Melisandre Explained Aegon’s Dream In Game Of Thrones Season 2
After much speculation over the connection between the two, House of the Dragon episode 4 confirmed the theory that Aegon’s Song of Ice and Fire dream was the same prophecy as the Lord of Light’s Prince That Was Promised. While they ultimately foresee the same end and savior, each brings different information to the identity of the prophesied Prince and their role in the war against the darkness. Melisandre first preached the prophecy of the Prince That Was Promised in Game of Thrones season 2, where she revealed that they would be “born amidst salt and smoke” and wield Lightbringer while leading mankind in the fight against the cold and dark. House of the Dragon now reveals that Melisandre’s Prince That Was Promised had always been referring to a Targaryen leader as the savior, who would ultimately defend the living from the dead.
Melisandre never stated that the Prince That Was Promised needed Targaryen blood, but her candidates for the savior do follow this requirement. Stannis Baratheon’s mother had Targaryen blood, so he did have some blood of the dragon inside him. Melisandre’s next two choices for the Prince That Was Promised are Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, who both end up fulfilling Aegon’s prophecy as the Targaryen rulers uniting the realm against the White Walkers. However, since it took Melisandre until after Stannis died to consider either Jon or Daenerys – the last true Targaryens – as the Prince That Was Promised, it seems she wasn’t aware of this aspect of the prophecy.
The Lord of Light shared with Melisandre certain details that would help her find the savior, but without the specific revelations from Aegon’s dream, her candidate pool wrongly extended beyond House Targaryen. Considering Melisandre understood that the prophecy was based on the duality of ice and fire also highlighted in Aegon’s vision before House of the Dragon, seeking out Targaryens should have been her main priority, especially once she heard that Daenerys Targaryen hatched dragons. Still, it wasn’t until she brought Daenerys and Jon together in Game of Thrones season 7 that the fulfillment of Aegon’s dream went into effect, with Melisandre herself remarking that she had united “ice and fire.”
