Best TV Shows of 2025: Must-Watch Series You Shouldn’t Miss

In 1993, two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters crashed in Mogadishu. An intense 18-hour battle followed. Eighteen American soldiers died. Over 300 Somalis lost their lives. The battle changed history. The movie Black Hawk Down is based on this real event. Survivors have shared their true stories.

Netflix’s Surviving Black Hawk Down was released on Feb. 10. The documentary gives survivors a voice. Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant was captured. “They chained me up,” he recalled. He thought death was near.

On Oct. 3, 1993, a U.S. task force entered Mogadishu. Their mission was to capture two Somali National Alliance leaders. The United Nations blamed these leaders for an ambush. That attack had killed two dozen Pakistani soldiers.

What seemed like a quick mission turned into chaos. Eighteen U.S. soldiers died. Eighty-four were wounded. Somali leaders said 312 militiamen and citizens died. Around 814 others suffered injuries.

Netflix’s Surviving Black Hawk Down features real testimonials. Soldiers, civilians, and former enemies share their experiences. Now, where are the survivors today? Here’s everything we know about them.

What Happened During the Battle of Mogadishu?

The 1993 Battle of Mogadishu was a deadly fight. People also call it the Black Hawk Down incident. The U.S. military went to Somalia. Their mission was to capture top leaders of Mohamed Farrah Aidid’s group.

They expected a quick mission. But everything went wrong. Somali fighters shot down two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters. The soldiers inside were trapped. U.S. forces rushed to save them. A fierce 18-hour battle began.

The American soldiers were surrounded. They faced heavy gunfire. Somali fighters outnumbered them. Civilians were caught in the crossfire. The battle ended with heavy losses. Eighteen American soldiers died. Hundreds of Somalis were killed. Many more were injured.

Author Mark Bowden wrote about this battle. His 1999 book, Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War, became famous. Director Ridley Scott turned it into a 2001 film. Josh Hartnett and Ewan McGregor starred. The movie won two Academy Awards.

Who Was Mohamed Farrah Aidid?

Mohamed Farrah Aidid was a Somali military officer. In the early 1990s, he helped remove dictator Mohamed Siad Barre from power. After that, Somalia fell into a civil war. Rival groups fought to control the country.

Aidid led one of these groups, the Somali National Alliance (SNA). The United Nations blamed Aidid for violent attacks. One major attack happened in June 1993. His forces ambushed Pakistani peacekeepers. Many soldiers died.

The U.N. and the U.S. decided to target Aidid. They said they wanted to bring democracy to Somalia. One mission led to the Black Hawk Down incident. U.S. troops planned to capture two of Aidid’s top men. They received intelligence about a meeting in Mogadishu.

They sent soldiers and helicopters. But Somali fighters shot down two Black Hawk helicopters. A brutal 18-hour battle followed. Many soldiers died. Aidid survived this battle. He remained in power. In 1996, he suffered a heart attack and died.

Read More 👉 Vince Gilligan’s Cost-Cutting Changes to ‘Breaking Bad’

Who is Michael Durant?

Michael Durant was a U.S. Army pilot. He flew one of the Black Hawk helicopters shot down by Somali fighters. He survived the crash. He fought on the ground with Sergeant First Class Randall Shughart and Master Sergeant Gary Gordon.

The battle became more intense. Both soldiers died while defending Durant. Somali fighters captured him. He remained a prisoner for 11 days. Aidid later agreed to release him.

Durant suffered serious injuries. He had a gunshot wound. His leg, back, and eye socket were broken. His captors gave him medical care. When released, he was handed over to American soldiers. Doctors said he would fully recover.

The 2001 film Black Hawk Down told his story. Actor Ron Eldard played Durant in the movie.

How Many Soldiers Died During the Battle of Mogadishu?

Eighteen U.S. soldiers died in the Battle of Mogadishu. Many more were injured. Delta Force veteran Tom Satterly shared his experience in Surviving Black Hawk Down.

He described the chaos. “The heat hits you. You’re sweating. Sand sticks to everything. Everybody’s against us,” he said. He believed in his mission. “We’re the good guys. We’re America. We wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t right.”

The battle was brutal. Eighty-four U.S. soldiers suffered injuries. The experience changed their lives forever.

Read More 👉 Netflix’s Missing You (2025): A Must-Watch Mystery Thriller Series

How Many Somalis Died During the Battle of Mogadishu?

The Black Hawk Down incident caused heavy Somali casualties. Leaders first estimated that 312 people died. Later, Mark Bowden reported a higher number. He wrote that over 500 Somalis had been killed. More than 800 others suffered injuries.

Binti Ali Wardhere shared her painful experience. In Surviving Black Hawk Down, she told BBC about the attack. A shell hit her house and partially severed her hand. Her husband, Mohamed Aden, died in the battle. Two of her sons, Abdulkadir and Abdurahman, were also killed. Four of her other children suffered injuries. One of them lost his sight forever.

Binti blamed American forces. “They destroyed my house. They killed my husband, my two sons, and my brother. They left my family in misery,” she said. She demanded justice. “At the very least, they must admit what they have done and compensate us.”

Cameraman Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, also called Ahmed Five, documented the battle. He recorded the destruction in Mogadishu. His footage helped people outside Somalia see the impact of the mission. The images sparked criticism of U.S. involvement.

Ahmed later spoke about Surviving Black Hawk Down. He told BBC, “This time, Somalis had the chance to share their story. It is crucial to tell both sides.” His work gave Somali voices a platform. Many believed their side had been ignored for too long.

Read More 👉 Mental Health Representation in BoJack Horseman

Where Are the Black Hawk Down Survivors?

Newly elected President Bill Clinton ordered U.S. troops to leave Somalia by 1994. But the civil war in Somalia continued for decades. Smithsonian Magazine reported this.

Maj. Gen. William Garrison accepted full responsibility for the incident. He wrote a letter to President Clinton. The New York Times reported this. His military career ended after that. He retired in 1996. He moved to a farm in Hico, Texas. The Daily Beast said he never gave an interview about the battle.

Many surviving U.S. soldiers continued serving in the Army. Michael Durant flew more missions. He retired in 2001. Later, he became the CEO of an aviation training company. In 2022, he ran for the U.S. Senate in Alabama. He sought the Republican nomination but lost. ABC News reported this.

Other veterans chose different careers. Tom Satterly started a nonprofit to help Special Operations soldiers and their families. Brad Thomas became a musician. He plays guitar and writes songs for a grunge band called Silence & Light.

Larry Perino now works as an associate vice president at Navy Federal Credit Union. Despite moving forward, they still struggle. The soldiers in Surviving Black Hawk Down shared their battles with trauma. The violence they saw still affects them.

David Diemer, a former Army Ranger, spoke about this. He now owns a security company. “You gotta separate it in your mind,” he said. “I don’t know. Maybe someday I’ll go crazy. I have no idea. But you know, it was my job.”

Former Somali militia members felt the same way. But for them, the loss felt even worse. “For Americans, October 3rd is tragic,” said Yasin Dheere. He was a member of the Aidid militia. “For us, it was a dark moment.”

He still struggles with the memories. “When I think about it, my head starts hurting,” he said. “It left me with a grudge and pain.” Mogadishu residents also still suffer from the battle’s effects.

“Dying is one thing,” said Binti Adan in Surviving Black Hawk Down. “But my daughter being blind hurts my stomach. She lost her home in the battle. It was just a battlefield to them,” she said. “It was a home to me.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1. What happened during the Battle of Mogadishu?

The 1993 battle, also called Black Hawk Down, was an 18-hour fight after Somali fighters shot down two U.S. helicopters. Eighteen U.S. soldiers and hundreds of Somalis died.

Q.2. was Mohamed Farrah Aidid?

Aidid was a Somali warlord leading the Somali National Alliance. He was targeted by the U.S. for attacks on peacekeepers and died in 1996 after a heart attack.

Q.3. What happened to Michael Durant?

Durant, a U.S. pilot, was captured after his Black Hawk was shot down. He was held for 11 days before being released and later retired in 2001.

Q.4. How many people died in the Black Hawk Down incident?

Eighteen U.S. soldiers and over 500 Somalis died, with more than 800 others injured in the intense urban battle.

HBO’s new prequel of Dunk & Egg after the House of Dragon set to release soon with a good storyline of Aegon Targaryen “Egg” the price belongs to the lineage of Rhaenyra. A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms is set in the era 90 years before Game of Thrones, in the time of King Daeron II. Actually, young Egg is the great-great-great-grandson of Rhaenyra by way of her son Viserys II.

So the A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms directly connected to people from GoT and House of the Dragon. Daeron II – Egg’s grand-uncle and the series’ ruling king – would gain the epithet “Daeron the Good”. 

Aegon V “Egg” Targaryen 

Dexter Sol Ansell is cast as Aegon V Targaryen, “Egg”, the young prince in the trailer. Egg is introduced as a boy prince of House Targaryen, the fourth son of Prince Maekar. He is a brave, compassionate, and intelligent young man in Martin’s novels.

He shaves his head and wears a loose cap to conceal his silver-gold hair, so as not to be recognized by common men. For those of you who can’t imagine him, imagine Iggy Pop with silver gold hair. People say of him that even as a grown man he was warm and easy to approach, and loved by the smallfolk. 

The trailer shows Egg with large, pure eyes and a fast smile, just as the kind and clever boy from the novels. 

Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen

Finn Bennett as Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen, Egg’s older brother with platinum hair. In the books, Aerion is pure evil. He was portrayed as The Monstrous Aerion due to his cruel and arrogant nature. He actually believes he’s a dragon trapped in a man’s body, according to Westeros, One synopsis tags him as ‘a classic case of Targaryen family madness’, In the Dunk & Egg stories, he dabbles in evil magic and bullies Egg—such as by throwing Egg’s pet cat in a well.

Bennett’s version has a helmet clad in metal flames inspired by his fire-loving ego. Aerion is, at the end of the day, the show’s crazy prince. The trailer nails his wild, sneering vibe that suits his brutal, flame-loving nature. 

Prince Daeron “The Drunken” Targaryen

Henry Ashton plays Prince Daeron Targaryen, the elder brother of Egg and Aerion. Daeron is Maekar’s eldest – in fact, the official notes describe him as “the eldest son of Maekar, I… the prince of Westeros”

The following Maekar he would have been next in line to sit on the throne. His sobriquet “the Drunken” reflects his method of dealing with two prophetic visions: in the novels Daeron drinks wine to numb family tension in the Targaryen brood is a family secret. The Direct also confirms Daeron’s identity: he “is the son of Maekar I, and is… the prince of Westeros, and the crown’s next-in-line after Maekar”

From Ashton’s Daeron grin and swagger it is immediately clear that this Daeron is a roguish and charismatic man of mystery. We only see him for a moment in the trailer, but the “Drunken” prince has a lot more going on than you’d think. 

Prince Aemon Targaryen

Aemon Targaryen is Egg’s eldest brother. He appears later in life as Maester Aemon in Game of Thrones. He is not going to show up in the Dunk & Egg series. At this stage, young Aemon already is in the Citadel. Still, he waits in the wings. Aemon was the elder brother of Egg. He became a maester and then joined the Night’s Watch. In the Dunk & Egg tales, Aemon dubs his brother the nickname “Egg.”

He really looks up to him. In the Game of Thrones deathbed, Maester Aemon has visions of Egg. Martin’s background says young Aemon saw Egg’s “sweetness and innocence.” So, while scholar Aemon never takes the stage, he is family. He quietly shaped Egg’s beginnings, if never announced himself to modern readers. 

Prince Maekar I Targaryen

Sam Spruell is cast as Prince Maekar, the father of Aerion, Daeron, Aemon, and Egg. Take a look at him. The trailer shows him as a no-nonsense military leader. SoapCentral mentioned Maekar fought terribly hard in the Blackfyre Rebellions. He was dubbed “the Anvil” because he held his ground in the midst of chaos. Maekar is a strong and grumpy in the attitude. The books say he is irritable and impatience, difficult man with a sharp tongue and who was too quick to find fault or to punish. After killing his brother Baelor by accident in a tourney, he becomes even more severe. But he loved his children in his rugged way. In The Hedge Knight, he allows Egg to be squire to Ser Duncan. He lays down the laws: keep out of sight and look meek. No locking Egg up instead. So Spruell’s Maekar should be strict, but with a heart. A proud Targaryen dad worries about his wild boys. 

Read More 👉  The Surprising Cancellation of Peacemaker Season 3: What’s Next for the DC Universe?

Prince Baelor “Breakspear” Targaryen

Bertie Carvel is cast as Prince Baelor Targaryen. He is the uncle of Egg and the eldest son of Daeron II. In the stories, Baelor is the quintessential heroic prince. His moniker is well-earned – he gave Daemon Blackfyre’s spear a good snapping in a tournament. Then he was Hand of the King. His mercy and Knightly life was beloved of the people. An ancient writing says it all: “It is beyond question that Baelor Breakspear would make an excellent king. He was chivalrous and had a good mind.” 

King Daeron II Targaryen 

King Daeron II never appears on screen, but he sired a lot of these characters. Known as “Daeron the Good,” he reigned with wisdom and prudence in negotiations. He married Princess Myriah Martell and had four sons: Baelor, Aerys, Rhaegel, and Maekar. Baelor, Maekar, and even Egg, all come back to Daeron’s Targaryen line. This line goes from Viserys II to Rhaenyra’s line, and connects the princes to the Targaryens of House of the Dragon. Daenerys from “Game of Thrones?” She’s just formed one part of one side line from Egg’s great-great- granddaughter. 

Princes such as the brave Baelor and the volatile Aerion share blood with the Dragon Queen. Their stories contribute to the larger Targaryen narrative. 

Recap & Series Cast Details

HBO A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight “traces the exploits of Ser Duncan the Tall and a youthful Aegon V Targaryen”. The cast announcement solidifies a near 50/50 split between knights and Targaryens.Peter Claffey is cast as Ser Duncan the Tall, and Dexter Ansell as Egg.

For the Targaryens, the announced cast includes Finn Bennett (Aerion), Henry Ashton (Daeron), Sam Spruell (Maekar) and Bertie Carvel (Baelor). Note that not every face on the show is a dragonborn. However, the royal family does get most of the spotlight. 

Conclusion

fans are at last getting a peek in person at these Targaryen princes and kings. Aegon the Unlikely (Egg) is the kindhearted protagonist, Aerion is the prideful “Brightflame” fiend, Daeron is the clandestine malcontent, Maekar is the hard line father-king, Baelor is the knightly heir, and far off Aemon is even shadowing at the brink of the tale. 

But the show So by laying out this family tree and the traits of the princes, you can keep track of who’s who in the Dragon family. So when the hedges darken with mystery and the dragons rattle beneath the surface, we can see exactly how these young royals slot into the grand tapestry of Westeros history.