Netflix’s upcoming show surrounding the iconicDungeons & Dragonslocation, The Forgotten Realms, now has the perfect opportunity to fulfill a promise fromDungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.The announcement ofNetflix’s Forgotten Realms showis an exciting one for audiences who love both the tabletop and the 2023 film, after Paramount canceled all related projects, largely due toHonor Among Thieves’lacking box office despite positive audience feedback. Having a project like this could recapture the film’s love for the game while also expanding on the tabletop’s many vivid worlds with new characters.
However, while the series will likely feature many aspects ofThe Forgotten Realms' game elements, it should not just stick to them.Dungeons & Dragonshas many intersecting settings and franchises, some of which never got to reach their full potential,likeHonor Among Thieves.A series about one of its largest locations could fix this, filling in those gaps and introducing newer audiences to parts of the tabletop they have never seen before. One big example is a powerful villain from The Forgotten Realms who was introduced, but never got his spotlight inHonor Among Thieves.
Netflix’s Dungeons & Dragons Show Must Fulfill Honor Among Thieves' Szass Tam Promise
Szass Tam Was Meant To Be Honor Among Thieves' BBEG
Netflix’sDungeons & Dragonsshow focusing on The Forgotten Realms must fulfillHonor Among Thieves’Szass Tam promiseas he was clearly meant to be the main villain of the franchise.Szass Tam is introduced in the film by Xenk (Regé-Jean Page) whose own backstory connects him to the Lich magic user’s land of Thay, which Szass Tam infected with his curse. He is not fully featured in the film, but one of his Red Wizards, Sofina (Daisy Head), demonstrates a portion of the destructive power he wields, making him a formidable villain later in the party’s story.
My Hopes For Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves 2 Just Received A Major Boost, 2 Years After The $208M Box Office Letdown
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves deserves a sequel, and I think there is still a way that it can happen, considering D&D’s popularity.
Unfortunately,Honor Among Thieves' box office performance means that those plans have likely been set aside, leaving the promise of witnessing this well-established villain in such an adaptation hanging. The Netflix series can rectify this, allowing audiences who know of Szass Tam’s power and history inDungeons & Dragonsa chance to truly see him in action. That same history cements him in the world of The Forgotten Realms, allowing him to be a strong anchor point and creating yet another reason he would be a great choice for the villain of the upcoming show’s storyline.
Szass Tam Would Be The Perfect Villian For A Forgotten Realms Show
Audiences Are Now Familiar With Him After Honor Among Thieves
Szass Tam would be the perfect choice for The Forgotten Realms show’s main antagonist as he is both from the tabletop setting and is now recognizable to newcomers. As mentioned, Szass Tam is one of the importantcharacters in The Forgotten Realms' lore.His quest to obtain more necrotic power has been a part of the setting sinceDungeons & Dragons’third edition,making him familiar to those who have played campaigns here before. This in turn will create more anticipation as audiences witness how the party defeats an enemy they may have struggled against.
Szass Tam’s power and story were explained in the film, so the series would not have to spend as much time establishing his backstory or showcasing why he is such a threat to those who do not already know.
In a similar vein, audiences newer to the tabletop would still likely recognize him and his story fromHonor Among Thieves,allowing them an entry point in the otherwise elaborate lore. Szass Tam’s power and story are explained in the film, so the series would not have to spend as much time establishing his backstory or showing why he is such a threat to those who do not already know. As a result, the audience can become invested more efficiently, letting this newDungeons & Dragonsseries finally tell the story the film was hoping to tackle after many more adventures.
