“Aegon finally decided to take over Westeros and unify the Seven Kingdoms that existed at the time, under a single rule. There is a lot of speculation that in some sense he saw what was coming 300 years later and wanted to unify the Seven Kingdoms to be better prepared for the threat that he eventually saw coming from the north – the threat that we’re dealing with in A Song of Ice and Fire.”
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– George R. R. Martin
In case anyone missed it, GRRM is pro-Conquest and pro-unified Westeros. The Targaryens taking over the rule of the Seven Kingdoms is treated as a positive necessity. The intent was to protect the continent from the main villains of the series, the ice zombies called the Others. They are not villains and their loss of the Iron Throne is a threat to the unity Aegon I tried to create. Dany retaking Westeros is what she believes is what will help the county and what she has been told the people of Westeros want. If she learns that her ancestor unified the continent to protect it from zombies, that will make her cause even more righteous.
I also saw a lot of criticism about how Aegon did a bad job if his reasoning was to save Westeros from the threat. Which makes no sense. He wanted to unify Westeros to be prepared for the threat - and he did that! In his lifetime, there was no threat - so what else was he supposed to be doing?
And the Starks, - whose house motto is Winter is coming - who build the bloody wall in the first place, even they seem to have done nothing about this threat, allowing the Night’s Watch to fall into disrepair manned by outlaws, rapists and murderers.
And apparently it’s wrong that the Targaryens did not tell about this to Starks. One, we really don’t know if there was some communication between the Starks and Targs on this. And two, it’s not like the Starks prepared for this threat either, despite their history with the Others.
Alysanne did more for the Wall than the Starks did. And while Ned considered proposals to increase the revenue for the Wall, he did nothing about it.
And then there are the criticisms of how there is no justification for Aegon waging violent war for unification even if it was to save Westeros. When this is precisely what Stannis and Jon Snow are doing right now!!! Stannis’ campaign in the North - fully supported and aided by Jon Snow - is to unite Westeros under one king - him. Because Jon and Stannis know of the threat from the North and know that the realm has to be united under one ruler instead of fighting each other.
And considering that Stannis is not going to be sticking around for long, which ruler wanting to unite the realm is Jon going to be turning to? That’s right, Daenerys Targaryen.
