Years of anticipation have followed the Starks for Game of Thrones fans. The spin-off train kept derailing, with Kit Harington admitting the Jon Snow spin-off stalled because the story isn’t strong enough. Now the Starks are finally back — but not on TV. They’re coming as a digital trading card bundle in Game of Thrones: Legends, and the summon banner requires premium currency. Meanwhile, Maisie Williams said she was surprised by the project.
Wednesday, September 23, marks the arrival of the Hand of the King Summon, which stays active through Wednesday, October 21. The event gathers nearly all of the major Legendary Champions from House Stark into one place: Ned, Sansa, Arya, Robb, Catelyn, and Jon Snow as the King in the North. The reunion is official, and it’s taking place within a mobile game instead of a scripted series.
The Stark Spin-Off Derailed
The Arya Stark spin-off that was once rumored has never progressed beyond the speculation stage. Maisie Williams has now weighed in on the matter, saying she was taken aback by the reports and is still unsure whether she would come back to the role. Her condition for a return is that Arya be allowed to undergo substantial development.
The Jon Snow spin-off remains shelved, according to Kit Harington, who explained that he and the creative team never found a story compelling enough to bring the character back. Harington has said he feels Jon’s original ending worked, and that any return would need to happen for the right creative reasons rather than simply continuing his story for its own sake.
Since HBO’s Game of Thrones ended, the Starks have not had much Stark-focused content to speak of. This lack has made things look bleak for them, which fits their tone, though it still disappoints fans.
The Summon Reunites the Family
The digital collection for the Starks comes through the Hand of the King Summon, which pulls the entire family roster back into the game. The banner features Ned, Sansa, Arya, Robb, Catelyn, and Jon Snow as the King in the North. That covers most of the key Legendary Champions in House Stark, and the summon runs from September 23 to October 21.
Exalted Tokens are Legends’ premium currency, and they are needed to summon Champions and special Exalted Summons. The tokens first appeared earlier this year and players can earn them by completing Material Trials, Proving Grounds, and Goldroad rewards. Alternatively, players can spend Gold on Exalted banners to get them.
Anyone chasing the rarest rewards will find Exalted Summons deliver twice the probability of Legendary Shards when set against the previous Splendid Token Summons, which makes it a notable increase for players seeking those rarer rewards.
How Summons Work in Legends
Legends uses Summons as its way of adding new characters to a player’s roster. Players put forth various kinds of tokens in exchange for a shot at acquiring Champion Shards. Once a player gathers enough of these shards, they can unlock a Champion and continue building it out. Each Summon banner carries its own distinct set of characters that players can draw from.
One of the banners stands apart because it centers on the Starks, and that makes it the main event for the month. The Hand of the King Summon is what carries that weight.
A Busy September for Legends
This month’s schedule is full from September 14 to October 21, and it includes more than just the Hand of the King Summon.
- The new Endless Winter Kingsroad season began September 14, with its premium Goldroad track offering shards for the Night King.
- The current PvP season features Aemond Targaryen shards.
- Battle of Blackwater Bay runs from September 17–21, alongside a Summon featuring Davos Seaworth, Daario Naharis, Daemon Targaryen, and the Night King.
- Assault on Rook’s Rest follows September 24–28, with its own Summon featuring Oberyn Martell, Sunfyre, Tywin Lannister, and Gregor Clegane.
- New Iconic Items are arriving for Joffrey Baratheon on September 16.
That’s a lot of content packed into a few weeks. The Hand of the King Summon sits at the center of it all, but it’s far from the only drop on the calendar.
What Fans Get From the Summon
Players who collect every Champion in the Hand of the King Summon bring together the entire Stark family. All six Champions must be gathered to complete the House Stark lineup, with Jon Snow serving as the King in the North. The summon demands Exalted Tokens, making it a premium drop instead of a free one.
The summon event closes in October 21, so players have a limited time to collect the required tokens. The doubled chance to get Legendary Shards makes this a good opportunity for those hunting rare Champions.
Why the Mobile Route Makes Sense
A mobile game like Legends offers a practical way to bring the Starks back into the fold. The spin-off train kept derailing, and Kit Harington and the Jon Snow project couldn’t find a story compelling enough to justify bringing the character back. This approach delivers the Starks without the pressure of a full scripted series.
An online multiplayer game can be played by many players at once, and the summon format matches that style well’s history. Game of Thrones: Legends is a puzzle game from Zynga, released July 25, 2024. It’.
“The project remains shelved because he and the creative team never found a story compelling enough to justify bringing the character back.”
That’s a direct quote from Kit Harington’s update. The mobile route lets the franchise keep the Starks alive without committing to a full scripted revival.
The Bottom Line on the Summon
Fans will find plenty to like in the Hand of the King Summon, which restores the Starks in a way that matters and gives players a real incentive to play. With the summon running through October 21, there’s room to build a strategy around it before the window closes.
The summon requires Exalted Tokens, which means it’s a premium drop. That’s the trade-off for the twice-the-probability boost on Legendary Shards. Players who want the full set will need to budget accordingly.
The summon is live now, and the family is back. The Starks have been absent from TV for a while, and this mobile reunion is a welcome change of pace. It’s not the scripted revival some fans wanted, but it’s a solid alternative.
For anyone who hasn’t played Game of Thrones: Legends yet, the summon is a reason to try it. The game launched July 25, 2024, and it’s available online. The September schedule offers plenty of reasons to stick around.
It’s official: the Starks are back. The call has gone out, and the tokens are prepared. This is a good day for anyone who follows them.
See the video the story is built around at Screenrant.
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