And the ADWD prologue character is...

[Boaz]

The Dance of the Dragons was the name of the Civil War between the children of Viserys I. Aegon Targaryen and Rhaenyra Targaryen both claimed the Iron Throne. Of the Dragons seems to mean between dragons or only consisting of dragons.

A Dance With Dragons seems to mean a non-Targaryen (or mayhaps multiple non-Targaryens) is interacting with multliple Targaryens.

Dany has already been at war with both Dothraki and Lhazareen while she was a Khaleesi and she's fought Mereen, Yunkai, and Astapor as a Targaryen Queen. Mayhaps she'll be at war with someone else.

Mayhaps the dancing with dragons will mean war. Mayhaps the dancing will mean more intrigue than actual fighting. We know that the Martells, the Greyjoys, and the Maesters have all independently sent emissaries to treat with Dany. We guess that the Tyrells might have done the same. And I'd be remiss if I did not guess that neither Littlefinger nor the High Septon were not trying to contact Dany also. Ergo, there is plenty of room for diplomacy from the major Houses and Organizations in Westeros with Dany. And she is the only known Targaryen at this time.

Jon's been at war with the Wildlings and the Others, though it seems soon he'll be under full attack from the Others.

Tyrion's been fighting the Starks and Baratheons (and briefly the Mountains Clans), though now he's at odds with the Lannisters.

Baby Aegon may be serving in the Golden Company. The Golden Company is a mercenary squad that seems to consist of exiled nobles.

Jon's on the Wall, Tyrion's in the Free Cities, while Dany is at Slaver's Bay. All four of these characters fall outside of the geographic parameters for AFFC and so are included in ADWD.

Aegon is also in the Free Cities for what it's worth. And presumably so is...

Jorah Mormont. We know his ex-wife is in the Free Cities. We know he'd like to find a way to end his exile. Mayhaps he'll join the Golden Company and serve Aegon.

[viZion]

Boaz, are you really convinced that baby Aegon is still alive? If so, why? I still believe that GRRM's comment about Rhaenys definitely being dead but failing to mention Aegon was just to mess with people's heads. Do you want him to be alive and suddenly appear 5 or 6 books deep into the series? Am I the only one against this?

[Boaz]

Why do I believe it? Because I'm neck deep in conspiracies already. What's one more? I like looking for hidden agendas and secrets.

I'm not for nor against bringing Aegon back, but I am strongly against any and all deus ex machina resolutions of plots. If GRRM can produce Aegon in book six and back it up with clues all throughout the first five books, then I've no problem with Aegon... in fact, that means that the author was consistently working towards that end from the very beginning. GRRM has steered away from deus ex machina so far and I've been appreciative.

The major way that GRRM deals with avoiding the deus ex machina curse is the extensive development of POV's. For example, in most fantasy stories Jon and Dany would be the only real points of view. Thus, when Stannis arrives to defeat Mance his victory appears out of thin air. Martin gives us sooooooo much information. Much of it is relevant if we can see the connections to the other plots and stories. The problem is that I start seeing things where GRRM intends nothing... ergo, Aegon is alive.

In most every other fantasy, Robb would have escaped the Red Wedding, Ned would have not have been executed, and Drogo would have survived Mirri Maz Duur's potion. After all it's called fantasy. But GRRM's fantasy here is very real... when **** hits the fan, it sprays everyone and it stinks to high heaven.

Regarding deus ex machina Brienne's current predicament is the one that concerns me at the moment. I don't know how anything less than the intervention of a god will get her out of her current predicament.

[MIDNIGHT]

Or 1 word, but Boaz is right as usual on the rest. I'm cool with Aegon being alive because its kinda open ended. No direct POV regarding his death, only hearsay.

[Boaz]

The real Game of Thrones... England's War of the Roses ended up with Henry Tudor ruling. At the outset of hostilities between York and Lancaster, Henry Tudor was barely even a blip on the royal radar. Many people with better claims or more powerful supporters died. HenryVI. Edward, Prince of Wales. Richard, Duke of York. Richard III. Edmund, Duke of Rutland. Edward IV and his young sons, Edward V, Richard, and George. George, Duke of Clarence. Edward, Prince of Wales. Owen Tudor. Many lords of the families related to the royals... Neville, York, Lancaster, Percy, and Beaufort lost their lives. That's not even including the women. Margaret of Anjou. Isabella of York. Anne of York. Anne Neville.

If anyone is presented as the Henry Tudor of Westeros, my guess is that it would be Aegon.

[viZion]

Originally Posted by MIDNIGHT

Or 1 word, but Boaz is right as usual on the rest. I'm cool with Aegon being alive because its kinda open ended. No direct POV regarding his death, only hearsay.

It would also completely undermine everything that GRRM has written to this point. Why spend so many thousands of pages building up these elaborate characters and situations only to suddenly say, "TA-DA! HERE'S YOUR SAVIOR!"? Let's break it down:

1) Tons of people have died in this book and most of the deaths we learn of through hearsay. It's not a good enough reason for him to come back.

2) As far as I know, there hasn't been a single hint *in the books* about Aegon still being alive. By contrast, there are tons of hints about R + L = J and tons of hints about Renly and Loras having the hots for each other. You can believe these things because GRRM lays the groundwork. The only groundwork for Aegon being alive is some comment he made at some Q & A session. It doesn't count. He has to support it in the books which he has failed to do unless I'm just completely blind to every hint he's made on the subject.

Aegon is dead. Fortunately, I think the people who are still alive in the series can handle things on their own. Just say no to deus ex machinas!

[Boaz]

I agree that the goundwork must be laid for Aegon's return to be plausible.

Who would have known what was going on in the Red Keep from the time that Robert Baratheon started winning the war until Tywin Lannister sacked King's Landing?

Varys. If anyone knows or has a solid guess, it's the Spider. If the only way of of the Red Keep and KL was through secret passages, then Elia had to go through Varys.

Jaime. Aerys did not let Jaime hardly out of his sight. Smuggling Aegon out of KL would have been against Aerys' wishes and Jaime has never remembered or dreamed of Aegon, so I don't think Jaime knows.

Pycelle. He convinced Aerys to open his gates to Tywin, so I don't think he'd be in on a plot to allow Aerys' heir to escape. Still, he's fairly well connected.

Barristan. Barristan went with Rhaegar to the Trident. Since Rhaella and Viserys had already left for Dragonstone without Elia and her children, I'd assume switching Aegon came after Barristan left. The only way is if Rhaegar told Elia what to do with Aegon and then told Barristan as some insurance. But if that was true, then I think Barristan would have gone to Aegon instead of Dany or would soon be leading her to him.

Ashara. As a young noble woman of Dorne, Ashara served as one of Elia's lady's in waiting. If Elia feared for Aegon, then giving him to Ashara to take back to Dorne seems to make sense. But Ashara's apparent death leves Aegon's trail cold.

Jon Connington. Jon was best friends with Rhaegar. When Rhaegar disappeared, presumably with Lyanna, Aerys selected Jon to be his Hand and deal with Robert. Jon lost the Battle of the Bells and Aerys banished him. If Ashara and Elia were close and Jon and Rhaegar were close, then Jon might be the one person that Ashara could trust with Aegon's life.

Quaithe, the Shadowbinder, seems to be originally from Westeros. Her face is always hidden. Black, red, brown and blonde hair and black, brown, blue and green eyes are common from Dorne to the Wall. But purple eyes and silver hair, the trademarks of Valyrian blood, are rare. The three houses that I remember having Valyrian blood are the Targaryens, the Velaryons, and the Daynes. There is a theory that Quaithe is actually Ashara... she's looking out for Dany and Aegon.

I know this is a lot of conjecture and usubstantiated speculation. But what if the groundwork is there? What if we are just not making the connections?

Most people dismiss rumor.

In Westeros, Lord Tywin and Queen Cersei refused to listen to Varys' talk of dragons in Qarth. While Alleras and Mollander, two apprentices of Oldtown, seem to be piecing together that a Targaryen return is in the works.

Just like Tywin, I don't wanna be caught with my pants down when the truth emerges, especially if it was foreseeable.

[viZion]

The only way that Return of Aegon works is if he turns out to be a character we already know. I believe it cannot work at all if he appears out of nearly nowhere and it's the first time we've gotten to know him in the books.

What's the timing like with Jon actually being Aegon? I believe Jon is actually about a year too young to be Aegon but, hey, he's a bastard and no one knows who his mother is. His true age could easily be lied about and there isn't that much difference between a 16 and 17 old boy.

[MIDNIGHT]

oooooh I've always loved Aegon = Jon theorys, but they always seem to get shot down. Apparently the age differences is anywhere from 8 to 18 months. No one knows for sure. However there can be large differences between infants of the same age. Heck, my son was born at 6 lbs and my girlfriends at 11lbs. 10 mnths down the road the 11lb baby looks like a 2 year old and my son like a 10 mnth old. So its easy so mistake the age of an infant. Not to mention children can develop walking and talking at such large intervals its a guess as to how old they are. So yes Jon could be Aegon, its a stretch but not beyond the realm of possibility. Its the, if Lyanna is Jon (Aegon)'s mother, then how or where is Elia's second child. Thats where things get confusing. It is assumed that Aegon is Elia's, so someone must have seen her pregnant and give birth. Unless you try to pass off Jon as Elia's, then all the blood and promises don't make as much sense. Wow I'm really rambling, hopefully you can make some sense out of that.

[viZion]

Well, if Jon = Aegon then Lyanna was never pregnant. She would just be the person who Rhaegar gave the baby to for safe keeping. But then how does Jon end up coming out looking like a Stark and not a Targaryen or a Martell? What would Lyanna be dying of if not from the birth of Jon? Yeah, I can see how Jon = Aegon theories would start to break down real fast.

[TK-421]

Jon=Aegon. Come on! Although possible, why the hell would Ned do it in the first place.

And what does this have to do with Mr. Sixskins?? Nothing.

[DeannaBelle]

Yep, boaz! that's what Ned Stark kept thinking. he kept trying tell everyone (or he should have, anyway) that "Winter is coming, and Spring is the time for you quarrels."