😱 Egg’s chilling prophecy just got DARKER – it’s DIRECTLY tied to the birth of Jon Snow’s FATHER! 🔥🍼👑 “You shall be king… die in a hot fire… worms shall feed upon your ashes… and ALL who know you shall rejoice in your passing.”
But here’s the mind-blowing reveal:
Episode 3 of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, titled “The Squire,” introduced one of the series’ most haunting moments when a fortune teller delivered a grim prediction to young Egg. The words – “You shall be king… and die in a hot fire, and worms shall feed upon your ashes. And all who know you shall rejoice in your passing” – have long been known to book readers as foreshadowing the Tragedy at Summerhall. Recent discussions among fans and analysts, however, highlight a deeper link: the event ties directly to the birth of Rhaegar Targaryen, father of Jon Snow.
Egg, portrayed by Dexter Sol Ansell, is revealed in the episode as Aegon Targaryen, a prince hiding his identity while squiring for hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey). The prophecy, drawn straight from George R.R. Martin’s novella The Hedge Knight, predicts Egg’s improbable rise to the Iron Throne as Aegon V Targaryen, known as “Aegon the Unlikely,” and his fiery demise decades later.
The Tragedy at Summerhall occurred in 259 AC, when Aegon V, then in his later years, gathered family at the Targaryen summer residence to celebrate the impending birth of his first great-grandchild. Aegon, obsessed with restoring dragons to House Targaryen after their extinction following the Dance of the Dragons, attempted a ritual involving wildfire and possibly blood magic to hatch ancient dragon eggs. The effort failed catastrophically, engulfing the castle in flames. Aegon perished in the blaze, along with Ser Duncan the Tall, who by then served as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Many others died, though exact details remain sparse in Martin’s published works.
Crucially, the disaster coincided with the birth of Rhaegar Targaryen. Rhaegar’s mother, Queen Rhaella, gave birth amid the chaos, with the newborn escaping the inferno. Rhaegar grew to become heir to Aerys II Targaryen (the Mad King), Aegon V’s grandson through his son Jaehaerys II. Rhaegar’s actions – including his abduction (or elopement) with Lyanna Stark – sparked Robert’s Rebellion, leading to the fall of the Targaryen dynasty. In Game of Thrones, Rhaegar is revealed as Jon Snow’s biological father, with Jon (born Aegon Targaryen) hidden by Ned Stark to protect him from Robert Baratheon.
This timing has fueled speculation that Summerhall’s purpose extended beyond dragon revival. Aegon V’s reforms had alienated many lords, and dragons would have bolstered his authority. Some theories suggest the ritual aimed to produce dragons in time for a prophesied threat – the Long Night and the White Walkers. The prophecy of the Prince That Was Promised, central to Targaryen lore, foretold a savior born “amidst salt and smoke, under a bleeding star.” Maester Aemon once believed Rhaegar fulfilled it, citing the smoke from Summerhall’s fires and salt from mourners’ tears.
A woods witch’s prophecy, delivered to Aegon V after his son Duncan the Small married Jenny of Oldstones, reinforced this. She predicted the Prince That Was Promised would come from the line of Aegon V’s grandson and granddaughter – Aerys II and Rhaella, siblings who wed on the woods witch’s advice. Their firstborn, Rhaegar, arrived precisely during Summerhall’s catastrophe. Some fans argue Aegon V’s knowledge of Aegon the Conqueror’s “Song of Ice and Fire” dream – warning of a great darkness requiring a united realm under a Targaryen – drove his desperation. If dragons were needed to combat ice zombies, Aegon may have risked everything, believing the prophecy demanded it.
The fortune teller’s words in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms amplify this irony. Egg becomes king through successive deaths, rules with progressive ideals favoring the smallfolk, yet ends in flames pursuing power that could secure the realm’s future. The “rejoicing” at his passing may reflect relief from political unrest or the disaster’s fallout, though Aegon V is generally remembered fondly for his reforms.
The show’s inclusion of the prophecy serves as subtle connective tissue to the broader Game of Thrones universe. While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms focuses on intimate, chivalric tales, moments like this plant seeds for larger lore. Rhaegar’s survival at Summerhall enabled him to father Jon Snow, whose arc in the original series involves discovering his heritage, uniting forces against the Night King, and ultimately confronting Daenerys Targaryen’s descent into madness.
Critics and viewers have noted how this Easter egg strengthens the prequel’s ties to canon. The series avoids overt spectacle, emphasizing character and theme, yet prophecies remind audiences of Westeros’ interconnected fate. High ratings for recent episodes suggest audiences appreciate these layered references without overwhelming the Dunk and Egg narrative.
Debate persists on Summerhall’s exact nature. Was it accidental hubris? A deliberate sacrifice? Some fringe theories propose Aegon intended to use the unborn Rhaegar in the ritual, with Dunk intervening to save mother and child – though no evidence supports this in published material. Martin has kept details vague, teasing potential revelations in future Dunk and Egg tales or The Winds of Winter.
As A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms progresses toward the Trial of Seven and potential multi-season arcs, the prophecy underscores Targaryen tragedy: good intentions twisted by fire and blood. Egg’s humble beginnings contrast with his fiery end, yet that end births the line leading to Jon Snow – the reluctant hero who helps avert apocalypse.
The fortune teller’s grim words, once a chilling aside, now resonate as a bridge between eras. They link a boy’s innocent adventure to the realm-shaking events of Game of Thrones, proving even in a story of hedge knights, the Iron Throne’s shadow – and its prophecies – stretches far.
