Aegon the Conqueror, Dream or Ambition? (Fire & Blood Valar Rereadis)

[@freddiejones4680]

"Can I offer you an aegon in these trying times" 😂😂

[@thedragondemands]

I wish we could one day get a bit more info on the post-Doom Dragonstone Targaryens.

[@Manwendlil]

alas! grrm is only one writer, with so much time at hand and left to him. some thinks are better unexplored in an imaginary world.

[@burntorangehorn]

Pre-conquest info would be great. I'd really like to know whether they were inbreeding dragons the way people did with horses and dogs.

[@RyanRoche-e7p]

I just don't think there's a ton written about that time frame. As interesting as I believe it would be, I'd probably rather get more ASOIAF stuff/Blackfyre Rebellion stuff (F&B vol. 2), than have George off on a tangent writing about the Post-Doom Dragonstone Targaryens.

[@burntorangehorn]

@user-cj7ee3mn6e We already know that the Blackfyre Rebellions will be covered Fire & Blood Pt. II.

[@faeriegirl42013]

It’s been a minute since I’ve watched you all, but it’s like coming home. It’s the virtual book club we all wish we could have. Thank you for keeping this space!

[@HistoryofWesteros]

thank you so much, we will keep them coming!

[@keittykit]

I've been binging your vids for months now. It's fun seeing Sean's progress from 'Unsullied' to 'Only a Few Books' to 'I Finished Dunk and Egg' to 'Bits and Pieces of TWOIAF' to this. 😊 Love all your takes and, of course, the puns.

[@lowdog2940]

Man I’ve been waiting on this

[@AllTheArtsy]

Nice shoutout to the Intentionally Blank podcast by Sanderson. I was so sure George was bound to be either their #1, or totally left off the list (you know how some contrarians can be) and I was so gratified about that as an avid George reader.

[@keittykit]

1:26:10 GRRM made it so that he can go in different directions. Even the show, despite the botched execution of late seasons, added more directions to it. I think that also adds to why it takes a (long) while for him to write. So many plots that can go in so many directions. Taking one direction for a character causes a ripple effect to other character's storyline, so he may need to make new reactions and motivations across the story. It's probably another reason for TWOIAF and F&B being written that way. He can give multiple possibilities to events, unlike ASOIAF where he can only take one path (making only one "canon"). It's so convoluted and mind-boggling to think about his process of doing this all while NOT making characters one-dimensional. I love it. 😂 It's probably why I've been quite fixated on the stories since I found out about the books.

[@christopherbrewer222]

George also taught me how to read with ASOIAF… I started reading them at work as a distraction never having read a novel before and then I got hooked. Been stuck in George’s world ever since. I dont even know how many times Ive been through the books now and I still find stuff that I missed, witch is always fascinating and exciting.

[@michaelh5327]

I think Aegon, Rhaenys and Visenya nicely represent three facets of ambition to their conquest. Aegon was primarily motivated by prophecy, Rhaenys by prestige of sorts and power for Visenya. All siblings were cognisant of each motivator, but had their focus as suited their personality.

[@paulbarry3400]

In terms of Aegon needing to motivate followers, I wonder how much the Lords of the Narrow Sea were heavied by the exisiting Kings of Westeros to swear allegiance or pay taxes or provide men for service? That would have made them easy for Aegon to motivate.

[@danielroberson5492]

The

[@devi_dane3982]

Random thought..do we know how the Starks came to own the current sword Ice?Is it possible that Aegon gave it to Torren when they had their “chat”?I imagine as Aegon was invested in his dream he may have spoken to Torren about it,maybe not wanting to kill the army closest to the threat?Maybe hoping they and some insight into it and giving them a gift as good will gesture if they surrendered?Maybe that’s what the north is supposed to remember..Aegon’s dream that the white walkers will return. I’m way into the weeds I know!

[@ruigerd]

Someone in the livechat gave me a good idea on the name Baratheon: apparently Bara Theon can mean corn king or corn god. David Lightbringer has some theories on the significance of corn kings (sort of like a pagan god thing). Garth the green is a good historical candidate for a corn king, with him bringing fertility in the flora but also the more saucy kind. Not dissimilar to Robert Baratheon who seemed to sire children wherever he went

[@burntorangehorn]

The fact that Aegon barely even noticed the North after conquest is one reason why I'm skeptical that he had a dream that's at all as specific as most would believe, if at all. Then again, it's possible George wasn't affirming it in 2014, but he decided to incorporate it when he and Condal had their talks.

[@AlohaMaesterHand]

The Targs were one hundred percent actually banging their dragons; you don't get lizard babies from nowhere! They still have some literal blood of the dragon. Lots of stories about freaky hybrid creatures out there, especially in F&B. The HotD show also really leaned into that idea with those crazy tapestries.

[@joshlavene622]

50 feet is 1/6th of a football field. Shaun is thinking of 50 yards.

[@illuvattar]

About why the Valyrians never invaded Westeros; I think a good reason could have been because they learned there lived wargs and children in Westeros, and they probably wouldn't have liked to have their dragons taken control of. Maybe they encountered some resistance when they visited Oldtown and suddenly lost control of their dragons and thought 'let's keep the fuck outta here'.

[@bokhary3283]

Hi, where is the episode when you hosted Nina? also will there be Asha episode? and thank you for making my days like reading the books for ever!

[@sbarton30]

I almost feel bad, but I am more excited about the history related books than I am for the main series books. Not bc the main story is bad (absolutely not), probably bc of the long stretch between the new new information. I seem to not do so well with prolonged anticipation whether shows, movies, or books. Lol

[@reaver1414]

Football fields are 100yds not 100ft

[@dancingsean3836]

doh! i'll have to correct that... though, a 50 feet is still an absurdly large table! lol

[@jon_odinson]

Will you eventually do a reread for the rest of the book?

[@HistoryofWesteros]

yes!

[@mattries37315]

Unfortunately Aziz is a tad off with his Cyrus the Great story. The Assyrians were taken out by the Neo-Babylonians and Medians (who ruled the Persians at the time) around 72 years before Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon. But Cyrus allowing conquered/subject peoples to worship their own gods was a dramatic change from the religious policies of the Assyrian and the Neo-Babylonian empires that controlled the Fertile Crescent for nearly 400 years.

[@HistoryofWesteros]

thanks! I'll add in this correction next episode.