Astride his dragon, Balerion the Black Dread, Aegon Targaryen rode beside his sister-wives to Westeros. Full of sheer will and with the power of fire right underneath him, Aegon unified six of the seven kingdoms of the continent, removing the kingship of their respective rulers and forging the Iron Throne. Jorah Mormont once mentioned how Aegon conquered the continent not because he had a legal claim but only because he could. That was the fear of the dragons he instilled in the rulers of Westeros. He founded a dynasty that would bring peace and chaos to the unified kingdom, eventually beginning the Game of Thrones. Now, we might get a live-action depiction of his story.
An exclusive report from Variety revealed that a live-action adaptation of the story of Aegon I Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros is being discussed at HBO. Variety claims no creative team is attached to the project yet; however, HBO is keen to move ahead and greenlight the proposition. Interestingly, HBO seems interested in producing a feature film based on Aegon’s Conquest, which may lead to a television show.
The project would at least go back three centuries from the events of Game of Thrones, telling the story of how Aegon followed his vision to take the lands of Westeros and restore the fallen name of Targaryens after the Doom of Valyria. There is a wealth of lore from this period, from characters, kingdoms, former rulers of Westeros, to now extinct Houses like Durrandon and Hoare.
However, diving deeper into Aegon’s dream, his vision that gave him something more than an ambition to conquer Westeros would be extraordinary. It was first mentioned in House of Dragon season one when Viserys passed on this secret to heir apparent Rhaenyra. A previously unknown facet of Aegon’s history, this prophecy has interested fans and spawned several theories since the show aired last year. If HBO ever greenlights a film or a television series based on the concept, fans would love to see how the prophecy of A Song of Ice and Fire shapes up.
This wouldn’t be the first time the audience would see a depiction of Aegon’s Conquest. As a bonus material to Game of Thrones, the showrunners produced an audio series based on Aegon’s Conquest and other historical events of Westeros, as well as character profiles of essential individuals who lived in George R.R. Martin’s universe. The audio series, titled History & Lore, is also accompanied by visual media, with animated graphics corresponding to the narrated events. Many Game of Thrones actors have voiced episodes of History & Lore. But a more profound, previously unexplored aspect of the event in a live-action format would be a visual treat.
Aegon Targaryen is a figure of strength, vigor, leadership, and audacity, as A Song of Ice and Fire explains. Throughout the books and TV shows, mentions of Aegon proved his significance in the history of Westeros and the foundation of House Targaryen. While his war led to countless fatalities, Westeros found new peace under the later years of his rule. But after his demise, the continent suffered at the behest of Maegor and many cruel rulers over the next generations of his House. Though at a point, King Jahaerys and Viserys I reigned in peace, the leading civil conflict, the Dance of Dragons, brought the eventual total collapse of House Targaryen. Somehow or other, the legacy of each Targaryen character and the chaos the seven kingdoms endured in Game of Thrones could be traced back to Aegon’s Conquest.
Aegon’s Conquest is an event any fan would love to see come to life, and it would be particularly exciting who could bring those characters justice through their performances. The project is just under discussion for now and will take a couple of years before it comes to fruition. Still, the news is definitely stirring up the fanbase.