Published: November 12th 2024, 5:54:40 am
Before you decide to go with the popular trope that Aegon in the books is a Blackfyre, the whole theory hinges on Quaithe's warning to Daenerys not to trust the mummer's dragon.
Most fans have interpreted this as Aegon Targaryen being a fake and a Blackfyre connecting the kid to Serra, the deceased wife of Illyrio Mopatis.
But this theory has several holes in it. Prophecy itself is a fickle thing, and words can have very different meanings.
In this instance, Quaithe told Daenerys not to trust the Mummer's Dragon. The Dragon, in this context, could mean Aegon. But Mummer's Dragon doesn't mean fake dragon. The literal meaning would mean Varys' Dragon since Varys was once a juggler and worked as a mummer. So, Aegon could be an authentic Targaryen.
Also, the timeline of Serra's death is in dispute. Illyrio says that his wife died a few years before Robert's death during an outbreak of grey plague in Pentos. This implies that Serra was alive and well during Robert's reign. This actually increases Aegon's authenticity because the grey plague never affected Aegon. If he were Serra's (who is supposedly a secret Blackfyre herself, according to fans, even though Maelys the Monstrous killed all the other Blackfyres) son, he'd have been affected, and he'd have been younger than the current Aegon Targaryen.
Also, Aegon was raised by Jon Connington, who was best friends with Rhaegar. Even Jon Con thinks Aegon looks like a good copy of Rhaegar. That adds more authenticity.
Therefore, I believe Aegon is the real deal and is the son of Rhaegar and Elia.
The mental gymnastics some fans try to make the kid into a Blackfyre is amusing. The easier approach would've been to declare the kid a Brightflame. That would've been more believable as the Brightflame line was never declared extinct.
But I understand the general trend and appreciate the secret Blackfyre plot. It gives some closure to House Blackfyre and the resurgence or final settling of the Targaryen civil strife.
So, vote your pick.
PS: Brightflame is the name assigned to the bastard children of Aerion Targaryen, otherwise known as Aerion Brightflame. He is rumoured to have fathered many in Lys during his stay in the city before the third Blackfyre Rebellion forced him to return home.