Or simply, the theory of Jon Snow's parents.
This is mostly speculation but does include a lot from the books and show, so as always, be warned.
This post is DARK and full of SPOILERS.
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So season five has ended and we've watched our beloved bastard Lord Snow get Caesar'ed by Alliser Thorne and the rest of the Night's Watch. Speculating as to whether or not he will come back will be another post later on, but for now I want to talk about the parents of Jon Snow.
As far as the readers and show-watchers know to this point, Jon Snow is the son of the late lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell and a mysterious woman who fathered the child sometime before the books and show take place.
The story goes that while off at war, Lord Eddard met a woman who he had a child with, betraying his marriage vows with Lady Catelyn. Eddard's conscience led him to bring the child home with him and raise Jon along with his other five children, but never allowing the child to call himself 'Stark'.
Throughout the first book, the mother of Jon Snow is only hinted at. Robert and Eddard speak about her for a brief moment while recalling past lovers, and more famously, while Jon is preparing to ride off to join the Night's Watch, Eddard tells him "when we see each other again, we'll talk about your mother".
Well we all know that doesn't happen because Eddard is killed at the end of the first book.
This is pretty much what the books and show have led us to believe. And I'll start off by saying I think its all complete bullshit.
Let's get on to the theory of who Jon Snow's parents REALLY are.
First off - R+L=J. What does that even mean?
The 'R' stands for Rhaegar Targaryen, who was the eldest son of Aery's II, the Mad King, who was killed by Jaime Lannister (earning him the name the Kingslayer). Rhaegar was the older brother of Viserys and Daenerys (Mother of Dragons), both of whom appear in the show. Rhaegar was killed in the war by Robert Baratheon before the show and books take place.
The 'L' stands for Lyanna Stark, who was the sister of Eddard Stark. Lyanna was promised to marry Robert Baratheon until her death shortly before the end of the Roberr's Rebellion.
The 'J' obviously stands for Jon Snow, the product of the affair between these two.
So here is the theory:
Although she was promised to Robert, Lyanna is rumored to have been in love with Rhaegar at the time she was set to marry Robert. The two somehow or another were able to meet and conceive a child without anyone else knowing. This child is supposedly Jon Snow.
Towards the end of the war, Eddard heard word that his sister Lyanna was being held in a keep which is known as the Tower of Joy. Eddard traveled to the tower and there he was met by Sir Arthur Dayne, better known as the Sword of the Morning and the greatest fighter to ever live, along with a few other of the Mad King's men.
Eddard and his men battled with the group led by Dayne and were able to kill all of them (Eddard killed Dayne, a feat thought to be impossible). He heard his sister screaming from the tower and rushed in to save her. Eddard came across his sister dying in a pool of her own blood. As she lay dying in his arms, Lyanna whispered to Eddard and made him keep a promise for her (which is never revealed in the books or show) and shortly died after.
Eddard never reveals the promise to anyone, so here is where the theory comes in.
The theory states that Eddard found his sister in a pool of blood which would have been the result of childbirth. Lyanna held a baby in her arms and made Eddard take the baby and raise the child as his own (which is why Eddard claims that Jon is his bastard child).
Since Jon is still a Stark by blood, it is very unlikely that the honorable Eddard would turn away this request. And there are several other reasons as to why Eddard would have taken the baby as well.
If the theory is true and Jon is the son of Rhaegar, that would make him a Targaryen by blood. Tywin Lannister ordered the killing of all Targaryens after he stormed into the city, even killing the babies. That would put Jon at a great risk which is why he would have to live under the surname Snow for his whole life.
Somehow a rumor got out that Rhaegar had kidnapped and raped Lyanna which is why Rober was famous for hating Targaryens so much. He met Rhaegar on the battlefield and slew him with his warhammer, and after claiming the throne he also sent assassins across the sea to kill Daenerys and Viserys for many years until he eventually died.
That is pretty much the theory and if you wanted to read more on it there is plenty of material out there. Now I'm going to talk about why I think this theory is true.
First of all, when I think of Eddard Stark, the first word that comes to me is honor. All throughout the books and show, Eddard is revered for his honor; on the battlefield, with his family, and blah blah. This is the man who killed Sir Arthur Dayne and then returned the fallen knight's sword back to the Dayne family for safekeepings. I mean, if that doesn't scream honor, I don't know what will.
Eddard wanted nothing more than to save his family, leading him to give up his own personal image and admit to a crime he did not commit when he was promised mercy, which of course resulted in his death.
Does that sound like the type of person who would father a bastard child with someone? I don't think so.
Eddard was extremely honorable, so much that he would take this child from his sister and raise it as his own son as if nothing was amiss. He never told anyone about the conversation he had with Lyanna, and took her promise with him to his grave.
Read as; Jon Snow has to be the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna.
And if you're still not convinced.
The Targaryen crest is a three-headed dragon with the words "fire and blood", while the Stark emblem is a Direwolf with the words "winter is coming". Winter is synonymous with snow, cold, and most of all, ice (Ice was also the name of Eddard's Valyrian steel sword).
This would mean Jon Snow is made up of Targaryen fire and Stark ice.
I hope you recall that the name of the book series is A Song of ICE and FIRE.
Jon Snow is literally the Song of Ice and Fire. But that's just my opinion.
I hope I have given you the information to form your own opinion around this infamous theory. I am so eager to see if book six or season six of the show will reveal this theory as true or false, as it has been rumored that they are shooting a Tower of Joy flashback scene for the next season.
I guess we will have to wait and see.
Until next time.
Night gathers, and now my Watch begins.
-Tyler
