You're 500 dollars off the lead, John
Alright, here comes the clue for you
This Seattle-based coffee chain
was named for the first mate in "Moby Dick"
I never knew my mother
But it's Starbucks
Oh!
You know nothing Jon Snow
But don't worry, I can help
*Film Theory Intro Song*
Hello Internet! Welcome to Film Theory!
You know if there's one thing I've learnt from all my years working on this videos, it's that in the "Game of Theories"
You either win or you DIE!!
at the hands of the angry fanboys!
But who knows!? That was for Game Theory
Maybe Film Theory viewers will be more forgiving
Augh! Just wait until I talk about Star Wars
NEVERMIND!!
Shameless promotion of Game Theory aside
The HBO show "Game Of Thrones" has been an absolutely massive hit!
Because of it's stellar storytelling, captivating characters and uhhh...
Well...
OTHER THINGS!
LOTS AND LOTS OF OTHER THINGS!!!
but in all seriousness
with the 5th season
currently in progress
This show has been presenting us
with unsolved mysteries
since episode ONE!
Even the books have left us in the dark
And when getting ready to theorize about this series
There is no better place to start
than with the mystery of
Jon Snow's MOTHER
This detail is sooo important to Game Of Thrones
that when approached to adapt his books to T.V.
George RR Martin
The book's author
ended the interview asking for her true identity
Now, can we just take a minute to appreciate
the mental image of George RR
acting like the Bridgekeeper from "Monty Python"
What is your name? *poorly copied accent of the Bridge keeper by MatPat*
D:Dan Wise
What is your quest? *another poorly copied accent of the Bridgekeeper by MatPat*
D:Adapt your books to television
What is the identity of Jon Snow's Mother? *another another poorly copied accent of~~ you get it*
apparently these guys were able to answer correctly
and if they can figure it out
so can we
Now before we continue, a warning!
We're gonna be treading beyond a wall into spoiler territory
If you're up to date with the show, then you'll be fine.
If not, well beware ye who enter
Here, there'll be dragons
and minor spoilers and speculations
For almost the first time
I get to talk about a work of fiction
that's actually in progress
So, this is pretty cool
Watch the show
then, watch this theory
then, watch the rest of the show
then go back and watch this theory again
to see if I was right!
and you could know it here first
Alright! Let's start with what we know!
Jon Snow is the BASTARD son of...
am I allowed to say BASTARD??
isn't that like a bad word or somethin'?
Watch out! Film Theory gettin' all PG-13 up in here
Jon Snow is the 'Born out of wedlock' son of Eddard Stark
Lord of Winterfell
and Warden of the North
The story we know is that
Jon was born after a single night of passion about twenty years ago
and has been raised by Lord Stark
in Winterfell ever since
We hear repeteadly from various characters
throughout the series that
Jon's personality resembles
that of a Stark FAR more
than any of Ned's other true born children
except for maybe Aria
So? Who are our suspects?
Ned himself tells us
the mother's name is a woman named
Wylla
Well
he doesn't tell us
it's not like he went all meta and broke the 4th wall or anything
No
He says it to his close friend
Robert Baratheon
King of Westeros
During the second episode of the series
The story goes...
that she was a wet nurse who somehow managed
to charm Eddard into her bed while he was away from home
fighting alongside Robert
One thing leads to another and nine months later...
Out pops the Ba..by!
and Ned being a man of true honor
takes responsibility for the child
bringing him home to Winterfell
BOOM!!!
Done!
Open and Shut Case
Cut and Roll credits
Man! This Film Theory episodes are easy
OK!
So
Obviously, it's not as clear-cut as that
Eddard Stark is
Well, WAS
a pillar of virtue
I don't care how much junk
Wylla was carrying
in her trunk
Ned, was a type of man
who always stayed true to his vows,
to what was just.
This is a guy who would trade his head
for his honour
LITERALLY
In Season One
we see him willing to die of starvation
in a prison cell
because he won't lie
about who the next king of the realm
rightfully is.
Eddard just isn't the type
of guy who would dishonor his wife like that
and pulling a page from reading rainbow
"You don't have to take my word for it"
King Robert's brother, Stanis
backs me up here in Season Five
saying that "Bedding a tavern whore wasn't Ned Stark's way"
and look at what Ned does
when Robert presses him to talk about Wylla
He nearly shuts down
with agony clearly in his eyes
refusing to speak anything but her name
This is a man who wouldn't've been able cheat on his wife even if he wanted to.
Clearly! He's LYING!
You see loyal theorists
Jon Snow's mother
isn't some naughty nurse
or random tavern wench
but, instead
Ned's deceased sister
Lyanna Stark
Huu ho! Huu ho!
When I put it that way
it makes it sounds waaaay worse
Get your minds out of the gutter
This isn't a Circe-Jaime Situation
STOP TYPING YOUR RAGE COMMENTS
Ned isn't an Incestious Necrophiliac
No!
My theory is that
Ned
isn't Jon's parent at all
that Jon's mother is Lyanna Stark
and that the father is actually
Rhaegar Targaryan
Now, if you've never seen the show
you're probably asking
Who's that??
and if you have seen the show
you're probably still asking
Who's that??
Because, seriously?
Who is that?
There's so many darn characters in the show
whose names are impossible to remember
Seriously!?
Roose Bolton!?
I mean who took notice of that guy before the end of Season Three? Amirite?
Okay!
So, who is Rhaegar?
outside of being the guy
whose name is literally impossible to type correctly
Well,
he's probably the most important character we'll never meet on the show
considering he's dead
But
we do know a lot about him already
He was Daenerys Targaryen older brother
and Heir to the throne of Westeros
We also hear in bits and pieces throughout Season One
that he kidnapped and raped Lyanna
and that Robert, who is engaged to her
started a war called "Robert's Rebellion"
to bring her back
At the end of the rebellion,
he ends up killing Rhaegar
but when they try to rescue Lyanna, she's already dying.
Lying in a bed of her own blood
But beyond Lyanna,
Rhaegar's death actually had huge repercussions
Resulting in the Tragaryan family being ousted from the throne
Daenerys and her brother having to flee the realm
and Robert Baratheon becoming King
So a pretty big deal for a guy that we've never met
So, what makes me say that we've been lied to
when that Jon Snow's parents are two characters that are already dead
and that we'll never meet
Let me explain,
although there have been hints here and there
Last week's episode actually gives us the strongest clue
we've yet seen on the show, confirming this theory
There's a crucial scene
that takes place in the crypts below Winterfell
Between Ned's e ldest daughter, Sansa
and the sleaziest guy in the Kingdom of Westeros
Lord Baelish *Booing Sound*
While they walk through the Hall of Fallen Starks
Sansa mentions that her father
never talk about a sister, Lyanna
and that others said that she was quite beautiful
This prompts Lord Baelish
to tell a story about the only time he ever saw Ned's sister.
It was at a Great Tournament,
where everyone who is anyone was in attendance.
Basically, it was like Westeros' Coachella
At the end of the tournament,
it was Rhaegar Targaryen who stood victorious
and as his prize, he was given a crown of blue roses
to give to the woman he believe to be the most beautiful in all of the Seven Kingdoms
It's a weird prize, but hey go with it
So, of course
everyone expected him to give it to his wife
Ellia Martell
cuz' you know. It's HIS wife!
But he actually rode past her
to give the crown to...
You guessed it!
Lyanna Stark
Man!!
That had to be an awkward horseride back to the old stronghold. Right?
Shortly thereafter,
he kidnaps her and well we know the rest of the story
Or!?
Do we?
Did this guy really just kidnapped, raped and killed Lyanna because he thought she was pretty?
Something tells me,
you don't romantically and chivalrously give a crown of flowers to a girl,
if that's what you're planning to do a few weeks later
and honestly, i'm not the only one to think so
Sure, Robert Baratheon may badmouth Rhaegar on the show
but everyone else gives the guy glowing reviews
Ser Jorah praises the late prince when he discusses Rhaegar with his sister, Daenerys
"Rhaegar fought valiantly,
Rhaegar fought nobly,
and Rhaegar died."
Ser Barristan Selmy, one of the noblest and most honorable people on the show
behind Ned Stark.
Eagerly tells stories about how considerate and generous Rhaegar was
"Rhaegar never liked killing,
he loved singing"
"And what did you do with the money?"
Even Ned
has nothing but kind words
to say about to him in the books
Which is odd
when you're referring to the man
whose supposedly stole your sister
and had a direct hand in her death
Isn't it much more likely that this kidnapping story
is simply a cover for two kids who fell in love
and did something incredibly romantic
and incredibly stupid
by running away together?
We get an additional detail in the book,
that's after the supposed kidnapping
Rhaegar hides Lyanna away in a place named the "Tower of Joy"
Really???
The Tower of Joy?
Subtle much? RR?
Seriously though,
these guys are fighting a war for him and he's hanging out in the Belfry of Banging?
The Minaret of Minaj?
The Parapet of Pleasure?
After Rhaegar's death,
the story we know is that Ned raises up the Tower of Titillation to free Lyanna,
only to find her dying in a bed of blood with her last words being
"Promise me, Ned"
Now think about this,
a bed of blood?
Yes, it could be Rhaegar killing the girl.
But childbirth, can also be a pretty messy business
Then, she asks Ned to make a promise?
Could it be perhaps a promise to raise her newborn child?
Or to take it one step further
To keep the child safe by keeping his true parentage secret
I mean, you know, Robert would totally freak out if his beloved fiancee had a baby with another man
Robert just started with a rebellion against a royal dynasty in an attempt to get her back.
"Oh sorry, we we're inlove"
That ain't gonna cut it
It would make sense that Ned would have to claim the child as his own
to cast off suspicion
Then, when Ned returns to Winterfell
with the baby Jon
No one would ever know the boy's true parentage
Makes a whole lot of sense to me
Additionally, we hear that when Ned rode for the Tower of Joy
He and his companions didn't find Lyanna alone
No, three of the King's guard were there
standing watch over the Lady Stark
Including the Lord Commander himself
why would they be there instead of fighting
or swearing allegiance to the new king
or most importantly of all, protecting the only two remaining Targaryan's
Daenerys and her brother
as they escape the country?
Probably, because they we're busy protecting another Targaryan
A baby
The heir to the Iron Throne of the Kingdom
Jon Snow
Need more proof?
Ever wonder why Ned had such an extreme reaction
to Robert trying to assassinate Daenerys back in Season One?
How about the discuss and urgency he shows when Robert says
he'll kill every Targaryan he can get his hands on
stakes are high because Jon Snow would also have Targaryan Blood
meaning his life would be at risk
or how about some MORE super recent evidence
like the awkward scene between Jon and the Red Woman at the Wall in Season Five
Where she attempts to seduce him
The only time she's done this in the past
was with men who possessed royal blood
Stannis
and Gendry
and now her latest target
Jon Snow
With the royal blood of the Targaryan's
coursing through his veins
But the biggest smoking gun of all, comes from none other but Ned Stark himself
or rather his actor, Sean Bean
In an interview with Vulture
Bean admits that Ned's quote
"Definitely got some unfinished business that needs to be resolved there, I'm obviously not Jon Snow's dad and you need that to be revealed at some point, don't you?"
End qoute
That my dear theorists is what you call,
An open-and-shut case
or desperate need for actors to sign NDA's
One of the two
So, if this theory does prove to be true
what does this means for the future plot lines of the show?
Well,
if Rhaegar and Lyanna got married before Jon was born
He'd be the rightful heir to the Iron Throne
Even more so, than Daenerys
Which makes another odd scene on the show makes a whole lot'a sense
We've seen this image a few times throughout the series
Most notably, as one of the vision Daene sees in the House of the Undying
The King's Throne Room covered in snow.
It could be a literal reference to Jon Snow
which is a bit on-the-nose
but, whatever, it's television.
OR, it could just represent that both
Daenerys and the True King of the Realm have a connection with the Cold North
Perhaps, it's foreshadowing that before the end of the series.
Jon Snow will be sitting on that throne
It's kind of poetic in a way,
The North, and the wall, and the Starks
symbolize ice
Cold and Harsh
The South, and King's Landing, and the Targaryan's
symbolizes fire
Hot and Passionate
If Jon is the merging of these bloodlines, then he's truly would be
A song of Ice & Fire
But, HEY! THAT'S JUST A THEORY! A FILM THEORY!
and, CUT!