How Egg From ‘A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms’ Connects To Rhaenyra Targaryen

Fans exploring HBO’s latest series set in Westeros have been pondering a significant question since a major twist unfolded. How does the seemingly unremarkable squire known as Egg relate to the Targaryen dynasty that viewers first witnessed unraveling in ‘House of the Dragon’?

The answer lies within a complex family tree, spanning several generations of Targaryen kings, and a connection that links Rhaenyra Targaryen directly to Daenerys.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 1, Episode 3, titled “The Squire,” confirms what observant viewers had begun to suspect. The episode reveals the true identity of the title character as Aegon Targaryen. Subtle hints had been woven throughout the season, including his accent, extensive knowledge of Westeros, and his reactions to the Targaryens, although Dunk himself remained unaware of Egg’s identity.

The revelation occurs just as Prince Aerion Targaryen is about to kill Dunk. According to the source material, Egg is the nickname for young Aegon Targaryen, who later served as a squire for Ser Duncan the Tall and ultimately became the fifteenth Targaryen to ascend the Iron Throne.

He earned the moniker Aegon the Unlikely, as he was the fourth son of a fourth son and never anticipated ruling.

In the series, Egg is depicted as the youngest son of Prince Maekar Targaryen and Lady Dyanna Dayne, making him the brother of Daeron, Aerion, and Aemon Targaryen. This sibling connection is crucial as fans begin tracing the family lineage back to ‘House of the Dragon’.

The lineage connecting Egg to Rhaenyra traverses multiple generations of Targaryen rulers. Starting with Rhaenyra, the bloodline flows through Viserys II, Aegon IV, Daeron II, and Maekar I before culminating with Aegon V, who is Egg. This means Rhaenyra is his great great great grandmother, a fact confirmed by several outlets covering the series.

The lineage specifically descends through Rhaenyra’s union with Daemon Targaryen. Egg is a descendant of Rhaenyra and Daemon’s son, Viserys II Targaryen, placing him firmly within Rhaenyra’s family line rather than Alicent Hightower’s. This distinction is significant, considering the brutal succession war that erupted between these two factions in ‘House of the Dragon’.

It’s important to note that the throne did not transition directly from Rhaenyra to her son immediately. Following the Dance of the Dragons, the bloodline continued through Rhaenyra and Daemon’s son Aegon the Younger, who became Aegon III, with the throne eventually passing to his sibling Viserys II. From there, the lineage flows directly down to Egg’s father.

Egg’s grandfather, King Daeron II, is actually ruling Westeros during the events of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,’ despite never appearing on screen. Daeron II does not feature in the spinoff or the novella it’s based on, but two of his sons play significant roles in Dunk’s narrative, including Egg’s father, Maekar I.

The family tree extends beyond Rhaenyra, linking Egg to characters familiar to audiences from the original ‘Game of Thrones’ series. Egg’s son, King Jaehaerys II Targaryen, fathered King Aerys II, known as the Mad King, who was ultimately killed by Jaime Lannister and succeeded by King Robert Baratheon.

This connection makes Egg’s relationship to Daenerys particularly close by Targaryen standards. Since the Mad King was Daenerys Targaryen’s father, Egg is Daenerys’ great grandfather. This lineage means that the bloodline that once fought fiercely over the Iron Throne in ‘House of the Dragon’ eventually leads to the Dragon Queen herself.

The connections continue to expand. As both Daenerys and Viserys are children of the Mad King, fans can trace a direct line from Rhaenyra to Egg, and then from Egg to Daenerys. Additionally, since Daenerys and Jon Snow’s father, Rhaegar, are siblings, Egg also becomes Rhaegar’s great grandfather, making Jon his great great grandson.

There’s also a personal crossover that longtime ‘Game of Thrones’ fans will recognize. Aemon Targaryen, the compassionate maester at Castle Black, is actually Egg’s older brother. Given that Aemon lived past 100 years, he’s one of the few characters who could realistically appear in both series. Aemon’s relationship with Jon Snow at the Wall gains added significance once viewers understand his familial ties.

The impact of Egg’s identity reveal resonates deeply with longtime fans, as the show carefully builds toward this moment without revealing too much too soon. The mystery surrounding his bald head, his ring, and his cautious way of speaking around Dunk all culminate in a powerful moment when Aerion nearly kills his sworn brother.

There’s also a poignant aspect to witnessing this story unfold shortly after ‘House of the Dragon’ illustrated the devastating costs of the Targaryen civil war. Observing the family rebuild generations later, with Egg ultimately becoming an unexpected king, adds a layer of dramatic irony for viewers already aware of the fate of this bloodline.

The timeline itself introduces another layer to the narrative. ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ is set nearly 80 years after ‘House of the Dragon’ and approximately 90 years before ‘Game of Thrones,’ placing Egg’s journey squarely within the Targaryen dynasty’s long and intricate history.

Understanding that Egg eventually becomes Daenerys’ great grandfather and Jon Snow’s great great grandfather alters how fans will likely perceive the remainder of his story arc, especially with prophecies hinting at fire and tragedy ahead. Did the revelation of Egg’s true Targaryen identity surprise you, or had the clues already hinted at it before episode three confirmed it?