Game of Thrones brought the world to the glorious fantasy continent of Westeros. The unique and varied land mass was not humanity’s native home. Humans came to Westeros for several reasons. The First Men crossed the land bridge for unknown reasons. The Andals came to spread their faith. The Rhoynar sailed to the new continent to avoid persecution, piloting 10,000 ships to new land in a desperate bid to survive.
After Game of Thrones‘ final season, HBO tried countless follow-ups. The public perception of Westeros fell sharply after the disastrous finale. House of the Dragon became the frontrunner and restored some faith in the franchise, but it was far from the only idea on the table. Several Game of Thrones spinoffs are still in production, but there’s no way to tell which have been quietly canceled.
Who was Nymeria?
Princess Nymeria of Ny Sar became the last Princess of the Rhyonar during the Rhoynish Wars. The books rarely cover her early life aside from the nightmarish circumstances that ended it. The dragonlords of the Valyrian Freehold waged war against Nymeria’s culture. Their expansion threatened every border in Essos. After several cruel defeats, Prince Garin of Chroyane united the leaders of various city-states to oppose Valyria. Nymeria was the lone dissenter, advocating for a retreat over a final stand. Garin ignored Nymeria, and her warriors eventually persuaded her to let them join the fight. Valyria flew 300 dragons into Rhoynish territory and annihilated Garin’s combined forces. Ny Sar enjoyed due forewarning, allowing Nymeria to return to her original plan. She gathered every ship in the city-states and loaded them with every woman and child they could carry. Nymeria said goodbye to her home, sacrificing her land to save her people.
What were Nymeria’s 10,000 Ships?
Nymeria led a massive fleet of refugees across the open sea to safety. There were likely less than 10,000 ships in her command. Some argue she sailed with less than 1,000 vessels, but estimates vary. They included pleasure barges, private riverboats, fishing trollers, and any other aquatic vehicles Nymeria’s soldiers could find. Hundreds of ships sank in storms or returned to face Valyrian slavers. Nymeria led her people to the Basilisk Isles, named after the terrible toxic reptiles who occupied it. Its limited residents offered land in exchange for a yearly sacrifice of virgins. Nymeria refused. Nymeria next tried the lost continent, Sothoryos. Though they enjoyed ample land, Sothoryos fought them hard. Diseases killed hundreds, and local slavers frequently raided their settlements. She found another settlement in the Summer Isles, but its poor soil couldn’t yield enough food. Nymeria’s people dwindled year after year, but she never gave up. Finally, she turned her remaining charges to Westeros.
Nymeria and her remaining ships landed at Dorne, just as the First Men had several thousand years earlier. Dorne was a brutal desert, as far removed as possible from the riverbank city-state she once ruled. Nymeria stepped off her ships and into a widespread war. No Noble House claimed Dorne, as every assembled army fought constantly for land and power. Nymeria burned what remained of her 10,000 ships and entered the battle. Several Petty Lords rejected her, but she found her Prince. Lord Mors Martell of the Sunspear was smitten with the warrior-queen. He married her as quickly as possible, merging their forces and their cultures. Their soldiers fought under a new combined banner. House Martell’s army married Rhoynish widows, uniting their people by blood. With their powers combined, House Nymeros Martell vanquished all competitors and claimed Dorne, keeping the Rhoynish people alive for generations.
Will Ten Thousand Ships reach HBO?
HBO entertained four Game of Thrones spinoff shows in 2017. L.A. Confidential co-writer Brian Helgeland reportedly submitted a pitch entitled Ten Thousand Ships, which would dramatize Nymeria’s quest. HBO hired writer and producer Amanda Segel to write a pilot for the series. News has been scarce from HBO and any involved writers, but Ten Thousand Ships could still be in development. Many speculated the show was canceled after it disappeared from a production company list, but the most recent update from George R. R. Martin should bring some hope:
I see all these stories on the net about other spinoffs being killed or abandoned… no idea where they get this stuff… and it just makes me shake my head. The Nymeria show is still in development. So is the Sea Snake show. Just had a great week on that one, working with writers. And there are others, both live-action and animated.
Ten Thousand Ships is a stellar concept for a Game of Thrones spinoff. It allows a new, talented crew of artists to explore the most fascinating undocumented chunk of the franchise. The first series never spent enough time in Dorne, but the legacy of Nymeria Martell could fix that. Ten Thousand Ships still has a chance. Nymeria spent a lot of years struggling before she found her home, too.
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