WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, on which House of the Dragon is based!King Aegon II Targaryen wields the historic Targaryen sword Blackfyre inHouse of the Dragon, but that weapon mysteriously goes missing beforeGame of Thrones’ timeline. While the ancestral swords carried bymembers of House TargaryeninHouse of the Dragonplay a convincing factor in the legitimacy of their claims, the two most prized ones,Blackfyre and Dark Sister, are both gone duringGame of Thrones. One might assume that the fall of the Targaryen dynasty played a role in Blackfyre and Dark Sister’s disappearances, but that might not be the exact case.
Daemon’s sword Dark Sister going missing is partially explained by its later wielderBrynden Rivers’ journey to becoming the Three-Eyed Ravenaround 100 years afterHouse of the Dragon, with Aegon’s weapon becoming a mystery around 50 years before that.Game of Thronesfailed to confirm either Valyrian steel blade’s whereabouts, andHouse of the Dragonwon’t be much help either. However, if a compelling theory regardingGame of Thrones’ cut character Young Griff is proven right, then the answer towhat happened to Blackfyre could finally be revealed in George R.R. Martin’s upcomingThe Winds of Winterbook.
What Happens To Blackfyre After House Of The Dragon
Blackfyre’s Last Known Wielder Was Aegor “Bittersteel” Rivers During The Second Blackfyre Rebellion
King Aegon II Targaryen maintains possession of Blackfyre until his death inHouse of the Dragon. After Aegon kills Queen Rhaenyra during the Dance of the Dragons, he returns to King’s Landing from hiding on Dragonstone. Aegon then sentences certain followers of Rhaenyra to death, including the squire Trystane Truefyre. With the gravely injured Aegon confined to hisprophesied “wooden throne,” he has Ser Alfred Broom (who betrayed Rhaenyra) behead Trystane with Blackfyre instead. This is the last known use of Blackfyre during Aegon II’s reign, as he was fatally poisoned by his own men soon after.
FollowingKing Aegon II Targaryen’s death, his successor on the Iron Throne is Rhaenyra and Daemon’s eldest living son, who becomes King Aegon III Targaryen. However, George R.R. Martin’s books haven’t given any indication of what happens to Blackfyre immediately after Aegon II’s death, as there’s no mention of the sword during the early reign of King Aegon III Targaryen in the 2018 novelFire & Blood.It’s assumed that King Aegon III Targaryen inherited the sword, but he was also known for his pacifism, so he may have chosen not to wield it afterHouse of the Dragon’s tragedies.
Aemond takes possession of Blackfyre while Aegon is bedridden duringHouse of the Dragonseason 2, but this didn’t happen in Martin’s novel.
Eventually, Blackfyre was passed down to King Aegon III Targaryen’s eldest son, who would succeed him on the Iron Throne as King Daeron I Targaryen.Daeron, also known as the “Young Dragon,” was known to have wielded the ancestral sword Blackfyreduring the conquest of Dorne, about 20–30 years afterHouse of the Dragon’s ending. However, Daeron was slain in battle with Blackfyre still in his hands, and it seems the Dornishmen held onto the sword for an uncertain amount of time after his death.
There’s no confirmation of whether Blackfyre was returned during the reigns of Daeron’s next two successors, King Baelor I Targaryen and King Viserys II Targaryen. Rather,the next recorded use of Blackfyre in Martin’s books is during the reign of King Aegon IV Targaryen, the son ofKing Viserys IIand grandson of Rhaenyra and Daemon. King Aegon IV Targaryen chose to gift Blackfyre to his bastard son Daemon over his heir, Daeron II Targaryen, which began a new legacy in Westeros.
Daemon’s Three-Eyed Raven Connection Sets Up A Big GOT Question That The Winds Of Winter Could Answer
Daemon Targaryen’s Valyrian steel sword, Dark Sister, is a key part of his character, but its whereabouts are unknown in Game of Thrones' timeline.
Aegon IV’s son Daemon would eventually call himself Daemon Blackfyre upon wielding the sword, and would continue to possess the blade during the First Blackfyre Rebellion against Daeron II. During these battles, Daemon’s son Aemon Blackfyre also picked up the sword for a brief time before his death, with hishalf-brother Aegor “Bittersteel” Rivers also wielding it after Daemon’s death. Bittersteel was soon exiled to the Free Cities in Essos, where he founded the Golden Company with Blackfyre as his weapon.
Fire & Blood,House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon
The World of Ice and Fire
Ser Aegor “Bittersteel” Rivers
Since Bittersteel’s exile in about 212 AC, the whereabouts of Blackfyre have been unknown. That was about 80 years beforeGame of Thrones’ timeline began, but it’s possible that the sword had remained in Essos with Bittersteel and his followers during that time.Game of Thronesdidn’t capitalize on this potential for Daenerys, but that might not be the case for another “Targaryen” character inThe Winds of Winter. Young Griff, aka Aegon Targaryen, was cut fromGame of Thrones, but his connection to the Golden Company could yield the recovery of Blackfyre in Martin’s impending novel.
Could Young Griff, AKA Aegon Targaryen, Have Blackfyre Now?
Illyrio Mopatis Could Give Young Griff Blackfyre In The Winds Of Winter
George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Firenovels introduce a character known asYoung Griff, who claims to actually be Aegon Targaryen, the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martellwho supposedly died in Robert’s Rebellion. Though his identity is still not confirmed, Young Griff travels with the knight Ser Jon Connington under their aliases in Essos, initially intending to meet with Daenerys Targaryen and propose marriage. In the latest book, the Golden Company swears their loyalty to Young Griff, and promises to hide his true identity until they get to Westeros.
Every Aegon Targaryen In Game Of Thrones Explained (Including Jon Snow)
Including Jon Snow and the Conqueror, there are 11 known characters named Aegon Targaryen in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon’s history.
The last known location of Blackfyre was in Essos with the founder of the Golden Company, abastard of House Targaryen. Considering how influential the possession of an ancestral Targaryen blade would make the group, the Golden Company likely held onto Blackfyre after Bittersteel’s death – whenever that may have been. If they still have it, thenthe Golden Company or Free City magister Illyrio Mopatis might bestow Blackfyre upon Young Griff, aka Aegon Targaryen, inThe Winds of Winteras a token of their allegiance and promise to uphold him as the true king of Westeros.
Blackfyre Could Be Very Important In The Winds Of Winter
Young Griff Having Blackfyre Could Confirm A Major Identity Theory
AsHouse of the Dragonhas highlighted through Aegon II Targaryen’s possession of the sword in the Dance of the Dragons,Blackfyre could be instrumental to Young Griff increasing his legitimacy inThe Winds of Winter. Having this ancestral weapon would strengthen his claim to the Iron Throne, not just because he’s holding onto a Targaryen sword, but because he would haveAegon the Conqueror’s sword, whose name he also supposedly bears. Considering Young Griff was preparing to propose marriage to Daenerys, his holding Blackfyre and her having dragons could also make the match stronger.
Why The Winds Of Winter Is Taking So Long: 6th A Song Of Ice & Fire Book Delay Explained
The wait for The Winds of Winter continues well after Game of Thrones ended, but there are clear reasons why George R.R. Martin has taken so long.
Bringing Blackfyre intoThe Winds of Winterwith Young Griff could also go in another direction. There’s long been atheory that Young Griff is actually a Blackfyre, who figures like Varys are pretending is a real, pure-blooded Targaryen. This is supported by the idea that Illyrio Mopatis’ wife may have been a Blackfyre, so one version of the theory suggests that Aegon is actually their son. IfYoung Griff holds the sword Blackfyre inThe Winds of Winter, then it could also be interpreted as confirming that he’s actually a member of House Blackfyre, not House Targaryen.
George R.R. Martin has still yet to announce a publishing date forThe Winds of Winter.
If Young Griff is revealed as a Blackfyre, then his claim to the Iron Throne would be weakened significantly compared to Daenerys inThe Winds of Winter. Still, having a Blackfyre who wields the eponymousValyrian steel swordwork alongside Daenerys Targaryen could enhance their legitimacy in the eyes of Westeros. With another potential Targaryen in the mix, a magister from the Free Cities supporting him, and the allegiance of the Golden Company,The Winds of Winteris primed to bring Blackfyre into its story, and at least reveal what happened to it after Bittersteel.
Game Of Thrones Missed The Opportunity To Solve The Blackfyre Mystery
Cutting Young Griff Meant Blackfyre’s Potential Recovery Was Ignored
Unfortunately, bycutting Young Griff’s story entirely fromGame of Thrones, HBO’s original series missed a great opportunity to solve the mystery of Blackfyre’s fate. There isn’t much hope that an answer will be provided in subsequent HBO spinoffs afterHouse of the Dragon, as it isn’t expected to play a role inA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.Currently, itseems the only way that Blackfyre’s ultimate whereabouts will be revealed is throughThe Winds of Winter, in which it will hopefully play a more significant role than its nonexistent presence inGame of Thrones.
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
