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Cyvasse with Aegon: A Game of Foreshadowing (Long)


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I’d written what follows as part of a Tyrion reread project, and decided (with the nudging of some friends) to post it here.

The basis of the original essay was an all-points chapter review of Tyrion VI from Dance, and I’d chosen to review this particular chapter because the cyvasse game between Tyrion and Aegon appears to be laden with blatant foreshadowing and symbolism, as mentioned by nekrohsis on a prior thread, and it was this very subject that ultimately fueled my desire to review this particular chapter when presented with the opportunity to select any Tyrion chapter from Dance.

For the usual forumers, it is worth noting that what follows is more of an “essay” than a post and, as such, is quite long.

Nonetheless, to keep things focused, I’ve edited out several other sections from the original essay discussing other events and characters in Tyrion VI, but I still provide ample preamble to better frame my stance behind the overarching meaning of “the game within a game” before getting into the details of the game itself.

And with that out of the way – to those of you that make the time to read what follows – I hope you enjoy it.

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When is a cyvasse game merely a cyvasse game?

Whatever your answer, it seems bordering on inarguable that Tyrion’s game with Aegon appears to be the most meaningful game in the series to date, and the one that is the most laden with foreshadowing and subtext, and is therefore worthy of a much deeper exploration.

Prior to analyzing the cyvasse game itself, though, it seems almost necessary to broach the subject of Tyrion’s opponent, the prince that would be king, as doing so sets the stage for precisely why it is so important for Tyrion to beat him.

The Pisswater Prince

“If Lord Connington’s prince has a crushed skull, I will believe that Aegon Targaryen has returned from the grave. Elsewise, no. This is some feigned boy, no more. A sellsword’s ploy to win support.”

As fans of the series know, there are a many hints throughout Dance ranging from subtle to overt that Aegon is “fake” on some level.

For one, readers and characters alike are led to doubt Aegon’s survival of Robert’s Rebellion, with this head purportedly having been smashed against the wall, ending his life in infancy, as indicated strongly through the first three books of the series. As such, we are led toward one of two possible scenarios upon learning of the “reemergence” of Aegon: either that the real Aegon was swapped with a tanner’s son from Pisswater Bend, as the boy claims to have been, or that he is instead a fake that’s been led to believe that he is the real Aegon from a very young age, as he certainly seems to think he is the real Aegon.

However, as one of many key clues pointing toward Aegon’s lack of legitimacy, Dany’s journey through the House of the Undying in Clash reveals a multifaceted prophecy amongst which the deposing of a “false Targaryen” seems an inevitable part of her arc, as under the umbrella of the three-faceted “slayer of lies” prophecy, she is provided a vision: “A cloth dragon swayed on poles amidst a cheering crowd.”

Further corroborating that a “false Targaryen” will appear in the series are Moqorro’s prophetic statement to Tyrion, which points to the existence of a “false dragon,” as well as Quaithe’s warning to Dany in regards to a “mummer’s dragon,” which Dany further connects to the sort of “cloth dragon” she saw in her vision from the House of the Undying.

And while none of these clues directly point to Aegon, the case for Aegon starts to become clearer when we accept that – in order to be “held up” and “cheered” before the masses – our leading suspect might very well be in contention for the throne, as Aegon proves to be by the end of Dance.

As we continue compiling clues in this argument, Tyrion places Aegon at “fifteen” or “sixteen” years old, when the real Aegon should be at least eighteen if not nineteen by the time Dance ends. Admittedly, it does seem that Tyrion is bad at guessing ages (having guessed Jon Snow’s, possibly Lemore’s and possibly the ages of several other characters incorrectly), but it’s another observation that – if true – would align with Aegon being a stand-in for the real Targaryen prince.

We also know that Varys is behind Aegon VI’s alleged “survival,” which is suspicious in itself since Varys seems to be one of the least trustworthy characters in the series, and could thereby also be playing a long con of putting his own “puppet” in place to rule the kingdom. That is to say, Varys ostensibly killed Kevan because of Kevan’s too “capable” rulership, implying strongly that Varys likely has long term plans to put someone less capable (or more malleable) in mind to rule, and overtly suggests as much to Kevan that “Aegon” is this very person.

It is also worth noting that the phrase “mummer’s dragon” could be interpreted as “Varys’ Targaryen,” noting that Varys was a mummer when he was a boy, and that mummers are actors and entertainers, famously known for acrobatics, juggling, and slight-of-hand.

So is Aegon indeed the false dragon he seems to be? And, if so, how?

For one, we really only need a boy who is of the right general appearance and approximate age, both of which “Young Griff” appears to be. But it’s also possible that interconnection to other subtext in the novels exists as well.

For example, it’s often suggested that Aegon is a Blackfyre instead of a true Targaryen.

As touched on in A Feast for Crows and The Hedge Knight, we know that the Blackfyres are not truly the rightful claimants to the throne, being descended by legitimized bastards, so Aegon may indeed qualify as a false dragon if this were the case.

Further, we are given several pieces of information that could lead one down this path, beginning with Septon Meribald’s story of Aegon IV in Feast, of a black iron dragon head sign that was removed from the Inn at the Crossroads which later turned up red with rust after being plucked from the river. Noting that Blackfyres favor black dragons red fields versus true Targaryen red-on-black, this story seems to suggest that a black dragon (Blackfyre) can be “thrown” in the water (Aegon’s long anticipated sojourn to Westeros via the narrow sea) and come out red with rust (a “true” Targaryen) on the other side.

Combined with Illyrio’s statement in Dance that, “Black or red, a dragon is still a dragon,” one could further deduce that the people will accept a false dragon as their ruler as readily as a true one – such as a Blackfyre in place of a true Targaryen – such as Aegon instead of Dany.

Furthering this notion of a possible Blackfyre ruler, Dance also presents us with the statement that the Blackfyres died out through the male line, yet the female Blackfyre line is overtly omitted from that statement. This seems a clear omission, which – combined with the above details – insinuates that a Blackfyre claimant pretending (or even believing himself) to be a true Targaryen will make a play for the throne, and even claim it for a time.

If so, and if we are allowed to combine this notion with Dany’s House of the Undying vision, a series of events has been put into place by the end of Dance which would seemingly lead down the path of the citizens of King’s Landing “cheering” a “cloth dragon” (Aegon) upon his eventual overtaking of the capitol (with Varys’ help), which in turn would suggest that Aegon is the person that Dany is meant to overthrow as part of the “slayer of lies” prophecy, as the real life embodiment of the House of the Undying prophecy as well as two other prophetic warnings about false dragons.

Additionally, Aegon overthrowing the Lannister rule of King’s Landing (at least temporarily) would meet with Martin’s public statement that the iron thrown was likely to change hands more than once before the series was over.

So we are presented with “Aegon VI,” who may not only be a false Targaryen, but a Blackfyre as well, tying several different elements of backstory information together.

Beyond all of the above, there’s the subjective element to consider as well. For example, many readers agree that it would feel “cheap” to introduce a major endgame player this late in the series without providing ample setup as to his endgame necessity. And, yes, the real Aegon was technically introduced in Game, and even set up as important in Clash through Dany’s House of the Undying vision, although we were led to believe he’s been dead for the duration of the series.

Further, he is not a POV character, such as Jon, Dany, Tyrion, and he is not even a likeable character.

For instance, we are provided with several reasons to “dislike” Young Griff from the outset, including in Tyrion VI alone where he petulantly says things like, “I know how to use a sword,” “I’m sick of cyvasse,” and “I will not come to my aunt a beggar,” …enough to remind Tyrion (as well as many readers, I’m sure) of the morosely rotten Joffrey, of which reader consensus appears to be “better off dead.”

Considering all of this, can Aegon truly be the son of the seemingly infallible Rhaegar Targaryen? Can he really be critical to the endgame, and turn into someone we’ll root for during the inevitable invasion of the Others? And is he “worthy” of riding one of only three dragons in the series, when he’s not even a POV character?

Of course, for a reader to not “like” Aegon, or to feel like a “late hero” is “cheap,” does not overrule canonical evidence that he might, in fact, be who he says he is. However, beyond Aegon’s late arrival and his lack of redeemable character traits, we still have a false dragon to identify – a mummer’s dragon specifically – and the mysterious death and reappearance of Aegon VI, now operating under puppeteer-esque direction from Varys and Illyrio, seems to fit perfectly with this “mechanical requirement” of the series.

So with Aegon’s legitimacy firmly in question, let’s now move onto a brief overview of the significance of his opponent: Tyrion, also known as Hugor of the Hill.

And For Just a Moment, Tyrion Lannister Stood as Tall as a King

"Dragons," Moqorro said in the Common Tongue of Westeros... "Dragons old and young, true and false, bright and dark. And you. A small man with a big shadow, snarling in the midst of all."

While I am deliberately not bringing Tyrion’s lineage into this discussion, as to whether the story is better served by him being a tried and true Lannister and trueborn son of Tywin, or a Targaryen bastard (pseudonym: Hill) as descended by the Mad King Aerys Targaryen, it is critical to note Tyrion’s importance in the overarching story, and his connections to, understanding of and interactions with “dragons” in their various forms.

As Dance concludes, Tyrion has racked up forty-nine total chapters, more than any other POV character in A Song of Ice and Fire. He has dreamed of dragons and learned of their histories. He has even dreamed of being a Targaryen prince and has mismatched non unlike the Great Bastard Shiera Seastar. And he has travelled farther and wider than any other single character in the series, as far north as the Wall, where Jon Snow, the ostensible Targaryen-born son of Rhaegar and Lyanna spends his days, and as far east as Meereen, on his way to Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons.

We should also note that “the dragon has three heads” is another prophetic statement brought to us by Dany’s experience in the House of the Undying. The identities of these three “heads” – should they turn out to be three separate people – is clearly a central mystery of the series, and one that seems to work to symbolize the importance of Targaryens and/or Targaryen blood in the endgame of the series.

Yet, whether Tyrion himself will later be revealed as a Targaryen bastard, and/or one of the heads of the dragon, it is important to note that his impact on the world and the characters in it thus far – as well as his involvement and fascination with dragons in particular – speaks volumes of his potential significance to the endgame.

To this point, during their cyvasse game, that Tyrion may be half-Targaryen and is diametrically opposed to Aegon – who may be a Blackfyre – could be seen as having much greater symbolic significance to the series than if Tyrion is a Lannister.

Further, everything from Tyrion’s obsession with dragons to his journeys to meet Jon, Aegon and Dany will have been done by a Lannister instead of a “dragon,” and would also mean that a Lannister had more chapters than any other single character in a series centered around the survival and wellbeing of the Starks and Targaryens.

But let’s consider Tyrion’s lineage a side point to this discussion.

Instead, we’ve touched on Tyrion’s overarching importance to the series and his connection with “dragons,” as well as established Aegon’s questionable legitimacy, so let’s now move onto their cyvasse game and its potential foreshadowing implications on the overarching story, as well as the use of language and symbolism within the game itself.

A Game of Foreshadowing

“I’m sick of cyvasse.”

“Sick of losing to a dwarf, you mean.”

As Tyrion (and later Varys) notes, Tyrion’s princely opponent is intelligent. He knows his histories, he knows multiple languages, he can play cyvasse… and he’s being groomed for rulership by the likes of Varys and Illyrio. And, sure, he might struggle with arithmetic a little, where cyvasse requires the sort of strategic thinking born of complex mathematics understanding, but Aegon should at least have a chance against a drunken dwarf who only learned how to play the game a few short days ago.

Unfortunately for Aegon, though, Tyrion is a player of the only game that matters in ASOIAF: the game of thrones. As such, he has actually ruled the kingdom in Tywin’s stead, he is been Master of Coin, he is even more studied than Haldon Halfmaester on the matter of dragons and more, and although he has only just learned to play cyvasse, he has quite clearly mastered it in a very short period of time.

So we go into the game virtually knowing in advance that Tyrion is going to win, yet we want to watch it happen anyway so we can witness him smearing the annoying little, self-entitled princeling upon which the future of Westeros cannot possibly depend.

Yet Tyrion winning at cyvasse is hardly all that’s going on here.

Up until this point of the story we have been led to believe that Tyrion was sent on a mission by Illyrio to meet Dany in Illyrio’s stead, and to get her to Volantis with “Griff’s” company’s assistance. We anticipate through this course that the Volantenes may provide naval transport for Dany’s armies to Westeros, and we are told that Illyrio will reconvene with the party in Westeros.

We also know at this point that Tyrion knows the “true identities” of “Griff” and “Young Griff,” which doesn’t necessarily change the goal of travelling with them to Meereen.

However, during the course of their cyvasse game, Tyrion outsmarts Aegon twice – not only by beating him at cyvasse – but by convincing him to change the entire entourage’s plans during their brief four-move game, all the while making it all seem like Aegon’s idea.

And it’s these very parallels of “small scale” (cyvasse) versus “full scale foreshadowing” (of “the game of thrones”) that provide the context for the various layers of meaning through the game.

I would therein argue that it’s foreshadowed within the game that Tyrion will outsmart Aegon “full scale” for a second time when both of them are reestablished in Westeros.

So with that in mind, let’s talk cyvasse, first by addressing the conversation that takes place during their game, and secondly, by analyzing the game within a game.

Death in Four

Tyrion not only uses a simple taunt to trick Aegon into playing him, he also chastises Aegon over his first move showing that – if he is careful with his words – he can manipulate Aegon’s actions on the board as well as in reality. From the outset of their game, Tyrion illustrates that he has a special kind of power over Aegon: that he can effectively make the boy do his bidding, which would seem to remain important even beyond the end of their game.

To exact his plans, Tyrion starts the conversation slowly, asking Aegon about his purported father, Rhaegar, and slowly coaxing Aegon into exposing more of his seemingly “scripted” backstory before getting to the heart of the conversation.

During their exchange, Aegon’s moods swing from petulant to prideful to petty and back again, all while Tyrion collects the story of Aegon’s supposed survival, and ultimately learns that the boy self-righteously seems to believe that he can simply walk right up to Dany and have a made-to-order, obedient Targaryen bride… and maybe a real life dragon of his own as the icing on the cake.

To that, Tyrion takes the tact of building Dany up to near legendary status in his subsequent speech, all while insinuating that Aegon has accomplished very little in a similar span. Tyrion then spells out a plan to Aegon that is drastically different from what Illyrio had scripted for their company, to make for Westeros instead of Volantis:

“All you need to do is raise your banners, rally your supporters, and hold, until Daenerys arrives to join her strength to yours.”

Tyrion next points out that if Aegon actually accomplishes something grand on behalf of their shared cause prior to their first meeting, Dany will be much more likely to view him as an equal instead of a supplicant…

…and just when Tyrion has Aegon right where he wants him, he delivers his fourth and final move, ending the game and the conversation in a single blow.

In this moment, it feels as though Tyrion’s dominated Aegon so thoroughly and quickly simply to show him who the smartest man on the boat is. But later, when Aegon takes the bait and takes his company to Westeros, it becomes clearer that Aegon’s decision was practically dictated by the game, and his conversation with Tyrion. And even during the game, before Aegon and Jon Connington commit to head west, it becomes clear that – should Aegon arrive in Westeros prior to Dany – this would give him ample time to establish a powerbase in Westeros, which would mean that the “cloth dragon amidst a cheering crowd” vision has time to be carried out prior to Dany landing in Westeros. This, of course, is something that was completely unclear prior to Dance, between the reader identifying who the “cloth dragon” from the House of the Undying vision be, as well as how/why he’d go to Westeros to garner a following.

Further, Tyrion provides Aegon with two very contradicting pieces of advice during their game: first, to head west, but also, at the end, to “keep your dragons close.” Something that Aegon fails to do – on the one hand – by abandoning his plans to unit with Dany and head west on his own and – on the other hand – to procure any actual dragons before establishing a beachhead.

Further, Tyrion also advises to Aegon to “trust no one,” yet Aegon can be seen to be very much putting his trust in Tyrion’s advice, by instead ignoring Illyrio’s (and by extension Varys’) plan to head east before heading west.

Finally, the result of Tyrion’s and Aegon’s exchange also illustrates to the reader that Martin had never planned to “unite” Aegon with Dany in Essos, instead choosing save their upcoming interaction for Westeros. Within that, by Aegon instead establishing a beachhead in Westeros, this provides the time necessary for Aegon to make a power play at King’s Landing, for example, garner a following, and for that “cheering crowd” to add their voices of support behind the “cloth dragon.”

The Game within the Game

In addition to their conversation, the moves within the game itself are also quite meaningful, as are the symbolic implications of its aftermath, as Martin beautifully weaves allegory throughout this scene, and the movements of the pieces themselves seem nearly as meaningful as the words being exchanged, if not more so.

In the beginning of the game, Tyrion observes Aegon’s initial setup as a “young man’s formation,” with dragons, elephants and heavy horse up front. Now, without us truly knowing the game itself, we should first note Martin’s perspective on what it is, and how it’s played as…

"…a bit of chess, a bit of Blitzkrieg, a bit of Stratego. Mix well and add imagination."

Within that frame, the pieces mentioned in Aegon’s setup simply sound like the strongest pieces on the board, and to put them all upfront does seem like overbold symbolism indicative of Aegon’s personality, not to mention his ostensible field commanding ability. This observation combined with Aegon’s eventual loss of the game should indeed tell us that he is not only rash in his general communication and board game playing, but that he will also most likely be rash in actually leading men to war when finally given the opportunity.

Of course, Aegon’s ability to command (or lack thereof) could be speculated on through other avenues as well: his age, his lack of real world experience, his disposition and more, but the symbolism of his cyvasse setup only reasserts the notion of his inexperience in the real world, and allows us to make an observation about his character before the game has even begun.

Next up, as his first action, Aegon goes to move his dragon, and Tyrion specifically advises him not to bring it out too early, which is ultimately the move that costs Aegon the game.

Now, if we allow our imaginations to carry actions like this up to the “full scale” cyvasse game that Aegon is about to play in Westeros with real men, dragons and more, it will be very interesting indeed to see how this particular cyvasse game plays out as foreshadowing.

For one, Tyrion effectively prevents Aegon from ever using – or at least using effectively – his dragon, as touched on in the previous section as well.

So might this mean that Aegon will never successfully bond with an actual dragon, as true Targaryens of old are known to do? Might he possibly even die by dragon-flame or the like, like poor Quentyn Martell? Or will he indeed bond with a dragon, but it will be too far away when he needs it?

Alternatively, might this mean that Aegon’s lack of alliance with any Targaryens will ultimately be his downfall, and that garnering Targaryen support would have been the right thing to do?

Whatever the case, given the choice of cyvasse piece (dragon), and the person moving it (a purported “dragon”), it seems we can speculate on more than a simple cyvasse move, such as what additional implications Aegon’s failure to get his “dragon” into play will have on actual events as they play out full scale in Winds.

As an alternate/supplemental interpretation, I take the not-bringing-your-dragons-out-too-early notion as Martin possibly also referencing his own writing, suggesting that the overarching story will be best played if the dragons have their greatest impact nearest the end of the story. Further, he could even be making a subtle joke about giving Dany her dragons too early in A Song of Ice and Fire, since she’s been stuck in Essos with young dragons for five books and a period of many years, and fans of the series “can’t wait” for her to head to Westeros, something most readers have foreseen as necessary to the story since the end of Game.

As a final interpretation of Aegon’s desired move, I also take it as symbolism that dragons are “hotheaded” and wild creatures and that, if one isn’t careful, one could possibly lose their dragon, their life, or worse – the war for Westeros – through a lack of careful planning and strategy.

Within all of these considerations, will Aegon learn his lesson when it’s “his turn” in Westeros? Or will this cyvasse game be a preview into his eventual defeat, possibly again by Tyrion’s superior mind, in a full scale conflict where the landscapes of Westeros are the cyvasse board?

As the game continues, Tyrion follows Aegon’s move up by moving his elephants, and leading by the apparent example of not moving his dragons too soon. Tyrion also plays another strong-sounding piece in the elephant, which also happens to be an animal that is known for its deliberate movements, as well as its intelligence.

Particular to Tyrion’s arc as well, who learns much of Volantene politics in Dance, the elephant symbolizes the Volantene political party that has been in power for the last 300 years, and it is indeed the Volantenes that have provided boat transport to Aegon’s party.

Additionally, when Aegon’s party lands, there is much concern over the fact that the elephants they’d boated over with them haven’t arrived. Is it possible that Tyrion’s use of the elephants in their “small scale” game also presented a symbolic, foreshadowed tie-in to Aegon’s lack of elephants when they arrive in Westeros?

In any case, by employing the elephant early in their cyvasse game, Tyrion’s second move is one that exhibits grace, confidence, power and intelligence…

…But it’s really Tyrion’s final two moves that are the crown jewels of this game.

The third:

The dwarf pushed his black dragon across a range of mountains.

And the fourth:

Smiling, he seized his dragon, flew it across the board. “I hope Your Grace will pardon me. Your king is trapped. Death in four.”

The prince stared at the playing board. “My dragon-“

“-is too far away to save you. You should have moved her to the center of the battle.”

“But you said-“

“I lied. Trust no one. And keep your dragon close.”

Again, taking the cyvasse game “full scale,” we can likely infer several different possible meanings herein. Regarding Tyrion’s third move in particular, I find it very interesting that a “black dragon” is specifically called out.

To this notion, if we can apply Illyrio’s “black or red, a dragon is still a dragon statement,” (amongst other places to support the following statement), the color black is used to symbolize Blackfyres, where red is meant to symbolize true Targaryens.

Therein, Tyrion moving “his black dragon” could be symbolism for moving Aegon Blackfyre from Essos to Westeros, as later happens in reality, and as ties into with Septon Meribald’s allegory about a Blackfyre.

Adding in as well that Tyrion, “seized his dragon, flew it across the board” in his fourth move, might we also assess that Tyrion has success with dragons where Aegon wouldn’t?

For example, Tyrion could be the one to bond with a dragon instead of Aegon, and fly that dragon “across the board” to Westeros. Just as well, Tyrion could align with Dany where Aegon might fail, and travel with Dany to Westeros instead.

Similarly, Tyrion might defeat Aegon or some of Aegon’s “real life” forces later upon the back of a dragon as well, or with the assistance of Dany.

Alternatively, since cyvasse is a game of wit, might we interpret that Tyrion simply outsmart Aegon somehow, either on or off the battlefield?

The possibilities are many, and we must also note that in retaliation of Tyrion’s fourth move, Aegon’s “final move” is to kick the cyvasse board and all of the pieces onto the ground, commanding Tyrion to, “Pick those up.”

This, I believe, is the real crux of the game, and the potential centerpiece of all of the possible foreshadowing related to the game itself. It isn’t necessarily that Tyrion is going to fly a real life dragon across a range of mountains, although he may. And Tyrion may or may not ally directly with Dany before heading to Westeros. In either case, assuming the game can be taken as a foreshadowing tool, the most significant takeaway would appear to be the possible foretelling that – after Aegon fails at rulership in King’s Landing, or perhaps during his failed reign – Tyrion is going to have to “fly in” and “pick up the pieces.”

After all, it seems Aegon is practically destined to muck things up in Westeros somehow, Dany is seemingly destined to remove him from power or “authenticity” somehow per the House of the Undying, and Tyrion – having been tasked as Dany’s counselor in rulership – is quite possibly destined to pick up the pieces – or even “rebuild Westeros” – in the aftermath.

While this idea might seem farfetched at first, I think it’s worth considering the possibility that Tyrion will do so from a position of power, whether as a member of Dany’s counsel or otherwise.

On the one hand, it seems clear that Tyrion has the know-how to rule from having done so before, and there is foreshadowing in place for him to take Casterly Rock (by way of its sewer system). Alternatively, Tyrion once saw his shadow, the timing of which (early in Game) might indicate the sort of foreshadowing that warrants endgame payoff:

When he opened the door, the light from within threw his shadow clear across the yard, and for just a moment Tyrion Lannister stood tall as a king.

By the end of A Dream of Spring, should Tyrion prove to be part Targaryen and/or a head of the dragon, should Jon Snow (another head) decide to live his days out at the Wall, and should Dany return to Braavos in search of “the house with a red door” – as unlikely as all that may seem to some – Tyrion could conceivably be in the “best” position of power relative to all the other major POVs to begin rebuilding Westeros.

In the end, this would further mean that the Tyrion who so excellently ruled King’s Landing in Clash, and who presently has more POV chapters than anyone else in Dance, could make an encore appearance near the end of the series as a much more important character than we’d initially been led to believe.

Or perhaps not.

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Whatever the events to follow may be, it seems that considering Aegon’s and Tyrion’s cyvasse game to be more than a simple game presents many interesting possibilities, and is moreover interesting to consider because it is Tyrion’s final interaction with Aegon in Dance.

As this partial chapter review concludes, I would like to think it becomes a conversation starter for those who love cyvasse and its potential for symbolism. Each subject opens new doors, and this essay – as long as it is – admittedly leaves out several interesting connected subjects.

For example, when Tyrion plays Qavo at cyvasse later in the same chapter, he plays as Yollo (his “mummer” personality), and he plays to lose on Haldon’s advice. As such, different pieces are used (symbolizing a different strategy), the conversation is different, and the game seemingly draws on just long enough for Tyrion to obtain the information they were after.

Likewise, Tyrion later plays Brown Ben at cyvasse as well, and has observations about his formation and strategy as well. And Ben is another character who has a history with “sewer systems,” so it will be interesting to see how he and Tyrion remain connected through Winds.

In any case, generally speaking, cyvasse seems to be an analog – at least within Tyrion’s POV – to the character traits of the people playing the game, if not much, much more, and it’s possible that a lot can be gleaned from the people and pieces involved with every cyvasse match that Martin chooses to portray.

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.....Or it could have just been a rousing game of Cyvasse.


But still your a little hard on Aegon throughout this. There has only been a few chapters where he has been seen in, and those chapters where seen though the eyes of drunks. And if anything he is preparing an eventual invasion of the most powerful kingdom in all the known world so he might be a bit on edge.


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Excellent. Glad to finally see this piece, Slayer!

Cyvasse, it does seem to me, is consistently used as a pointer to a larger and subtler game being played in the story. And I agree - there is a ton of symbolism and foreshadowing going on in the Tyrion-Aegon match, and it's the most interesting example so far of the way Martin uses this "game within the game."

I have more thought on this, so I'll come back with another post. Just to put them out there in the meantime - two things I wonder about are (1) the "half a boy" language used to describe Aegon, and what that means, and (2) how we might read this scene in light of Littlefinger's "Pawn/Player" analysis of the larger game (the game of thrones).

Littlefinger says, if I recall correctly, that all children are pawns, and even some adults who think they are players are little more than pawns themselves (e.g, Cersei). And in hindsight, though Aegon is one of the players in this little game of cyvasse, we know he is viewed as (even raised to be) a pawn by Illyrio and Varys in the game of thrones. But these days, he is only *half* a child, and is beginning to view himself as a player in his own right. And Tyrion, intentionally or not, has just spurred him on...

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.....Or it could have just been a rousing game of Cyvasse.

But still your a little hard on Aegon throughout this. There has only been a few chapters where he has been seen in, and those chapters where seen though the eyes of drunks. And if anything he is preparing an eventual invasion of the most powerful kingdom in all the known world so he might be a bit on edge.

Welcome to the forums!

Being hard on Aegon wasn’t my direct intent, although if the cyvasse game between Tyrion and Aegon is nothing more than “checkers,” it would seem a missed opportunity on GRRM’s part to weave in the foreshadowing he so deftly – and so often – does.

For my part, I believe that Aegon is a fake who reminds Tyrion (and me) of Joffrey 2.0, and I (along with others) look forward to his demise.

Therein, one might accept Tyrion’s and Aegon’s cyvasse game as small scale foreshadowing of future events, in which Aegon is outsmarted again due to acting rashly, having little to no actual experience as a battle commander or politician, and/or not being able to control his emotions under pressure.

Whoever Aegon is portrayed through in the near future, drunk or no, I feel fairly certain that the “immature” and “quick-to-action” characteristics will continue to shine through, as even JonCon – in love with Rhaegar as he was – does not quite size up Aegon the same as he did his “father,” and also notes that Aegon is not as “biddable” as Young Griff was.

Nonetheless, I think there’s a lot to be considered where cyvasse is concerned, and while my review might make “too much” of things at times or go to places that GRRM may not have even considered, I think that to accept the cyvasse game as nothing more than “rousing” is leaning too far in the other direction.

It seems to me – at the very least – that some event, grand or small, will occur in TWOW or ADOS that will remind us (and possibly Tyrion as well) of this very game. As to what exactly, the door is wide open.

Excellent. Glad to finally see this piece, Slayer!

Cyvasse, it does seem to me, is consistently used as a pointer to a larger and subtler game being played in the story. And I agree - there is a ton of symbolism and foreshadowing going on in the Tyrion-Aegon match, and it's the most interesting example so far of the way Martin uses this "game within the game."

I have more thought on this, so I'll come back with another post. Just to put them out there in the meantime - two things I wonder about are (1) the "half a boy" language used to describe Aegon, and what that means, and (2) how we might read this scene in light of Littlefinger's "Pawn/Player" analysis of the larger game (the game of thrones).

Littlefinger says, if I recall correctly, that all children are pawns, and even some adults who think they are players are little more than pawns themselves (e.g, Cersei). And in hindsight, though Aegon is one of the players in this little game of cyvasse, we know he is viewed as (even raised to be) a pawn by Illyrio and Varys in the game of thrones. But these days, he is only *half* a child, and is beginning to view himself as a player in his own right. And Tyrion, intentionally or not, has just spurred him on...

Thanks for the thoughtful reply! I’d had a couple thoughts on your observations…

As for the "half a boy" language used to describe Aegon, the first place that takes me is Tyrion’s “halfman” nickname.

Within that, if it ends up being revealed that Tyrion is Aerys’ son, there’s a sort of ying-and-yang thing going on here. In one corner, you have a professed Targ who is actually a fake and who is hardly “half a boy,” where, diametrically opposed, you have a professed Lannister who is actually half-Targ who is a “small man with a big shadow.”

Of course, this could just be GRRM’s turn of phrase suggesting that “half a boy” is the stage before “boy,” which in turn is the stage before “man.” In short: Aegon is immature.

But I like the potential for rich double meanings, which this game features far more of – for me – if Tyrion is part-Targaryen as opposed to all Lannister.

As for LF’s players-and-pawns quote, I like your observation here as well. Seemingly, Aegon is a pawn and will likely remain so even as a potential ruler of the realm, as Varys and Illyrio will still be manipulating the puppet strings of their mummer’s dragon from behind the scenes.

In fact, personally, I see Aegon failing to ever “graduate” from pawn status. For one, that Aegon reminds Tyrion of Joffrey is not a mistake. Also, that Aegon was introduced shortly after Joffrey’s murder (if we account for the timeline issue that splitting AFFC and ADWD created) is interesting to note as well. Further, he’s not a POV, and we’ve been waiting for someone to tie to the “cloth dragon” prophecy since ACOK.

So it’s worth considering that GRRM had planned to “replace” Joffrey in terms of a “personality type” that we thought we’d gotten rid of coming back to haunt us.

And the instant Aegon has any truly redeeming qualities, this effect is lost.

Anyway, just some thoughts that your commentary stirred up.

I enjoyed the read, and have been thinking along the same lines, but this was well written and well laid out.

Thanks for the note!

I can’t say I anticipated a great many responses to this post, considering its length, style and intent being so different than the usual posts found here, but the highlights are nonetheless consistent with my beliefs about where things are heading, and it’s always nice to hear when others are thinking along the same lines. :cheers:

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Aegon reminding you of Joffrey puzzles me.

Is Aegon a little arrogant? Sure, he is a prince. But He has skill enough at arms to give Duck a run for his money. And Aegon also gives Duck a white cloak, against JC's advice, because Aegon only requires loyalty, not a famous last name.

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Aegon reminding you of Joffrey puzzles me.

During their cyvasse game:

The dwarf could not help but think of Joffrey.

I couldn't help it either, actually, and I remember enjoying (and agreeing with) that observation on my first read of ADWD. Surely GRRM included Tyrion finding Aegon reminiscent of Joffrey to at least make the reader consider it, if we weren't already.

Are they carbon copies of one another? No.

But neither of them is/was a king by blood (pending proof of Aegon's illegitimacy), they were both "raised to rule" by the players around them, they both come off as self entitled "punks" in their own way ... And, FWIW, Joffrey gave his first cloak to a "hound" where Aegon gave his to a "duck," which I tend to also take as GRRM having a bit of a laugh.

There are other parallels too, if you look for them.

But mostly, I'm in the camp that feels bringing Aegon in late as a "good guy" would be cheap (amongst all the text support against that notion). Meanwhile, bringing him in late as a "fake" does finally give the "slayer of lies" prophecy an anchor point, yet also makes me want to see the end of him that much sooner.

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I find your wanting to see his demise chilling. I never got the feeling he was even close to Joffery in the level of hate he deserves.

Joff does many awful things in 3 books to get us cheering his throat clawing demise. What has Aegon done to incite this feeling from you? Being a fake, feeling entitled and throwing a fit doesn't qualify in my experience. Now if he does something over the top in WoW, then I may jump,onboard. Until then I will reserve judgment.

Edit for clarity.

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I agree with you that bringing Aegon in late as the savior would be cheap. I prefer your version of events that will unfold, but I think it's unfair at this point to put Aegon and Joffrey in the same sentence.

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GRRM also relates Aegon to Joffrey by way of the "perfect prince" language - which first appears in the previous Tyrion chapter, I think, then once or twice in this one. (Not looking at my books right now, so I'll have to double check.)

Joffrey was a little monster, no doubt. And Aegon hasn't done anything to merit that kind of assessment. But the connection is certainly there, and understandably so for Tyrion - whose experience with immature but entitled princes has been less than uplifting.

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I’d written what follows as part of a Tyrion reread project, and decided (with the nudging of some friends) to post it here.

The basis of the original essay was an all-points chapter review of Tyrion VI from Dance, and I’d chosen to review this particular chapter because the cyvasse game between Tyrion and Aegon appears to be laden with blatant foreshadowing and symbolism, as mentioned by nekrohsis on a prior thread, and it was this very subject that ultimately fueled my desire to review this particular chapter when presented with the opportunity to select any Tyrion chapter from Dance.

For the usual forumers, it is worth noting that what follows is more of an “essay” than a post and, as such, is quite long.

Nonetheless, to keep things focused, I’ve edited out several other sections from the original essay discussing other events and characters in Tyrion VI, but I still provide ample preamble to better frame my stance behind the overarching meaning of “the game within a game” before getting into the details of the game itself.

And with that out of the way – to those of you that make the time to read what follows – I hope you enjoy it.

---

When is a cyvasse game merely a cyvasse game?

Whatever your answer, it seems bordering on inarguable that Tyrion’s game with Aegon appears to be the most meaningful game in the series to date, and the one that is the most laden with foreshadowing and subtext, and is therefore worthy of a much deeper exploration.

Prior to analyzing the cyvasse game itself, though, it seems almost necessary to broach the subject of Tyrion’s opponent, the prince that would be king, as doing so sets the stage for precisely why it is so important for Tyrion to beat him.

The Pisswater Prince

“If Lord Connington’s prince has a crushed skull, I will believe that Aegon Targaryen has returned from the grave. Elsewise, no. This is some feigned boy, no more. A sellsword’s ploy to win support.”

As fans of the series know, there are a many hints throughout Dance ranging from subtle to overt that Aegon is “fake” on some level.

For one, readers and characters alike are led to doubt Aegon’s survival of Robert’s Rebellion, with this head purportedly having been smashed against the wall, ending his life in infancy, as indicated strongly through the first three books of the series. As such, we are led toward one of two possible scenarios upon learning of the “reemergence” of Aegon: either that the real Aegon was swapped with a tanner’s son from Pisswater Bend, as the boy claims to have been, or that he is instead a fake that’s been led to believe that he is the real Aegon from a very young age, as he certainly seems to think he is the real Aegon.

However, as one of many key clues pointing toward Aegon’s lack of legitimacy, Dany’s journey through the House of the Undying in Clash reveals a multifaceted prophecy amongst which the deposing of a “false Targaryen” seems an inevitable part of her arc, as under the umbrella of the three-faceted “slayer of lies” prophecy, she is provided a vision: “A cloth dragon swayed on poles amidst a cheering crowd.”

Further corroborating that a “false Targaryen” will appear in the series are Moqorro’s prophetic statement to Tyrion, which points to the existence of a “false dragon,” as well as Quaithe’s warning to Dany in regards to a “mummer’s dragon,” which Dany further connects to the sort of “cloth dragon” she saw in her vision from the House of the Undying.

And while none of these clues directly point to Aegon, the case for Aegon starts to become clearer when we accept that – in order to be “held up” and “cheered” before the masses – our leading suspect might very well be in contention for the throne, as Aegon proves to be by the end of Dance.

As we continue compiling clues in this argument, Tyrion places Aegon at “fifteen” or “sixteen” years old, when the real Aegon should be at least eighteen if not nineteen by the time Dance ends. Admittedly, it does seem that Tyrion is bad at guessing ages (having guessed Jon Snow’s, possibly Lemore’s and possibly the ages of several other characters incorrectly), but it’s another observation that – if true – would align with Aegon being a stand-in for the real Targaryen prince.

We also know that Varys is behind Aegon VI’s alleged “survival,” which is suspicious in itself since Varys seems to be one of the least trustworthy characters in the series, and could thereby also be playing a long con of putting his own “puppet” in place to rule the kingdom. That is to say, Varys ostensibly killed Kevan because of Kevan’s too “capable” rulership, implying strongly that Varys likely has long term plans to put someone less capable (or more malleable) in mind to rule, and overtly suggests as much to Kevan that “Aegon” is this very person.

It is also worth noting that the phrase “mummer’s dragon” could be interpreted as “Varys’ Targaryen,” noting that Varys was a mummer when he was a boy, and that mummers are actors and entertainers, famously known for acrobatics, juggling, and slight-of-hand.

So is Aegon indeed the false dragon he seems to be? And, if so, how?

For one, we really only need a boy who is of the right general appearance and approximate age, both of which “Young Griff” appears to be. But it’s also possible that interconnection to other subtext in the novels exists as well.

For example, it’s often suggested that Aegon is a Blackfyre instead of a true Targaryen.

As touched on in A Feast for Crows and The Hedge Knight, we know that the Blackfyres are not truly the rightful claimants to the throne, being descended by legitimized bastards, so Aegon may indeed qualify as a false dragon if this were the case.

Further, we are given several pieces of information that could lead one down this path, beginning with Septon Meribald’s story of Aegon IV in Feast, of a black iron dragon head sign that was removed from the Inn at the Crossroads which later turned up red with rust after being plucked from the river. Noting that Blackfyres favor black dragons red fields versus true Targaryen red-on-black, this story seems to suggest that a black dragon (Blackfyre) can be “thrown” in the water (Aegon’s long anticipated sojourn to Westeros via the narrow sea) and come out red with rust (a “true” Targaryen) on the other side.

Combined with Illyrio’s statement in Dance that, “Black or red, a dragon is still a dragon,” one could further deduce that the people will accept a false dragon as their ruler as readily as a true one – such as a Blackfyre in place of a true Targaryen – such as Aegon instead of Dany.

Furthering this notion of a possible Blackfyre ruler, Dance also presents us with the statement that the Blackfyres died out through the male line, yet the female Blackfyre line is overtly omitted from that statement. This seems a clear omission, which – combined with the above details – insinuates that a Blackfyre claimant pretending (or even believing himself) to be a true Targaryen will make a play for the throne, and even claim it for a time.

If so, and if we are allowed to combine this notion with Dany’s House of the Undying vision, a series of events has been put into place by the end of Dance which would seemingly lead down the path of the citizens of King’s Landing “cheering” a “cloth dragon” (Aegon) upon his eventual overtaking of the capitol (with Varys’ help), which in turn would suggest that Aegon is the person that Dany is meant to overthrow as part of the “slayer of lies” prophecy, as the real life embodiment of the House of the Undying prophecy as well as two other prophetic warnings about false dragons.

Additionally, Aegon overthrowing the Lannister rule of King’s Landing (at least temporarily) would meet with Martin’s public statement that the iron thrown was likely to change hands more than once before the series was over.

So we are presented with “Aegon VI,” who may not only be a false Targaryen, but a Blackfyre as well, tying several different elements of backstory information together.

Beyond all of the above, there’s the subjective element to consider as well. For example, many readers agree that it would feel “cheap” to introduce a major endgame player this late in the series without providing ample setup as to his endgame necessity. And, yes, the real Aegon was technically introduced in Game, and even set up as important in Clash through Dany’s House of the Undying vision, although we were led to believe he’s been dead for the duration of the series.

Further, he is not a POV character, such as Jon, Dany, Tyrion, and he is not even a likeable character.

For instance, we are provided with several reasons to “dislike” Young Griff from the outset, including in Tyrion VI alone where he petulantly says things like, “I know how to use a sword,” “I’m sick of cyvasse,” and “I will not come to my aunt a beggar,” …enough to remind Tyrion (as well as many readers, I’m sure) of the morosely rotten Joffrey, of which reader consensus appears to be “better off dead.”

Considering all of this, can Aegon truly be the son of the seemingly infallible Rhaegar Targaryen? Can he really be critical to the endgame, and turn into someone we’ll root for during the inevitable invasion of the Others? And is he “worthy” of riding one of only three dragons in the series, when he’s not even a POV character?

Of course, for a reader to not “like” Aegon, or to feel like a “late hero” is “cheap,” does not overrule canonical evidence that he might, in fact, be who he says he is. However, beyond Aegon’s late arrival and his lack of redeemable character traits, we still have a false dragon to identify – a mummer’s dragon specifically – and the mysterious death and reappearance of Aegon VI, now operating under puppeteer-esque direction from Varys and Illyrio, seems to fit perfectly with this “mechanical requirement” of the series.

So with Aegon’s legitimacy firmly in question, let’s now move onto a brief overview of the significance of his opponent: Tyrion, also known as Hugor of the Hill.

And For Just a Moment, Tyrion Lannister Stood as Tall as a King

"Dragons," Moqorro said in the Common Tongue of Westeros... "Dragons old and young, true and false, bright and dark. And you. A small man with a big shadow, snarling in the midst of all."

While I am deliberately not bringing Tyrion’s lineage into this discussion, as to whether the story is better served by him being a tried and true Lannister and trueborn son of Tywin, or a Targaryen bastard (pseudonym: Hill) as descended by the Mad King Aerys Targaryen, it is critical to note Tyrion’s importance in the overarching story, and his connections to, understanding of and interactions with “dragons” in their various forms.

As Dance concludes, Tyrion has racked up forty-nine total chapters, more than any other POV character in A Song of Ice and Fire. He has dreamed of dragons and learned of their histories. He has even dreamed of being a Targaryen prince and has mismatched non unlike the Great Bastard Shiera Seastar. And he has travelled farther and wider than any other single character in the series, as far north as the Wall, where Jon Snow, the ostensible Targaryen-born son of Rhaegar and Lyanna spends his days, and as far east as Meereen, on his way to Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons.

We should also note that “the dragon has three heads” is another prophetic statement brought to us by Dany’s experience in the House of the Undying. The identities of these three “heads” – should they turn out to be three separate people – is clearly a central mystery of the series, and one that seems to work to symbolize the importance of Targaryens and/or Targaryen blood in the endgame of the series.

Yet, whether Tyrion himself will later be revealed as a Targaryen bastard, and/or one of the heads of the dragon, it is important to note that his impact on the world and the characters in it thus far – as well as his involvement and fascination with dragons in particular – speaks volumes of his potential significance to the endgame.

To this point, during their cyvasse game, that Tyrion may be half-Targaryen and is diametrically opposed to Aegon – who may be a Blackfyre – could be seen as having much greater symbolic significance to the series than if Tyrion is a Lannister.

Further, everything from Tyrion’s obsession with dragons to his journeys to meet Jon, Aegon and Dany will have been done by a Lannister instead of a “dragon,” and would also mean that a Lannister had more chapters than any other single character in a series centered around the survival and wellbeing of the Starks and Targaryens.

But let’s consider Tyrion’s lineage a side point to this discussion.

Instead, we’ve touched on Tyrion’s overarching importance to the series and his connection with “dragons,” as well as established Aegon’s questionable legitimacy, so let’s now move onto their cyvasse game and its potential foreshadowing implications on the overarching story, as well as the use of language and symbolism within the game itself.

A Game of Foreshadowing

“I’m sick of cyvasse.”

“Sick of losing to a dwarf, you mean.”

As Tyrion (and later Varys) notes, Tyrion’s princely opponent is intelligent. He knows his histories, he knows multiple languages, he can play cyvasse… and he’s being groomed for rulership by the likes of Varys and Illyrio. And, sure, he might struggle with arithmetic a little, where cyvasse requires the sort of strategic thinking born of complex mathematics understanding, but Aegon should at least have a chance against a drunken dwarf who only learned how to play the game a few short days ago.

Unfortunately for Aegon, though, Tyrion is a player of the only game that matters in ASOIAF: the game of thrones. As such, he has actually ruled the kingdom in Tywin’s stead, he is been Master of Coin, he is even more studied than Haldon Halfmaester on the matter of dragons and more, and although he has only just learned to play cyvasse, he has quite clearly mastered it in a very short period of time.

So we go into the game virtually knowing in advance that Tyrion is going to win, yet we want to watch it happen anyway so we can witness him smearing the annoying little, self-entitled princeling upon which the future of Westeros cannot possibly depend.

Yet Tyrion winning at cyvasse is hardly all that’s going on here.

Up until this point of the story we have been led to believe that Tyrion was sent on a mission by Illyrio to meet Dany in Illyrio’s stead, and to get her to Volantis with “Griff’s” company’s assistance. We anticipate through this course that the Volantenes may provide naval transport for Dany’s armies to Westeros, and we are told that Illyrio will reconvene with the party in Westeros.

We also know at this point that Tyrion knows the “true identities” of “Griff” and “Young Griff,” which doesn’t necessarily change the goal of travelling with them to Meereen.

However, during the course of their cyvasse game, Tyrion outsmarts Aegon twice – not only by beating him at cyvasse – but by convincing him to change the entire entourage’s plans during their brief four-move game, all the while making it all seem like Aegon’s idea.

And it’s these very parallels of “small scale” (cyvasse) versus “full scale foreshadowing” (of “the game of thrones”) that provide the context for the various layers of meaning through the game.

I would therein argue that it’s foreshadowed within the game that Tyrion will outsmart Aegon “full scale” for a second time when both of them are reestablished in Westeros.

So with that in mind, let’s talk cyvasse, first by addressing the conversation that takes place during their game, and secondly, by analyzing the game within a game.

Death in Four

Tyrion not only uses a simple taunt to trick Aegon into playing him, he also chastises Aegon over his first move showing that – if he is careful with his words – he can manipulate Aegon’s actions on the board as well as in reality. From the outset of their game, Tyrion illustrates that he has a special kind of power over Aegon: that he can effectively make the boy do his bidding, which would seem to remain important even beyond the end of their game.

To exact his plans, Tyrion starts the conversation slowly, asking Aegon about his purported father, Rhaegar, and slowly coaxing Aegon into exposing more of his seemingly “scripted” backstory before getting to the heart of the conversation.

During their exchange, Aegon’s moods swing from petulant to prideful to petty and back again, all while Tyrion collects the story of Aegon’s supposed survival, and ultimately learns that the boy self-righteously seems to believe that he can simply walk right up to Dany and have a made-to-order, obedient Targaryen bride… and maybe a real life dragon of his own as the icing on the cake.

To that, Tyrion takes the tact of building Dany up to near legendary status in his subsequent speech, all while insinuating that Aegon has accomplished very little in a similar span. Tyrion then spells out a plan to Aegon that is drastically different from what Illyrio had scripted for their company, to make for Westeros instead of Volantis:

“All you need to do is raise your banners, rally your supporters, and hold, until Daenerys arrives to join her strength to yours.”

Tyrion next points out that if Aegon actually accomplishes something grand on behalf of their shared cause prior to their first meeting, Dany will be much more likely to view him as an equal instead of a supplicant…

…and just when Tyrion has Aegon right where he wants him, he delivers his fourth and final move, ending the game and the conversation in a single blow.

In this moment, it feels as though Tyrion’s dominated Aegon so thoroughly and quickly simply to show him who the smartest man on the boat is. But later, when Aegon takes the bait and takes his company to Westeros, it becomes clearer that Aegon’s decision was practically dictated by the game, and his conversation with Tyrion. And even during the game, before Aegon and Jon Connington commit to head west, it becomes clear that – should Aegon arrive in Westeros prior to Dany – this would give him ample time to establish a powerbase in Westeros, which would mean that the “cloth dragon amidst a cheering crowd” vision has time to be carried out prior to Dany landing in Westeros. This, of course, is something that was completely unclear prior to Dance, between the reader identifying who the “cloth dragon” from the House of the Undying vision be, as well as how/why he’d go to Westeros to garner a following.

Further, Tyrion provides Aegon with two very contradicting pieces of advice during their game: first, to head west, but also, at the end, to “keep your dragons close.” Something that Aegon fails to do – on the one hand – by abandoning his plans to unit with Dany and head west on his own and – on the other hand – to procure any actual dragons before establishing a beachhead.

Further, Tyrion also advises to Aegon to “trust no one,” yet Aegon can be seen to be very much putting his trust in Tyrion’s advice, by instead ignoring Illyrio’s (and by extension Varys’) plan to head east before heading west.

Finally, the result of Tyrion’s and Aegon’s exchange also illustrates to the reader that Martin had never planned to “unite” Aegon with Dany in Essos, instead choosing save their upcoming interaction for Westeros. Within that, by Aegon instead establishing a beachhead in Westeros, this provides the time necessary for Aegon to make a power play at King’s Landing, for example, garner a following, and for that “cheering crowd” to add their voices of support behind the “cloth dragon.”

The Game within the Game

In addition to their conversation, the moves within the game itself are also quite meaningful, as are the symbolic implications of its aftermath, as Martin beautifully weaves allegory throughout this scene, and the movements of the pieces themselves seem nearly as meaningful as the words being exchanged, if not more so.

In the beginning of the game, Tyrion observes Aegon’s initial setup as a “young man’s formation,” with dragons, elephants and heavy horse up front. Now, without us truly knowing the game itself, we should first note Martin’s perspective on what it is, and how it’s played as…

Within that frame, the pieces mentioned in Aegon’s setup simply sound like the strongest pieces on the board, and to put them all upfront does seem like overbold symbolism indicative of Aegon’s personality, not to mention his ostensible field commanding ability. This observation combined with Aegon’s eventual loss of the game should indeed tell us that he is not only rash in his general communication and board game playing, but that he will also most likely be rash in actually leading men to war when finally given the opportunity.

Of course, Aegon’s ability to command (or lack thereof) could be speculated on through other avenues as well: his age, his lack of real world experience, his disposition and more, but the symbolism of his cyvasse setup only reasserts the notion of his inexperience in the real world, and allows us to make an observation about his character before the game has even begun.

Next up, as his first action, Aegon goes to move his dragon, and Tyrion specifically advises him not to bring it out too early, which is ultimately the move that costs Aegon the game.

Now, if we allow our imaginations to carry actions like this up to the “full scale” cyvasse game that Aegon is about to play in Westeros with real men, dragons and more, it will be very interesting indeed to see how this particular cyvasse game plays out as foreshadowing.

For one, Tyrion effectively prevents Aegon from ever using – or at least using effectively – his dragon, as touched on in the previous section as well.

So might this mean that Aegon will never successfully bond with an actual dragon, as true Targaryens of old are known to do? Might he possibly even die by dragon-flame or the like, like poor Quentyn Martell? Or will he indeed bond with a dragon, but it will be too far away when he needs it?

Alternatively, might this mean that Aegon’s lack of alliance with any Targaryens will ultimately be his downfall, and that garnering Targaryen support would have been the right thing to do?

Whatever the case, given the choice of cyvasse piece (dragon), and the person moving it (a purported “dragon”), it seems we can speculate on more than a simple cyvasse move, such as what additional implications Aegon’s failure to get his “dragon” into play will have on actual events as they play out full scale in Winds.

As an alternate/supplemental interpretation, I take the not-bringing-your-dragons-out-too-early notion as Martin possibly also referencing his own writing, suggesting that the overarching story will be best played if the dragons have their greatest impact nearest the end of the story. Further, he could even be making a subtle joke about giving Dany her dragons too early in A Song of Ice and Fire, since she’s been stuck in Essos with young dragons for five books and a period of many years, and fans of the series “can’t wait” for her to head to Westeros, something most readers have foreseen as necessary to the story since the end of Game.

As a final interpretation of Aegon’s desired move, I also take it as symbolism that dragons are “hotheaded” and wild creatures and that, if one isn’t careful, one could possibly lose their dragon, their life, or worse – the war for Westeros – through a lack of careful planning and strategy.

Within all of these considerations, will Aegon learn his lesson when it’s “his turn” in Westeros? Or will this cyvasse game be a preview into his eventual defeat, possibly again by Tyrion’s superior mind, in a full scale conflict where the landscapes of Westeros are the cyvasse board?

As the game continues, Tyrion follows Aegon’s move up by moving his elephants, and leading by the apparent example of not moving his dragons too soon. Tyrion also plays another strong-sounding piece in the elephant, which also happens to be an animal that is known for its deliberate movements, as well as its intelligence.

Particular to Tyrion’s arc as well, who learns much of Volantene politics in Dance, the elephant symbolizes the Volantene political party that has been in power for the last 300 years, and it is indeed the Volantenes that have provided boat transport to Aegon’s party.

Additionally, when Aegon’s party lands, there is much concern over the fact that the elephants they’d boated over with them haven’t arrived. Is it possible that Tyrion’s use of the elephants in their “small scale” game also presented a symbolic, foreshadowed tie-in to Aegon’s lack of elephants when they arrive in Westeros?

In any case, by employing the elephant early in their cyvasse game, Tyrion’s second move is one that exhibits grace, confidence, power and intelligence…

…But it’s really Tyrion’s final two moves that are the crown jewels of this game.

The third:

The dwarf pushed his black dragon across a range of mountains.

And the fourth:

Smiling, he seized his dragon, flew it across the board. “I hope Your Grace will pardon me. Your king is trapped. Death in four.”

The prince stared at the playing board. “My dragon-“

“-is too far away to save you. You should have moved her to the center of the battle.”

“But you said-“

“I lied. Trust no one. And keep your dragon close.”

Again, taking the cyvasse game “full scale,” we can likely infer several different possible meanings herein. Regarding Tyrion’s third move in particular, I find it very interesting that a “black dragon” is specifically called out.

To this notion, if we can apply Illyrio’s “black or red, a dragon is still a dragon statement,” (amongst other places to support the following statement), the color black is used to symbolize Blackfyres, where red is meant to symbolize true Targaryens.

Therein, Tyrion moving “his black dragon” could be symbolism for moving Aegon Blackfyre from Essos to Westeros, as later happens in reality, and as ties into with Septon Meribald’s allegory about a Blackfyre.

Adding in as well that Tyrion, “seized his dragon, flew it across the board” in his fourth move, might we also assess that Tyrion has success with dragons where Aegon wouldn’t?

For example, Tyrion could be the one to bond with a dragon instead of Aegon, and fly that dragon “across the board” to Westeros. Just as well, Tyrion could align with Dany where Aegon might fail, and travel with Dany to Westeros instead.

Similarly, Tyrion might defeat Aegon or some of Aegon’s “real life” forces later upon the back of a dragon as well, or with the assistance of Dany.

Alternatively, since cyvasse is a game of wit, might we interpret that Tyrion simply outsmart Aegon somehow, either on or off the battlefield?

The possibilities are many, and we must also note that in retaliation of Tyrion’s fourth move, Aegon’s “final move” is to kick the cyvasse board and all of the pieces onto the ground, commanding Tyrion to, “Pick those up.”

This, I believe, is the real crux of the game, and the potential centerpiece of all of the possible foreshadowing related to the game itself. It isn’t necessarily that Tyrion is going to fly a real life dragon across a range of mountains, although he may. And Tyrion may or may not ally directly with Dany before heading to Westeros. In either case, assuming the game can be taken as a foreshadowing tool, the most significant takeaway would appear to be the possible foretelling that – after Aegon fails at rulership in King’s Landing, or perhaps during his failed reign – Tyrion is going to have to “fly in” and “pick up the pieces.”

After all, it seems Aegon is practically destined to muck things up in Westeros somehow, Dany is seemingly destined to remove him from power or “authenticity” somehow per the House of the Undying, and Tyrion – having been tasked as Dany’s counselor in rulership – is quite possibly destined to pick up the pieces – or even “rebuild Westeros” – in the aftermath.

While this idea might seem farfetched at first, I think it’s worth considering the possibility that Tyrion will do so from a position of power, whether as a member of Dany’s counsel or otherwise.

On the one hand, it seems clear that Tyrion has the know-how to rule from having done so before, and there is foreshadowing in place for him to take Casterly Rock (by way of its sewer system). Alternatively, Tyrion once saw his shadow, the timing of which (early in Game) might indicate the sort of foreshadowing that warrants endgame payoff:

When he opened the door, the light from within threw his shadow clear across the yard, and for just a moment Tyrion Lannister stood tall as a king.

By the end of A Dream of Spring, should Tyrion prove to be part Targaryen and/or a head of the dragon, should Jon Snow (another head) decide to live his days out at the Wall, and should Dany return to Braavos in search of “the house with a red door” – as unlikely as all that may seem to some – Tyrion could conceivably be in the “best” position of power relative to all the other major POVs to begin rebuilding Westeros.

In the end, this would further mean that the Tyrion who so excellently ruled King’s Landing in Clash, and who presently has more POV chapters than anyone else in Dance, could make an encore appearance near the end of the series as a much more important character than we’d initially been led to believe.

Or perhaps not.

---

Whatever the events to follow may be, it seems that considering Aegon’s and Tyrion’s cyvasse game to be more than a simple game presents many interesting possibilities, and is moreover interesting to consider because it is Tyrion’s final interaction with Aegon in Dance.

As this partial chapter review concludes, I would like to think it becomes a conversation starter for those who love cyvasse and its potential for symbolism. Each subject opens new doors, and this essay – as long as it is – admittedly leaves out several interesting connected subjects.

For example, when Tyrion plays Qavo at cyvasse later in the same chapter, he plays as Yollo (his “mummer” personality), and he plays to lose on Haldon’s advice. As such, different pieces are used (symbolizing a different strategy), the conversation is different, and the game seemingly draws on just long enough for Tyrion to obtain the information they were after.

Likewise, Tyrion later plays Brown Ben at cyvasse as well, and has observations about his formation and strategy as well. And Ben is another character who has a history with “sewer systems,” so it will be interesting to see how he and Tyrion remain connected through Winds.

In any case, generally speaking, cyvasse seems to be an analog – at least within Tyrion’s POV – to the character traits of the people playing the game, if not much, much more, and it’s possible that a lot can be gleaned from the people and pieces involved with every cyvasse match that Martin chooses to portray.

Brilliant! Only thing a disagree with is Tyrion being half Targ, other than that this is one of the best foreshadowing topics I have read on this site

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Aegon is still a kid and he craves glory, like every other warrior kid in Westeros (like Jon Connigton at some point). He's being told he will be King and he's tired of waiting, probably. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, that doesn't put him in the ranks of Joffrey at all. And he's easily manipulated because he's a kid and Tyrion has not only being the Hand of the King but he's also older, meaning more experienced and that had to pop Aegon's bubble. Still nothing wrong about that.



Now, is he fake? I'm starting to doubt he's not real. Many people in Westeros already doubt it and I doubt Varys would take any kid and say "look, he's a Targaryen because he's blonde with purple eyes" without further proof. Even if he's a Blackfyre (technically, a Targaryen).


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I find your wanting to see his demise chilling. I never got the feeling he was even close to Joffery in the level of hate he deserves.

Joff does many awful things in 3 books to get us cheering his throat clawing demise. What has Aegon done to incite this feeling from you? Being a fake, feeling entitled and throwing a fit doesn't qualify in my experience. Now if he does something over the top in WoW, then I may jump,onboard. Until then I will reserve judgment.

Edit for clarity.

I agree with you that bringing Aegon in late as the savior would be cheap. I prefer your version of events that will unfold, but I think it's unfair at this point to put Aegon and Joffrey in the same sentence.

Aegon is still a kid and he craves glory, like every other warrior kid in Westeros (like Jon Connigton at some point). He's being told he will be King and he's tired of waiting, probably. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, that doesn't put him in the ranks of Joffrey at all. And he's easily manipulated because he's a kid and Tyrion has not only being the Hand of the King but he's also older, meaning more experienced and that had to pop Aegon's bubble. Still nothing wrong about that.

I supposed I’m happy to take the criticism that I’m a little harsh on Aegon, or liken him too much to Joffrey.

Again, though, I’m also happy to soften that by stating that Aegon is not Joffrey, although some of his actions/words choices are reminiscent of Joffrey’s, as Tyrion (and by extension GRRM) notes in Tyrion VI. Nonetheless, Aegon has not yet shown that he’s 1:1 as self-entitled, self-indulgent, controlling or cruel as Joffrey; just reminiscent (e.g. flipping over the cyvasse board like a spoiled brat because he lost the game).

Whatever his disposition or maturity level, though, if Aegon is indeed a false Targaryen, then it has already been telegraphed that he is not one of the three heads of the dragon or otherwise essential to the endgame outside of his fulfillment of the “slayer of lies” prophecy.

Therein, I look forward to his “demise” (or rather, his being written into obscurity) in the same way that I look forward to finally getting the reveals to some of the major mysteries of the series, not in some perverse or torturous sense where I feel he’s worthy of undue punishment.

So perhaps we’re possibly more or less in the same boat here, barring semantics, in that if someone cut off one Aegon’s arms for no reason, I might not cheer that on as a deserving payment for his actions thus far, although a firm spanking wouldn’t go amiss, or perhaps a bully taking his lunch money.

FWIW, I waited for Dance for eleven years, and I got Aegon. Meanwhile, I’ve been following Jon, Dany, Tyrion, Bran, Arya and Sansa for closer to fifteen years, so I tend to root for them a little bit more. Therein, if Aegon turns out to be critical to the endgame (e.g. as one of the three heads), and to not be a fake after all, I suspect I’ll be at least a little bit bummed, depending on how GRRM presents it.

Although, if I wait eleven more years for ADOS, Aegon might start to grow on me. ;)

*Edit to clean up quote block.

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GRRM also relates Aegon to Joffrey by way of the "perfect prince" language - which first appears in the previous Tyrion chapter, I think, then once or twice in this one. (Not looking at my books right now, so I'll have to double check.)

Joffrey was a little monster, no doubt. And Aegon hasn't done anything to merit that kind of assessment. But the connection is certainly there, and understandably so for Tyrion - whose experience with immature but entitled princes has been less than uplifting.

That seems to sum it all up nicely, particularly from Tyrion’s perspective, which I find myself sympathetic toward. :)

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Brilliant! Only thing a disagree with is Tyrion being half Targ, other than that this is one of the best foreshadowing topics I have read on this site

I forgot to add that the OP is brilliantly written.

Thanks for that! It was fun to write, even though I recognize that not all fans of the series will agree on all points!

But that's what makes for healthy debate, and the "replay value" that this series has for so many of us.

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Now, is he fake? I'm starting to doubt he's not real. Many people in Westeros already doubt it and I doubt Varys would take any kid and say "look, he's a Targaryen because he's blonde with purple eyes" without further proof. Even if he's a Blackfyre (technically, a Targaryen).

I’ve certainly considered Aegon as the real deal, and it’s possible, although I can’t see myself liking that outcome as much.

But – as you mention – that several characters in the series have outright stated that they believe Aegon is a fake kind of muddies the waters, in that GRRM isn’t typically forthwith in simply having characters state the truth.

However, consider the source… The people calling Aegon a fake are primarily in KL, which is reminiscent of their stance on all other kings during the Wot5K, for example. In short, anyone who isn’t Tommen is a “pretender.”

Further, Varys doesn’t need to be convinced of Aegon’s authenticity, as it seems you are implying(?). Aegon is clearly “endorsed” by Varys, as becomes clear during his monologue to Kevan in epilogue, so it would conceivably be up to Varys to impress Aegon’s authenticity upon those around him.

For example, if Varys returns to the KL council meetings (since no one can prove he’s committed any murders, and he doesn’t currently appear to be on the suspect list), then he can likely convince the remaining council members of Aegon’s authenticity. Contrarily, by picking off Pycelle and Kevan, he could simply be sewing further chaos for the purpose of staging his exit to join up with Aegon in the field.

Either way, Varys and Aegon are already clearly aligned, with Varys and Illyrio seemingly pulling the strings, which is why the phrase “mummer’s dragon” seems so eerily indicative of “Varys’ false Targaryen.”

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I’ve certainly considered Aegon as the real deal, and it’s possible, although I can’t see myself liking that outcome as much.

But – as you mention – that several characters in the series have outright stated that they believe Aegon is a fake kind of muddies the waters, in that GRRM isn’t typically forthwith in simply having characters state the truth.

However, consider the source… The people calling Aegon a fake are primarily in KL, which is reminiscent of their stance on all other kings during the Wot5K, for example. In short, anyone who isn’t Tommen is a “pretender.”

Yep. That, in my third read or so, got me thinking. They all doubt he's real, which is something we should consider because that tell us that Westeros Lords are not stupid enough to believe Vary's farce just because he's gotten a blonde kid with purple eyes. Also, the circumstances surrounding Aegon's death are something that people of Westeros don't actually ever ponders. They all know there was a body involved and they believe what it was presented to Tywin. Aegon's case it's like Anna Anderson believing she was Anastasia. Many who didn't believed her words was due to the awful terrible way her family died. Yet, some people close to the real Anastasia did believe her claim. And she did all of that by himself at first, then she got sponsors. Aegon, otoh, has a whole machinery behind him for people to believe he's real even though he might not. Or... Varys has not only waited for the chaos in KL to reign but he has also finally gotten all the proof he needs to convince Westeros lords.

Personal, I think there is something more for the kid to prove he's real besides his features and Jon Connington. Even though ASOIAF has strange genetics and it's fantasy, not even the "Valyrian" features of Aegon are enough. As someone told Dany, there is a prostitute who looks like her, and baby Aegon surely had specific traces that men as Pycelle could have noticed, even JonCon if he was somehow relatively close to Rhaegar after the kid was born. Which I want to imply is that I think that, even though JonCon might be also fooling himself out of guilt, I do believe there is a bit of chance Aegon is Rhaegar's son and someone might realise it (just like I think someone might see something of Rhaegar in Jon). Otherwise, I could simply take any dark red haired and brown eyed kid with asian-latino features from the street and call him my son.

Further, Varys doesn’t need to be convinced of Aegon’s authenticity, as it seems you are implying(?). Aegon is clearly “endorsed” by Varys, as becomes clear during his monologue to Kevan in epilogue, so it would conceivably be up to Varys to impress Aegon’s authenticity upon those around him.

Nope, Varys doesn't need any evidence at all. With Varys and Aegon there is two of the three chances:

1- He knows he's real

2- He knows he's not real and he lies.

3- He knows he's not real but he thinks he is real.

In Aegon's case, #2 and #3 doesn't apply because either fake or not, Aegon does believe he's who Varys claims him to be. Varys is a different matter, in his case, it's either #1 or #2. He has the right kid or he has a different kid but he's lying. Either way, even though it sounds kinda obvious, that makes what what he said to Kevan something he actually believes: that he does have a prince that's better than Tommen and he raised that child to believe he's Aegon.

For example, if Varys returns to the KL council meetings (since no one can prove he’s committed any murders, and he doesn’t currently appear to be on the suspect list), then he can likely convince the remaining council members of Aegon’s authenticity. Contrarily, by picking off Pycelle and Kevan, he could simply be sewing further chaos for the purpose of staging his exit to join up with Aegon in the field.

Either way, Varys and Aegon are already clearly aligned, with Varys and Illyrio seemingly pulling the strings, which is why the phrase “mummer’s dragon” seems so eerily indicative of “Varys’ false Targaryen.”

I think Cersei kinda believes Varys let Tyrion free, but it doesn't matter now. If she's the only one, if Cersei is gone, then Varys can return.
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Your post is brilliant OP. I'm impressed, and I completely buy it 100%. All the evidence of foreshadowing is there. How this thread doesn't have hundreds of posts is beyond me. I guess people would rather argue about surface level stuff or debate which characters are the best.



Its so interesting that Martin specifically references a "black dragon," in Tyrion's third move in the game. That along with the Inn at the Crossroads reference (that I have read before) and Illyrio quote, have me sold on the Aegon as a Blackfyre hypothesis.



The only thing I am not totally convinced of is the tangential theory that Tyrion is Ayres bastard. Maybe his obsession with dragons is essential to his role in the story of being the only person to have met (or about to meet) all three ostensible dragons: Jon, Aegon and Dany. He has an important role to play in the narrative structure whether he is a Targ or not.



And I don't think its unfair (albeit a bit premature) to compare Aegon with Joffrey after he throws the board and comands Tyrion to pick up the mess he made. Good observation.



I'm also interested in the idea of Dany going back to Bravvos to the house with the red door (to go forward, you must go back). I'm like the idea of her going to Vlyria actually. What lead you to consider Braavos as a possibility?


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I honestly would feel pretty bad for JonCon if he's been lied to all this time by Varys and Illyrio, raising a kid he thought was his "friends". He's an extremely loyal man, and likable, despite his hard personality.

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