Game of Thrones Spin-Off 1/5 Confirmed: THE BLACKFYRE REBELLION
- Jason Daniel
- Jul 5, 2017
- 3 min read
I was scrolling through my Facebook when I bumped on a thread about Game of Thrones. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Game of Thrones (GoT), it's a wildly popular TV series adaptation of the novel series by George R. R. Martin, A Song of Ice and Fire. It's a medieval fantasy drama about the political struggles of different Houses not unlike our own Middle Ages, where various Houses battled, warred, and maneuvered against each other. GoT has gained great reception from around the globe due to its unpredictability, gore, and mature content. I admit GoT provides something for TV viewers that is exceptionally unique, especially in the early seasons when it hasn't outpaced the source material. Personally, I think the TV series is mediocre compared to its source material which is a very recommended read, but this is a topic for another time.
GoT is reaching its end (predicted at season 8, the show is currently nearing the premiere of its 7th season), and the developers have prepared for FIVE spin-offs, all based on the same universe created by George R. R. Martin but set in different locations and/or time. One story of the spin-offs have been confirmed and is in the works for a pilot episode. This particular spin-off is to tell the story of the Blackfyre Rebellion, set about 100 years before the events in GoT.
Basically, it's a story about the struggle for the Iron Throne between Daeron II Targaryen against the Great Bastards, the bastard sons of Prince Daeron II's father, King Aegon IV. The legitimate and rightful heir of the Iron Throne, Daeron II of the House Targaryen (dubbed Daeron the Good) had his rule challenged by two of his bastard half-brothers, Ser Aegor Rivers (later dubbed Bittersteel) and Ser Daemon Waters (who later received the Valyrian steel sword of Aegon I Targaryen called Blackfyre, and thus established House Blackfyre) and styled himself King Daemon of the house Blackfyre. King Daeron is accompanied by another of his bastard half-brother, Ser Brynden Rivers (later known as Lord Bloodraven) and many other supporters of his claim to the Iron Throne. The epic wars, battles, and skirmishes to come lasted for several generations and exacted a great cost in lives lost of the lords, knights, and soldiers each fighting for the victory of the claimant they support.
I must admit this is something that I have foreseen, as the Blackfyre Rebellion is a very promising story in terms of feasibility and appeal for an adaptation into a TV series. In terms of story, it's still vague enough to provide a wide berth for writers to work with and mystery for viewers to enjoy while being clear and established enough to act as a promising framework. As with numerous story arcs in the ASOIAF universe, the story is not about a battle of things and people inherently good or evil, but people in shades of gray making decisions they see fit.
These are the rumoured casts:
1. Tom Hiddleston as Daeron II Targaryen
2. Emily Blunt as Mariah Martell
3. Mads Mikkelsen as Brynden Rivers
4. Collin Farrel as Aegor Rivers
5. Christian Bale as Daemon Blackfyre
6. Christian Cooke as Haegon Blackfyre
7. Benedict Cumberbatch as Damon Lannister
8. Max Irons as Daemon II Blackfyre
I seriously hope the writing is good and can do the story justice, because the story is really the essence of GoT (at least what it should be), not the battles or the mature content. With the rumoured casts so far, I do hope the developers don't just splurge on big names in the industry, but also prepare a huge amount of production budget to prevent the poor execution of many story arcs in GoT or completely omitting important characters and events due to budget restraints.
Physical appearances aside, I think most actors are promising candidates. But as physical traits are a key element in the world of ASOIAF, I hope that Tom Hiddleston and Christian Bale can pull off the silvery blonde and purple eyes often found on those of Valyrian descent, while Benedict Cumberbatch wouldn't look as silly as a blonde as he did when he performs in "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" when he portrays Ser Damon Lannister.
Thank you for reading, until next time!
-Jason
Source: http://thegeeknerdom.com/blackfyre-rebellion/
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