West of Westeros
West of Westeros is the great unknown — the vast ocean called the Sunset Sea, and whatever lands might exist beyond the far western edge of the map. No one has ever crossed it and returned to prove what's there. See the overview in Mysterious Places Beyond Westeros.[1]
The Big Question
In the world of Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire, everyone knows the world is round (like our Earth). So in theory:
If you sail west from Westeros across the Sunset Sea and keep going, you should eventually come all the way around to the far side of the world — to Yi-Ti and the eastern lands.
But no one has ever succeeded in the voyage. It remains the story's greatest unanswered geographic question.[2]
Who Has Tried (And What Happened)
Several bold explorers have attempted to cross the Sunset Sea over the centuries:
- Brandon the Shipwright — an early Stark king who sailed west and was never seen again
- Alys Westhill — a woman who sailed west past the known islands and was also never seen again
- Various failed eastward attempts — many sailors have likewise perished trying to find a route around the world through the frozen north
- Lord Gylbert Farwynd of the Lonely Light (the westernmost Iron Island) speaks strangely of lands far to the west "with no winter and no death" — talk most people dismiss as madness
Three Theories About the Sunset Sea
Scholars argue about what lies to the west:
- An impossibly vast ocean — so wide no ship could ever cross it without running out of supplies.
- A "just barely crossable" ocean — large, but theoretically navigable if routes were known (none have been).
- Undiscovered continents — a bold minority theory that entirely new, unknown landmasses exist between Westeros and the eastern lands.
Why This Matters
- It's the ultimate open mystery. The whole story is about exploring unknown dangers, and "what lies west" is the biggest unexplored frontier of all.
- It hints at more magic. Farwynd's "no winter, no death" talk suggests some believe paradise (or a stranger place) waits out there.
- It could connect to series endings. The story's themes of destiny and the unknown invite the question: does the "good land" lie west, in a mirror of how we think of the New World?
- It reinforces the scale of the world. Even the four known continents are only part of a globe with truly unknown places.
Key Details at a Glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ocean to the west | The Sunset Sea |
| Confirmed western lands | Aegon, Rhaenys, Visenya (small isles) |
| Famous failure | Brandon the Shipwright (never returned) |
| Legendary claim | "Land with no winter and no death" (Farwynd) |
| Scholar theories | Vast ocean / barely crossable / hidden continents |
| Status | Completely unexplored & unverified |
Related Notes
- Mysterious Places Beyond Westeros — the full overview
- Golden Empire of Yi-Ti — the eastern land you'd reach by sailing around the world
- Valyria and the Doom — a fallen empire on the eastern side