10 Game of Thrones prequel series ideas
By Corey Smith
9. The War of the Ninepenny Kings
While technically the Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion, the War f the Ninepenny Kings has enough important events to stand on its own. It could easily be rolled into the previous prequel ideas, but on its own could likely last three seasons. What exactly makes the War of the Ninepenny Kings worthy of its own show? Let’s dive in.
The Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion was ultimately the end of the House Blackfyre, a cadet house of House Targaryen. House Blackfyre had fled across the Narrow Sea to Essos, and after several failed rebellions found itself led by Maelys Blackfyre. Maelys and eight other power hungry leaders in Essos joined together, promising to aid one another in their goal of power. They were dubbed the “Ninepenny Kings” after Prince Duncan Targaryen jested that “crowns were being sold nine a penny.”
Eventually, the Ninepenny Kings launched an invasion of Westeros, and King Jaehaerys II Targaryen summoned all the lords of Westeros to repel the invasion. Being set a mere forty years before Game of Thrones, it involves quite a few characters we know. Notable participants include Brynden Tully, Steffon Baratheon, Tywin Lannister and Aerys II Targaryen (the future Mad King). This conflict brought many houses together that otherwise had little connection to one another. One other notable participant; Ser Barristan Selmy. Ser Barristan slew Maelys during the conflict and launched his illustrious knighthood.
Again, this could be lumped in with the other Rebellions, but giving the famous faces here time to develop, to watch them grow from young men into the battle-hardened veterans we see later in Game of Thrones, would be quite the treat. No need to rush something like that.
A lack of dragons would make this cheaper for HBO to film, and with known characters like Tywin and Aerys Targaryen, viewers would have plenty of familiar faces to latch onto. This prequel would not be the leap that some of the others might be, so it should be an easy sale to fans.