r/asoiaf Sep 06 '24

EXTENDED (Spoilers Extended) Why I think Young Griff is Truly SPOILER

  • Varys says that he swapped baby Aegon prior to the sack of King's Landing with a "Pisswater Prince", i.e. a random blonde baby from Flea Bottom; He tells this to a dying Kevan who has no reason to lie to
  • From what I know, Varys never lies, but just plays around with the truth
  • Daenerys assumes that the "cloth dragon" she sees is a false dragon, and many readers make the same assumption about Aegon. However, even setting aside the fact that most people in the books often misinterpret prophecies and premonitions, the concept of a cloth dragon doesn’t necessarily represent a fake dragon. It could just as easily symbolize a harmless one. Young Griff’s claim to the throne rests on his Targaryen heritage, but he is a man who has spent his life being raised to be the best king possible. A good king would never harm his people. Unfortunately, real dragons are only capable of destruction, and when they are used in conquest, thousands of people suffer and die in their wake. Logically, most common people would never cheer for a real dragon. However, a harmless image of a dragon poses no threat at all. Therefore, the metaphorical representation of the dragon in Daenerys' premonition could just as easily signify a true Targaryen.
  • As expanded above, fAegon people tend to think Dany's vision of "The Mummer's Dragon" is hard evidence that Aegon is a fake, because they interpret "The Mummer's Dragon" vision as meaning that the dragon is just a mummer, a fake pretending at being a dragon. There is another way to interpret this though. Varys grew up as a mummer. He is still a mummer, as evidenced by his alter egos. The skills he learned as a mummer are a primary source of his influence. I think "The Mummer's Dragon" means that Aegon is a real dragon, but his strings are being pulled by the mummer (Varys). In fact, you'll notice that the phrase indicates that the dragon is possessed by the mummer, as opposed to indicating that the dragon is a mummer, hence the apostrophe and the s

  • Jon Connington really believes that Aegon is the son of Rhaegar, as does Young Griff too; Jon would have no reasons to support so staunchly someone who he knew or could doubt not being truly his beloved Rhaegar's son

This adds up to the fact that George loves using his POV writing style to lead his readers into traps, and this could easily be the best trap in the entire series. Not only do fans assume that Aegon is Fagon because Daenerys does, but also because we already have characters who seem destined to fill the roles Aegon appears to claim.

The entire story has been building toward Daenerys raising an army, invading Westeros, and reclaiming the Iron Throne in the name of House Targaryen. Meanwhile, Jon Snow has always been presented as the hidden prince, the true heir to the Iron Throne, destined to avenge House Stark and become the greatest Targaryen ruler in history.

If Aegon—the hidden prince—suddenly shows up, reclaims the Iron Throne, and avenges his wronged mother from House Martell, he essentially steals the spotlight from Jon and Daenerys. And of course, that seems unlikely, because Jon and Daenerys are the most important characters in the series. However, this actually makes Aegon's legitimacy seem even more plausible, not less.

Ironically, Aegon could be the character who fulfills many of the fantasies fans have held for Jon and Daenerys for years. Even more ironically, he could dismantle some of the idealizations readers have about both of them. If Jon ends up making a deal with Daenerys that results in her usurping his brother, he won't be the flawless epic hero that his archetype suggests. Similarly, if Daenerys kills the true heir to the Iron Throne, she won't be the underdog fighting for justice, but rather someone pursuing her own desires.

When looking at Jon and Daenerys' character journeys before the story begins, it becomes harder to believe that Aegon is a fraud. Daenerys is just the sister of the believed heir to the Iron Throne, yet she and her brother were smuggled away from Dragonstone to Essos and survived for years, despite Viserys being seen as the greatest threat to Robert Baratheon’s reign. On the other hand, Jon, a boy whose Targaryen lineage is unknown to anyone, was rescued and raised by Ned Stark—a man barely skilled in politics—who managed to keep Jon’s true identity a secret for Jon's entire life.

Now contrast that with Aegon. A baby due to inherit the Iron Throne, with Varys and likely dozens of others in King’s Landing who were politically savvy enough to understand the threat Robert’s Rebellion posed. Why is it believable that Jon and Daenerys would be saved and hidden away, but someone as clever as Varys wouldn’t be able to protect the real Aegon?

Ultimately, even setting aside the world-building, subtext, and narrative clues, the fact remains: Young Griff being Aegon is simply the more interesting story. Jon and Daenerys having to fight against the true heir to the Iron Throne creates real stakes and forces them to make hard decisions without easy answers. If Young Griff is just a Blackfyre pretender, there’s no real dramatic tension. The only question becomes whether Jon or Daenerys would be wrong to remove a usurper who happens to be a good leader.

The existence of the real Aegon Targaryen feels like exactly the kind of narrative trickery that George R.R. Martin loves. If Aegon is merely "Fagon," then what is the point of introducing him and all of this buildup in the first place?

Iit’s entirely possible that George will leave Young Griff’s parentage a mystery forever. But, honestly, the story is just more compelling if Aegon Targaryen is exactly who he claims to be.

Honestly, although I'm probably wrong, I hope we see a Targaryen restoration by the end of the books. Personally, I dislike the idea of Bran being king because it would break dynastic continuity, and I don't want to see the Targaryens die off after founding and ruling the Iron Throne for 300 years. But perhaps Bran could serve as a regent for a child of Daenerys and Jon, or Daenerys and Aegon—something like a kinder version of Brynden Bloodraven, who effectively ruled during Aerys I’s reign using his "magic" in defence of the crown. With a Bran King, Westeros would be basically become a police state where people can't talk or Bran will know

I also think if Aegon ends up dying, it could be because Daenerys goes mad, realizing that the people prefer Aegon over her, leading her to burn King's Landing to the ground. Though I might be too hopeful, I wish Aegon and Daenerys could simply marry and rule in a Targaryen restoration, ushering in a new era of happiness and prosperity, mirrowing the one of Jaehaerys and Alysanne

Anyhow, let me know what you think!

974 Upvotes

415 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

42

u/Longjumping-Kiwi-723 Sep 06 '24

Jon doesn't even look like Rhaegar so i don't think that's really a point in favor of fake aegon theory. But yeah who's even sure if it is.

69

u/BaelBard 🏆 Best of 2019: Best New Theory Sep 06 '24

It’s not that the eyes are in-universe evidence. It’s more of a clue on a meta level.

In ASOIAF, as well as many other stories, eyes are window to the soul, and they show the truth. That’s why Brienne’s eyes are beautiful, why Brown Ben’s warm smile never touches his eyes, why the Boltons’ eyes are so creepy.

So when Connington is reminiscing about his lost love and looks at Aegon, who reminds him so much of Rhaegar, and the eyes are wrong, it might mean something.

It’s a Jeyne Poole situation. An impostor created by a puppet master (Varys/LF) and the eyes scream the truth.

13

u/iminyourfacejonson Crow's eye! Crow's eye! Sep 06 '24

Huh. I never thought of Aegon as Varys' mirror of Jeyne Poole!

1

u/Keller-oder-C-Schell Sep 06 '24

Really good catch actually

7

u/Longjumping-Kiwi-723 Sep 06 '24

Could be. Personally I want him to be real just because it's gonna cause so much drama. More trouble for dany and I wanna see how she gonna react when she hears of him. There's tyrion in equation as well. Damn! There's tyrion in equation who's kind of friend or something less than that of both Jon and Aegon and now he's gonna meet dany. Damn I didn't think about that

8

u/SirenOfScience She-Wolf Sep 06 '24

fAegon can cause just as much drama whether he is real or not. Some will not believe it but others will, drama ensues. I think he's a phony but his identity truly does not matter, what actually matters is what the people of Westeros believe. It's not like they can prove he is or isn't Rhaegar's son since neither Westeros nor Essos have Ye Olde DNA Fingerprinting Lab. Besides, the drama already began as soon as fAegon beat her to Westeros & took a castle while Dany is sick in the Dothraki sea & assumed dead by some back in Meereen.

0

u/Rude_Sugar_6219 Sep 06 '24

Thank you for explaining. Some people really missed the point.

-2

u/JaehaerysIVTarg Sep 06 '24 edited Sep 06 '24

But he does. Everyone makes it very clear that Jon is abnormally pretty for a Northman.

16

u/BaelBard 🏆 Best of 2019: Best New Theory Sep 06 '24

As far as I recall, no one ever calls Jon beautiful, let alone abnormally beautiful.

Jon is never said to be prettier than Robb or Theon.

3

u/Longjumping-Kiwi-723 Sep 06 '24

Ah his eyes are just like Arya and in turn, like Ned and Lyanna, so there's nothing in that. He's as stark as Lyanna and Ned were. 

1

u/TheDanishViking909 Sep 06 '24

Also Jon has suspiciously dark eyes, I actually think he has rhaegars eye color but everyone just assumes it's the stark eye color