Ice and Fire Leave Water Behind

[AegonFan322]

All right, I am about to let loose a very crazed theory, that admittedly does not rely on specific evidence, but notes the paralells others have made. Keep in mind there will be one theme throughout the theory: When Ice and Fire Clash, only Water remains. Also know that this poster considers Aegon Blackfyre practically canon.

 

Part 1: Ice and Fire will clash, and there will be no victor.

 

One common theme in "A Song of Ice and Fire" is that when there is a conflict between two parties, often they destroy each other, in the form of the actions done by one to destroy the other lead to their own downfall.

 

Examples:

 

Argilac Durrendon brought Aegon Targaryen to fight Harren Hoare, Aegon's armies killed them both.

Stannis murdered Renly to get his armies, but Renly's friends joined the Lannisters, insuring his defeat.

Oberyn's fight with the Mountain ends with both of them dead at the other's hand.

The War of Five Kings ends with House Lannister defeating House Stark, however the violence created the Faith Militant, which has taken control of King's Landing from the Lannisters. As well as this, the North Remembers, as does Dorne, so the Lannisters are not going to sit on the Iron Throne much longer.

 

What is my point? The most common idea about the ending is that Daenerys and Jon will team up to fight the White Walkers. These two are the champions of Ice and Fire respectively. But this actually makes no sense. It is more likely that Jon, as the Champion of Ice, will fight Daenerys, the Champion of Fire. This will make the Final Battle between Ice and Fire. Now, would this theme of mutual destruction fit in this battle? Absolutely? What better way to describe a battle between Ice and Fire? The Ice is melted by the Fire, but the Water that results puts the Fire out. 

 

Part 2: So What does this Mean?

 

Well, in other words, neither Daenerys or Jon will sit the Iron Throne at the end. They will both be dead. Instead, the rulers will be two people who each represent the traits of Ice and Fire, but in a weaker form, tied to water. So who fits these traits? One of the Ironborn, perhaps? They are tied to the Sea, after all. But there is in fact, another pairing that makes a lot more sense.

This pairing is Sansa Stark and Aegon Targaryen.

 

Part 3: Parallels

 

I know this makes very little sense. Most of us fans expect Aegon to be dead meat. But the fact is, while Daenerys and Jon are parallel characters, Sansa and Aegon are parallel in several surprising ways.

 

1. Both are members of prominent Houses in hiding, waiting to reclaim their throne.

2. Both are under the guardianship of people who were in love with their Same-Sex Parent. (Sansa has Littlefinger, Aegon has Jon Connington.)

3. Speaking of their Guardians, Littlefinger and Jon Connington are foils. Littlefinger was a very minor Lord that because of his own actions, brought his house to the height of power. Jon Connington was a major Lord that because of his own actions, brought his house low.

4. Both are spending time in places associated with their Mother. Sansa is hiding in the Vale, the home of her maternal aunt, Lysa Arryn. (PS: The Vale was also the first kingdom of the Andals in Westeros. Catelyn Tully was an Andal.) Aegon is hiding out on the River Rhoyne, the homeland of his mother's people, the Rhoynar.

5. Sansa is a legitimate heir to House Stark posing as a Bastard. Aegon may or may not be a Bastard (a Blackfyre) posing as a legitimate heir to House Targaryen.

6. Both are linked by their Mothers to Rivers. Sansa to the Riverlands, and Aegon to the Rhoyne.

7. Both have a major trickster working to put them on the throne.

 

Now, admittedly Aegon has had much less screentime than Sansa (He's not even on the Show). This was probably for several reasons:

 

1. I'm full of hot air, and Aegon is going to die before Book 7. This is probably it, but still, there are other possibilities.

2. Another Targaryen waiting to invade Westeros? He would be clashing against Daenerys not only for the Iron Throne, but also for page-space.

3. We needed time for Sansa to develop as a character, as this story will ultimately be about her, not Aegon.

4. What would Aegon do for the first four books?

5. Focusing on Aegon turns this into a straightforward "Lost Male Prince Returns to Take the Crown." Martin does not do that.

6. Aegon's a flat character in the end, like Peeta in the Hunger Games, there to provide stability after the conflict. He would be a boring protagonist.

7. Martin wanted us to be wary of Aegon, and expect a trap.

 

Because of this, perhaps George RR Martin is going to keep Aegon alive after all. I know he sounds too good to be true, but perhaps Martin made that intentionally so. After all, who else will sit the Iron Throne? The only other possibilities are the Lannisters (the North Remembers, so they're dead Lions), Jon Snow (Night's Watch, who "Hold No Crowns"), Stannis the Mannis (America only elected a Catholic in 1960. Something tells me a Rhllor-worshipping King is not in the cards) and Daenerys (who can't have kids, consult Lord Tywin on the importance of the Family Line)

 

4. The Implications

 

Well, it would work with Martin's theme that the Game of Thrones is really about background politics, not about big battles. All the great maneuvers are really political. As well as this, note what the various child characters have been learning:

 

1. Arya- Learning How to be a Faceless Man

2. Bran- Learning How to be a Greenseer

3. Jon- Learning How to Fight the White Walkers

4. Daenerys- Learning How to Control her Dragons

5. Theon- Learning How to Reclaim His Identity

6. Sansa- Learning How to Play the Game of Thrones

7. Aegon- Learning How to Empathize with the Smallfolk

 

Of these Seven, (Yes, I cheated with Theon, but I wanted Seven for the Seven Gods), exactly two of them are learning skills that will be useful for governing the Seven Kingdoms. I admit that one could argue that Daenerys was learning how to govern in Meereen, but would you call her lesson successful?

 

Speaking of the Seven, this would address a major question. Jon is the Champion of the Old Gods, and Daenerys is the Champion of Rhllor, since many in Essos believe she is the Prince that was Promised. So, tell me this: Who is the Champion of the Faith of the Seven? It sounds like a stupid question. The Seven are obviously fake, right? Well, are they? Sure, they have no real flashy powers. But, let's look at the actual facts:

 

1. Stannis opens A Clash of Kings by burning the Seven. In the end he gets his rear handed to him by his enemies.

2. Robb Stark, who represents the Old Gods, makes a series of bad decisions that end up destroying his cause, preventing the North from breaking away from Westeros (and therefore cutting off Southern influence).

3. After the War, the High Septon has managed to get himself an army again.

4. Somehow, the Andals were able to conquer Westeros from the First Men and the Children of the Forest, despite having no known magic. They, unlike the First Men, kept their gods.

5. After the Andals, every invader of Westeros (the Rhoynar and the Valyrians), end up taking up the Seven, rather than keeping their own gods. In other words, the Andals and the Ironborn are the only groups that kept their own religion. (So the Ironborn are an outlier)

6. In spite of a desire to conquer and enslave everything in Essos, the Valyrians for some reason steered clear of Westeros.

7. Now this is a stretch, but the Seven are probably going to get Winterfell. Because of the Red Wedding and Bran being a cripple, Rickon is going to be Lord of Winterfell. Because he is a kindergartner, this means a regency. And because the Boltons are traitors, the only choice for a regent is Lord Manderly, who coincidentally worships the Seven. If Rickon marries a Manderly as well, he might convert to the Seven, which is exactly how the Reach, Stormlands and Westerlands became Andalized.

 

And Martin himself has said there will be no "deus-ex-machina" style divinity. Instead, we will have a subtle god who, like Varys and Littlefinger, has everything mysteriously work out for them. Thus, it will be their champions who sit the Iron Throne. Well, are Aegon and Sansa the Faith's Champions? Maybe. Aegon and Sansa are raised by a Septa. Varys notes that the Faith was a key part of Aegon's education. On the Show, Sansa leads several women in a Hymn to the Seven. The Godswood that Sansa prays in has no weirwood, like the one in Riverrun, the home of her mother. So these prayers are unheard.

 

5. Sansa's Journey

 

This ending would make sense as a journey for Sansa Stark. She begins the series marrying a proud prince who turns out to be a bastard. She did this to become a Queen. So, logically, Sansa's end should comment somehow on these goals. A good ending would be she gets what she wanted. She becomes Queen of Westeros. But to do this, she has to willingly support a bastard's claim to the throne. (Aegon being the opposite of Joffrey) As well as this, her family had to die to get them both here.

 

6. Betha Blackwood

 

This point should also be noted. If Aegon gets the throne, he will be most similar to Aegon V, or Aegon the Unlikely, who grew up among the Smallfolk and named his mentor and Friend Ser Duncan the Tall to his Kingsguard (Rolly Duckfield). Aegon V married Betha Blackwood, a girl from a First Men family of the Riverlands.

 

7. Historical Parallels

 

Since Everyone and their Mother knows the War of the Roses are an influence on a Song of Ice and Fire, it should be known that Aegon shares a lot of traits with Henry Tudor, the eventual victor of the Wars.

1. Both grew up outside their Kingdom. Henry in France, Aegon in Essos.

2. Both were descended from Bastard Lines.

3. Both were linked to the Earlier Rulers through a Bastard Line.

4. Both are linked to a region that is culturally distinct from the rest of the Kingdom. (Henry was linked to Wales, Aegon to Dorne)

Sansa, meanwhile, shares traits with Elizabeth of York, his Wife:

5. Both were kept by an uncle who may have wanted to marry them.

6. Both went through several failed betrothals.

7. Both were famous for their red-gold hair. It even became a famed Tudor trait.

 

So, that is my evidence.

Thank you for Reading my Long Post.

[Lord Wraith]

While I don't agree with everything persay I also agree that Sansa and Aegon will sit the IT at the end of the story. Still an interesting read so kudos.