It's Official, HBO's Game Of Thrones Is Not Over Yet
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Game of Thrones season 8 was not the end of HBO’s signature fantasy franchise, far from it, and its upcoming new chapter is already touted to be one of its best yet. HBO has become commonly associated with premium TV, and for good reason. After all, HBO’s list of the best TV shows is one that many channels, networks, and streaming services no doubt envy.

The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, Westworld, The Leftovers, True Detective, and more have helped HBO establish itself as one of the most popular go-to spots for viewers in search of hard-hitting series. In terms of fantasy shows, Game of Thrones is by far the biggest. It dominated social media and general discourse for eight seasons, though Game of Thrones‘ ending was controversial.

Many fans did not like how certain characters’ storylines ended, missed opportunities, dark cinematography that made seeing the action difficult, and more. Game of Thrones‘ final couple of seasons certainly had their flaws. That said, they were not enough to effectively kill the franchise, and the future of HBO’s fantasy universe keeps looking better the more time passes.



















The Citadel · Maester’s Examination
How Well Do You Know Westeros?
“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.”

🐺StarkWinter is Coming

🦁LannisterHear Me Roar

🐉TargaryenFire and Blood

🦌BaratheonOurs is the Fury

🐙GreyjoyWe Do Not Sow

01

The Lannisters are the wealthiest family in Westeros, ruling from their ancestral seat. What is the name of their castle?




✓ Correct! Casterly Rock sits atop gold mines in the Westerlands and has been the seat of House Lannister for centuries. The gold beneath it is the source of the family’s legendary wealth — though as Tywin once noted, the mines ran dry years ago.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Casterly Rock. Highgarden belongs to the Tyrells, Storm’s End to the Baratheons, and The Eyrie to the Arryns. Casterly Rock has been the Lannister stronghold since Lann the Clever swindled it from House Casterly.

02

Jon Snow rises through the ranks of the Night’s Watch to eventually hold what title — the highest position in the order?




✓ Correct! Jon Snow was elected the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch by his sworn brothers. He was one of the youngest men to ever hold the title, following in the footsteps of legends like Jeor Mormont.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Lord Commander. While Jon started as a steward, he was elected Lord Commander after the death of Jeor Mormont. Warden of the North is a different title entirely — one held by the Stark family.

03

Daenerys Targaryen hatches three dragons from petrified eggs. Which of the following is NOT one of her dragons?




✓ Correct! Balerion “the Black Dread” was Aegon the Conqueror’s dragon, who died of old age over a century before the events of the show. Daenerys’ three dragons are Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion — named after Khal Drogo, Rhaegar, and Viserys.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Balerion. Daenerys’ three dragons are Drogon (black and red), Rhaegal (green and bronze), and Viserion (cream and gold). Balerion the Black Dread was Aegon the Conqueror’s mount, dead long before Daenerys was born.

04

The Red Wedding is one of the most shocking moments in TV history. At whose castle does this massacre take place?




✓ Correct! The Red Wedding took place at The Twins, the castle of House Frey. Lord Walder Frey violated the sacred guest right by slaughtering Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, and their bannermen during the wedding feast of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Twins. Walder Frey’s castle — two towers spanning the Green Fork — was where he broke sacred guest right to massacre the Starks. “The Lannisters send their regards” remains one of the show’s most chilling lines.

05

Jon Snow wields a Valyrian steel bastard sword given to him by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. What is the sword’s name?




✓ Correct! Longclaw is a Valyrian steel bastard sword that was the ancestral weapon of House Mormont. Jeor gave it to Jon after he saved the Lord Commander from a wight, replacing the bear pommel with a white wolf for House Stark.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Longclaw. Ice was the Stark greatsword (melted down by Tywin Lannister), Heartsbane belonged to House Tarly, and Oathkeeper was one of the two swords forged from Ice. Longclaw is the Mormont blade Jon carries throughout the series.

06

Tyrion Lannister serves as Hand of the King to which ruler, expertly managing the defense of King’s Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater?




✓ Correct! Tywin sent Tyrion to serve as Hand in his place during Joffrey’s reign. Tyrion brilliantly orchestrated the defense against Stannis Baratheon’s fleet using wildfire, though he received no credit and was nearly killed in the battle.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Joffrey Baratheon. Tyrion served as Joffrey’s Hand of the King in Season 2, appointed by his father Tywin. He later served as Hand to Daenerys, but it was under Joffrey that the Battle of the Blackwater took place.

07

Jon Snow’s true parentage is one of the show’s biggest reveals. What is his real Targaryen name, given by his mother Lyanna Stark?




✓ Correct! Lyanna Stark named her son Aegon Targaryen. He is the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna, who were secretly married. This made Jon the true heir to the Iron Throne — a fact that changed the course of the final season.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Aegon Targaryen. Lyanna whispered the name to Ned Stark in the Tower of Joy. Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen (not named after him), making him Aegon — a name carried by many Targaryen kings, including the Conqueror himself.

08

In the series finale, who is chosen by the lords and ladies of Westeros to rule the Six Kingdoms as king?




✓ Correct! Bran Stark — now Bran the Broken — was chosen as king of the Six Kingdoms at the Dragonpit council. Tyrion argued that Bran’s story was the most compelling reason to rule. Sansa became Queen in the North, and Jon was sent back to the Wall.

✗ Dracarys! The answer is Bran Stark. Tyrion nominated Bran at the great council, arguing “who has a better story than Bran the Broken?” Sansa was crowned Queen in the independent North, Jon returned to the Wall, and Tyrion served as Bran’s Hand of the King.

The Citadel · Results Sealed
Your Westeros Record

⚔

/ 8

Did you claim the Iron Throne — or lose your head?

Earlier this year, viewers were introduced to another pocket of author George R. R. Martin’s Westeros adventures in the form of the Dunk and Egg-centric A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. That was only the start of this next chapter for the Game of Thrones franchise, which will see another series air new episodes in 2026 and could bring back the main show in a way.

New Game Of Thrones Shows Keep On Coming (Sequels Are In Development)

Kit Harington as Jon Snow in season 6 of Game of Thrones
Kit Harington as Jon Snow in season 6 of Game of Thrones

No, I don’t mean to say that HBO and the original cast are going to team up in the future to redo Game of Thrones season 8 or come up with season 9. Instead, Martin has already revealed that there are multiple Game of Thrones sequel series in the works. That is in addition to the Jon Snow spinoff that star Kit Harington had been developing, and which would have taken the hero on a downward spiral, before it ultimately fell apart. Through those sequel shows, HBO could bring back Game of Thrones, with Arya, Sansa, Bran, Tyrion, Jon, and more still alive.

Aside from the main show itself finding a continuation in the form of sequel series, the Game of Thrones universe has already started expanding. The hit series’ first spinoff was House of the Dragon, which quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, catapulting the young Rhaenyra Targaryen actress Milly Alcock to stardom, with the actress leading DC’s Supergirl movie this month. House of the Dragon is confirmed to end with season 4. After that, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a lighter, more down-to-earth kind of fantasy series, also found global success, showcasing how Westeros is a multidimensional setting.

House Of The Dragon Season 3’s Early Praise Boosts HBO’s Game Of Thrones Franchise’s Next Chapter

The next release to come from the Game of Thrones franchise will be House of the Dragon season 3, with the show’s first episode airing on HBO on June 21. The trailers for the fantasy series’ return teased that House of the Dragon season 3 would be filled with battles, becoming the action-packed series that fans had been waiting for ever since the Targaryen Civil War started. Now, the first House of the Dragon season 3 reactions have started to come out, and one of them paints the picture of just how exciting the next step for the Game of Thrones franchise truly is.

On X, Next Best Picture‘s Matt Neglia revealed that he has watched the first two episodes of House of the Dragon season 3. According to him, “They are the best 1-2 punch combination the series has delivered yet.” Neglia also praised the new Game of Thrones franchise’s episodes by claiming they bring “a level of scale that feels bigger than anything else” House of the Dragon has done in the past. A little under two weeks out from House of the Dragon season 3’s debut, the next chapter for the Game of Thrones franchise could not look any better.

Game of Thrones Franchise Poster

Cast

Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Sophie Turner, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Iain Glen, John Bradley, Alfie Allen, Conleth Hill, Liam Cunningham, Gwendoline Christie, Aidan Gillen, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Rory McCann, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jerome Flynn, Rhys Ifans, Matt Smith, Graham McTavish, Fabien Frankel, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Emma D’Arcy, Matthew Needham, Olivia Cooke, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey


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