Anyone who’s read or watched the novels or TV series of George R. R. Martin’s Game
of Thrones knows that there’s enough family feuds, war, politics and intrigue for ten
franchises. But for all the shocking deaths, betrayal, and strokes of luck that the series
has featured thus far, there’s one question that fans debate more than any other, believing
that it may hold the secret to the entire story. The mystery hinges on Jon Snow, the
illegitimate son of Ned Stark, the former head of Winterfell - the identity of his mother,
to be exact. It’s one riddle that readers and viewers are both hopeless to solve until
the end of the story, but one theory has risen above the rest. And if it’s true, Jon Snow
may not just be an underdog hero, but the savior of all mankind.
Obviously there will be plenty of POTENTIAL SPOILERS in our look at the theory and evidence
behind the Game of Thrones theory that reveals Jon Snow’s shocking lineage. In short: R+L=J.
The Prince That Was Promised
Before we get to the current timeline, there’s one prophecy in Martin’s universe that most
fans should know about, which is claimed to date back thousands of years. The prophecy
claims that one day, a noble prince will be born between smoke and salt, with the power
to unite and save all of the kingdoms of man. Known as “the prince who was promised,”
or Azor Ahai by the Red Priestess Melisandre, this hero will arrive to stop a terrible winter
– most likely a reference to the cold and monstrous creatures living North of The Wall.
Plenty of people have claimed they were the prophesied prince, but there’s one candidate
who actually seemed like a frontrunner.
The Dragon Prince
Since the HBO series picks up long after the story that this theory is based on, viewers
may not know of The Dragon Prince, but readers definitely do. There are constant references
to the last Targaryen ruler, known as The Mad King, and who Jamie Lannister stabbed
in the back when he refused to surrender. But it’s the Mad King’s oldest son Rhaegar
who is far more important. Strong, beautiful, and a born leader, those close to the royal
family claimed that the boy was the promised prince since he was born amidst the smoke
and ash of a burning castle. Most of the nobility and common folk seemed to agree that Rhaegar
was a great ruler in the making, and would have made an incredible king. But he never
got the chance to take the throne, or fulfill the prophecy. At least, not the prophecy that
people expected. But if you ask some people in the North, Rhaegar was no savior king,
but a monstrous criminal. All because of a single woman…
Lyanna Stark
In the very first episode of the HBO series, viewers hear exactly how Lyanna Stark, the
sister of Ned Stark, kicked the entire story into motion. You see, Lyanna was betrothed
to Robert Baratheon, the Starks’ family friend, and ally. But engaged or not, Lyanna
was just as amazed by Rhaegar’s beauty as any other woman in the kingdom. And when the
heir to the Targaryen throne made a trip to Winterfell, the two fell instantly in love,
and escaped to be married. At least, that’s how people from the south, or supporters of
Rhaegar tell the story. But when the prince escaped from the North with Lyanna, Robert
called the royal heir a rapist and kidnapper – and used the theft of his bride as the
final straw in kicking off a Rebellion. His friend Ned was only interested in getting
his sister back, but Robert was keen on removing the Targaryens from King’s Landing once
and for all.
Robert’s Rebellion
It’s worth pointing out that in the novels and TV show, Ned holds back from actually
accusing Rhaegar of any crime, staying silent when Robert or his friends claim he abused
or wrongfully kidnapped his sister. The novel gives a detailed account of the rebellion,
with Robert killing Rhaegar in combat, and the prince dying with Lyanna’s name his
last words. As the wannabe king headed to the capitol, Ned headed to a faraway tower
where Lyanna had been stashed, and guarded by the best and most loyal of Rhaegar’s
guards. Why did he leave the woman he apparently kidnapped so heavily guarded, instead of using
those men to fight beside him? We’ll get to that in a minute. The important thing is
that while Robert took the crown of Westeros, what Ned found wasn’t as much of a victory.
Lyanna’s Death
George R.R. Martin has kept extremely vague about what Ned actually found in the tower,
but considering the prophecy, Rhaegar’s apparently heroic nature, and the details
we DO get, one theory starts to form. Ned found his sister Lyanna, but found her dying
in a bed filled with blood. Her cause of death is never given, but she does make one last
request of her brother, begging him to make her a promise, and keep it, no matter what.
With only Ned and his most trusted bannerman actually knowing what the promise was, he
began his trip back to the North, back to his family, and back to his wife. And as fans
know, he happened to be bringing a baby back with him.
The Secret King?
The baby would be named Jon Snow, and dismissed as illegitimate, but the clues that Jon is
actually the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna – born after they were married – don’t stop there.
In the books, Jon is described as looking the most like a Stark out of all of Ned’s
children – which makes his wife, Catelyn even angrier. But viewers could see that Ned
never seemed like the kind of man to cheat on his wife, but remained silent about his
apparent mistress for the decades since. It didn’t take long for readers to claim
that Jon, not Rhaegar, was the prince who was promised, possessing the wisdom, strength,
and courage to save man from a terrible enemy. As the child of the silver-haired Targaryen
and jet black Starks – the salt and smoke – the fact that his pet direwolf, Ghost,
is also white as snow seemed like the final clue. And as the son of Prince Rhaegar and
his wife, Lyanna, that makes him the rightful heir – the only rightful heir – to the
Iron Throne.
Unfortunately, Ned Stark’s death means there’s only one other person who knows of Lyanna’s
promise: Ned’s bannerman, Howland Reed. He’s yet to appear in the books or TV show,
but it’s his children who are watching over the lost Stark boys (Brand and Ricken). So
all the theory needs, supporters claim, is for Howland to arrive, confirm Jon’s true
parents, and step aside to let him take the throne. But considering the monsters gathering
North of The Wall, Jon may have to save mankind before he can even think about becoming king.
That’s the basic story behind the leading theory that
R+L=J, which means you can now wait with readers, viewers, and every other kind of fan to see
if it’s proven true. What do you think? Would this potential ending seem like the
most satisfying, if it’s true? Or would you prefer that the Mother of Dragons, or
another contender win the throne? Let us know in the comments, and remember to subscribe
to our channel for more videos like this one.