Over the years, while writing essays and articles about Game of Thrones, I’ve enjoyed the challenge of writing up spirited defenses of characters who have done some questionable things.
Everyone deserves their day in court.
Except for Aerion Targaryen, he sucks.
Look, it is April 1st and I could not resist putting out an April Fool’s post.
Especially because I’ve also published today a different In Defense of … post about a different (mostly) terrible person:
Despite being published on April 1st, I legitimately defend the goonish Ser Steffon in the post.
And since it is April 1st, if by any chance you would like to read my original, very wordy A Song of Ice and Fire April 1st post (published Nine Years Ago), you can read it here:
The Super Secret Origin of the Azor Ahai Myth in Game of Thrones
In general, I’m known as a rather easy-going person on-line (feel free to correct me if you think otherwise) but the Azor Ahai April 1st post linked above has me at my meanest. I make no apologies for that.
Okay, that’s enough April Fool’s observations from me for today.
If you were legitimately coming here for me to defend Aerion Targaryen and were annoyed by this April Fool’s prank, please accept my apologies. I will make apologies for that.
Aerion Targaryen: Surely, I should be allowed to speak in my own defense?
Me: Okay, if you want to go pro se, why not? But I’m not going to fight you.
Aerion: I wouldn’t deign to fight a commoner. Let me ask you a question.
Me: Sure.
Aerion: Are you of the opinion that this Duncan the Tall fellow was truly a knight?
Me: I mean, he lived up to the ideals of knighthood.
Aerion: But was he truly and legitimately made a knight? Did he swear his vows at the direction of a knight who was explicitly conveying the status of knighthood on him?
Me: If you must know, I don’t believe Ser Arlyn of Pennytree knighted Dunk, no.
Aerion: Ahah! So he never had the right to demand Trial by Combat as a counter to my charges and to avoid a trial suitable for smallfolk judgment?
Me: Uh –
Aerion: And so I never would have needed to exercise my princely rights for Trial of Seven in righteous response to his insidious lies? You agree that had he been honest, he should have faced punishment after a just trial from the lords assembled?
Me: Look, we’re not doing this…
Aerion: VINDICATION!
Me: How did this happen?
Aerion: You typed it, you fool. Don’t blame me.
(Comments are always welcome. Super welcome! But if you want to talk spoilery Game of Thrones talk with me (also welcome) I’d invite you to visit my Safe Spoilers page on my backup blog. That way my non-book-reading friends won’t be shocked with foreknowledge.)
Images are from HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (obviously). I make no claim to any of the images, but some claims to the text. So there.
If you liked this article, thank you! I have all of my Game of Thrones related articles on my handy-dandy Game of Thrones page should you want to read more but don’t want to navigate around my site.
© Patrick Sponaugle 2026 Some Rights Reserved
I Can't Possibly Be Wrong All the Time 