So Tyrion did not know who Maseter Aemon was, correct?

[Leonardo]

Not to mention that Tyrion would have known who Maekar's heirs were; it was a pretty noticeable event when Egg was selected, and how could Tyrion not be fascinated by Bloodraven? The reigns of those 4 kings was pretty eventful. Baelor's death would have been a huge deal, as would the Spring Sickness and Aerys ascent to the throne. 

 

He may well have known and just not acted towards Aemon as I would have thought, or maybe he did offscreen. Aemon wasn't just a student of history, he was part of it. He had known Baeloe Breakspear and King Daeron the Good; Bloodraven....

[Lady Fevre Dream]

I do think George wanted Aemon hidden for the reveal to Jon, but, yes, having Tyrion not note it does seem strange.  I suppose we could go with the hair color being down to old age and we know Aemon's eyes are bit funny looking from blindness.  Even with the name, I'm thinking George used that for camouflage to excuse Tyrion not noting.  But, I also recall that Tyrion seemed to give Aemon a big berth on politeness, especially when Aemon flatters him.  It's done in a certain way that brings Tyrion to silence.  The way the scene plays out it's as if Tyrion could have been giving Aemon respect for age, but we could wonder if it was more.  Still, it does seem as if it's all about keeping that identity secret until the reveal for Jon, and for us readers as well.  That revelation was a great moment in the books.

[The Sunland Lord]

Maybe he doesn't know that much.

[Seams]

On 7/21/2018 at 5:01 AM, Leonardo said:

Agreed with the poster above me; had he been under nor pressure, he surely would have  known Aemon. At this point the stories surrounding Aegon V would be numerous and the kind of fancy Tyrion would take to. Had he known who he was however, I believe hed have spent faaaaar more time with him. Aemon would know much and more of Barth, dragons, and the origins and proceedings of House Targaryen. He was truly irreplacable, and I can even imagine Tyrion dedicating a chunk o time to a book of Aemon's accounts.

This is true. It's possible that Tyrion didn't cross paths with Aemon until that crab feast, and it didn't occur to him that "the" Aemon might still be alive: like the rest of Westeros, people forgot that there was a Targaryen at the Wall. If Tyrion asked who that nice blind man was, who had said that Tyrion was a giant, I'm sure he would have followed up and devoted time to talking with Maester Aemon at length, asap. Maybe no one had made a formal introduction and Tyrion just thought he was an elderly maester and didn't put the rest of the story together.

Regarding the assertion by a different poster that Tyrion would be interested in Targs only up to the time that they rode dragons, this is disproved by the book he selects and gives Joffrey as a groom's gift wedding present. The Lives of Four Kings covers the biographies of Daeron I, Baelor I, Aegon IV and Daeron II. It seems clear when he presents the book that he is familiar with its contents and even Kevan Lannister says that every king should read it.

I love the moment at the crab feast when Aemon shares his impression of Tyrion:

"Oh, I think that Lord Tyrion is quite a large man," Maester Aemon said from the far end of the table. He spoke softly, yet the high officers of the Night's Watch all fell quiet, the better to hear what the ancient had to say. "I think he is a giant come among us, here at the end of the world."

Tyrion answered gently, "I've been called many things, my lord, but giant is seldom one of them."

"Nonetheless," Maester Aemon said as his clouded, milk-white eyes moved to Tyrion's face, "I think it is true."

For once, Tyrion Lannister found himself at a loss for words.

(AGoT, Tyrion III)

It's Tyrion's POV, and he refers to Maester Aemon as "the ancient," which is vague and obviously doesn't identify his family heritage. So it's possible that he really didn't connect that an elderly Maester Aemon might be "the" maester who had gone to the Wall decades earlier.

I have noticed, too, that maesters are often portrayed as part of the place they inhabit, neither entering or leaving a room but just existing in it. Grand Maester Pycelle is already seated at the table for the high council as other members arrive, for instance. Maester Luwin does go into the crypt with Bran and then up to the rookery, but he may be an exception. (Hmm. I also just remembered that Theon compels Luwin to ride along with the group hunting for Bran and his companions in the woods. There must be some symbolism about Theon's attempt to own or control Winterfell in this act of taking the maester along with the riding party.) In his final scene, Luwin is already dying by the heart tree when Bran and his companions discover him; he doesn't have to move to be part of the scene and his death coincides with the destruction of the castle. Maester Cressen is an exception, too, in his movement from his chamber to dinner but he arrives to find that Maester Pylos is already in his place.

My point is that Maester Aemon may be "one" with the Wall. Tyrion has traveled north of Winterfell specifically to see and stand on the Wall - probably a once-in-a-lifetime trip for someone like him. If a maester becomes part of the place he serves, then Aemon's words about Tyrion are as if the Wall itself has sized him up and shown its approval.

As always, the ice / eyes wordplay helps to provide a clue. In the excerpt cited above, Maester Aemon's eyes are white, like the ice Wall. He is also at the far end of the table and then describes the location of Castle Black or The Wall as the far end of the world.

(Because of the sword / words wordplay, I also see a potential clue in Tyrion's "loss for words" and the lost Valyrian steel sword, Truth. Maester Aemon says his words about Tyrion are true just before the "loss for words" phrase. The sword originally belonged to a member of the Rogare banking family in Braavos. The Rogares married into both the Targaryen royal family and the Martells. If you share the belief that Tyrion is a hidden Targ, maybe the author is showing us that Aemon, a member of the Targaryen royal family, has just handed down Truth to a Targaryen heir.)

Edit: This idea of the maester embodying a place becomes more significant the more I think about it. When Cressen is humiliated before dying at the dinner at Dragonstone, it is Davos who offers him a seat, I believe. This gets my subtext antenna tingling, because it could mean that Davos is acting as the host to "Dragonstone" after Stannis has rejected the love offered by Cressen. I believe Davos has a hidden identity or a great destiny - maybe both - so this special relationship in seating a maester could be an important hint.

I don't want to derail the thread if there's more to be a said about Tyrion and Aemon, but are there other examples of someone providing a seat for a maester?

[Ser Leftwich]

Not having reviewed the relevant passages, does anyone refer to Maester Aemon as "Aemon" "Maester" or "Maester Aemon" in front of Tyrion?

Does Tyrion ever hear his name?

[The Fattest Leech]

I have not read this entire thread yet, but something I noticed earlier today during a relisten is Stannis knew straight away that Aemon was the Aemon.

Just a small note, nothing big to add:

A Storm of Swords - Samwell V

"He has taken the black, sire," Maester Aemon pointed out.

"I am well aware of that," the king [Stannis] said. "I am aware of more than you know, Aemon Targaryen."

The old man inclined his head. "I am only Aemon, sire. We give up our House names when we forge our maester's chains."

[Leonardo]

44 minutes ago, Ser Leftwich said:

Not having reviewed the relevant passages, does anyone refer to Maester Aemon as "Aemon" "Maester" or "Maester Aemon" in front of Tyrion?

Does Tyrion ever hear his name?

He does know his name is Aemon, which is even more puzzling imo

[John Suburbs]

15 hours ago, Ser Leftwich said:

Not having reviewed the relevant passages, does anyone refer to Maester Aemon as "Aemon" "Maester" or "Maester Aemon" in front of Tyrion?

Does Tyrion ever hear his name?

Yes, he even speaks it:

Quote

For once, Tyrion Lannister found himself at a loss for words. He could only bow his head politely and say, "You are too kind, Maester Aemon."

I'd lay a good bet that Tyrion has been the subject of flattery before, but mostly from people who want something from him. To me, his being at a loss for words in this conversation suggests that Tyrion does know who this Aemon is. 

[Rufus Snow]

On 7/22/2018 at 2:42 AM, Seams said:

I don't want to derail the thread if there's more to be a said about Tyrion and Aemon, but are there other examples of someone providing a seat for a maester?

Well, there are other examples of Maesters being forced out of their (usual) seats, such as Pycelle losing his council seat to Tyrion and then sitting as far away as he could during the meeting.

But mostly, I wanted to say there are lots of occasions when maesters come and go - Pycelle is often sent hither and thither by Cersei, many a maester comes into a room with a raven scroll in various castles. Caleotte comes shuffling in after - oh, which one? Nym or Obara? at the Water Garden, and so on and so forth. Anyway, more than enough counter-examples to disprove the 'maesters-are-always-in-place' theory, imho.

But as to Aemon, I can't believe Tyrion didn't work it out, though I'm not sure why he wouldn't remark on it. Even Jon works it out, and he is not well versed in history (has to ask Tyrion why he reads so much etc), and Stannis klnew without a doubt - but whether that was down to prior knowledge, or maybe Mel saw a 'blind dragon' or somesuch in her flames, we can only speculate.

I can't think of anyone else in the entire story to whom Tyrion shows more deference and respect than he does to Aemon. And the way he treats Pycelle would suggest it's not Aemon's age alone that is the cause of said deference. In fact, I think Aemon may be the ONLY character Tyrion actually has full respect for.....

Unfortunately there is nothing in the text I can find which pins a definite 100% he did/didn't know tail on this donkey.