It’s safe to say that news of a Game of Thrones spin-off stirred up a frenzy of conversation. The buzz about the developing spin-off Snow recently received the input of Kit Harington’s fellow costars. Though still in the script stage of development, the possibility of rekindling the legendary series prior to the crash and burn of Season 8 spurs excitement. Fans can’t wait to see beloved characters making their way back to the big screen. Actors Gwendoline Christie and Maisie Williams show their own excitement about the new series.
Oathkeeper returns?
Brienne of Tarth and Arya Stark are two strong female leads in the Game of Thrones universe. They, like Jon Snow, did not have entirely satisfying endings.
The possibility of giving the beloved characters a proper send-off in a reprised TV role is an intriguing but risky task. The concept has been on the mind of GOT fans ever since the news broke last week.
In two recent interviews, Gwendoline Christie and Maisie Williams reacted to the news of Kit Harington’s involvement in spearheading this sequel project. Most notably, neither actress ruled out a future reprisal for their character.
In a charming interview with Collider, Christie gushed about playing Brienne. Her words evoked her resounding love for the character. Though her present focus remains on varying her acting career, she explained: “I will never stop loving Brienne of Tarth, and I will never stop being interested by her.”
What’s more, Christie also told Newsweek, “Brienne of Tarth is incredibly close to my heart, and I would relish any opportunity to revisit her. I believe she is enduring.”
These comments certainly raise some hopes that we may see Ser Brienne of Tarth wield Oathkeeper on screen as the new commander of the Kingsguard.
West of Westeros
Another fan favorite, Arya Stark, is unavoidably attached to the spin-off discussion. This may be because her Season 8 ending was incredibly open-ended. The last time we see her, she’s boarding her ship to discover what lies west of Westeros. Her final fate stands as some vague sort of adventure – something many fans desire more detail on.
No doubt, her ending could surely serve as the baseline for her own epic spin-off. However, it can also be seen as something that would largely explain her absence in a sequel directly following the events of Season 8.
Interestingly, concerning whether she would be open to starring in an Arya Stark spin-off, Williams told People Magazine that it is a “very exciting project” and “to never say never.”
As to what Arya’s spin-off journey could entail, Williams is brainstorming about the potential continuation of her character. She explains, “I’m still kind of piecing together what I think it should be, what I think would make people happy, and what I think would be fulfilling as well, as an actor, to do some kind of transition.”
Looking ahead
Clearly, fans and actors are in the same boat in terms of active consideration about what the future of Game of Thrones will be (for the characters that lived to the end of Season 8, at least).
Seemingly, there is some evidence to hope for the revival of iconic characters like Arya Stark and Brienne of Tarth. However, the plot direction of the Game of Thrones spin-off is still one big question mark.
Are these sequels like Snow acting as damage control after Season 8? This is also an important consideration amid this uncertainty. Upcoming prequels like House of the Dragon have the benefit of adapting an already written Targaryen history. It is one such way to bring back the magic of Game of Thrones without the immense fan pressure to repair an ending that, for many viewers, dismantled the show’s prestige.
In all, though some may think it best not to touch Game of Thrones‘ treacherous end, the fan interest and engagement are clearly still there in mass. The show was and still is a global phenomenon. The clamorous Twitter response to the news cemented as much.
Therefore, HBO must try to keep loyal fans happy and engaged in this spin-off territory. The realm of sequels has to be fresh and new. Yet, also something befitting of the characters we’ve all come to know and love.
I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping for the best while also trying not to get my hopes up at all!
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