Finn Bennett has given Game of Thrones fans one more reason to keep Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen on their watchlist. After A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 became a major win for HBO, the second season is already moving forward with Peter Claffey returning as Ser Duncan the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell coming back as Aegon “Egg” Targaryen.
The tricky part is that Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen does not appear in George R. R. Martin’s The Sworn Sword, the novella expected to shape Season 2. Still, Finn Bennett’s latest comments have opened the door to one delicious question. Could Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin find a way to bring the dangerous Targaryen prince back earlier than expected?
Quick Read:
- Finn Bennett wants to return as Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen.
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2 is already in production.
- Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell will return as Ser Duncan the Tall and Aegon “Egg” Targaryen.
Finn Bennett wants Prince Aerion Brightflame Targaryen back, but A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2 has one problem
Dunk and Aerion in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Image: HBO)
Finn Bennett spoke about Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen during the red carpet premiere of A24’s Backrooms, where ScreenRant asked him about the possibility of returning to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The actor said:
Add WoT as a preferred source on Google.
Please! I don’t know. Let’s just wait and see. I was so happy with the way that series came out, and I’m so proud to be a part of it. So proud of Peter and Dexter, and I love all of them.
That answer is careful, but it is not cold. Finn Bennett clearly loved playing Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen, and honestly, who can blame him? Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen was one of the sharpest edges of Season 1. He gave Ser Duncan the Tall a cruel royal opponent and gave Aegon “Egg” Targaryen’s family drama a nasty bite.
The issue is that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2 is expected to adapt George R. R. Martin’s The Sworn Sword, and Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen is absent from that novella. Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen is also absent from George R. R. Martin’s The Mystery Knight, which would likely shape a possible third season.
Still, television is not parchment. Ira Parker already made notable changes in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1, so a small Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen cameo is not impossible. A court scene, a royal update, or even a brief appearance could keep Finn Bennett’s character alive in the audience’s mind without dragging Season 2 away from Ser Duncan the Tall and Aegon “Egg” Targaryen.
Prince Aerion Brightflame Targaryen is not the only Targaryen question before A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2
Credits: Steffan Hill / HBO
Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen is only one piece of the Targaryen puzzle. Sam Spruell, who played Prince Maekar Targaryen, has already confirmed that Prince Maekar Targaryen will not return in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2. However, Sam Spruell has also left room for Prince Maekar Targaryen to return later if the story calls for it.
Then there is Henry Ashton’s Prince Daeron Targaryen. Prince Daeron Targaryen’s future in the larger George R. R. Martin book universe is far from finished, but Prince Daeron Targaryen also does not naturally return in the next Dunk and Egg novellas. That leaves A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2 with a fascinating choice. Should the show follow the books closely, or should Ira Parker use the HBO format to keep the wider Targaryen family present?
The biggest fan question may still be Maester Aemon Targaryen. The beloved Game of Thrones character was alive during this timeline, and Ira Parker has previously hinted that characters from the original Game of Thrones timeline who were alive during this period could appear. That does not confirm Maester Aemon Targaryen, but it gives fans enough rope to climb every theory wall.
