The 5 Worst Episodes Of Game Of Thrones, Ranked md20

The series doesn’t explore this aspect of Jon’s character in depth, but fortunately, there is enough information from the show and the books to gain a clearer picture of where Jon stands within his own family. This genealogy includes who he is related to and how it impacts his journey. The Stark and Targaryen sides provide him with deep connections to the mystical aspects of the world but also potentially make him one of the most dangerous individuals in all of Westeros, perhaps even the world.

Jon Was Born From a Tragic Romance

He Is the Son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark

Image via HBO

Jon Snow was never meant to exist in the universe of Game of Thrones. His real father, Rhaegar Targaryen — heir to the “Mad King” Aerys II Targaryen, broke all sorts of laws in order to be with Lyanna Stark. How the two met is open to speculation, but the overall implications are that Rhaegar was attracted to Lyanna for her free spirit and willingness to stick up to others. Lyanna in turn found Rhaegar incredibly charming, coming to love him despite being betrothed to Robert Baratheon. That, and Rhaegar already being married were the biggest impediments to their relationship.

To rectify this, Rhaegar quietly annulled his marriage to Elia Martell, and later married Lyanna in Dorne in a secret ceremony. Tthere is evidence in the Song of Ice and Fire books to suggest that Rhaegar did this for more than love. He was a big believer in prophecy and expected the fabled Prince Who Was Promised to be born from his bloodline. In Lyanna, he saw a connection to the ancient magic of the First Men, a magic that the Targaryens never truly held. If there was a key to defeating the coming threat from the North, then merging the lines of Fire and Ice might have been the key to finding their promised messiah.Of course, whether it is Jon or Daenerys or someone else who was the object of that prophecy is never really made clear. What definitely happened was that Rhaegar’s relationship with Lyanna was misinterpreted as a kidnapping, which in turn triggered Robert’s Rebellion. The fault for that doesn’t rest solely with Rhaegar, but rather with his father, the Mad King. His heinous crimes finally became too great for Westeros to bear and the realm revolted. Rhaegar was an unfortunate casualty in that war when Robert killed him. Lyanna would also die soon after giving birth to Jon, but not before making her brother Ned promise to protect her son.

Jon Snow Comes from a Line of Targaryen Royalty

Ned Stark Claimed Jon as His Own Bastard To Protect Him

Image via HBO

As the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen, Jon Snow was automatically in line for the Iron Throne. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that his claim supersedes that of his aunt, Daenerys Targaryen’s, because he is the son of her older brother. With Rhaegar’s children from his previous marriage, Jon’s older half-siblings, also killed by the Lannisters, that meant Jon was a valid heir to the Iron Throne. For that reason, coupled with Robert Baratheon’s now eternal hatred for all the Targaryens, Ned Stark saw fit to hide Jon’s parentage and claim him to be his bastard son. Jon would be cloaked by being a social outcast, but even that lie could not hide who he was forever.

As the son of Rhaegar, Jon Snow is the last living male descendant of Game of Thrones‘ Targaryen line, stretching all the way back to Aegon the Conqueror. This means Jon is related to every major member of House Targaryen, such as Rhaenyra and Daemon and later on their grandchild King Aegon V, who would travel alongside Ser Duncan the Tall. Of course, this also means Jon is the heir to several of the worst Targaryen traits and likely has a predisposition towards mental instability, though not being a product of incest likely protects him from that risk. Jon still comes from a long line of royalty. More than that, he possesses the old magic of Valyria within him.

Jon is already a proven dragonrider in Game of Thrones, though no one seemed to wonder how he could ride one without being a Targaryen before the truth was revealed. If he has the ability to ride a dragon though, then Jon likely has other gifts as well. The books went into more detail about Jon’s mystical abilities. Though the Targaryen side of his powers is yet to be explored, it is likely that he could have prophetic dreams of the future in the next A Song of Ice and Fire books. Then there is the other half of his mystical ancestry to consider.

Jon’s Stark Ancestry Also Possesses the Magic of the First Men

Jon Had a Unique Connection with His Direwolf

Image via HBO

As the son of Lyanna Stark, Jon has the blood of the First Men coursing through his blood. While many in the North make this boast, in Jon’s case it means something entirely different. Most Northerners refer to the First Men as a source of pride, holding to their traditions and religions. For those more knowledgeable about the past, they know that having the First Men’s blood also increases one’s chances of having access to the higher mysteries. In other words, Jon could have the magical abilities first witnessed by the Children of the Forest.

In the books, Jon demonstrates this connection by warging into the eyes of his direwolf, Ghost. In the show, Jon never does this, so it was a missed opportunity to show that Jon was just as much Stark as the other members of his supposed immediate family. Jon has yet to display his abilities at their full potential in the books. Given that the Three-Eyed Raven from Game of Thrones was a Targaryen, then it stands to reason he possesses some form of ability as well, likely one even more powerful thanks to his potential for dragon dreams.

Jon’s Northern Family, Explained

His Northern Roots Overshadowed His Targaryen Blood

Image via HBO

On a more grounded note, Lyanna being Jon Snow’s mother makes Ned Stark his uncle rather than his father. Fortunately, his northern heritage provided much-needed protection from his Targaryen ancestry. Typically, Targaryen genetics override the traits of other families, with most being born with the classic silvery blonde hair and purple eyes. Jon favored his mother, and by extension, his uncle, thus allowing for the ruse that he was Ned’s son to be passed without too much scrutiny.

That also makes all of Ned’s children his cousins. Though ironically, he was technically above them all in terms of social rank. As a potential heir to the Iron Throne, Jon should have been afforded every luxury, raised and trained alongside other children of lords. The need for secrecy kept him apart from his family though. Jon didn’t know the truth, nor could he unless he wanted to incur the risk of Robert Baratheon finding out the truth and executing him.

On his northern side, Jon is a descendant of all the Starks, from the previous wardens to the Kings in the North. Torrhen Stark, the king who knelt, is his ancestor, an example of choosing the lives of thousands over pride and power. Even further back than that, Jon can claim a connection to the Stark kings, who united the North and even Bran the Builder, who constructed the Wall which Jon would later come to guard.

House Stark Is Jon Snow’s True Family

Jon Has Always Belonged to the North in Game of Thrones

Even though he has always been seen as a bastard, Jon Snow came to regard Ned Stark’s family as his own. Under the assumption that Ned was his father, Jon believed that he was the half-brother to all of Ned’s children. Instead of the usual isolating response from his family though, Jon was mostly accepted by the other Stark children, save for perhaps Sansa, who was more concerned with fulfilling her designated role in society.

Jon grew up alongside them, trained with them, though he could never be allowed total access to their lives, a fact that he resented. When the truth of his parentage came out though, Jon was conflicted over what it meant. To the surviving Starks of Game of Thrones, nothing had changed. Jon was still their brother and arguably their greatest defender. They supported him no matter what, even when his choices didn’t make much sense to them.

That love was perhaps the only reason Jon found the strength to later kill Daenerys Targaryen, despite being deeply in love with her. He knew that Dany would one day try to burn the North if Sansa and Arya did not bend their knees to her. Not wanting to see that happen, Jon listened to the Stark side of his heritage and chose duty over love. So, in many ways, being half-Northerner is what tipped the scales for Jon to resist the temptations of power.

Is Jon Snow the Rightful Heir To the Iron Throne?

The Answer Is More Complicated Than Game of Thrones Makes It Seem

The overall story of Jon Snow is one of a life filled with unnecessary hardship. Had things gone differently, there is every possibility Jon might have grown up to be the next King of Westeros. Rhaegar would have trained him, likely educating him on the Song of Ice and Fire, and perhaps even worked to forge better relations with his family in the North, allowing him to interact with his cousins as true equals. This different upbringing may have resulted in some difficulties for them, though, as Jon would have had his own importance drilled into his head since birth. However, was Jon Snow really the rightful heir to the Iron Throne?

The last two seasons of Game of Thrones made the mistake of rushing many storylines and revelations, contrasting with the patient and slow-burn approach of the earlier seasons. In that sense, the story overlooked key anecdotes to keep certain story aspects in motion. After the revelation that Jon Snow was the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna, everyone seemed to agree that he was the rightful heir to the throne, but it’s more complicated than that. Different from Daenerys’ position in the Targaryen family tree, others could easily contest Jon Snow’s claim due to the controversial nature of Rhaegar’s annulled marriage to Elia Martell. This controversy does not mean that annulments aren’t allowed in Westeros, but it’s difficult to believe that Martell would have ever allowed the removal of their house from the royal lineage.

Rhaegar and Lyanna’s marriage was never public, however, and neither was the annulment of Rhaegar and Elia’s marriage. In that sense, Jon Snow is both an heir and a bastard, with the truth largely depending on his supporters. The Game of Thrones books have yet to reveal the truth about Jon’s lineage, so the showrunners could have written the annulment so Daenerys could immediately see Jon as a threat to her claim, leading to the final episode’s climactic confrontation. Nevertheless, there’s an argument that Dany and Jon were never the rightful heirs to the Iron Throne, at least in a scenario where Stannis still lives. After all, Robert Baratheon brought the Targaryen dynasty to an end. By the laws of gods and men, Stannis would’ve been next in line.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the heir with the most supporters, though Jon’s status as a trueborn heavily influences the state of things. This lineage is a political dilemma that the next A Song of Ice and Fire book(s) will surely explore further if they’re ever published. Jon Snow’s family ties provide him with connections to several of the most prominent characters in Game of Thrones, including those who have long since passed and those still living. The consequences of these blood ties mean that Jon’s potential as a practitioner of the mystical arts also exceeds that of most other characters. It is a shame that such parts of him were never fully explored in favor of a foreseeable twist that ultimately led nowhere.