While they say something can be so bad it’s good, is it possible for something to be so preposterous it’s true? Of course, fans are already more than aware that George RR Martin delights in subverting expectations. anything at all is possible in the Song of Ice and Fire. But has one of the most popular and most unlikely characters really been hiding in plain sight as the real Targaryen heir?
We already know that Jon Snow was always actually Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark.
This immediately means he supplants his aunt Daenerys’ claim to the Iron Throne by virtue of being the last remaining child of the firstborn heir to Aerys II.
But there have always been rumours that Rhaegar’s actual heir, his firstborn son (also confusing called Aegon) by first wife Elia Martell was not splattered on a wall at King’s Landing but secretly smuggled out like Daenerys and her unfortunate brother Viserys.
The books have been heavily hinting this is the man met by Tyrion on his travels, but doubts are mounting.
Tyrion’s encounter with the mysterious Young Griff on a river boat in Essos is nudging readers to think this is actually the first Aegon.
After all, the lad has the Targaryen look of silver hair and purple-blue eyes and has hired the Golden Company to pursue his claim to Westeros.
But many think he will turn out to be a Blackfyre, the cadet branch of the Targaryens.
Which means the real other ‘other Aegon’ is someone else, much closer to Jon.
Mind-blowing as this theory is, there is no reason why Randyll would banish the Targaryen heir to the Night’s Watch Wall, unless it was to hide him.
Nor does Sam display any of the typical Targaryen physical attributes – although Jon’s Stark lineage has already shown that the Targayen genes don’t always dominate when they don’t marry inside the family.
Sam is somewhat more heroic in the books, but it remains almost impossible to imagine him in any way being the ultimate saviour of Westeros and unifyer of all the warring Houses.
Then again, this is George RR Martin we’re talking about…
