Uusally, Targaryens are easy to spot. If it’s not the giant fire-breathing dragons, then the violet eyes and platinum hair should do the trick. Then again, Stark genes also run true and the wolf overpowers the dragon in the case of dark-haired Jon Snow (also assumed to be Aegon Targaryen). Targaryen heirs are popping up everywhere as Winds of Winter approaches, but is there actually one more on top of the official Daenerys, rumoured Jon Snow (Aegon the younger) and recently declared Young Griff (Aegon the older)?
We already know that Jon Snow was always actually Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark.
This immediately means he supplants his aunt Daenerys’ claim to the Iron Throne by virtue of being the last remaining child of the firstborn heir to Aerys II.
But there have always been rumours that Rhaegar’s actual heir, his firstborn son (also confusing called Aegon) by first wife Elia Martell was not splattered on a wall at King’s Landing but secretly smuggled out like Daenerys and her unfortunate brother Viserys.
The books have been heavily hinting this is the man met by Tyrion on his travels, but doubts are mounting.
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Winds of Winter secret Targaryen? Sam Tarly (Image: HBO )
Winds of Winter ‘brothers’ in arms? Jon Snow and Sam Tarly (Image: HBO)
Tyrion’s encounter with the mysterious Young Griff on a river boat in Essos is nudging readers to think this is actually the first Aegon, a puppet of Varys.
After all, the lad has the Targaryen look of silver hair and purple-blue eyes and has hired the Golden Company to pursue his claim to Westeros.
But many think he will turn out to be a Blackfyre, the cadet branch of the Targaryens.
Which means the real other ‘other Aegon’ is someone else. Could it be someone much closer to Jon, who also shares a powerful ‘brotherly’ bond?
Hello, aunty: Winds of Winter Game of Thrones Sam and Daenerys shock (Image: HBO)
In what could be the biggest twist in the entire Game of Thrones, some believe the hidden baby was smuggled out to another Targaryen sympathiser – Randyll Tarly.
Yes, that’s correct, this means Samwell Tarly is actually the true heir to the Iron Throne.
The lovely chap doesn’t exactly scream ‘secret Targy’ but Rhaegar was a lover not a fighter, more drawn to the arts than warfare, which certainly fits Sam.
If it is true, why was his ‘father’ so horrible to him?
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Mind-blowing as this theory is, there is no reason why Randyll would banish the Targaryen heir to the Night’s Watch Wall, unless it was to hide him.
Nor does Sam display any of the typical Targaryen physical or emotional attributes – although Jon’s Stark lineage has already shown that the Targayen genes don’t always dominate when they don’t marry inside the family.
Sam is somewhat more heroic in the books, but it remains almost impossible to imagine him in any way being the ultimate saviour of Westeros and unifyer of all the warring Houses.
Then again, this is George RR Martin we’re talking about…
