Now that the world knows Jon Snow is actually alive, we can start to look ahead at what’s to come from the character that won’t give in. We know that the TV series has caught up with the books. We also know that the creators of the TV series have been speaking closely with the creator of the books, George RR Martin, and what direction he wants the story to go in. But from here on in all anyone can do is speculate.
One mystery Martin has confirmed we will have answers for soon is the parentage of Jon Snow. So far it has been said that Ned Stark is the father. That’s been an accepted idea by many fans from day one. But why would Martin say that he’s going to reveal the parentage of Jon Snow if we already know who the father is? Surely all that needs to be revealed is his mother… right?
I’ve been scowling the internet looking for some of the best fan theories out there on what the big reveal could be. There are several popular theories circulating the internet at the moment, the two most popular saying that Jon’s mother is either Lady Ashara Dayne of Starfell, or Wylla, the wet nurse in service to House Dayne. Either way, both theories point to the mother being someone at Starfell. However, there’s a third theory gaining more and more momentum that’s come about through the power of observation.
R+L=J.
This is my favourite theory by far and would provide the huge game changer to the whole series.
Everyone knows how fond George RR Martin is of a few twists and game changers, and he’s a very clever man. I think he was well aware of his wording when he said the parentage would be revealed instead of just the mother, meaning that the famously honourable Ned Stark was lying for someone.
Who would Ned Stark tell such a massive lie for, especially for all these years? It would have to be someone he was close to, a family member whose reputation could be ruined with honesty, and it would have to be someone who is no longer around to tell the truth.
It would have to be his dead sister, Lyanna Stark. The woman who was betrothed to Ned’s best friend and future king, Robert Baratheon.
There we have the L and the J in the equation – R + Lyanna = Jon.
Initially I thought the R could be Robert, but then why would Ned need to lie to everyone? Because Robert isn’t the father, and the real R was someone from the family Robert hated most of all.
Rhaegar Targaryen.
If Ned had told Robert Rhaegar was Jon’s father, Rob would have murdered the baby in his sleep without thinking twice, and Ned couldn’t allow that since Jon was his nephew.
Here’s a brief account of the theory:
Rhaegar married Elia Martell in a political move, however he never loved truly loved her. In the year of the false spring, Rhaegar and Lyanna met at the Harrenhal tourney. Rhaegar won the jousting contest and, as per tradition, the winner got to crown any woman there the queen of love and beauty. While making his choice, Rhaegar rode straight past where his wife was sat, and instead laid the crown of winter roses down on Lyanna’s lap.
Sometime after this, the pair ran away together to the Tower of Joy in Dorne and Jon Snow was conceived. When war broke out, Rhaegar had to go back to King’s Landing to fight by his brother’s side. No one thought that Lyanna had gone with Rhaegar by choice, and so when Ned learnt where she was, he took some of his trusted men and went to rescue his beloved sister.
In the books it’s explained that Ned got to his sister as she was in her last few minutes of life, and he found her in a room that smelt like a mixture of her favourite flower and blood. The blood would explain the story widely accepted by the people of Westeros, that Lyanna had been held captive by the Targaryen’s and when Ned and his men got close they had her killed.
But why would a hostage be in a room surrounded by her favourite flowers?
Unless she had just given birth.
The book also describes the last conversation between the siblings, where Lyanna asks Ned to promise that her body will be buried in the family crypt in Winterfell, and he does as she wishes. But at various points, years after the war ended, Ned kept recalling making a promise to his sister saying how it was a promise he needed to keep. I don’t believe for one second that he’s on about the promise to have her buried in Winterfell, especially when he had already buried her there. Ned was referring to something much deeper than her burial wishes.
The fan site towerofthehand.com is able to provide a complete guide of the theory, including page numbers to back up the various bits of speculation.
http://towerofthehand.com/essays/chrisholden/jon_snows_parents.html
I really like the idea that Jon Snow is part Stark and part Targaryen. It could end up meaning that he is the rightful heir to not only Winterfell, but all of Westeros. If it works out, it could be Martin’s biggest twist yet.
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