No, HBO Isn’t Fixing Game of Thrones Season 8 (Yet)

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HBO is building on the world of Game of Thrones with new shows set in the past and future, but they aren’t revisiting or changing the much-criticized final season. The ending of Game of Thrones, which aired in 2019, was highly controversial, and most viewers still feel the same way about it six years later. While the show remains popular on HBO Max, it’s often cited as an example of a series with a disappointing conclusion.

HBO is expanding George R.R. Martin’s world beyond the original Game of Thrones with several new shows. Currently, they’re diving into the history of Westeros with House of the Dragon and the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. While more prequel series are in the works, like one about Aegon’s Conquest, Martin recently revealed that they are also developing sequels to Game of Thrones itself.

The news understandably caused a lot of excitement, with many fans hoping HBO would use a potential sequel to address issues with the final season of Game of Thrones. While there are some interesting ideas for a continuation of the story—and a few less promising ones—it’s important to remember that a series hasn’t actually been greenlit. Despite what George R.R. Martin has said, there’s no confirmation about the plot or even if a sequel will happen. Right now, it’s likely just early brainstorming of potential storylines, or the network simply exploring the possibilities.

Could Game Of Thrones Sequels Actually Fix Season 8?

If a continuation of the story were made, essentially acting as a ninth season, it could address some of the issues with the eighth season. For example, starting in King’s Landing would allow for a more detailed exploration of Bran Stark’s reign as king. This would involve showing what kind of ruler he is, examining whether the remaining lords and ladies made a wise decision, and developing the roles of his advisors. Crucially, it would also need to explain his abilities as the Three-Eyed Raven, which weren’t fully explored in the final season.

Exploring Jon Snow’s life after the Wall could be compelling, especially focusing on the emotional impact of killing Daenerys Targaryen. The cancelled spinoff series had a promising idea: to delve into his inner struggles and whether he could ever find peace. While the show couldn’t be fully developed on its own, that storyline might work well as part of a bigger story.

While some storylines could be expanded without much difficulty – like Arya Stark venturing west of Westeros or Sansa ruling the North – the core problems with the final season of Game of Thrones are unfixable. Simply showing more of King Bran’s reign won’t change how viewers felt about that decision. Daenerys will still be dead, and her turn to the dark side will likely still feel too fast, even if she were brought back. Similarly, Jaime Lannister’s ending and the quick defeat of the White Walkers can’t be altered to satisfy disappointed fans.

The issue isn’t really about what happened in the ending, but the lasting negative perception of it. For six years, the Game of Thrones finale has been a frequent target of criticism and is now the go-to example of a series ending that disappointed fans. Even if a sequel were made, many burned fans wouldn’t give it a chance. And even a good sequel wouldn’t change the widespread negative view of Season 8. While I personally enjoyed the final season, the damage to the show’s reputation is already done, and it’s wiser to concentrate on creating new content instead.

Game Of Thrones Sequels Should Distance Themselves From Season 8

If a new Game of Thrones show is made, it would be best if it wasn’t directly connected to the original series, similar to how the prequel is separate. This would avoid the need to address or ‘fix’ the controversial final season and give the new show the freedom to develop its own unique story. There are a few different ways this could be achieved.

As a huge fan of Arya Stark, I’d love to see a spin-off show following her journey west of Westeros. It wouldn’t even need to revisit the world of Game of Thrones or bring back old characters, though a mention here and there would be fun. Imagine her just…sailing off and having her own adventures, completely separate from everything we’ve seen before. No need for video calls with Jon Snow – let her forge her own path!

The main idea behind this approach is to allow for discovery – of new places, people, and challenges. This could be a great way to continue the story naturally, while also learning from and avoiding the controversial parts of Season 8.

Another option is to jump forward a considerable amount of time. A sequel could be set so far in the future that Westeros looks completely different, with characters either aged or gone. We might even see King Bran’s reign as a historical period explored through the show.

The world of Westeros has a deep history stretching back thousands of years, meaning there are countless compelling stories to tell even after the events of Game of Thrones. While continuing the main storyline could be tricky, a new story set decades or centuries later, perhaps subtly referencing what happened after Season 8, would be much more manageable. However, with George R.R. Martin having created several prequel stories, HBO might be better served focusing on those – a show about the Blackfyre Rebellions, for example, would be fantastic!

Game of Thrones is available to stream on HBO Max.

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2025-11-25 01:44