#and rhaenyra idolizing visenya?? the parallels write themselves

[bumblesimagines]

Close enough, welcome back rhaenys, visenya and aegon I

But really tho, the resemblence 💀 alicent being the one who he is with for love/pleasure and rhaenyra being for duty and heirs

Wooooo messy

LMAOO I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT

[bunilicious]

“His name is Aegon Targaryen”

This is a simple post meant to compile clues scattered throughout ASOIAF about Jon’s possible Targaryen name (Aegon). While I am aware that many fans prefer names such as Aemon, Jaehaerys, and Daeron, I am also aware that there are just as many possible hints (if not more) to argue that Jon’s true name can be Aegon. 

First, let’s deal with some fan arguments I’ve seen on several discussion boards:   

Fan Argument #1:  GRRM would never have two characters with the same name in his series.

My Counter-Argument: Robert Baratheon - Robert Arryn - Robb Stark; Jon Arryn - Jon Snow - Jon Connington (two of which are POV characters), Jeyne Westerling - Jeyne Poole, Tyrion Lannister - Tyrion Tanner, Lyanna Stark - Lyanna Mormont, countless Walders and Brandons and several Aegons and Nymerias. In a world with hundreds of characters, it is not impossible for names to repeat themselves or for characters to name their children after their friends, family, or historical figures.

Fan Argument #2: GRRM would never give a main character more than one name. It’s against the rules of writing.

My Counter-Argument: Sansa Stark - Alayne Stone, Arya Stark - Beth - Mercy, Theon - Reek. He’s not the first author to do this. Probably the most famous example in fantasy comes from none other than Tolkien: Aragorn - Elessar - Strider.

Fan Argument #3: How could Rhaegar name two of his sons Aegon?

My Counter-Argument: There is no evidence that Rhaegar was involved in Jon’s naming, as he had died months prior to his birth. The name Aegon makes sense once you give up that assumption and think that it’s possible Lyanna might have given Jon that name on her own.

Fan Argument #4: But Rhaegar had another son named Aegon? That name is taken.

My Counter-Argument: Elia’s Aegon had already died in the Sack of King’s Landing by the time Lyanna’s son was born. It’s also not uncommon to have two siblings with the same name if one has died. A well-known example can be found in the “Dune” series, where the central character Paul Atreides  names his sons Leto and Leto II.

Fan Argument #5: But Dany had a vision in the House of the Undying of Rhaegar saying his son with Elia was the song of ice and fire and the prince that was promised.

My Counter-Argument: According to Maester Aemon, Rhaegar was known to change his mind about the prophecy. It’s likely he concluded that a son with Lyanna would be the promised prince and a son of Ice (Lyanna) and Fire (Rhaegar), a fulfillment of the Pact of Ice and Fire. It’s also likely Lyanna herself realized her son was the promised prince after the Sack of King’s Landing and named him accordingly. Aegon....what better name for a king?

Fan Argument #6: But this makes Rhaegar look like an asshole.

Counter-Argument: A character in ASOIAF is not a perfect knight in shining armor? What a shocking twist!111 (sarcasm). Most of the information we have about Rhaegar comes from the likes of Barristan and Jon Con, who idolized him. The latter was even in love with him. It’s likely they have a romanticized view of Rhaegar. Remember, this is the same guy who rode past his wife and made another woman the queen of love and beauty at the tourney. 

 And now for some relevant quotations: 

1) The Pact of Ice and Fire - unfulfilled during the Dance of the Dragons, but later fulfilled via Rhaegar and Lyanna’s wedding and child. A Stark and Targaryen union.

“We have earlier discussed House Stark's role in the Dance of the Dragons. Let it be added that Lord Cregan Stark reaped many rewards for his loyal support of King Aegon III...even if it was not a royal princess marrying into his family, as had been agreed in the Pact of Ice and Fire made when the doomed prince Jacaerys Velaryon had flown to Winterfell upon his dragon.” (The World of Ice and Fire)

2)  Dany thinks about marrying Aegon:

“Five Aegons had ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. There would have been a sixth, but the Usurper's dogs had murdered her brother's son when he was still a babe at the breast. If he had lived, I might have married him. Aegon would have been closer to my age than Viserys.” (Daenerys I, ADWD) 

4) Aegon the Dragonlord come again:

“You see how long it is?" Viserys said. "When Dothraki are defeated in combat, they cut off their braids in disgrace, so the world will know their shame. Khal Drogo has never lost a fight. He is Aegon the Dragonlord come again, and you will be his queen." (Daenerys I, AGOT)

Interestingly enough, just like Aegon the Conqueror, Jon Snow has two “sisters” who bear similarities to Aegon’s two sisters Visenya and Rhaenys. I am not saying Jon will start having threesomes with Arya and Sansa. Get your heads out of the gutter! But Jon’s “sisters” can turn out to be Jon’s moral support and help him the way Aegon’s sisters helped him.

5) The Second Dance of Dragons: GRRM has used the idea of having two Aegons before. In the books, Young Griff could take on the role of the Elder Aegon, especially in light of the second dance of dragons that GRRM has promised (Young Griff vs. Dany). We could be dealing with a slightly older and younger Aegon this time around, as well as a situation where we are introduced to a fake Aegon (Young Griff) and a real Aegon (Jon).

In King’s Landing, Queen Alicent grew most wroth when she learned the babe had been named Aegon, taking it for a slight against her own Aegon … which it most certainly was. (Hereafter, we will refer to Queen Alicent’s son as Aegon the Elder and Princess Rhaenyra’s son as Aegon the Younger). (The Rogue Prince)

6) Jon and Egg parallels: Maester Aemon gives the same advice to Jon and Aegon V. While many might interpret this scene as a clue that Jon’s name is Aemon because of Jon’s relationship with his mentor, the scene can also be interpreted as Aemon giving the same final piece of advice to an Aegon.

"Allow me to give my lord one last piece of counsel," the old man had said, "the same counsel that I once gave my brother when we parted for the last time. He was three-and-thirty when the Great Council chose him to mount the Iron Throne. A man grown with sons of his own, yet in some ways still a boy. Egg had an innocence to him, a sweetness we all loved. Kill the boy within you, I told him the day I took ship for the Wall. It takes a man to rule. An Aegon, not an Egg. Kill the boy and let the man be born.” The old man felt Jon's face. "You are half the age that Egg was, and your own burden is a crueler one, I fear. You will have little joy of your command, but I think you have the strength in you to do the things that must be done. Kill the boy, Jon Snow. Winter is almost upon us. Kill the boy and let the man be born." (Jon II, ADWD)

7) “There must be one more. The dragon has three heads.” The dragon (Rhaegar) had three heads (children). But the third wasn’t a Visenya. It was a second Aegon, the son(g) of ice and fire.

“Prince Aegon was Rhaegar's heir by Elia of Dorne," Ser Jorah said. "But if he was this prince that was promised, the promise was broken along with his skull when the Lannisters dashed his head against a wall."

"I remember," Dany said sadly. "They murdered Rhaegar's daughter as well, the little princess. Rhaenys, she was named, like Aegon's sister. There was no Visenya, but he said the dragon has three heads. What is the song of ice and fire?" (Daenerys V, ACOK)

8) Rhaegar’s rubies. This has been interpreted in the past as the six rubies being Rhaegar, Rhaenys, Viserys, Aegon, Dany and Rhaego, and the seventh ruby being Jon Snow. However, this does not account for the other two Targaryens (Aerys and Rhaella) and Rhaego was stillborn. 

An alternative interpretation could be that each ruby stands for a previous King Aegon. The first five rubies stand for the five kings named Aegon (Aegon the Conqueror, Aegon the Elder, Aegon the Younger, Aegon the Unworthy, and Aegon the Unlikely), the sixth ruby stands for Young Griff / fAegon / Aegon Blackfyre (if crowned before his eventual demise as Aegon VI, which is a pretty popular theory), and the seventh ruby stands for Jon Snow (aka. Aegon the Seventh). 

“We have found silver cups and iron pots, sacks of wool and bolts of silk, rusted helms and shining swords... aye, and rubies.” 

That interested Ser Hyle. “Rhaegar’s rubies?” 

“It may be. Who can say? The battle was long leagues from here, but the river is tireless and patient. Six have been found. We are all waiting for the seventh.” (Brienne VI, AFFC)

Cheers! I can probably find more, but I’m late for dinner. Will edit if I feel like it.