10 Game of Thrones Characters More Worthy of a Prequel Than The Mad King

Game of Thrones is filled with characters whose pasts are only partially revealed, leaving behind stories that feel bigger than what the HBO series showed. While King Aerys II Targaryen already has a well-known arc of descent into madness, many other figures actually have richer, more complex histories worth exploring on screen.

It’s not true that only important people in Westeros deserve their own prequel; even reformed knights and warlords need their stories told. From tales of redemption to rise to power, no story is too small for a prequel.

Here are ten characters from Game of Thrones who are worthy of a prequel—and who might be even more intriguing than the Mad King himself.

1 Sandor & Gregor Clegane’s Tragic Childhood Built on Violence

We know how the Clegane brothers hate each other, but we never really got to see how it all started. While they were only side characters in Game of Thrones, they have earned a massive following that fans demanded a Cleganebowl, a confrontation we have seen in the final season.

Exploring their troubled childhood filled with violence would make us understand them better. Unlike a story focused on Aerys II, which is largely about one man’s psychological collapse, this prequel centering on Sandor and Gregor would offer a realistic origin story that shows how brutality is manufactured rather than born.

What’s also great about this is that we can get a dual perspective: one brother broken by trauma and the other transformed by cruelty.

2 Jaqen H’ghar & The Making of a Faceless Assassin

Jaqen H’ghar and the Faceless Men of Braavos were barely explored in the series despite appearing in several episodes. To this day, many are still wondering about his true identity and how exactly he became “no one.”

This makes for an interesting prequel that could reveal more about the secret training and beliefs of the Faceless Men, something the HBO adaptation failed to expand on due to time and budget constraints. Unlike the Mad King, Jaqen is more enigmatic, elusive, and inscrutable.

3 Khal Drogo, or The Rise of the Great Khal of the Dothraki Sea

It’s upsetting that Khal Drogo died in Season 1, even though we know this is necessary to push Daenerys Targaryen’s story forward. We’ve seen him as the great Dothraki chieftain, but how about his rise to power? A prequel will definitely show us how Drogo earned his fearsome reputation.

A spinoff centering on him would take us far from Westeros and into the heart of Essos. Instead of dealing with Aerys II and the political walls of King’s Landing, we’ll get more blood and action as we see Drogo’s earlier battles.

There’s a reason, after all, why he sported long hair; it symbolized his status among the Dothraki as an undefeated warlord, so we might as well witness the conquests that allowed him to wear it with pride.

4 Tywin Lannister on Forging Fear Into Power & Glory

Tywin has always stood as an icon of power and authority in King’s Landing, and a prequel would offer the perfect opportunity to explore the upbringing and formative years that shaped his ruthless leadership. As a child, he served as a royal page and cupbearer to King Aegon V Targaryen, so we know that he has been exposed to the politics of Westeros early on.

Although the Lord of Casterly Rock participated in the latter part of Robert’s Rebellion, which The Mad King stage play will likely tackle, a much younger version of him during the War of the Ninepenny Kings and the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt would make a good story for a spinoff, as it will establish him as one of the best political strategists in the Seven Kingdoms.

5 Olenna Tyrell: The Making of Highgarden’s Most Clever Queen

Olenna was a very refreshing character in Game of Thrones. Despite her limited screen time, she was able to impress the audience with her wit and sharp tongue and even make her final scene as iconic as possible. Despite her having some of the best dialogues, we still don’t know much about her.

A spinoff featuring a younger Olenna would be very interesting. Even before, she was likely sharp-witted, ambitious, and far more politically aware than most noblewomen (and noblemen) around her. Just watching her effortlessly roast anyone she deems beneath her intellect would be far more entertaining than witnessing Aerys II’s mental and physical decline.

6 Melisandre & The Origin of The Red Priestess of R’hllor

Melisandre’s origins as a red priestess of R’hllor and a shadowbinder from Asshai would absolutely make a good prequel. Her story is filled with faith, prophecy, and dark magic, and what’s more exciting is that her journey opens the door to global world-building across Essos and beyond.

Instead of focusing on Aerys II’s decline in power and the subsequent rebellion, we need a spinoff showing how Melisandre practiced her art for years beyond count, and everything else she did before the events in Game of Thrones.

7 Davos Seaworth on How He Went From A Smuggler to the Onion Knight

A Davos Seaworth prequel offers a rags-to-riches perspective of the Seven Kingdoms that contrasts sharply with the political tragedy of the Mad King. While Aerys II’s story is a well-known historical account, a young Davos offers a fresh look at the underworld of the Free Cities and the Narrow Sea.

This spinoff would allow us to see the secret world of smugglers and how Davos achieved his redemption arc. He’s one of the most honest ones who doesn’t try to hide his dark past, and this is what we might just need: a refreshing story of transformation.

8 Night King’s Origins & What the Children of the Forest Unleashed

The story of the Night King shifts the focus away from human politics and toward the ancient, terrifying mystery of how the White Walkers came to be. Seeing the Children of the Forest create their own doom would add a tragic layer to the history of Westeros that we haven’t seen yet.

A Night King prequel would allow for a much higher level of fantasy and magic, exploring a time when the world was wild and full of strange creatures. While the Mad King’s end is a story we already know well, the true goals and secrets of the Night King remain largely a mystery.

9 Maester Aemon Targaryen, The Dragon Who Chose the Night’s Watch

Maester Aemon’s story gave us a unique perspective on a Targaryen who walked away from the Iron Throne for a life of duty. Shipped off to the Citadel to become a maester, he ended up serving the Night’s Watch at Castle Black while the entire realm had almost forgotten about his Targaryen blood.

He was already very old at the beginning of Game of Thrones, and a prequel showing his younger years is something fans would definitely want to see. This will feature characters from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, such as his father, Maekar, and his brothers, Daeron, Aerion, and Egg.

10 Walder Frey on How He Became the Most Hated Man In Westeros

We definitely need a Walder Frey prequel despite our universal hatred for this character. It will focus on him as a young, ambitious heir struggling to gain respect for House Frey, and the story will highlight his obsession with building the Crossing into a powerhouse.

While the Mad King’s story is about his great fall from power, Frey’s prequel will explore how he used spite and cleverness to climb the social ladder. The spinoff could explore how decades of bitterness eventually turned a proud man into the traitor who planned the Red Wedding.

GOT Characters That Deserve A Prequel	Possible Storyline
Sandor & Gregor Clegane	Their tragic childhood
Jaqen H’ghar	How he became one of the Faceless Men
Khal Drogo	His early battles before he became a Dothraki khal
Tywin Lannister	Serving at Aegon V’s court, participating in the War of the Ninepenny Kings and the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt
Olenna Tyrell	Younger years before she married Lord Tyrell
Melisandre	How she became the Red Priestess of R’hllor
Davos Seaworth	Redemption arc from a smuggler to a landed knight
Night King	His origin story before invading Westeros
Maester Aemon Targaryen	Younger years while he was studying at the Citadel
Walder Frey	His struggle to build House Frey and the years of bitterness that consumed him

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Which other characters from the show do you think deserve a prequel? Let us know in the comments!

Game of Thrones is currently available to watch on HBO Max.