Aegon's Conquest: The Plot Of HBO's Rumored Game Of Thrones Spin-Off Series Explained
"Game of Thrones" may have ended on a sour note, but HBO is still in the midst of producing numerous spin-offs, from a Jon Snow (Kit Harington) sequel series to a show about Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) from "House of the Dragon." Also in early development is a "Game of Thrones" prequel about Aegon I Targaryen's conquest Of Westeros. Beyond its existence, scant information about this show is public, save for the involvement of screenwriter Mattson Tomlin. Nevertheless, based on its broad premise and knowledge of the overarching "A Song of Fire and Ice" universe, it's possible to infer some key details about the plot of this particular "Game of Thrones" spin-off series.
In author George R. R. Martin's fictional universe, Aegon's Conquest refers to a military campaign through which Aegon I Targaryen conquered six of the seven kingdoms that make up the continent of Westeros. Aegon I Targaryen, of course, is the ancestor of both Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and "House of the Dragon" protagonist Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy). On the Targaryen family tree, Aegon is the great-great-grandfather of Rhaenyra's father, King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine).
Presumably, HBO's planned series will cover Aegon's Conquest from start to finish. This time period is significant and certainly worthy of a dedicated TV show. After all, it saw the introduction of multiple hallmarks of the franchise that existing fans of both "Game of Thrones" and "House of the Dragon" already know and love.
Aegon's Conquest establishes some key components of Game of Thrones lore
Aiding Aegon I Targaryen in his campaign to conquer most of Westeros were his wives (and sisters) Visenya and Rhaenys, as well as their three dragons: Balerion, Meraxes, and Vhagar. Fans of the "Game of Thrones" franchise have likely heard these names before. Balerion is already dead by the start of "House of the Dragon," but his gigantic skull serves as an important Targaryen monument. Meraxes is the most obscure of the three, referenced in a couple "Game of Thrones" episodes but never on-screen in any capacity. Vhagar, however, is alive as of "House of the Dragon," and becomes Aemond Targaryen's (Ewan Mitchell) dragon mount. Presumably, this upcoming series about Aegon's Conquest will tell the story of how each of these three dragons became legendary.
Notably, at the conclusion of Aegon's Conquest, the newly crowned king of six of Westeros' seven kingdoms commissions the iconic Iron Throne to be constructed out of swords stolen from his conquered foes. Notably, the southern kingdom of Dorne managed to resist being conquered, which will no doubt make for an intense storyline on the series.
The conclusion of Aegon's Conquest is even referred to as 1 AC and serves as something akin to the year 1 AD for the "Game of Thrones" universe. It's no surprise, then, that HBO plans on bringing this conflict to life given its pivotal role in the franchise's canon.