[Spoilers Main] Was Mance Preparing to bend the knee to Daenerys?
i came across this video earlier in the day by a small YT channel called 'Moon Man'.
amidst some speculation and a grander theory i do not agree with (Stannis was aware of an impending Targ restoration, and is preparing to bend his knee to Aegon VI).
There is a theory that i do find interesting within it however:
Mance will bend the knee to (f)Aegon in a similar manner to Torrhen Stark and thus force his "kingdoms" legitimization on the realm.
Moon Man makes the point that the conquest brought an end to kingdoms fighting each other independently as they now had an "overlord" who kept the peace. kneelers and especially conquerors tend to favor the previous king being humbled into bending the knee in recognition of their new kings incontestable strength, than killing them and creating a martyr.
now when Mance attacked the watch, he knew he had the numbers to take and hold the castle. most likely he also thought he had the measure of Robb Stark being unable to attack the wildling host (laden with women and children as it was).
But i am thinking, perhaps it wasn't (f)Aegon who mance was backing to restore the Targ dynasty, but Dany. after all according to /u/PrivateMajor's timeline, we can reasonably guess Mance attacks the wall around two months after news of Dany's dragons reaches KL, is it to wild to assume the news had now reached Mance with all his spies at the Wall and Warg scouts?
Could the threat of Dragons scare the Wildlings enough to understand why Mance needed to Bend the knee, and what it could guarantee them?