Jon Snow is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. He is Ned's nephew. Rhaegar and Lyanna fell in love, perhaps initially at the Tourney at Harrenhall when Rhaegar named her Queen of Love and Beauty.
Rather than "kidnapping" Lyanna, I believe the two eloped, perhaps to the Tower of Joy. I think they were married. They remained there until Rhaegar left to fight Robert at the Battle of the Trident (note that Rhaegar did not participate in any battles during the War of the Usurper until the Trident). After Rhaegar was killed, Ned Stark and six companions went to the Tower of Joy to rescue Lyanna. There they fought and killed three members of the Kingsguard (Arthur Dayne, Gerold Hightower and Oswell Whent). They found Lyanna "on a bed of blood" which I believe is a reference to childbirth. Jon was born around the same time Ned Stark reached the Tower of Joy, and only he and the other survivor of the battle with the Kingsguard, Howland Reed, know the truth. Lyanna's last words to Ned are "promise me."
Evidence:
Rhaegar is remembered as a noble, likable man by all the those who knew him. He is said to have been bookish as a child, before suddenly deciding to learn weaponry and combat. Kidnapping Lyanna does not appear to fit with his character.
Lyanna is remembered by Ned to be wild and headstrong. He tells Arya in AGOT Chapter 22 (Arya) that "because of her wildness (Lyanna) died young." It would seem that he is blaming Lyanna for her death, rather than Rhaegar as would make sense if he had kidnapped her.
The three members of the Kingsguard that die at the Tower of Joy are reputed to be among the most honorable and noble knights in Westeros, especially Ser Arthur Dayne. The fact that they fought to the death would seem to suggest that they were honor bound to protect a member of the Royal family. Dying to protect Rhaegar's kidnapped mistress is a much weaker story than dying to protect the King's newborn son and, perhaps, his wife.
Lyanna's death makes much more sense as a death in childbirth than anything else. If she died "in a bed of blood," from something other than childbirth, what was it? Disease is unlikely, suicide also unlikely, especially if she was actually kidnapped, and if it was murder (as appears to be the assumption of most people) then who killed her? The noble knights of the Kingsguard?
Lyanna's last words to Ned Stark are "promise me." These make perfect sense if he has asked Ned to raise baby Jon as his own bastard and never tell Robert that he is Rhaegar's son by Lyanna. That news would have crushed Robert and almost certainly meant the death of Jon who is both the child of Robert's lifelong love by his greatest enemy AND, assuming Rhaegar married Lyanna, the rightful heir to the Throne of the Seven Kingdoms.
This brings us to perhaps the most important reason that Jon Snow is Lyanna and Rhaegar's son. It sets up an endgame for the series. Jon Snow (really Targaryen), rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, weds Daenarys Targaryen, his aunt (weird, but these are Targaryens...) and gets to ride one of her dragons in the final battle against the Others/the forces of the ephemeral Conspiracy involving (speculatively) Archmaester Marwyn, Varys, Magister Illyrio, etc.
Rather than "kidnapping" Lyanna, I believe the two eloped, perhaps to the Tower of Joy. I think they were married. They remained there until Rhaegar left to fight Robert at the Battle of the Trident (note that Rhaegar did not participate in any battles during the War of the Usurper until the Trident). After Rhaegar was killed, Ned Stark and six companions went to the Tower of Joy to rescue Lyanna. There they fought and killed three members of the Kingsguard (Arthur Dayne, Gerold Hightower and Oswell Whent). They found Lyanna "on a bed of blood" which I believe is a reference to childbirth. Jon was born around the same time Ned Stark reached the Tower of Joy, and only he and the other survivor of the battle with the Kingsguard, Howland Reed, know the truth. Lyanna's last words to Ned are "promise me."
Evidence:
Rhaegar is remembered as a noble, likable man by all the those who knew him. He is said to have been bookish as a child, before suddenly deciding to learn weaponry and combat. Kidnapping Lyanna does not appear to fit with his character.
Lyanna is remembered by Ned to be wild and headstrong. He tells Arya in AGOT Chapter 22 (Arya) that "because of her wildness (Lyanna) died young." It would seem that he is blaming Lyanna for her death, rather than Rhaegar as would make sense if he had kidnapped her.
The three members of the Kingsguard that die at the Tower of Joy are reputed to be among the most honorable and noble knights in Westeros, especially Ser Arthur Dayne. The fact that they fought to the death would seem to suggest that they were honor bound to protect a member of the Royal family. Dying to protect Rhaegar's kidnapped mistress is a much weaker story than dying to protect the King's newborn son and, perhaps, his wife.
Lyanna's death makes much more sense as a death in childbirth than anything else. If she died "in a bed of blood," from something other than childbirth, what was it? Disease is unlikely, suicide also unlikely, especially if she was actually kidnapped, and if it was murder (as appears to be the assumption of most people) then who killed her? The noble knights of the Kingsguard?
Lyanna's last words to Ned Stark are "promise me." These make perfect sense if he has asked Ned to raise baby Jon as his own bastard and never tell Robert that he is Rhaegar's son by Lyanna. That news would have crushed Robert and almost certainly meant the death of Jon who is both the child of Robert's lifelong love by his greatest enemy AND, assuming Rhaegar married Lyanna, the rightful heir to the Throne of the Seven Kingdoms.
This brings us to perhaps the most important reason that Jon Snow is Lyanna and Rhaegar's son. It sets up an endgame for the series. Jon Snow (really Targaryen), rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, weds Daenarys Targaryen, his aunt (weird, but these are Targaryens...) and gets to ride one of her dragons in the final battle against the Others/the forces of the ephemeral Conspiracy involving (speculatively) Archmaester Marwyn, Varys, Magister Illyrio, etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment