4 Game of Thrones Characters Who May Secretly Be Targaryens (& Why)

When Game of Thrones was still ongoing, fans flooded the internet with tons of theories that ranged from very plausible to downright absurd. Those theories date back even further to the actual A Song of Ice and Fire book series, which often provided much more insight into things. The books had deeper details about the characters, the history of Westeros, and left plenty of clues for people to latch onto. For example, the most famous theory was “R+L=J,” which suggested that Jon Snow was the secret child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark and not Ned Stark’s bastard, which was eventually revealed as the truth in the show. Others, like the one about Bran being the cause of Aerys going mad, were never confirmed. A consistent theory involved the idea that there were more Targaryens out there than just Daenerys and while some seem outlandish, a few make sense if you dig deep enough.

Book readers know that Young Griff, a character introduced in A Dance with Dragons, claims to be Aegon Targaryen, the believed-dead son of Rhaegar and Elia Martell. Alas, he was never brought into the show, so he’s not included here. However, there are several notable characters from the TV series who have intriguing theories surrounding their parentage.

4) Lord Varys

The most unexpected possible secret Targaryen is Lord Varys. Not much is known about the Master of Whisperers, though his rise to prominence in Westeros is impressive. Many believe that he’s a descendant of House Blackfyre, which branches off from the Targaryens. They were known to share the platinum blonde hair of the Targaryens, which could be why Varys remains bald. He’s even described as being “bald as an egg,” similar to how Aegon, also known as Egg, is described in Tales of Dunk and Egg and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

There’s also the story of how Varys became a eunuch. He explained that the sorcerer who mutilated him sought out his blood for a ritual, and the franchise established that royal blood is needed for that kind of thing, evidenced by Melisandre using Gendry for something similar. Even if Varys has Targaryen blood, he doesn’t seem motivated by it. He’s shown his loyalty to the realm, regardless of who is in charge, rather than bringing his family back to prominence.

3 & 2) Jaime & Cersei Lannister

The idea of Jaime and Cersei being Targaryens instead of Lannisters sounds far-fetched, but it actually makes a lot of sense. It starts with the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen. The books describe how Aerys showed an interest in Tywin’s wife, Joanna, and there were rumors that the two were lovers before Tywin came into the picture. It’s also noted that Aerys took “unwonted liberties” with Joanna during the bedding ritual when she married Tywin. Shortly after Cersei and Jaime were born, Tywin and Aerys famously had a falling out.

If Cersei and Jaime were indeed Targaryens, it would help explain their incestuous relationship. The Targaryens were well-known for marrying brothers to sisters, and Jaime even brings that up when talking to Catelyn Stark about his relationship with Cersei. Alas, the timelines are hard to match up since Joanna left King’s Landing for Casterly Rock soon after the marriage, and the twins were born more than a year later.

1) Tyrion Lannister

Tywin’s youngest son, Tyrion, is also someone believed to be a secret Targaryen, and the evidence fits him better than his siblings. Again, the Mad King’s obsession with Joanna makes it plausible that Tyrion could be their bastard. That would add to why Tywin hates him so much and help explain why Tywin’s dying words when Tyrion killed him were, “You are no son of mine.”

Another point that theorists use for support is that Tyrion has an affinity for dragons, which is a key trait of the Targaryen family. He discusses his appreciation for dragons a few times in the books, though it’s not as prominent in the TV show. There’s also the unfortunate birth pattern he shares with Daenerys and the confirmed secret Targaryen, Jon Snow, in that all their mothers died while giving birth to them. When you add in Tyrion’s physical traits not being very Lannister, including his mismatched eyes, one of which could be Targaryen purple, the theory gains traction.

While this theory has potential, it’s also highly unlikely for story reasons. Having multiple secret Targaryens takes away from how special it is that Jon Snow is one. Jon has to be special since, as both a Stark and Targaryen, he sounds like the person who A Song of Ice and Fire is written about. Tyrion being a Targaryen also lessens his relationship with his father, as Tywin’s disdain for him should come from things like his dwarfism and Joanna’s death, rather than anything else.

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