The Case for Aegon Targaryen 

Listen up nerds, Jon Snow’s true name is Aegon Targaryen. Wipe off your glasses, tighten your suspenders, hit your inhaler,  and get over it.

 Jon Snow is neither a Jon nor a Snow. His name is Aegon Targaryen and fans are up in arms across the fandom about this. However, I contend that Jon’s true name is a great choice and makes sense when you consider the context and clues from

There are a few main complaints about why Aegon is a bad name for Jon. Right at the top of the list, and widely lampooned is Rhaegar copying George Foreman, in that Rhaegar already had a son named Aegon. This Aegon was born to first wife, Elia Martell, and makes Rhaegar a mad prince naming all his sons the same.

Let’s examine the naming choice here. Rhaegar was not with Lyanna Stark when Jon with born, nor even alive. Jon was born after the sack of King’s Landing and as Ned Stark says in the show at the Tower of Joy:

“The mad king is dead, and Rhaegar lies beneath the ground”

The same as Arthur Dayne and Gerold Hightower not being at the Trident, Rhaegar was not there for Jon’s birth. While Rhaegar may have left his preferences for what his child would be named, it was ultimately Lyanna’s decision to name their child as she lay dying on the blood-stained bed.

There is also the question of what name Rhaegar would’ve even left for his child. It’s a detail often glossed over in the show, but Rhaegar had a pattern in mind for his children. His first child was a daughter he named Rhaenys. His second child, a son he named Aegon. If you follow this pattern, it’s very likely he did not expect a son from Lyanna, but rather a daughter. Why? Because he was naming his children after the original three heads of the dragon of Aegon the Conqueror. The show referenced them here in a scene between Arya and Tywin at Harrenhal,

Aegon the Conqueror married his two sisters Rhaenys and Visenya, and they were not just his wives but equal partners in his conquest. They rode their own dragons, conquered kingdoms and accepted fealty on Aegon’s behalf, and burned the armies in the Field of Fire. Rhaegar maintains that the dragon must have three heads, so he must have three children. We see this in the House of the Undying visions shown to Dany:

“Will you make a song for him?” the woman asked.

“He has a song,” the man replied. “He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire.” He looked up when he said it and his eyes met Dany’s, and it seemed as if he saw her standing there beyond the door. “There must be one more,” he said, though whether he was speaking to her or the woman in the bed she could not say. “The dragon has three heads.” He went to the window seat, picked up a harp, and ran his fingers lightly over its silvery strings. Sweet sadness filled the room as man and wife and babe faded like the morning mist, only the music lingering behind to speed her on her way. – A Clash of Kings, Daenerys IV

Rhaegar had decided the three dragons would mirror Aegon and his sisters and began naming them appropriately. Given that pattern, it seems very likely that Rhaegar left only one name with Lyanna. Visenya, the third head of the dragon for the daughter he was certain was coming. He was dead wrong. It was thus left to Lyanna, dying from childbirth with no prepared name for her surprise son, to come up with a name.

It’s important to point out that Rhaegar was often wrong in his predictions of the future, yet still acted decisively on them. Early on in his life (I covered this in my Rhaegar primer), Maester Aemon says that Rhaegar thought he would be the Prince that Was Promised and set out to make himself a warrior. However, he became convinced it would be his children instead and began these naming conventions. Rhaegar also incorrectly believed that Elia Martell would have his three children, leading to him pursuing Lyanna Stark. Right up to his last days he was wrong, as he also told Jaime Lannister that he would be returning from the Trident.

Rhaegar had put his hand on Jaime’s shoulder. “When this battle’s done I mean to call a council. Changes will be made. I meant to do it long ago, but . . . well, it does no good to speak of roads not taken. We shall talk when I return.”

Those were the last words Rhaegar Targaryen ever spoke to him. Outside the gates an army had assembled, whilst another descended on the Trident. So the Prince of Dragonstone mounted up and donned his tall black helm, and rode forth to his doom. – A Feast for Crows, Jaime I

It’s perfectly in character that this failed prophet would make the bold move of not leaving a name for a boy. Also, by the time Jon was born, it’s possible that the news of Rhaegar and his family’s deaths would’ve reached Lyanna and, in her grief, she decided to name her own son after Elia’s, making a touching tribute to an innocent infant brutally murdered by the monstrous knight, Gregor Clegane.

Also, there are multiple book passages that support the idea that Jon is actually named Aegon and not the other popular possibilities like Jaeherys, Daemon, or Aemon (my personal favorite). The most explicit hint comes from Maester Aemon:

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.” – A Dance with Dragons, Jon II

And there’s the House of the Undying vision earlier, where Rhaegar says:

Viserys, was her first thought the next time she paused, but a second glance told her otherwise. The man had her brother’s hair, but he was taller, and his eyes were a dark indigo rather than lilac. “Aegon,” he said to a woman nursing a newborn babe in a great wooden bed. “What better name for a king?”

“Will you make a song for him?” the woman asked. – A Clash of Kings, Daenerys IV

Rhaegar intended for his male heir to be named Aegon and become king. He may have told Lyanna the same thing while they were together. She may have remembered that, after hearing of the deaths of Elia and her children, and along with empathy, decided that if her son should one day take the Iron Throne he should have the name of a king as well.

In support of the name Aegon is also the relationship between show runners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and author George R.R. Martin. There’s a story Dan and Dave love to tell about how they landed the show rights from George. From an interview with

We had become instantly and genuinely obsessed with his books to the point where we knew lots and lots about the minutia of them — and then he asked us the question about Jon Snow’s parentage. Maybe if we had gotten it wrong, he would have let us do it anyway.

They had to correctly say that Lyanna was Jon’s mother. This means that, for George, the true identity of Jon is a vital point that the entire story hinges on. It’s hard to believe that Dan and Dave would go off the reservation on such a pivotal piece of Jon’s identity due to its importance.

There’s also the famous story that originated in

that to help the show runners finish the series, George gave them three twists to work towards, as a narrative.

 Hodor comes from Wylis (Walder in the books) saying his future last words “Hold the door” over and over.

The third is unknown- it could very well be Jon’s true name.

The reveal would count as a twist, as in the books it has been hinted as heavily that Jon’s name is Aemon versus Aegon. In a particularly revealing memory, Jon as a boy shouted out that he was Aemon the Dragonknight in a sparring match with Robb.

Every morning they had trained together, since they were big enough to walk; Snow and Stark, spinning and slashing about the wards of Winterfell, shouting and laughing, sometimes crying when there was no one else to see. They were not little boys when they fought, but knights and mighty heroes. “I’m Prince Aemon the Dragonknight,” Jon would call out, and Robb would shout back, “Well, I’m Florian the Fool.” Or Robb would say, “I’m the Young Dragon,” and Jon would reply, “I’m Ser Ryam Redwyne.”

I go into extensive analysis of this revealing memory in two posts detailing how Robb and Jon’s journeys mirror those of the heroes they named themselves. In Jon’s case, the important name for our purposes is that he calls himself Aemon the Dragonknight. This seems like an intentional hint by our author leading towards the conclusion that it may be Jon’s true name.

Additionally in support of Aemon as his name is the very close relationship between Rhaegar and Maester Aemon. As I discuss in my Reddit post Aemon the Blind: Prince Rhaegar, they wrote letters back and forth throughout their lives trying to solve the mystery of the prophecy, and eventually save the world together.

However, with the clues toward Jon being named Aemon, there are problems with them. While in this memory Jon names himself Aemon the Dragonknight, in

But he had not left the Wall for that; he had left because he was after all his father’s son, and Robb’s brother. The gift of a sword, even a sword as fine as Longclaw, did not make him a Mormont. Nor was he Aemon Targaryen.

In addition, the show has scrubbed nearly all mention of the relationship between Maester Aemon and Prince Rhaegar from the narrative. If that relationship was meant to influence Rhaegar’s naming of his child, it should’ve been portrayed in even some small way in the adaptation. The complete lack of the relationship is a glaring sign against the name Aemon. Also as discussed above, the evidence points away from Rhaegar being involved in the naming of Jon anyway. Lyanna Stark has no connection with anyone named Aemon. She may have never even known of Maester Aemon’s closeness with Rhaegar as the maester never mentions her at all.

Aegon is a strong name in the lore, the name of the Conqueror and as traditional for the Targaryens as the name Brandon is for the Starks. Rhaegar says from beyond the grave that it is a fine name for a king, and Maester Aemon’s advice for Jon in centered around his own brother King Aegon V. It may not be the most popular name fans have speculated on in the fandom but it is one that works well in the narrative when you consider Jon’s parents, the context, and the role he seems to be poised for. As an added bonus, many speculate that hidden in the tomb of Lyanna Stark there may be some items meant for Jon as proof of his parentage. Rhaegar’s harp, Lyanna’s maiden’s cloak or wedding gown, a dragon egg…

But imagine if instead, waiting in his mother’s tomb for him to tell him his true name, is the lost crown of Aegon the Conqueror that was last seen conveniently in Dorne. A name and a crown fit for a king.

Come at me nerds, tell me how you are rationalizing your wrongness. Don’t @ me.

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I was initially “whatever” on Aegon as a name, but have grown to appreciate the symmetry of it. I never really bought into Aemon or Jaehaerys as a possibility, despite their popularity because the show didn’t set them up at all that way (cutting Jae entirely). And I think D&D are probably using the name GRRM told them, though I know some are holding out hope that the name will be different in the book.

D&D said that the third big twist that GRRM told them about is from the very end of the story, so I don’t think that’s Jon’s name. It’d be something in the final season, if not the finale.

Joe, thanks for writing this. I made a similar point in my finale dialogue with Petra, but this is much more elaborate, with all the proof anyone would ever need. I’m going to send this to anyone who complains about “D&D’s horrible writing”… though, of course, this probably comes from GRRM.

My first reaction to “Aegon” was puzzlement and denial. I never had a name preference for Jon, but even then Aegon seemed wrong, for all the obvious reasons… until I actually thought about it for a minute. It may be telling, and not in a flattering way, that we all assumed Rhaegar was the one to name Jon, and some kept thinking that even when the show demonstrated otherwise.

Couldn’t agree more. For “Jaehaerys” to mean anything to the audience, Jaehaerys I would’ve had to be mentioned more than once in passing by Sam, and Jaehaerys II would’ve to actually EXIST, since he was cut from the show’s continuity in the very first season, in order to make Aemon a generation closer to Daenerys (and Jon.) Sure, “Aemon” could’ve worked better than “Jaehaerys,” but “Aegon” is much more significant than either of those — it’s historically, symbolically, emotionally (to Lyanna), and even prophetically significant.

be a reveal from toward the end of ASOIAF. We have no way of knowing.

Yeah this.I totally believed it since I read the leaks last year.I don’t even know why the uproar?It fits.Why would they even change it?Why not Aemon if George said so?It’s just that when something contradicts people’s perceptions they want to debunk it in every way.And to me George is one if those people that would totally appreciate the irony of having a fake Aegon pretending to be real and a real Aegon hiding in plain sight lol.

I for one, believe the third twist D&D have mentioned is something to do with Melisandre…. They’ve been hinting @ something with her ever since her scene w/ Arya in season 3 where they said they will meet again… Combine that w/ her meeting with Varys where she said they will both die.

Its the biggest prophecies we’ve seen on the show that haven’t been in the books, so I think they are hinting at something big.. which Mel will be a part of.

Rhaegar was so obsessed with the prophecies that he wanted the ”three headed dragon” children. And he thought that they’ll come from the same bloodline again. That’s why Aegon and Rhaenys from Elia. But Elia became weak and she can’t gave birth to ”Visenya”. So Rhaegar wanted to start from the beginning with Lyanna. And he realises this ”ice & fire = Stark & Targaryen” thing. Jon’s name is Aegon 100% in the books too. Rhaegar wanted Rhaenys and Visenya from Lyanna too. But he died.

I love the scene In the Queens Mercy when Daenerys told Jon about centuries of peace and prosperity started with her ancestor Aegon Targaryen and Lord/King Torrhen Stark.

That will be an epic scene when Jon and Daenerys find out Jon’s true name is Aegon Targaryen and his parents are Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.

Leading up to the name reveal was Sir Davos trying to refer to Jon’s title at Dragonstone as “King Jon, no, that doesn’t sound right, King Snow, no that’s not right either” (paraphrasing) the jist of which is Jon’s future kingly name will be forthcoming.

I was initially “whatever” on Aegon as a name, but have grown to appreciate the symmetry of it. I never really bought into Aemon or Jaehaerys as a possibility, despite their popularity because the show didn’t set them up at all that way (cutting Jae entirely). And I think D&D are probably using the name GRRM told them, though I know some are holding out hope that the name will be different in the book.

If is known I am the nerd that was promised born from staying inside and reading too much.

Rhaegar was so obsessed with the prophecies that he wanted the ”three headed dragon” children. And he thought that they’ll come from the same bloodline again. That’s why Aegon and Rhaenys from Elia. But Elia became weak and she can’t gave birth to ”Visenya”. So Rhaegar wanted to start from the beginning with Lyanna. And he realises this ”ice & fire = Stark & Targaryen” thing. Jon’s name is Aegon 100% in the books too. Rhaegar wanted Rhaenys and Visenya from Lyanna too. But he died.

Exactly, his consistent inability to be correct makes it completely plausible that Lyanna came up with the name when she was surprised by a boy with Rhaegar dead and gone.

My personal name power rankings for what I thought Jon’s name would be were:

My preference would be that the show made this more explicit. I’m not a huge fan that you need to reference the books so heavily for it to make sense. That’s a bad crutch for the show to lean on. Not everyone has a podcast full of asoiaf experts to help them make sense of it.

The show has changed character names before, like Asha becoming Yara. Robin Arryn is never referred to as “Robert”, though that is his real name. It’s possible they didn’t want Jon to have a Targaryen name the show had already used.

I think I’m more interested in why GRRM decided to write a character representing that tired trope (“hidden ‘rightful’ heir” – Arthur/Sigurd/Aragorn…) into ASOIAF at all. I can’t believe that the liberal, leftist, and, after all, American, GRRM would want to end his story with the suggestion that the seat of power needs the ‘rightful’ ruler on it (as Tolkien did in LOTR). That sort of maudlin sentimentalism, not to mention the conservative tinge of it, doesn’t fit him or his writing at all.

So, why did he put Jon into the story? Is it to deconstruct this trope? To bring it down? I’d love some discussion on this – of course, above all, I’d love to be able to ask GRRM about it, but it has to be bad form to ask him about things the show has already revealed that the books have not.

On a separate note, a couple of days ago, I realised that GRRM and I share a birthday. It’s next week, by the way – we’re both Virgos.

They changed them because “Asha” and “Osha” sound the same when spoken aloud in a lot of accents and it would’ve been confusing. And Robert and Robert-Robin were both on the show in the first season, it also probably would’ve been confusing.

Jon is a very different situation. I doubt he’ll be called by his real name on the show regularly, so they wouldn’t change it for those particular reasons.

My preference would be that the show made this more explicit. I’m not a huge fan that you need to reference the books so heavily for it to make sense. That’s a bad crutch for the show to lean on. Not everyone has a podcast full of asoiaf experts to help them make sense of it.

Except casual show watchers don’t need to explain Aegon’s name at all; they just know the historical significance of the name, and that may be enough. No need to explain the chronology exactly or Rhaegar’s prophetic obsessions, really; his first Aegon was mentioned exactly once.

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)

Yes! I definitely thought his true name would be Aemon but I’m also not completely surprised that it’s Aegon and I also think it will be book canon. I also liked the parallels between Jon and Daeron as both were brought to positions of leadership when they were/are still quite young. Also from ADwD:

“When Jon had been a boy at Winterfell, his hero had been the Young Dragon, the boy king who had conquered Dorne at the age of fourteen. Despite his bastard birth, or perhaps because of it, Jon Snow had dreamed of leading men to glory just as King Daeron had, of growing up to be a conqueror. Now he was a man grown and the Wall was his, yet all he had were doubts. He could not even seem to conquer those.”

The other parallel is that there was an assassination attempt on Daeron and Jon’s POV ends in ADwD with an attempt on his own life. I also wonder if Rhaegar actually read “Aegon” within the prophecies or scrolls he read that would prompt him to name is second son Aegon. I also think back to Kinvara’s speech in season 6 “Shall I tell you the name the voice spoke?” I always wondered if the voice Varys heard said a specific name.

.. as for that final twist… my tinfoil theory is that Dany is actually half Targaryen.

They already used the name Aegon as it was mention in the show when the BWB placed the Hound on trial for killing Aegon and Rhaenys. The Hound said he wasn’t responsible for their deaths.

mau, There are hundreds of tropes. Why this one?

Once again, the idea of a ‘rightful’ ruler is a conservative one (‘conservative’ in the sense of ‘a hierarchy exists, some people are inherently better than others’), and GRRM isn’t a conservative, he’s an egalitarian liberal (‘all people are equal’). *That’s* what’s not gelling for me, not the use of ‘a’ trope by and of itself.

The majority of people that use their brain in this world are not 100% conservative or 100% liberal on everything. It depends on the issue.

The notion that people are either 100% liberal or 100% conservative is a trope in and of itself.

I also thought D&D said the third twist/wow moment was intended for the final season (but, well, that could indeed have been before they decided upon 8 seasons). In any case, for me Shireen’s burning and certainly Hodor’s name appear as a more meaningful moment than Jon’s official name Aegon/Aemon/whatever. So I’m certainly hoping for something more impactful, like Dany’s third betrayal, Cersei’s end or something else.

Its possible Jon doesn’t sit the thrown because he is the “rightful king.”

He ends up sitting it because he earns it through his actions, choices, lots of luck and skillful courtship. He is almost close to becoming King or at least King consort in his own right even without his bloodline.

Which is one reason I don’t like the secret parentage idea, the guy is so close to becoming King he just has to propose. What is the point of the whole reveal if he is practically getting to the same place?

His name is Jon Snow, the White Wolf, Warden of the North, 999th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, Victor of the Battle of the Bastards, Leader of the Miracle at Hardhome, the King who Loved, and True-Raised Son of Eddard Stark.

His name is not Aegon, or Aemon, or Daeron, or Fartron or any other Targaryen name.

Jon is a Snow, raised among Starks. The Blood of the First Men flows through his veins from his Lady Mother.

The real subverting of the trope will be when he walks away from the name.

Exactly my thoughts when Ser Davos said those words.

It can’t be a ‘trope’. This word has a meaning – a pattern in literature, an archetype. Perhaps you meant ‘stereotype’, ‘cliche’, ‘banality’, ‘truism’, ‘bromide’ or some such, I’m not sitting in your mind, so I don’t know… but certainly, not a trope.

Yes, that’s my point! What’s the point of this ‘rightful heir’ bit to Jon’s character? He could be an ‘everyman’, an *actual* Ned Stark’s bastard if he needed that bit of initial boost. But he’s not… and why?

I think I’m more interested in why GRRM decided to write a character representing that tired trope (“hidden ‘rightful’ heir” – Arthur/Sigurd/Aragorn…) into ASOIAF at all. I can’t believe that the liberal, leftist, and, after all, American, GRRM would want to end his story with the suggestion that the seat of power needs the ‘rightful’ ruler on it (as Tolkien did in LOTR). That sort of maudlin sentimentalism, not to mention the conservative tinge of it, doesn’t fit him or his writing at all.

So, why did he put Jon into the story? Is it to deconstruct this trope? To bring it down? I’d love some discussion on this – of course, above all, I’d love to be able to ask GRRM about it, but it has to be bad form to ask him about things the show has already revealed that the books have not.

On a separate note, a couple of days ago, I realised that GRRM and I share a birthday. It’s next week, by the way – we’re both Virgos.

I absolutely believe GRRM included this “trope” specifically in order to destroy it! This whole story has been about destroying the accepted ways of doing things. Girls and women, in both good and bad ways, take control of their lives and become powerful: Arya, Daenerys, Sansa, Brienne, Cersei. Bastards become respected leaders chosen by those they lead. Dwarfs and “craven” highborn sons despised by their fathers become trusted advisors and learned men and attain important and powerful positions. The lowest regarded of the commoners, the Freefolk, also become important and powerful, trusted by the KitN and his lords. I believe we will see the destruction of the Iron Throne and perhaps the destruction of patriarchal monarchy rule by primogeniture altogether.

Dany will probably still call him Aegon when they are alone. Will make her feel like a real Targaryen Queen.

I agree. Thats why I think what makes the most sense is either him defering to Daenerys or them co-ruling.

The one problem with no monarchy is that it almost feels to idealistic. The transition from monarchy to democracy was a centuries transition in our world that was caught up with all sorts of other broader socio-economic factors. I could see a step in this direction, perhaps a parliament, but just getting rid of the monarchy all together feels truly radical.

But who knows. Maybe Tyrion’s comments in s7e6 were foreshadowing for an actual radical change and Dany and Jon choose not to have their kid inherit their crown.

I definitely made fun of the Brothers Aegon and will continue to do so, most likely. It’s just unprecedented to my knowledge, except for Newhart’s hilarious, “I’m Larry. This is my brother Darryl. This is my other brother Darryl.” And so I’ll keep quipping, “I’m Rhaenys. This is my brother Aegon. This is my other brother Aegon.”

One fan argued about all of the Walder Freys, but even those are cousins, and uncles and nephews, and fathers and sons, and so on. There aren’t any brothers to each other both named Walder Frey.

And yet, when all of the dust settles, this isn’t the worst thing in the world. And I certainly never considered the possibility that this name wasn’t straight from GRRM. Of course, it is! D&D are going off-book on many small things but not something this meaningful.

Rhaegar had decided the three dragons would mirror Aegon and his sisters and began naming them appropriately. Given that pattern, it seems very likely that Rhaegar left only one name with Lyanna. Visenya, the third head of the dragon for the daughter he was certain was coming.

Surely Rhaegar was smart enough to realize, after marrying Lyanna, that the song of ice and fire would come from his marriage to ice (Lyanna) and not Elia. So I think Lyanna was following Rhaegar’s wishes with the name Aegon, wishes he’d have expressed before Aegon and Rhaenys were killed. The explanation that r-hard (and perhaps others) gives about Rhaegar fervently believing TPTWP needed to be Aegon is the thing that makes the most sense to me.

Sue the Fury: They changed them because “Asha” and “Osha” sound the same when spoken aloud in a lot of accents and it would’ve been confusing.

No more confusing than Yara and Arya. And Asha/Yara and Osha had entirely separate storylines, so it seems an odd decision to me.

In the books there are still Targaryen loyalists. I guess, on the show we will never see them? It’s a little unclear in the books who they all are or if they will have any influence.

A curious situation now, since the North may become Targ loyalists!

It may be telling, and not in a flattering way, that we all assumed Rhaegar was the one to name Jon, and some kept thinking that even when the show demonstrated otherwise.

The name “Jon” seems to be one that would come from Lyanna, but once I realized that he had a secret Targaryen first name, as well, I would have thought that name would more likely come from a Targaryen. Knowing about all of the deaths, if the name only came from Lyanna, I would think she’d choose the name of the only Targaryen she knew and loved, Rhaegar. As a woman, I can say that if my husband had had a first wife, there would be no way in hell I’d name my children after her or any of her children without being asked to do so.

lmao some stay doing the most as usual

“It was ultimately Lyanna’s decision to name their child as she lay dying on the blood-stained bed.”

Exactly. But don’t expect certain segments of the GoT fandom to get it lol. Mention Jon’s parentage to them and they go nuts. There are still people out there who think Lyanna and Rhaegar aren’t his parents because muh cliches and muh tropes, or that he’s not the heir to the IT in spite of the amount of king imagery in his chapters. GRRM isn’t as edgy and subversive as they like to think.

Asha/Yara and Osha aren’t important characters in the grand scheme of things. Certainly not as important as Jon and Arya, whose names get mentioned in like every episode. So to change Asha into Yara isn’t a big deal. But to change Jon’s name just for shits and giggles is not something that can be done, especially when it’s in connection to the biggest mystery of the series, the one that secured D&D the rights to adapt the story. Most of the viewers know the names of like 5 to 10 characters at most, so yes Asha and Osha would be confusing. This is the same fandom that thinks Dany’s real name is Khalessi and gives it to their kids.

This was a fun, geeky read. Personally, I’m not getting that hung up on Jon’s name being the same as another son of Rhaegar’s. It’s a little weird but it just doesn’t bother me much. I appreciate that others can come up with theories that have it make sense to them, though.

If Jon does in fact play a role in ushering in some kind of new era of governance in Westeros – such as a somewhat more democratic way of deciding rulers – then I think his name, Aegon, will have symbolic significance. The new Aegon decides to abandon or fundamentally change the system formed by his namesake. I think the writers probably perceived that significance and merely shrugged at the logistical problems of Rhaegar giving two of his sons the same name. If they have to weigh the symbolic advantages of the name Aegon against the logistical advantages of giving him a less meaningful name like Jaenerhys I think they will go with the symbolic advantage every time.

Apparently the DVD is out the 11th of December.Does anybody know what extras are included?

Praying for some great History and Lore clips. I want RR narrated by Lyanna and/or Young Ned.

Yes, you’re right that the term does have meaning, which I used correctly.

A trope can be defined as either a figure of speech or cliche, so yes, I used the term correctly. No one needs to be in my head to make that connection.

Either way, my point still stands, which you sidestepped by trying to use semantics.

Just because you see George RR Martin as a liberal doesn’t mean that everything he does has to also be liberal.

I think a fun twist would be that Dany is TPTWP and/or Azor Ahai reborn after all.

On the surface, it looks like the story is leading to that because she’s the only living Targ and she hatched dragons and set herself on fire without getting burned and all that.

But the readers learn quickly to look beneath the surface. Then they figure out or learn of R+L=J. After that, it’s really easy to make the assumption that because Jon is the secret Targ heir and the one who is tasked with leading the battle against the dead, he must be AAR. But maybe that is too obvious too?

It would actually be much more of a twist if AAR actually was Dany. Now, I’m not saying that I 100% believe this is true. I will say that it would entertain me greatly if it was. Just imagine if Jon was the new Nissa Nissa and Dany had to sacrifice him to save the world. The fandom would completely lose their shit over it!

Excellent article! Although I knew there were arguments for several of them, I have to admit that I’ve been as guilty as a number of book readers in a preference for a name other than Aegon – mine being for Aemon. And I do think there are a number of hints that go that way.

In fact, the quote about Jon not being Aemon Targaryen was one of the reasons I believed that was the name he had been given at birth!

But he had not left the Wall for that; he had left because he was after all his father’s son, and Robb’s brother. The gift of a sword, even a sword as fine as Longclaw, did not make him a Mormont. Nor was he Aemon Targaryen. Three times the old man had chosen, and three times he had chosen honor, but that was him. Even now, Jon could not decide whether the maester had stayed because he was weak and craven, or because he was strong and true. Yet he understood what the old man had meant, about the pain of choosing; he understood that all too well.

Three times as a brother of the Night’s Watch, Jon is forced to choose between honor and desire. And three times Jon ultimately chooses honor:

– When he returns to Castle Black and recommits himself to the Night’s Watch after running off to join Robb’s army. He declares himself Mormont’s man.

– When he leaves Ygritte to return to Castle Black. He breaks his vows, but he does return to the Night’s Watch in spite of his love for her.

– When he rejects Stannis’s offer of Winterfell and legitimacy in favor of remaining with the Night’s Watch.

By the time he is stabbed, Jon has ultimately chosen honor three times.

passage – in the show, Aemon doesn’t mention giving the same advice to his brother before going north to the Wall. I wonder now if this was done to avoid any hints that Aegon was the name Lyanna gave her son? I was also really annoyed this season that nobody seemed to mention Maester Aemon – will we get some sort of reference to his death scene and to Egg when Bran carries out his plan for he and Sam to tell Jon the truth?

In any case, the books (plus the world book and Dunk and Egg) give us a tremendous number of parallels between Jon Snow and Aegon V Targaryen. In fact, I could probably write several thousand words about that but I’ll try to be as brief as possible!

One of the key parallels is the fact that they are both very unlikely candidates for kingship. Aegon V was born the fourth son of a fourth son and was seemingly destined to only fall down the line of succession. Rhaegar’s second son was raised the Bastard of Winterfell following the exile of House Targaryen from the Iron Throne. Neither seem, given their circumstances, likely rulers – indeed, Aegon V’s nickname is Aegon the Unlikely. Rhaegar’s son could be given a similar moniker.

And both of them have extensive experience of dealing with those who live far from the gilded Red Keep. Aegon V traveled throughout Westeros as squire to a hedge knight, and Jon Snow served with beggars and thieves in the Night’s Watch as well as treating with wildlings.

I won’t go into anymore detail because – as I said above – it’ll only turn into thousands of words. These two hidden dragons are incredibly interesting characters, and the man we have come to know as Jon Snow has far more in common with his great-great-grandfather than he realizes.

Aegon does make a lot of sense – that name is to House Targaryen what the name Brandon is to House Stark. And if Lyanna wished to emphasize her son’s Targaryen heritage (particularly given her son had her look rather than Rhaegar’s) what better way to do it that give him

Rhaegar may very well have left Lyanna with the name Visenya. But if he also told her that he expected a son of his named Aegon to be the Prince that was Promised, it makes a lot of sense for her to choose that name if she knew the fate of Elia and her children.

As much as I liked the name Aemon for Rhaegar and Lyanna’s son, I have made my peace with Aegon. It isn’t a name without supporting hints and foreshadowing, but it is one I do not believe we will see him use. He will always see Ned Stark as his father, and Ned named him Jon.

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