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An Argument for Aemon


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During a recent re-reading of A Game of Thrones I found a particular section very interesting.

"The gift of a sword, even a sword as fine as Longclaw, did not make him a Mormont. Nor was he Aemon Targaryen. Three times the old man had chosen, and three times he had chosen honor, but that was him. Even now, Jon could not decide whether the maester had stayed because he was weak and craven, or because he was strong and true. Yet he understood what the old man had meant, about the pain of choosing; he understood that all too well."

Reading this I and in respect to the four later released books, I have come to the conclusion that Jon is Wrong in this statement. Like it or not, he is Aemon Targaryen. Now besides the superficial explanation of my conclusion (that being George's frequently uses ironically incorrect statement by his characters in relationship to foreshadowing), there are more than a few reasons to suspect this as Jon's true name. first I will present a very simple and logical explanation for why this might be his name, and then I will draw parallels between two other Aemon Targaryens and how they bare similarities to Jon Snow.

First and Foremost, the idea that Rhaegar would name both his sons Aegon is just stupid. And though Rhaegar was dead before Jon was born it is not a wild assumption that the parents would have discussed a name for the child (male or female) or that Rheagar already had a name for the child. Finally we know that amongst the Targaryen family, Rhaagar and Master Aemon corresponded on matters including but not limited to The Prince that was Promised - a seeming near obsession for both. Given this information, the idea that Jon's true name is Aemon is at least plausible.

Now in regards to parallels found in Jon and two other Aemons...

Aemon the DragonKnight- Brother to King Aegon the Unworthy (and a hero Jon often claimed the name of when playing swords with Robb as a child - but also reasonable for any child of the seven kingdoms to do). Wielder of the Legendary Bastard sword Dark Sister.  Member of a brotherhood that demands abstinence (a vow he is rumored to have broken with his sister).

Aemon the Old Crow- Brother to King Aegon the Unlikely. A maester- the knights of the mind- and a member of the Brotherhood of the Nights Watch. At the end of his life he was ready to forsake his vow in order to aid Dany, but was too weak and frail.

Aemon the White Wolf- Brother to Aegon the dead baby or King fAegon if not a fraud (may become like brothers regardless but that's just speculation). Member of the Night's Watch, forsakes his vow for a two women, one for lust and one for love. wielder of the bastard sword Longclaw (the identifying pommel of which was destroyed in a fire. perviously speculated by me in particulare to be Dark Sister in actuality).

Nothing here is concrete proof, but I do believe based on the above information, it's not only logical, but likely that Jon is truly named Aemon.

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I'm with you on this. Obviously it's just opinion, and there's no way of being sure, but if Jon has a 'true' Targaryen name, I'd guess Aemon.

For me it was because of the other 'good' Aemons that you mentioned who never got crowned/were not kings - son of Jaehaerys, Dragonknight and Maester. Jon could fit in with this bunch as a 'good' non-kings (and Aegon was clearly taken at time of his birth).

Seems like GRRM likes Aemons and, probably, Jon so it fits in that regard too. 

Of course there are plenty of other options, but if I had to bet 50p I'd place it on Aemon. 

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Some time ago I read a well written article claiming that Robb was a foreshadowed by a combination of the Young Dragon and Florian the Fool while Jon was a combination of Aemon the Dragonknight and Ryam Redwyne.

Quote

Every morning they had trained together, since they were big enough to walk; Snow and Stark, spinning and slashing about the wards of Winterfell, shouting and laughing, sometimes crying when there was no one else to see. They were not little boys when they fought, but knights and mighty heroes. "I'm Prince Aemon the Dragonknight," Jon would call out, and Robb would shout back, "Well, I'm Florian the Fool." Or Robb would say, "I'm the Young Dragon," and Jon would reply, "I'm Ser Ryam Redwyne." 

There was a lot more to the article than the above snippet but it was well done and may give us some clues as to what is going to happen to Jon in regards to especially the Ryam Redwyne part of him.

Edit - I don't believe it is important whether or not he has another name.

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I agree that Rhaegar naming both his sons Aegon would be silly. The only argument I could see in favor of Aegon is if you're a fan of the importance of numbers. If fAegon is crowned he'll be Aegon VI. This sets up the possibility of Jon being Aegon VII. Seven, of course, is the big religiously significant number for most of the realm. With how tied Jon is to the old gods it would be strange for him to end up in some quasi religious role involving the new gods but some writers would definitely go for the symbolic number.

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19 hours ago, Ser Ilyn's Tongue said:

I'm with you on this. Obviously it's just opinion, and there's no way of being sure, but if Jon has a 'true' Targaryen name, I'd guess Aemon.

yeah that was my feeling on the matter

17 hours ago, Makk said:

Some time ago I read a well written article claiming that Robb was a foreshadowed by a combination of the Young Dragon and Florian the Fool while Jon was a combination of Aemon the Dragonknight and Ryam Redwyne.

There was a lot more to the article than the above snippet but it was well done and may give us some clues as to what is going to happen to Jon in regards to especially the Ryam Redwyne part of him.

Edit - I don't believe it is important whether or not he has another name.

I hadn't really considered Ryan Redwyne but he's another king's guard and was there ordering commander. I wonder what parallels we'll get if any.

I agree, the name isn't really that important, but it is fun to speculate on :) 

10 minutes ago, Groo said:

I agree that Rhaegar naming both his sons Aegon would be silly. The only argument I could see in favor of Aegon is if you're a fan of the importance of numbers. If fAegon is crowned he'll be Aegon VI. This sets up the possibility of Jon being Aegon VII. Seven, of course, is the big religiously significant number for most of the realm. With how tied Jon is to the old gods it would be strange for him to end up in some quasi religious role involving the new gods but some writers would definitely go for the symbolic number.

wow I don't know how I feel about this. obviously it would be something the small folk loved, but I just can't imagine Jon championing the faith of seven.

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3 hours ago, Targaryeninkingslanding said:

I hadn't really considered Ryan Redwyne but he's another king's guard and was there ordering commander. I wonder what parallels we'll get if any.

My guess is that Jon might become hand of the king (or queen) and then have a falling out and get dumped from the role. We don't know why Redwyne was considered such a bad hand and replaced but I have a feeling it was down to disagreement with the king.

And of course Ryan Redwyne had brothers named Robert and Rickard, but I think there will be more to it than that.

 

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This might be related to the line that absolutely needed to stay in the graphic novel adaptation. I don't recall the specifics, only something along the lines of there was a line from AGoT that GRRM said had to appear in the adaptation. @Ran might be able to supply specifics or details.

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3 hours ago, Lord Browndodd said:

Weren't Daemon Blackfyre's eldest two sons another Aegon and Aemon?

yes, indeed so. Aemon was the younger and the one who tried to take up blackfyre when his father and brother were slain. but he was quickly killed soon after by blood raven and his raven's teeth archers.

Thanks for mentioning them, I forgot that pairing.

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Also: Gilly is a symbolic Lyanna with a rough equivalent of the "Promise me, Ned" scene:

Quote

So there is magic beyond the Wall after all. He found himself thinking of his sisters, perhaps because he'd dreamed of them last night. Sansa would call this an enchantment, and tears would fill her eyes at the wonder of it, but Arya would run out laughing and shouting, wanting to touch it all.

"Lord Snow?" he heard. Soft and meek. He turned.

Crouched atop the rock that had sheltered him during the night was the rabbit keeper, wrapped in a black cloak so large it drowned her. Sam's cloak, Jon realized at once. Why is she wearing Sam's cloak? "The fat one told me I'd find you here, m'lord," she said.

...

"Won't Craster be angry with you?"

"My father drank overmuch of the Lord Crow's wine last night. He'll sleep most of the day." Her breath frosted the air in small nervous puffs. "They say the king gives justice and protects the weak." She started to climb off the rock, awkwardly, but the ice had made it slippery and her foot went out from under her. Jon caught her before she could fall, and helped her safely down. The woman knelt on the icy ground. "M'lord, I beg you—"

...

"Is it Craster who frightens you, Gilly?"

"For the baby, not for me. If it's a girl, that's not so bad, she'll grow a few years and he'll marry her. But Nella says it's to be a boy, and she's had six and knows these things. He gives the boys to the gods. Come the white cold, he does, and of late it comes more often. That's why he started giving them sheep, even though he has a taste for mutton. Only now the sheep's gone too. Next it will be dogs, till . . ." She lowered her eyes and stroked her belly.

"What gods?" Jon was remembering that they'd seen no boys in Craster's Keep, nor men either, save Craster himself.

"The cold gods," she said. "The ones in the night. The white shadows."

And suddenly Jon was back in the Lord Commander's Tower again. A severed hand was climbing his calf and when he pried it off with the point of his longsword, it lay writhing, fingers opening and closing. The dead man rose to his feet, blue eyes shining in that gashed and swollen face. Ropes of torn flesh hung from the great wound in his belly, yet there was no blood.

Of course, Gilly swaps babies at Jon's direction but she chooses a name for Mance Rayder and Dalla's baby: Aemon Steelsong or Aemon Battleborn. 

Dalla is also a symbolic Lyanna and has a meaningful scene with Jon Snow (Storm, Jon X) so Gilly naming Dalla's baby and Val naming Gilly's baby (Monster) may not make a difference in the literary sense. 

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13 minutes ago, Seams said:

Also: Gilly is a symbolic Lyanna with a rough equivalent of the "Promise me, Ned" scene:

Of course, Gilly swaps babies at Jon's direction but she chooses a name for Mance Rayder and Dalla's baby: Aemon Steelsong or Aemon Battleborn. 

Dalla is also a symbolic Lyanna and has a meaningful scene with Jon Snow (Storm, Jon X) so Gilly naming Dalla's baby and Val naming Gilly's baby (Monster) may not make a difference in the literary sense. 

@Seams I am so happy you mentioned Aemon Steelsong. not only is he a great proxy for what happened to Jon as a baby, but You reminded me I even wrote a theory arguing Val and Dalla to be of Dragonblood.

Its not a great theory, mind you, but in my head canon Jon is now 100% actually named Aemon.

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