I genuinely hope that Daeron II was Aemon’s child.

[_Bittersteel_]

57 minutes ago, BlackLightning said:

It would be interesting.

There'd be no lack of material by the time that HOTD gets to the end of the Dance. The Dance has just begun and season 2 isn't coming out until early 2024. Volume 2 of Fire and Blood probably will come out before 2027: which would around the time HOTD ends.

There is already a basic outline of events. I think that can suit tv. They can be creative within the lines, and are less likely to ruined established characters like in seasons 5-8

[King_Tristifer_IV_Mudd]

Part of me also just likes the idea of Aemon and Naerys just being good siblings together. Like Aemon just loves her in a brotherly way. It’d be ironic that in a family known for incest, that a rumored tryst between brother and sister was just a misconstrued strong sibling relationship because of their family’s history.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Daenerys (and Jon) descends from the Dragonknight. Aegon descends from the Unworthy. In Samwell I, Feast 5, we learned that Daeron II was rumored to have been fathered by Aemon Targaryen of the Kingsguard called the Dragonknight, and not by Aegon IV the Unworthy. And we recalled that even Maester Aemon leant credibility to the rumor when he told Jon Snow of his own heritage way back in Game. Sansa had told us back in Storm that Naerys was Aegon's sister and queen, and that he never harmed her, perhaps out of fear for their brother the Dragonknight. And the very attentive reader would have recalled way back in Game, when Sansa was about to go riding with Joffrey near the Trident, she told us that Prince Aemon the Dragonknight championed Queen Naerys's honor against evil Ser Morgil's slanders. A little later, when the Ned told Sansa that her engagement with Joffrey would soon be over, she suggested that Queen Naerys loved Prince Aemon the Dragonknight. In Clash, she suggested that Prince Aemon the Dragonknight cried the day Princess Naerys wed his brother Aegon. A song was sung about the romance during the Battle of the Blackwater. As Meera was telling Bran about the Tourney at Harrenhal, Bran was telling us that the Dragonknight once won a tourney as the Knight of Tears, so he could name his sister the queen of love and beauty in place of the king's mistress. A few chapters later in Feast, Arys Oakheart suggested that the tale of Prince Aemon's treason with Queen Naerys was only that, a tale, a lie his brother told when he wished to set his trueborn son aside in favor of his bastard. However, it was clear that Arys was fighting his lust for Arianne, and losing miserably, so his denial lacked at least some credibility. 

In story, the rumor was originally intended to cast doubt on Daeron's legitimacy, but by that point it was really just sour grapes. The more important point is what the George is communicating to the reader, that Daenerys and Jon are descendants of the Dragonknight while Aegon is a descendant of the Unworthy. This will probably have no real bearing in story, but some wise sage might make note of it.

It's a nonfactor for the characters. But there is a reason The George hinted at it at least nine times in the novels.

There is no doubt that Daemon Blackfyre was the natural son of Aegon called the Unworthy, and the author justifies that title for the characters and the readers. Meanwhile, Daeron Targaryen is rumored to have been fathered by Aemon called the Dragonknight. As opposed to the Unworthy, the Dragonknight is portrayed by the author and the characters as the paragon of nobility.

For the characters in the story, whether Daeron was truly the son of the Dragonknight is not relevant. For the reader, though, that the author has hinted that Daeron was truly the son of the Dragonknight is highly relevant.

[BlackLightning]

2 minutes ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

Daenerys (and Jon) descends from the Dragonknight. Aegon descends from the Unworthy. In Samwell I, Feast 5, we learned that Daeron II was rumored to have been fathered by Aemon Targaryen of the Kingsguard called the Dragonknight, and not by Aegon IV the Unworthy. And we recalled that even Maester Aemon leant credibility to the rumor when he told Jon Snow of his own heritage way back in Game. Sansa had told us back in Storm that Naerys was Aegon's sister and queen, and that he never harmed her, perhaps out of fear for their brother the Dragonknight. And the very attentive reader would have recalled way back in Game, when Sansa was about to go riding with Joffrey near the Trident, she told us that Prince Aemon the Dragonknight championed Queen Naerys's honor against evil Ser Morgil's slanders. A little later, when the Ned told Sansa that her engagement with Joffrey would soon be over, she suggested that Queen Naerys loved Prince Aemon the Dragonknight. In Clash, she suggested that Prince Aemon the Dragonknight cried the day Princess Naerys wed his brother Aegon. A song was sung about the romance during the Battle of the Blackwater. As Meera was telling Bran about the Tourney at Harrenhal, Bran was telling us that the Dragonknight once won a tourney as the Knight of Tears, so he could name his sister the queen of love and beauty in place of the king's mistress. A few chapters later in Feast, Arys Oakheart suggested that the tale of Prince Aemon's treason with Queen Naerys was only that, a tale, a lie his brother told when he wished to set his trueborn son aside in favor of his bastard. However, it was clear that Arys was fighting his lust for Arianne, and losing miserably, so his denial lacked at least some credibility. 

In story, the rumor was originally intended to cast doubt on Daeron's legitimacy, but by that point it was really just sour grapes. The more important point is what the George is communicating to the reader, that Daenerys and Jon are descendants of the Dragonknight while Aegon is a descendant of the Unworthy. This will probably have no real bearing in story, but some wise sage might make note of it.

It's a nonfactor for the characters. But there is a reason The George hinted at it at least nine times in the novels.

There is no doubt that Daemon Blackfyre was the natural son of Aegon called the Unworthy, and the author justifies that title for the characters and the readers. Meanwhile, Daeron Targaryen is rumored to have been fathered by Aemon called the Dragonknight. As opposed to the Unworthy, the Dragonknight is portrayed by the author and the characters as the paragon of nobility.

For the characters in the story, whether Daeron was truly the son of the Dragonknight is not relevant. For the reader, though, that the author has hinted that Daeron was truly the son of the Dragonknight is highly relevant.

Well if this is true, then - as previously stated - that not only does it mean that Daemon and his supporters were right but it shows that there is absolutely no difference between the Targaryens and the Blackfyres. And that revelation/retcon (zero difference between Targaryens and Blackfyres for both are descended from royal bastards) would end up weakening several stories.

For example, Daenerys' inevitable fight against Aegon, Griff, Varys and Illyrio will be extremely petty and nonsensical.

[Lost Melnibonean]

1 hour ago, BlackLightning said:

Well if this is true, then - as previously stated - that not only does it mean that Daemon and his supporters were right but it shows that there is absolutely no difference between the Targaryens and the Blackfyres. And that revelation/retcon (zero difference between Targaryens and Blackfyres for both are descended from royal bastards) would end up weakening several stories.

For example, Daenerys' inevitable fight against Aegon, Griff, Varys and Illyrio will be extremely petty and nonsensical.

No... Because it will have no bearing in story. 

[sweetsunray]

10 hours ago, BlackLightning said:

Well if this is true, then - as previously stated - that not only does it mean that Daemon and his supporters were right but it shows that there is absolutely no difference between the Targaryens and the Blackfyres. And that revelation/retcon (zero difference between Targaryens and Blackfyres for both are descended from royal bastards) would end up weakening several stories.

For example, Daenerys' inevitable fight against Aegon, Griff, Varys and Illyrio will be extremely petty and nonsensical.

You think George telling stories of bastard bloodlines weakens the stories? The blood matters, character matters, not whether you were wed or not. Of course the fight for a throne over who was born within an awful marriage is extremely petty. That's the whole point.

Edited February 8, 2023 by sweetsunray

[Willam Stark]

I don't think so, it would give too much credit to the Unworthy.

 

[Kal-L]

How can we affirm without any doubt that Daemon Blackfyre was Aegon IV's son ? We have as much evidence about that fact that we have about Aemon Dragonknight and Naerys conceiving Daeron the good, meaning none. When the unworthy claimed Daemon as his son, Daena the Defiant had been dead for a decade. Quite convenient how the other protagonist was not there to corroborate or contradict his story, once he claimed the promising Daemon as his own.