Amph A Song of Ice and Fire (Spoiler Thread) - mask spoilers for TWOW

What, like Jon?

He's a Snow (well, maybe should be a Sand), not a Targ.

He's a Targ by blood, Sand by birth, Snow by a falsehood.

Do we not believe that Aegon isn't a real Targaryen? He has the violet eyes and everything. I would not like Tyrion as a Targaryen because the impact of the way he screws with the Lannisters would be lessened IMO. Besides, the Lannisters have already talked so much about their childhoods with Tyrion included in those stories, like him killing his mother at birth, and the Tysha story.

The theory behind Tyrion's being a Targaryen is that Lady Lannister would have had an affair (presumably with King Aerys II). Thus, all those memories would have been real. It's just that everyone, Tyrion included, would have been mistaken about who his father was all these years.

Personally, though, I think it would be dreadfully stupid. Every character that does something important in the story needn't be a member of the same family. Genetics shouldn't be able to trump factors like upbringing, outlook, and general life experience to determine characters actions or "destiny." Nor should every character given largely favorable treatment by the author have the same heritage. It would be a stupid, backwards, message, especially for something that tries to pretend it is an otherwise more realistic look at feudal society and the human experience.

I agree, I love the way things are playing out, including all the affiliations to the respective houses. Besides, the Starks need a say in the leadership of the future because they just deserve it after losing Ned, Robb, and Cat.

I'd hedge my bets and say "probably".

If he isn't, I'm not expecting him to survive to the end of the series.

Joanna was also a Lannister by blood (Tywin's cousin).

The prophecies in the books make it clear that Jon and Dany are supposed to be (literally, I guess?) dragon riders. The third wasn't revealed, but people think it's supposed to be another Targaryen or a full "Ice"/Stark." And there's also a prophecy calling Aegon false.

Technically the prophecy doesn't say Aegon is false, just that he's the dragon of a mummer, which fits Varys well.

Sure, but I think there's a good reason he wasn't called "the dragon of a eunuch" or something.

The theory of Aegon that I'm most fond of is that he's the son of Ashara Dayne and either Ned or Benjen Stark. The Dayne's had coloring like the Targaryens.

Basically, after Ned killed Arthur Dayne, she gave birth to Aegon. A rumor was arranged that she had a stillborn daughter, and then she faked her death by jumping into the sea. She adopted the identity of Septa Lemore (Sister Shadow?) to guide her son. He'd essentially be the exact opposite of Jon Snow, if Jon is indeed Lyanna's son: a bastard Stark in truth, raised to believe he's a Targaryen and the rightful king, as opposed to a Targaryen raised to believe he's a bastard Stark not meant to inherit anything.

I dunno. I think Bran's destiny isn't intertwined with Dany and Jon in that way. He's going to be a greenseer, not a fighter or leader. And although it's not nearly as clear as Jon = union of Lyanna and Rhaegar, there are clues to Tyrion being a Targaryen. Of course, they're open to interpretation. He has an unexplained obsession with dragons, for example. Jon, Dany, and Tyrion all had mothers who died in childbirth, though that could be chalked up to coincidence. I don't think it would be much of a "revelation" if everything has been building up to it from day one.

Then again, I didn't think the Red Wedding was a huge surprise since it was obvious that Robb would die ever since DANY SAW HIM DEAD in the House of the Undying.

It's a giant flying reptile that breaths fire, and gave anyone who could control them virtual guaranteed political hegemony. I don't think you need special parentage to explain an interest in them. I mean, by that logic, is the prostitute that worked with Daenerys a secret Targaryen too?