fib behind this Targaryen civil war? One of several prequel sequences currently in the works at HBO, it’s been reported that a Targaryen prequel is about to be greenlit, and would become the second prequel in this universe. While HBO has yet to confirm that this next series is definitely on the way, Game of Thrones devotees once “ve got an idea” of what it could be about.

Based on a reported description of the Game of Thrones prequel succession being start 300 years before the events of the main series and tracks the beginning of the end for House Targaryen, as well as a blog upright from George R.R. Martin urging fans to look to Fire and Blood to get an idea of what’s next, it seems clear that the prequel is gonna be all about House Targaryen’s past.

Related: Game Of Thrones: The History Of House Targaryen Explained

While “3 00 years” before Game of Thrones was the time of Aegon’s conquest, it’s actually more likely that the succession will be taking place a little closer to 130 AC( 170 years prior to the original line ), during the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. This is not only one of the biggest events in Westerosi history, but emphatically matches the description of “the beginning of the end” for House Targaryen. But what was the Dance of the Dragons all about?

Unsurprisingly, for a world-wide as complex and well-developed as George R.R. Martin’s, there are a huge number of factors that played into the Dance of the Dragons, but the basic issue was a war of inheritance between Aegon II and Rhaenyra Targaryen that took place between 129 and 131 AC. The conflict came about after decades of serene guideline, first under King Jaehaerys, then his son, King Viserys. However, Viserys struggled to produce a male heir with his first spouse, leaving him with only one living daughter, Rhaenyra. Known as the Realm’s Delight, the young princess became her father’s cupbearer, and as she thrived older, she was officially said his heir and sat in on small-minded parliament gratifies, training to become queen. However, after the death of Viserys’ first wife, he remarried and had sons – uttering Aegon II his firstborn son, and possible heir.

As time went on, his house split into two clear camps. On one slope was Rhaenyra and her contributors, and the other was Aegon and his mother Alicent. These were known as the Blacks and the Greens, after the color of nightgowns worn by Rhaenyra and Alicent to a major tourney( and it should be noted that black and red, wear by Rhaenryra, are the emblazons of House Targaryen ). When King Viserys died, Rhaenyra was still technically his heir – but Cristone Cole( Commander of the Kingsguard) killed her supporter on the small council and crowned Aegon II, spurring Westeros into civil struggle. From now, the Dance of the Dragons began in earnest, as Rhaenyra was also crowned, and the two set out to gain supporters and take the other down, Aegon from King’s Landing, and Rhaenyra from Dragonstone.

Over the course of the Dance of the Dragons, variou debates were campaigned – large and small. From the initial conquest of Harranhal by the blackness, to the Fall of Dragonstone, the Fall of King’s Landing, and more, combats feelings across most of Westeros( although the North remained largely untouched ). The death toll was also massive; Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys was the first to die( along with his dragon ). In retaliation, Aegon’s eldest son and heir was murdered, after which his mistres began to go mad. Over a series of battles, Rhaenyra was able to take King’s Landing, and at first, was welcomed. However, her foes had emptied the arches, and the city soon thrived desperate, restless, and hungry. Thanks to a fervent minister identified Shepherd, the smallfolk discontinued up rampaging and affecting the dragonpit. Between these attacks and the debates between dragonriders, the number of dragons rapidly declined( from 20 at the start of Viserys’ reign to only four at the end of the dance ). The number of Targaryens likewise waned at a frightening speed, as both greens and colors were killed in battle after duel. After the rampages of King’s Landing, Queen Rhaenyra left the city but was tricked into returning to a Dragonstone held by her adversaries, where Aegon fed her to his dragon in front of her son( one of her only remaining live offsprings ).

Although Aegon would seem to have won, he didn’t survive to recapture the throne. Instead, he was poisoned on the road back to King’s Landing, and it would be Rhaenyra’s son, Aegon III, who was crowned as King. The crusade ended with Cregan Stark, Hand of the King for a period, doling out sanctions left right and center, before leader back home to the North( his brief term as Hand would become known as the Hour of the Wolf ). Aegon III settled under a regency, as he was still a child, and would regulate until 157 AC.

Related: Everything We Know About Game Of Thrones’ Targaryen Prequel

All of this might announce pretty complicated, but that’s one of the matters that obligates it such a perfect prequel for Game of Thrones fans. The original line never shied away from a huge cast of characters – or from having major players killed off when needs be. What has the potential to be even better about this one, though, is that not only does it include all the scheming and side-switching that love love, as well as a few familiar reputations from Game of Thrones( like the Starks, the Arryns, and the Baratheons ), but it involves a better balance of battles and politics( and no White Walkers to muddle things in the end ). The narration is still tremendously complex and fascinating, but it’s a little more concentrated, taking place over a smaller area of Westeros( and Dragonstone ), and with slightly fewer moving parts and subplots.

Furthermore, the floor itself had already become fully explored by George R.R. Martin in Fire And Blood. There’s little was concerned that a Dance of the Dragons prequel successions would be left limping without beginning textile the method that Game of Thrones was, yet the source material is something that exclusively “the worlds largest” dedicated fans will be familiar with. This means that it is new enough, and different fairly( with a whole new cast of characters and a life where the Targaryens have been nonviolent governors for over a hundred years ), to appeal to devoted and informal devotees – and of course, it means that fans can be found in more epic dragon clashes, which there were just not enough of in Game of Thrones.

Related: Oh Great, GRRM Has ANOTHER Game Of Thrones Project That Isn’t Breath Of Winter

Even with the source material laid out, there are multiple possibilities for how the Dance of the Dragons would be examined as a series – and a lot of this is dependent upon how much HBO would be willing to bet that fans would watch numerous seasons , no matter what. It was no secret that the network would have been happy to see Game of Thrones itself covered a few cases more seasons, so there is certainly potential for a longer-running show, but given the backlash over the Game of Thrones pointing, this is a little more of a gamble than it should have been. However, assuming that HBO is willing to give a Dance of the Dragons prequel lines the infinite it needs, what the fuck is that look like?

Ideally, a story this expansive would take place over a bare minimum of four or five seasons. At least, the first season may be required to the run-up to the civil war itself, with the principles of the rule of King Viserys. This would allow the gathering to get to know the characters, and to understand why the line of sequence was in such question. Arguably, the False Dawn, Hour of the Wolf, and Regency of King Aegon III could be a season unto itself, and one that would show the fallout of the Dance and how it impacted every house in the Kingdom – as well as the failed attempts to hatch brand-new dragons after the war.

As for the primary seasons, there are plenty of major events within the Dance of the Dragons that could be stretched out over multiple seasons of a see, and it would be easy to pick major dramatic times to showcase as the penultimate chapter of each season( which Game of Thrones did brilliantly ). From the first massive debate of dragons to the Fall of King’s Landing and the Riot of King’s Landing, to the unbelievably startling death of Rhaenyra and then Aegon himself, there is no shortage of appalling scenes that are truly large enough for a season’s worth of build-up. It would also be possible to launch straight into the Dance, and tell the build-up through flashbacks, but this isn’t something that Game of Thrones has relied heavily on in the past, and there doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of need here. Choosing to either tell the backstory outright or in the same way that Game of Thrones dealt with Robert’s Rebellion “wouldve been” smarter choice.

Of course, all of this is currently exactly gues. Even if a Targaryen prequel gets the green light, “theres a lot of” other picks that would determine great television. And if a Dance of the Dragons series is demonstrated, it will still be quite some time before it punches the small screen( likely not until at least 2022, after the current prequel in progress, Blood Moon ). All that conveys, though, is that there’s plenty of time to re-read Fire and Blood and do a little brushing up on Game of Thrones’ history.

Next: Game Of Thrones Targaryen Spinoff: Fire& Blood’s Story Explained

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