| Daenerys Targaryen and dragon. Illustration by Sébastien Thibault |
Encyclopaedia Westerosa: the biggest Game of Thrones mysteries, solved
How huge is Westeros? What is wildfire? And how rich are the Lannisters? Ten things you didn’t know about the most obsessed-about show in the world
Warning: this piece contains spoilers for seasons 1-5 of Game of Thrones.
When George RR Martin’s stabby saga was adapted for TV in 2011, perhaps the biggest question surrounding it was: why would any self-respecting adult watch a fantasy series about dragons, zombies and magic? Well, six seasons in, the folly of that way of thinking has been exposed like a member of the Night’s Watch trapped north of the Wall. Game of Thrones is now a global obsession.
Much of that success is down to the detailed world created by Martin and brought to vivid and sometimes visceral life on the show. From the frozen north to the intrigue-filled chambers of King’s Landing, Westeros is a place steeped in mythos and mystery, familiar yet so alien. Even now, there’s still so much we don’t know about the place, so many questions that need answering. But while you’ve already read 713 blogs about whether or not Jon Snow has carked it, there are deeper mysteries about Game of Thrones that have never been properly addressed. Ahead of the show’s season six premiere, we get to grips with Westeros’s biggest hows, whys and whats. Answers are coming ...