The first episode of Game of Thrones fully immersed fans, leaving no room for divided attention span. The series seamlessly introduced the plight of the surviving House Targaryen while placing House Stark in a dangerous situation. The Targaryens continue to be a source of fascination for the brand, leading to the series, House of the Dragon. It was in the flagship series, however, where the most significant line of dialogue occurred, breaking the hearts of book readers.
Maester Aemon’s Death Hinted at Sad Targaryen History in Game of Thrones
Death always came calling for the characters of Game of Thrones, but one of the saddest was the one everyone expected. When Jon Snow first went to join the Night’s Watch, Maester Aemon was already well past his prime. Wizened and wise, the Maester was often a voice of reason when Jon needed it most.
He survived after the coup against Commander Mormont and lived well into Jon’s leadership as the Lord Commander. Unlike many characters in the series, he was rewarded with dying in his bed from old age. His death was anticipated due to his age, but his last words were haunting, even if viewers didn’t understand the full meaning behind them.
Even more significant was the person Maester Aemon envisioned as he started to depart. Egg was a nickname for King Aegon Targaryen, famous for being one-half of the duo in George R.R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg stories. These stories are finally getting the attention they deserve as they have been adapted for HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
This material is popular in book form and the upcoming series because it was a far cry from the viciousness in A Song of Ice and Fire. Aegon was a rarity in the Targaryen line, making him the person that Aemon would want to see at the time of his death. In the long line of Targaryen kings – and potential queens – madness was a roll of the dice. Aegon was one in a million, but without Aemon, his life may not have turned out to be such a triumph.
Maester Aemon Exiled Himself For His Brother Before Game of Thrones
Fans of the series never got the full picture of Aemon’s life, which was just as colorful as the characters on House of the Dragon. His past made his final words all the more emotional, even if characters like Jon Snow would never know the full extent of it. In a more peaceful time, Maester Aemon was born Aemon Targaryen and was the third son of Prince Maekar.
Aemon was particularly close with his younger brother, Prince Aegon, and was the one who bestowed upon him the nickname of “Egg.” His time with his family would be short-lived, however, because he was soon sent to the Citadel to learn to become a Maester. In the antithesis of Viserys’ lack of male heirs, King Daeron had a different issue.
He worried that too many Targaryen heirs would cause complications for the line of succession. He sent his grandson, Aemon, away as a way to eliminate potential threats to challenge for the Iron Throne. Since Aemon was bookish, his path to the Citadel was a natural decision. As Daeron had feared, there was contention about who would succeed to the Iron Throne.
After the eldest Targaryen died, the line of succession rightly went to Prince Aegon. Many contradicted this idea as Aegon was almost too popular with the smallfolk. Because of his time squiring for Ser Duncan the Tall, many considered him almost a peasant himself and did not view him as the right person to rule.
Aemon did not want to be part of any plot to usurp his younger brother, and in a showing of great moral fiber, he opted to live out the rest of his days on the Wall. While some may have considered this a fate worse than death, Aemon never shirked from his duties. He took this on without hesitation and was a valued member of the Night’s Watch until his final days. Aegon supported his brother so much that he created an honor guard and sent many men with Aemon who would take the black with him. One of these men was Bryndyn Rivers, who would go on to become the Lord Commander himself.
Like many before him, Aemon’s vows were tested, but he always remained steadfast. The destruction of House Targaryen at the hands of Robert Baratheon was heartbreaking for Aemon, and still, he remained steadfast. He stayed with his brothers on the Wall until his final moments, when he was finally able to see his beloved brother again. King Aegon had been long dead at that time, but Aemon’s desire to see his young brother in death was incredibly telling of the kinship between them as the few decent Targaryens in a long history of rulers.
Many Targaryens Will Appear In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Aemon’s story is just one in a long line of kings and queens who have added color to George R.R. Martin’s immersive world. The Maester was a beloved character who didn’t necessarily need exploration. If there is one thing that Martin is good at, however, it is the lore he writes for his characters.
Aemon is just as interesting as any other Game of Thrones character and may get the chance to have his time to shine in a new project for HBO. After the success of Game of Thrones and the prequel, House of the Dragon, a new series is on deck. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms boasts to be the next big thing for fantasy, and for good reason.
The HBO universe of fantasy series has been gritty and grueling, but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms should be something different. Instead of showing the vicious power play for the Iron Throne, this new series will cater more towards the smallfolk who had only brief appearances in the live-action adaptations of George R.R. Martin’s world. The new series is an adaptation of the novellas, starting with The Hedge Knight, and has no great concern for the line of succession.
The appearance of his brother Aemon has not been confirmed, but it would give even more credence to a series that is highly anticipated. While House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones show the ramifications of how power corrupts, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms promises to be something else. Just as Aemon was the shining light in the darkness, so too is the series that takes place during his youth. Dunk is unlike any other knight of his time. He strives to do what is right and finds honor and courage to be good traits to have.
This is the sort of legacy that Aemon would have wanted for his family, had the Targaryens lived up to it. Aemon was a character who lived up to his legend in the book, and seeing him in the new series would be a treat for fans looking for easter eggs. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a decisive change in the world of Game of Thrones and may be just the thing to combat franchise fatigue in the modern age of streaming.
