House of the Dragon Season 3 kicked off this week with a huge first episode. The show’s creator has also teased what he thinks the next Game of Thrones spin-off could be, and it makes perfect sense.
Speaking to GamesRadar+, House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal was asked what else he’d like to see explored in the world of Game of Thrones. Condal threw out an interesting idea, one that would revolve yet again around the Targaryen royal line.
“The opportunity that I think excites me is to see a story where the Targaryens are still at the height of their power in terms of controlling the kingdom, but don’t have their dragons anymore,” said Condal. “We know that from Game of Thrones, where we start with no dragons. Our show has many dragons. But there’s an in-between point where the Targaryens are still ruling as a powerful dynasty. And I think there’s a really fascinating story to be told there, in the fresh wake of our particular period of history: how do you pursue rule when you don’t have the threat of these nuclear weapons at your fingertips, like you did in your recent past? That seems like an interesting place to explore for me.”
Condal wasn’t trying to tease any future project, but nonetheless, his answer would make perfect sense for an actual show should HBO be looking.
Stripping away from the dragons from the Targaryens would make for an interesting setting
For one, the Targaryens remain probably the most popular family in all of Game of Thrones amongst fans. Besides their striking looks and iconic use of dragons, the family is at the heart of pretty much the entirety of Westeros’ history from its very beginning all the way through to the events of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
The family’s royal lineage is also vast, stretching across a number of legendary figures in the lore of George R.R. Martin’s books. If a show were to be made about the family, there’d be plenty to pull from and fans would love to see it.
On the topic of dragons, it would also be interesting to see the family without them. There is a stretch of time in Martin’s lore where the Targaryens rule without the use of dragons, as Condal noted. The chance to highlight the family without one of their most powerful tools is interesting from a storytelling perspective, as well. Being able to showcase just how they kept their power, as well as the constantly evolving inner turmoil between the family, would make for an excellent television show.
Of course, there’s currently a handful of other Game of Thrones spin-offs in the works. In that regard, it’s unclear if we’ll ever get to see Condal’s idea come to light. Should it, though, it would represent yet another chance for HBO to deliver a fantasy epic once House of the Dragon concludes.
