New Game of Thrones Sequel Plot Leaked? Exploring The Wild Rumours About Arya Stark's Return

It has been years since the credits rolled on the biggest show of the 2010s, yet the frustration over how it ended hasn't really gone away. While the series is still a television giant, that finale remains a massive sore spot in pop culture conversations.

Now, it looks like the network is finally ready to face the music. New reports suggest a fresh project is in the works, and it might just be the apology for the original ending that viewers have been waiting for.

Expanding The Universe Beyond The Wall

The Game of Thrones world has managed to stay relevant despite the backlash, mostly by looking backward rather than forward. The first attempt at this, House of the Dragon, worked well and proved there was still life in the franchise for HBO.

The studio is keeping that energy going with the second spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It drops this Sunday, January 18th, and critics seem to like it so far, as it is currently sitting at an 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes. With the prequels doing their job, the executives seem ready to look at the future timeline again. The franchise could be continued through the first true sequel to the main show.

Why The Jon Snow Project Was Shelved

After the finale aired, fans were loud about wanting a "do-over", with some even signing petitions for a new final season. That was never going to happen, of course, but the people in charge kept looking for ways to soften the blow of Game of Thrones season 8.

The first big idea was a Jon Snow sequel. It got pretty far into development, with Kit Harington even coming back to help shape it. However, the details that came out after it was cancelled suggest we might have dodged a bullet.

We learnt the series would have focused on a depressed version of Jon, living alone until he eventually died. That sounds incredibly bleak compared to the potential of the new concept they are looking at now.

Arya Stark Returns To Fix The Franchise

According to The Hollywood Reporter, HBO is digging into new sequel ideas, with Quoc Dang Tran from Drops of God reportedly handling the story. One of the strongest options on the table involves bringing back Maisie Williams as Arya Stark.

This story would likely take place in Essos, picking up a thread that was left dangling. We last saw Arya sailing off to find out what is 'west of Westeros'. If she kept going that way for long enough, she would theoretically hit the east side of Essos anyway.

Adventures 'West of Westeros' and Reunions

Most characters got a wrap-up in season 8, but Arya's ending felt more like a pause than a conclusion. Watching her actually find something out there would make that open-ended finale feel less like a cop-out and more like a setup.

This sequel series gives the writers a chance to use the potential that felt wasted when she left her family immediately after reuniting with them. It is a scenario where we could finally get the best of both worlds.

We could see Arya living as a true adventurer out in Essos, really owning that free-spirit vibe, before she eventually makes her way back. That return trip would allow her to properly reconnect with Jon, Sansa, and Bran. Bit by bit, this sequel series could repair the damage done to the characters in season 8.