Game of Thrones season 5 Blu-ray to include a 20-minute Dance of Dragons animated feature 

If you’ve been curious to learn more about The Dance of Dragons aka the Targaryen Civil War, which the books and the show have referenced but never described in full, then you now have another reason to look forward to the

season 5 Blu-ray release in March. Its special features will include a 20-minute animated feature detailing the events of the tragic war. IGN has released a 2-minute sample.

The Dance of Dragons was a war of succession between Aegon II and his half-sister, Rhaenyra that, among other things, contributed to the extinction of dragons in Westeros.

This animated feature, written by Dave Hill and produced by Adam Vadnais, will feature the voice talent of

actors Pedro Pascal (heard here in the sample), Kerry Ingram, Harry Lloyd, Mark Addy, Michelle Fairley and Jack Gleeson. Hill spoke to IGN of the project’s origins.

“When HBO and Adam Vadnais broached the idea of adapting The Dance of Dragons for the Blu-ray special features, I was thrilled. I loved the story as George had written it and felt honored to help bring an animated version to the fans,” Hill told IGN in a statement. “Every year I try to keep the scripts worthy of the incredible work that I know to expect from Adam and his team. This year, more so than ever, they’ve set the bar astronomically high with the Dance of Dragons featurette. Winter will eventually come, but not the day that Adam and his team fail to amaze me.”

A complete account of the war will be included in George R.R. Martin’s upcoming book,

, which will detail the full history of House Targaryen. However, if you don’t feel like waiting, you can read abridged accounts of the war in

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That’s really cool. I wonder if the show will touch ever touch on that or the Blackfyre Rebellion. Oh, and I’ll be happy to at least hear Shireen’s voice again lol.

That is amazing, can’t wait for it to come out! In other news regarding the season 5 blu-ray release – best buy is advertising three different houses to choose from for the cover. Bolton, Targaryen, and Martell!

Can’t find my copy of “The Princess and the Queen” to check, but isn’t the naration in the clip word for word from the novella?

nice to know that Pedro’s Oberyn voice still does things to me

That’s really cool. I wonder if the show will touch ever touch on that or the Blackfyre Rebellion. Oh, and I’ll be happy to at least hear Shireen’s voice again lol.

Shireen already explained the gist of the war in season five, in the episode named after the conflict and Shireen’s book:

Shireen: It’s the story of the fight between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon for control over the Seven Kingdoms. Both of them thought they belonged on the Iron Throne. When people started declaring for one of them or the other, their fight divided the kingdoms in two. Brothers fought brothers, dragons fought dragons. By the time it was over, thousands were dead. And it was a disaster for the Targaryens as well. They never truly recovered.

Stannis: If you had to choose between Rhaenyra and Aegon… who would you have chosen?

Shireen: I wouldn’t have chosen either. It’s all the choosing sides that made everything so horrible.

Stannis: Sometimes a person has to choose. Sometimes the world forces his hand. If a man knows what he is… and remains true to himself… the choice is no choice at all. He must fulfill his destiny… and become who he is meant to be. However much he may hate it.

I wouldn’t expect a more elaborate explanation in the show. They already worked the story of the civil war into the climax of Stannis’ story quite beautifully. If they’re going to parallel a historical event to something happening in the story (which is the only possible reason they would ever bother with this otherwise unnecessary exposition), I’d rather they picked another event for it, instead of working in the Targaryan civil war again.

Most show-watchers don’t ever watch this kind of thing. So it wouldn’t be very helpful, if that was the goal. At this point, isn’t expecting the Griffs to appear even more desperate than expecting LSH?

Considering Young Griff and his shit Deus Ex Machina plotline is cut,i doubt it . Oh look,let’s introduce a random Targaryen in the middle of the story that no one gives a crap about,that’s a good idea ! Cue the fanboys who will claim that his existence was foreshadowed,i don’t care,it still felt lazy and i still think the plotline sucks and i’m glad it’s cut from the show just like LSH .

I think they missed a bit. I don’t remember the exact words, but I think it was something like this: – Aemond: You were a fool by coming here alone.

– Daemon: If I hadn’t, you wouldn’t have come.

Wow…interesting addition to the bluray. Those wacky Targs! Thrilling read. I like Mushroom’s version.

I think you are right, I vaguely remember that too now, but it’s definitively very close.

I wonder if this will influence any Dance of the Dragons prequel, if they ever make one.

The art looks horrible. Normally they put a lot of effort into the Histories and Lore, but this seems drawn by a 10-year-old.

I’d imagine Fire and Blood will come out before Winds of Winter.

Sweet! Nice to have Harry Lloyd back!

It’s a preview – it might be a “proof of concept” using storyboard sketches.

Oh good, Harry Lloyd! 😀 He did great readings for the history and lore of Westeros videos. Also loved the Supreme Tweeter! This should be good.

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