‘Game of Thrones’ Aemon Targaryen Needs To Return in 2026 Spinoff

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Warning: Includes SPOILERS for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on the books!

HBO’s new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is expected to be a major hit, potentially as exciting as House of the Dragon. Set nearly 80 years after the events of that show, it will continue the story of the Targaryen family. While still powerful, the Targaryens are no longer at the height of their strength, a far cry from the days when dragons like Balerion the Black Dread ruled the skies.

This new series connects to the main Game of Thrones story, particularly through the family history of the character Dunk. It’s revealed that Brienne of Tarth is one of his descendants, and Dunk’s squire, Egg (who is actually Aegon V Targaryen), is the great-grandfather of Daenerys Targaryen. This connection opens the possibility of seeing Maester Aemon, Egg’s older brother, who is a fan-favorite character. The series could complete Aemon’s story, as he lived to be quite old and appears in Game of Thrones nearly a century later.

What Happens to Maester Aemon in ‘Game of Thrones’?


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I remember when Maester Aemon first showed up in Game of Thrones – he was already stationed at the Night’s Watch. It wasn’t until Season 1, episode 9, “Baelor,” that he confided in Jon Snow about being a Targaryen. He became a huge mentor to Jon, really helping him rise through the ranks and eventually become Lord Commander. Sadly, Aemon’s health started failing. Samwell Tarly kept him updated on Daenerys’s adventures in Slaver’s Bay, and even from his deathbed, he cheered her on. He gave Jon some seriously powerful advice when Jon was struggling with leadership – that famous line, “Kill the boy, and let the man be born,” is still stuck in my head!

Confined to bed, Sam and Gilly cared for Aemon until he died peacefully. Before he passed, Aemon had a vision of speaking with his old friend, Egg. Aemon Targaryen died at Castle Black in the year 302 AC, at the age of 100.

In George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Aemon’s death occurs differently than in the show. He dies aboard the ship Cinnamon Wind while traveling to Oldtown with Sam and Gilly in the fourth book, A Feast for Crows. Even though he’s very sick, Aemon is determined to help Daenerys, as he believes she is the legendary “prince that was promised.”

What We Know About Aemon’s Early Years


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Aemon Targaryen was the third son of King Maekar I and Dyanna Dayne. He had a close relationship with his younger brother, Aegon, whom he affectionately called “Egg.” Aemon was a bright and bookish child, preferring reading to sword fighting. Because his grandfather, Daeron II Targaryen, had many potential heirs to the Iron Throne, he sent Aemon to the Citadel to study. Though Aemon doesn’t appear in the Tales of Dunk and Egg series, Egg mentions him by name in the first story, The Hedge Knight (1998).

After Dunk assaults Prince Aerion Targaryen, he finds himself locked in a cell. It’s there that Egg finally tells Dunk who he really is, explaining that ‘Egg’ is just a nickname. He shares that his brother, Aemon, gave it to him, and Aemon is currently studying to become a maester at the Citadel.

After their adventures in The Tales of Dunk and Egg, Dunk and Egg travel to Oldtown following the devastating Great Spring Sickness. There, a teenage Aemon introduces Egg to a mule called Maester and playfully measures Dunk’s height.

It’s always been incredible to me how the succession played out. After Daeron and Aerion passed away, Aemon suddenly became the heir, but he didn’t want the throne. He actually gave it up to Egg – that’s why everyone called him Aegon the Unlikely, because a fourth son becoming king was a real surprise! Aemon was a selfless man; he joined the Night’s Watch as a maester, wanting to make sure no one could use him to try and overthrow Egg. Then, when Egg and Dunk tragically died at Summerhall, the crown went to Aemon’s nephew, Jaehaerys II. It’s a bittersweet story, really, full of sacrifice and unexpected turns.

How Aemon Could Appear in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’


HBO

Since Aemon doesn’t appear in the original stories this TV series is based on, the show’s creators will need to create new scenes to include him. The series begins with Aemon as a teenager already studying at the Citadel, so the most logical approach would be to show flashbacks of him as a child, perhaps playing with the future king.

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Picture Aemon and Egg playfully running through the Red Keep, pretending to fight famous battles like the Battle of the Redgrass Field – the very battle that led to their grandfather becoming king. There are so many fun scenarios to explore! Just like their ancestors, they also had dragon eggs. It would be a touching and clever nod to the original series to show those eggs, especially knowing the history of dragons fading away. It would also enrich the larger story of the Targaryens and their connection to these magnificent creatures.

Ira Parker, the showrunner for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, discussed the possibility of the character Aemon appearing in the series with Screen Rant.

We’re aware that some characters from the original Game of Thrones series are still alive during the timeframe of Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, like Maester Aemon. Can you share any information about whether we might see any other familiar faces appear in the new game?

Ira Parker: You’ll likely recognize some people mentioned, and we’re planning to visually feature them as we continue developing this project, if everything goes as planned.

Following the sad death of Aemon in Season 5 of Game of Thrones, viewers would appreciate a lighter scene, like seeing him enjoying time with his brother. Happy moments are rare in this series. It would be heartwarming to imagine that even a dedicated and virtuous man like Maester Aemon, who spent his life serving others, had a chance to simply be carefree and enjoy his youth.

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2026-01-01 04:19