Why Did 'Aemon Targaryen' Join The Night'S Watch?

As a longtime fan of 'Game of Thrones', I can explain Aemon Targaryen's connection to Daenerys clearly. He was her great-great-uncle, brother to her grandfather Aegon V Targaryen. The blind Maester at the Night's Watch carried the blood of old Valyria in his veins, making him one of the last surviving Targaryens before Daenerys rose to power. Despite never meeting, their fates were strangely parallel—both were exiled survivors of their house, both bonded with dragons (him through knowledge, her literally), and both carried the weight of their family's legacy. When news of Daenerys' dragons reached the Wall, Aemon recognized her importance immediately, telling Sam she was 'the prince that was promised.' Their relationship symbolizes the fractured yet enduring Targaryen lineage.

Aemon Targaryen is one of the most fascinating background characters in 'Game of Thrones'. He was a Targaryen prince who chose the life of a Maester at the Citadel, forsaking his claim to the Iron Throne. His wisdom and calm demeanor made him a guiding light at the Night's Watch, especially for Jon Snow. Despite his royal blood, Aemon lived humbly, serving the realm with his knowledge rather than seeking power. His death marked the end of an era, as he was the last Targaryen to have lived through the dynasty's golden age. His conversations with Jon about duty and honor are some of the most poignant moments in the series.

Aemon Targaryen's last words in the books hit hard because they reveal his lifelong regret. He murmurs 'Egg, I dreamed that I was old' while dying at the Wall. This simple line carries layers of meaning—it connects back to his childhood with his brother Aegon (nicknamed Egg) in 'The Hedge Knight' stories. The 'old' part reflects how he outlived his entire family, surviving through the tragedies of House Targaryen. What makes it haunting is the contrast: the maester who spent decades serving the realm still dreams of being that young boy playing with his brother. It’s less about dragon dreams and more about human fragility. For fans of the Targaryen history, this moment ties his arc together beautifully.

Aemon Targaryen, the wise old maester of the Night's Watch, lived a life of quiet tragedy and hidden greatness. As a Targaryen, he could've claimed the Iron Throne but chose the Citadel instead, then the Wall—where he served dutifully for decades. His blindness never dulled his sharp mind; he mentored Jon Snow like a grandfather would. The real gut-punch comes when he dies aboard a ship to Oldtown, whispering 'Egg, I dreamed I was old,' referencing his long-dead brother Aegon. His death rippled through the story—no one left to guide Jon, no Targaryen wisdom at the Wall when winter came.

As someone who's read 'A Song of Ice and Fire' multiple times, I'm convinced Aemon Targaryen suspected Jon Snow's true parentage but never confirmed it. The old maester was sharp despite his age and blindness. He shared a special bond with Jon at the Wall, often giving cryptic advice that hinted at deeper knowledge. Aemon repeatedly emphasized the importance of bloodlines and duty, themes central to Jon's hidden identity. His emotional reaction to Daenerys' dragons waking in Essos suggests he recognized another Targaryen when he met Jon. The way he spoke about Rhaegar, with such personal grief, makes me think he connected the dots about Jon being Rhaegar's son. Aemon died without revealing what he knew, taking that secret to his grave.

Lots of people mix up names in Westeros (I do it all the time when I'm flipping through my scribbled family tree), and when someone says 'Alyssa Targaryen' they usually mean 'Alysanne Targaryen'. Alysanne was the beloved queen who married King Jaehaerys I — she sailed, advised, and reshaped court life centuries before Rhaenyra ever drew breath. So, in plain terms: she isn’t Rhaenyra’s sister or cousin, she’s a much earlier member of the dynasty, a distant ancestor figure rather than an immediate relative. If you want the nerdy genealogy: Rhaenyra is the daughter of King Viserys I, who comes many generations down the Targaryen line after Jaehaerys and Alysanne. The exact number of generations between Alysanne and Rhaenyra varies depending on which branch you trace, but it’s enough generations to call Alysanne an ancestor rather than a close relative. I like to pull out the family tree from 'Fire & Blood' or consult the charts in 'The World of Ice & Fire' to see the names lined up — it makes the gaps feel a little less abstract. If you actually meant some other Alyssa (there are minor characters and fan-made variations), the relationship could be different, but the safest bet is: Alysanne = long-ago queen, Rhaenyra = later claimant to the throne, and Alysanne is an ancestor in the broader Targaryen lineage. Whenever I trace this stuff I end up bookmarking pages and sticking Post-its on my copies of 'House of the Dragon' lore — it’s oddly comforting.

This question made me dig through my mental library of Targaryen names because 'Alyssa' isn’t one of the big, obvious figures in the mainstream histories. What I found most often is confusion between similarly named characters — the big one is 'Alysanne' Targaryen (the sister-queen of Jaehaerys I) and various minor women with similar names in the extended family trees. In the core texts, there isn’t a prominent, unambiguous entry simply labeled 'Alyssa Targaryen' with a widely quoted death year, so whenever I see that name I pause and check the family tree or the chapter notes in 'Fire & Blood' to see who the writer actually meant. If you’re trying to pin a date down, my go-to method is to pull up the Targaryen family tree in the back of 'Fire & Blood' or to cross-reference the character on community encyclopedias like A Wiki of Ice and Fire and Westeros.org — they usually list birth and death years and cite the passages. Often the issue is a transcription or memory slip: readers conflate 'Alysanne' with 'Alyssa' or mix in Velaryon/Blackwood branches. I’ve done that myself a dozen times while skimming timelines late at night. So short of knowing exactly which branch or century you mean, I can’t give a single definitive year. If you tell me whether this Alyssa is a queen, a princess, or a minor noble (or the approximate era — like the Dance of the Dragons era vs. the age of Jaehaerys I), I’ll track the most likely person down and give you the exact death year with the source I used.

Dayanir Targaryen in 'MCU 1943 I Do Business With Dayanir Targaryen' is a fascinating blend of myth and modernity, a Targaryen who defies the typical dragonlord archetype. Set in an alternate 1943, she’s a shrewd entrepreneur with a silver tongue and a network of shadowy alliances, trading in everything from wartime supplies to occult artifacts. Her lineage grants her an eerie charisma—people either adore or fear her on sight. Unlike her fiery ancestors, she wields influence through contracts, not conquest, though rumors say she’s inherited the family’s infamous resistance to fire. What makes her stand out is her duality. By day, she’s a glamorous socialite hosting high-stakes negotiations in smoky jazz clubs; by night, she delves into forbidden magic, seeking relics that could tip the war’s balance. The story hints at a tragic past—a fallen Valyria in this universe?—that fuels her ambition. Her interactions with MCU characters are electric, especially when her pragmatism clashes with their idealism. She’s not a hero or villain but a force of nature, rewriting what it means to be a Targaryen in a world without dragons.