Entertainment

These Crazy 'Game Of Thrones' Spin-Off Theories Might Be What Fans Actually Want

Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO

If Game Of Thrones really isn't returning for the final season until 2019, the fan fervor and theory engines are going to be running overtime for the foreseeable future. That said, if you're sick of secret Targaryens and trying to figure out who's gonna kill Cersei Lannister, there are the spin-offs to consider. All fans know is that HBO is considering several possibilities for ways to expand this universe, so there are some pretty crazy Game of Thrones spin-off theories out there.

There are potentially five different spin-off series in development at HBO. Veteran Game of Thrones producer Bryan Cogman is working on that fifth one. According to Entertainment Weekly, George R. R. Martin has ruled out both his "Dunk & Egg" tales and Robert's Rebellion. The latter makes sense. It would be too direct of a prequel. While it would be cool to see some of those scenes and younger versions of characters play out on the screen, it would get boring after a while. Everyone knows how Robert's Rebellion ended because it's how Game of Thrones began. There's very little chance for surprising even the most casual fan.

According to IGN, the different stories are all prequels and "recognizable events" from the world, but don't involve any characters that have been on screen before. That rules out some events from House Greyjoy that didn't feature heavily into the original series but would involve familiar faces. Luckily, the world of Westeros and Essos are so vast that fans have thought up at least five times that many different moments from the fantasy's canonical history that could serve as a backdrop for any one of the shows. The Doom of Valyria is a popular, and likely theory, as well as the war between the Children of the Forest and the First Men. As far as bizarre theories go, here's what the internet has floated out so far.

It's Actually A Sequel

What if this series takes place in the far future, instead? HBO also promised that Jon Snow was dead, so why should fans trust their promises? It would be crazy to see characters in Westeros talk about Samwell Tarly and Brienne of Tarth the same way that today's characters tell tales from the Mad King's reign.

The Animated Series

The short GOT webseries Conquest & Rebellion dropped on Youtube this month, and fans want more animated Thrones now.

Hot Pie's Parents

Sure, this Mashable theory is likely a joke, but it's still a silly theory. What if the spin-off was about lowborn characters, for a change?

The Dance Of The Dragons

This theory isn't crazy because of the event in question — this Targaryen civil war that was chock full of intrigue and dragons would make for a compelling series that fans know of, but not so much about. It's only crazy because it would mean HBO's blonde wig budget would go through the roof. Do we really want to see a whole show full of characters running around looking like Viserys and Rhaegar?

The Conquest Of Dorne

That's one theory on reddit that fans are already iffy about. To put it lightly, Dorne and the Sand Snakes are a lot cooler and more nuanced in the books than they were on the HBO series. Would a spin-off be able to redeem the portrayal of Dorne on screen, or just dig that hole deeper?

What We All Really Want

Forget what producers have said about only new characters — this is what the people demand. Alas, it won't happen, because a spin-off like that would be far too much fun. The craziest Game of Thrones spin-off theory of all is that a show set in this world would have everyone safely enjoying themselves and having a good time. No sitcoms in Westeros, that's for sure.

Hopefully, as more clues are revealed and more time passes, the theories surrounding the next big chapter in this world will grow and grow for better and for worse, just for our own head-scratching entertainment.