The 'Game Of Thrones' Season 8 History & Lore Video Explains So Much

Game of Thrones Season 8 brought the story of A Song of Ice & Fire to a close. But while spoilers were had by all (Daenerys dies!) and eyebrows were raised at some of the choices for the way things shook out (King Bran the Broken? Sure.), not everything made it on-screen. Like every season of Game of Thrones, much of the backfill histories and fantastical pieces of lore could not be shoehorned into the runtime. That's where Game of Thrones Season 8 History & Lore, as once again the Blu-ray extras fill viewers in on Westerosi history that helps things make sense.

This final box set has six tales from the bowels of Westeros to fill in the gaps in viewer knowledge. They include some early histories, like the foundation of King’s Landing, and the terrible reign of Maegor the Cruel. Plus there's some nearer histories, like the Defiance of Duskendale, which has been blamed for "Mad King's" Aegon's descent into dementia, and Balon Greyjoy's rebellion that caused Ned Stark to take Theon as his ward.

But the most crucial history comes from the era known as the Blackfyre rebellions. These are important because unlike some of the Targaryen histories that the forthcoming House of the Dragon will reveal, this is recent enough that it will fall in between the two series.

Considering that the Civil War known as the "Dance of the Dragons" ended in 131 AC, one would have thought the Targaryens would be tired of fighting each other. But only a few decades on, in 196 AC, the First Blackfyre Rebellion broke out. It was an open Civil War and represented the first significant threat to Targaryen rule since Aegon's Conquest.

Unlike Robert's Rebellion, the Targaryens got their act together and put down the rebellion, but the anti-dragonist sentiment remained, and when The Great Spring Sickness began in 209 AC, it set the stage for the Second Blackfyre Rebellion in 212 AC.

Also, in less history focused pieces, there's also a clip focusing on how wildlings view those soft peoples who live south of the Wall. Narrated by Tormund Giantsbane, this one is a hoot: "They drink too little beer and eat too many plants." One can see why southron residents are considered softies. It's all that kale Sansa's been eating. (Come now, you know the kale craze probably took King's Landing by storm during Margaery's reign.)

These and the rest of the DVD and Blu-ray extras will be available when the Game of Thrones Season 8 box sets debut on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. The Game of Thrones: The Complete Collection Limited Edition Blu-ray, which arrives the same day, will also have all of these History & Lore segments, along with all the ones from Seasons 1-7.