While fans wait for “House of the Dragon” Season 4, there are plenty of eyes on what comes next. The fourth season is set to be the last, and that means showrunner Ryan Condal will need to look at his next project. He already has one idea in mind, and it’s got nothing to do with “Aegon’s Conquest.”
It’s not surprising that the “House of the Dragon” showrunner is already thinking of what’s next. A lot of showrunners do when they see their creations come to an end. “Game of Thrones” fans know all too well what that can mean, as it can lead to rushed endings, but Condal still has his sights set on how to end the Targaryen civil war. It’s only once that’s done that he is looking at another Targaryen story.
Ryan Condal Wants to Do a Story Just Before ‘Game of Thrones’
GettyCondal told Collider that his eyes are on a story closer to the “Game of Thrones” timeline rather than the “House of the Dragon” one. He still wants something that is all about the Targaryens, but he wants to tell the story of the lead-up to “Game of Thrones,” the end of the Targaryen dynasty.
He shared, “I have really said all I have to or need to say about dragons and Targaryens and thrones, but I think the most interesting story left on the table is the story of the end of the Targaryen dynasty. But the one told from the point of view of the Targaryens themselves.”
Collider even made sure that this was what he meant, as technically, there are still Targaryens out there even at the end of the eight-season political-fantasy series. Condal was clear that he wants to tell the story of Aerys II’s downfall, leading to the death of one son and another son being shipped away with Daenerys, who was just a babe at the time.
This would set the show just 19 years before the beginning of “Game of Thrones.” Depending on the lead-up needed to the story, it could be 20 or 21 years, but it’s not that far away, and it will mean no more dragons. However, there would still be plenty to look forward to.
What Is the Story of Aerys II?
Getty“Game of Thrones” fans know the story that Robert Baratheon and his followers have told. The Baratheons and Lannisters joined together to bring down the Targaryen dynasty. It all started when Robert believed that Lyanna Stark had been taken by Rhaegar Targaryen, and as Robert was in love with Ned Stark’s sister, he started a war for her.
By the eighth season, the truth came out. Rhaegar didn’t kidnap Lyanna. The two ran away with each other and secretly married. Ned found out some of the truth, learning that Lyanna gave birth to a boy, who would be the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. That put him in danger, so Ned claimed the son as his own illegitimate child.
What is the story from the Targaryen point of view? It’s something Condal would like to explore. There are always three sides to every story — the two sides that are being told and the truth, which is somewhere in between. While the Baratheons and Lannisters were able to tell their story of how Aerys II became the Mad King and decided to use the dragonfire that sat below King’s Landing to blow up the entire place, there is something that led to that, as well as a story of how Rhaegar and Lyanna met and fell in love.
With political intrigue, warring families, and plenty of bloodshed and death, there is plenty for Condal to cover in his next “Game of Thrones” universe project.
