Rhaegar Targaryen

The whole Aegon VI Targaryen mystery is one of those 'Game of Thrones' rabbit holes I love tumbling down. The Blackfyre theory is juicy—Varys and Illyrio’s secretive moves, the Golden Company backing him, and that whole 'mummer’s dragon' prophecy from Daenerys. It feels too neat for him to just be Rhaegar’s son, right? But then, GRRM loves his red herrings. Maybe the real twist is that it doesn’t matter—power lies where people believe it does. If Westeros accepts him as a Targaryen, does lineage even hold weight? Still, part of me hopes we’ll get a fiery reveal in 'Winds' that settles it once and for all.

Honestly, the Blackfyre angle adds such delicious chaos. Imagine if fAegon’s legitimacy crumbles right as he’s about to claim the throne—it’d be peak ASOIAF tragedy. But until then, I’m side-eyeing every mention of red dragons and black in the text. The ambiguity is half the fun, though I’ll riot if we never get answers.

The lore around Aegon VI Targaryen is one of those fascinating 'what if' threads in 'Game of Thrones' that keeps fans theorizing late into the night. Officially, he's the supposed son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, believed to have been killed during the Sack of King’s Landing by Gregor Clegane. But here’s where it gets juicy—Varys and Illyrio Mopatis claim they swapped him with a commoner’s baby, spiriting the real Aegon away to Essos to be raised in secret. This twist adds layers to the Targaryen legacy, especially when you consider how it clashes with Daenerys’ claim to the throne.

What really hooks me is how this storyline plays with identity and prophecy. If Aegon is real, he’s the 'mummer’s dragon' from Daenerys’ visions—a potential fraud or pawn. But if he’s genuine, he upends her entire destiny as the 'last Targaryen.' The books leave it deliciously ambiguous, and I love how it mirrors real history’s pretender kings. It’s a masterclass in making lore feel alive with possibilities.

Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen's relationship is one of the most debated mysteries in 'A Song of Ice and Fire.' Some say it was a tragic love story, others believe it was abduction and rape. I lean toward the former—there’s too much subtlety in the text to dismiss it as mere violence. Lyanna wasn’t the type to be easily taken; she was fierce, the 'she-wolf' of Winterfell. The Knight of the Laughing Tree story hints at mutual admiration, and Rhaegar’s melancholic nature makes him more a romantic than a brute. That crown of blue roses at Harrenhal? It wasn’t just politics.

But the fallout was catastrophic. Robert’s Rebellion, the fall of House Targaryen, Ned’s lifelong grief—all spun from their choices. The show’s portrayal leaned into the love angle, but the books keep it ambiguous. Personally, I think George R.R. Martin loves his gray areas too much to ever spell it out cleanly. Maybe that’s why it still haunts fans—we’re left picking up clues like scattered dragon scales.

Jaqen H'ghar is one of those characters from 'Game of Thrones' that sticks with you long after the credits roll. He first pops up in the second season as this mysterious, almost otherworldly figure imprisoned alongside Arya Stark. At first glance, he seems like just another prisoner with a weird name, but oh boy, does he turn out to be so much more. The guy’s got this eerie calm about him, like he’s always three steps ahead of everyone else. When Arya saves him and two others from a fiery death, he pledges to kill three people for her—no questions asked. That’s when things get really interesting. His whole vibe screams 'Faceless Men,' this shadowy assassin guild from Braavos that Arya later trains with. The way he changes faces (literally!) and just vanishes after fulfilling his promise is peak 'Game of Thrones' mystery. I love how he’s this perfect blend of creepy and cool, like a walking enigma wrapped in a riddle. And that line—'Valar morghulis'—still gives me chills. It’s not just a catchphrase; it’s a whole philosophy. He’s the kind of character that makes you pause and wonder how deep the rabbit hole goes in that universe.

What’s wild about Jaqen is how he represents this larger force at play in the story. The Faceless Men aren’t just assassins; they’re almost like supernatural agents of balance. Jaqen’s interactions with Arya feel like he’s testing her, nudging her toward her destiny. When he reappears later in the House of Black and White, it’s like he was her gateway drug into this whole world of identity-shifting and cosmic justice. The show never spells everything out, which I adore. Is he the same Jaqen? Is he even a 'he'? The ambiguity is part of the fun. Plus, that actor, Tom Wlaschiha, nails the role with this subtle smirk that says, 'I know secrets that would melt your brain.' Jaqen’s the reason I got obsessed with Braavosi lore in the first place—those scenes with the Iron Bank and the plays about current events? Genius world-building. He’s a small part of the story in screen time, but his shadow looms huge over Arya’s arc and the series’ themes of power and identity.

I've spent countless nights diving into Targaryen fanfics, and Rhaegar and Lyanna's story always hits hardest. The best ones don't just retell their romance—they dig into the quiet moments between battles, the stolen glances at Harrenhal that started it all. 'The Dragon's Wolf' on AO3 stands out for its raw portrayal of Lyanna's internal conflict, torn between duty and desire. The author nails Rhaegar's melancholy, that prophetic weight crushing him even as he falls for her. It doesn't shy from the messy aftermath either—Robert's rage feels visceral, Ned's grief lingers in every chapter. The fic balances grandeur with intimacy, like when Lyanna teaches Rhaegar to laugh during a storm, or when they argue over whether love can rewrite fate.

Another gem is 'Fire and Frost,' which treats their bond as both beautiful and catastrophic. The prose mirrors 'A Song of Ice and Fire's' lyrical style but adds modern emotional depth. Here, Lyanna isn't just a doomed maiden—she debates politics with Rhaegar, challenges his visions, and their letters post-Tourney ache with urgency. The fic cleverly weaves in House Dayne's perspective, making the tragedy feel expansive. What sticks with me is how it frames their love as rebellion—against Aerys, against betrothals, even against time itself. Lesser fics reduce them to tropes, but these two make their choices heartbreakingly inevitable yet wholly their own.

Honestly, 'Dragons of Ice and Fire' sets such a high bar for Rhaegar/Lyanna fics with its blend of political intrigue and raw emotion. If you're craving that same doomed vibes, 'The Ice Dragon' by spearshake is a must-read—it reimagines Lyanna surviving but trapped in a fractured world, echoing their tragic legacy.

Another gem is 'The Weirwood Queen' where Lyanna's ghost haunts Jon, weaving melancholy into every chapter. For something darker, 'A Song for Dragons' explores Rhaegar’s obsession through a gritty, wartime lens. These fics don’t just copy the tragedy; they reinvent it with fresh anguish and lyrical prose that sticks with you.