What are AEON use use cases? To adopt the use of AEON will mean innovative thinking and collaboration and partnership.
AEON use case is same as Monero. If opaque ledger cryptocurrencies will prevail, then AEON will have much higher marketcap and will do perfectly fine. If something bad happen to Monero and AEON have few things different then Monero have and I am sure will have more in the future, then AEON will super moon. That is how I see it.
so, not only small brother, but valid alternative.