Hey YouTubers it's Charlie! so this week for my Game of Thrones bonus video I wanted to talk
all about Lyanna Stark a really big character in the context of a song of ice and fire but
someone we might not ever actually get to meet the comments by Littlefinger and Sir
Barristan Selmy in episode four set the Internet on fire with R plus L equals J confirmations
technically they did not confirm anything about Lyanna Stark maybe maybe not son so what l'm gonna
do is a history for her character and then explain the context for the prophecy that
everyone's talking about the one that Rhaegar was obsessed with the prince who was promised
to just careful for spoilers for everything that's happened on the show so far most of this
history is taken from anecdotal comments based on things the characters have said in story
that we've already covered the part of Lyanna Stark will be played by Lily Collins in
snow white attire people always asked me whenever I use other pictures for characters that we
haven't seen on the show Lyanna start was the sister of Brandon Stark and Ned Stark
Brandon Stark was the oldest brother Ned Stark was the middle Lyanna Stark was the youngest
she was like the Arya of their family during season one of the show Arya was even told
that she looked like her aunt Lyanna she shares a lot of personality traits with her but
they're not like carbon copies of each other Arya Stark isn't like the reincarnation
of Lyanna George RR Martin is just famous for repeating metaphors over time so a lot
of event situations characters in present day resemble things that happened in the past
that is talked about but that doesn't mean that they'll play out the exact same way he
just a self-described history nut and a lot of times in real world history it seems like
events are repeating themselves as described by Ned Lyanna was wolf blooded very tomboyish
very hot-blooded she said to really have enjoyed using swords although there father wouldn't
allow her to walk around carrying a sword that she was very skilled on a horse so well
accounts she was capable of taking care of herself very strong-willed independent and
capable of defending herself she was no flowery maiden speaking of which I know Littlefinger
made this comment about the crown of roses at the tourney of Harrenhal last week it just
that Lyanna is described as being very fond of the blue roses that grew at Winterfell
brand Stark on the show right now actually does get a picture like an actual look at
Lyanna start he sees a girl that looks like Arya we did a Maggie the frog flashback so
it's possible that we could get a Lyanna Stark flashback there's no guarantee and brand Stark
is even part of season five so until they say otherwise you know most of what we learn about her is gonna
to be when characters talk to other characters about her in historical context actually that's
a really good way to do it is just a little more creative way to convey history to do
exposition so moving along into the really important moments that referred about on the
shelf that the tourney of Harrenhal right before that was when she had been promised
to Robert Baratheon when that happened she is said to have told Ned that she had some misgivings
about Robert ya know just because he was such a manwhore that's important for context in
that Lyanna Stark was not in love with Robert Baratheon as is true of most political marriages
so then we moved to the tourney of Harrenhal the show might not ever explain it or they
they might tell it in an offhanded story but in addition to the Rhaegar crown of blue roses
moment that Littlefinger talked about there was another big thing that happened at the
tournament she was a good friend of Howland Reed one of the crannogmen ya know Jojen Reed
this character here his father he was very young he is being bullied by three other squires
from three larger houses later in the tournament a night wearing the sigil of a laughing tree
unhorsed all three of the squires that had been bullying Howland Reed the identity of
the knight was a huge mystery there's a lot of theories that knight was Howland Reed
himself getting revenge on the squires that were making fun of him but there's also a theory that
mystery knight was Lyanna Stark after he won the last bout the knight ran off into the woods
took off his armor and and then ran off Rhaegar Targaryen was ordered to go find out who the
knight was but he only found the shield with the laughing tree on it also during that tournament
Rhaegar is said to have played such a beautiful song that it made Lyanna Stark weep so everybody
loses their shit when Rhaegar gives the prize to Lyanna Stark a short time after the tournament
is when he is said to have kidnapped her and run off is a lot of anecdotal evidence to
those two characters having something of a connection with each other whether it's love
or mutual interests or something else remains to be seen so here is where we get to the
prophecy that Rhaegar is said to be obsessed with the prince who was promised the best
theory is is that it wasn't so much that he was in love with Lyanna Stark he might've
just thought that she was the crucial part of the fulfillment of the prophecy we actually
saw a version of this prophecy but it was only in the books we didn't see it on the
show Daenerys has a bunch of visions in the house of the undying they just they cut that
way down to the show this is where it gets a little confusing because there's a lot of
conflicting stories about who might be the prince who was promised you know a lot people also
think that Daenerys might be so be your princess who was promised in that case in Daenerys's
vision in the house the undying she sees Rhaegar saying this is the prince who is promised
and it's seemingly Aegon the baby that was supposed to have gotten its head dashed against
the wall by the mountain the problem with visions is that they're open to interpretation
and sometimes visions that you get can be of alternate timelines like you had things
gone differently these things might have gone this way so don't ever take visions in the
literal context side note there's also a lot of theories that the prince who is promised
is also the is or a high character as told by Melisandre just two different ways of interpreting
a very old prophecy into Melisandre comes from the faith of the Red God they're going
to have a different interpretation about the fulfillment of the prophecy then say someone
from westeros is part of the faith of the seven when Rhaegar took Lyanna though he took
her to the tower of joy that just like on the northern edge of dorm and a lot of people
were hoping we would see it when Jamie and Bron went to Dorne there's no promise of that
but ya know we might get an easter egg like someone might casually mention something about that
we don't know the whole reason why Rhaegar took Lyanna Stark ViserysTargaryen actually
told Daenerys that Rhaegar was unhappy in his marriage to Elia of Dorne so it's possible
that he was just infatuated with Lyanna that he is someone who spent his entire life dedicated
to the prophecy as a child he actually decided to become a warrior after reading the prophecy
so I do think that he felt like Lyanna Stark was part of the prophecy when she was first
taken Brandon Stark found out about it and went to the red keep to get help from Aerys Targaryen
to to ask him to deal with it Aerys had Brandon and his companions other you know highborn
nobles arrested for treason he accused them of plotting murder they chose trial by combat
in Aerys shows fire as his champion this is where things really heat up with Robert's
rebellion this is the primary reason it started not because Lyanna Stark was taken starting
rebellion requires massive support one way to do that is to kill the warden of the North
his oldest son and several highborn nobles so John Arryn joined forces with the North
just like Littlefinger said he would do with Roose Bolton now and they declared war on the Targaryens
so the rebellion didn't happen overnight during that Rhaegar had to leave for battle at the
Trident that's where Robert killed him he is said to have died whispering Lyanna's name
and when Ned finally found Lyanna at the tower of joy she was said to be covered in blood
and whispered to Ned promise me the theory is is that Ned found her after just having a
baby and she said promise me you'll take care of him and that's what she meant one of the
few people that still live in the context of the show that was at the tower of joy is
Howland Reed we haven't seen him but ya know unless confirmed otherwise he still presumed
to be alive running around somewhere so if you're ever looking for like absolute confirmation
on who Lyanna Stark's child was or whether or not she actually had a child there still
someone the show can trot out to do that and are expected to go down that way you if we
ever learn who Jon Snow's mother is it'll probably be in somewhat more vague terms is more of
what we saw last week you know characters telling stories that seem to imply a certain
outcome I just think it's a lot more fun that way most of the best theories I've seen about
Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark at the tower of joy take a more practical approach to
the characters he took her more because the prophecy then then because of love it wasn't
so much an act of aggression as an act of utility this must happen this must come to
pass so that we can fulfill the prophecy so if the show does anything it is just gonna be
dropping hints what I'm really hoping they do is that we see John snow and more white
walker scenes so we can see whether or not the show is going to back him into season
six and seven anybody's fair game to be killed off but it's easy to see when the show is
backing a certain character is one of the pillars of the story like we want you to feel
a certain way about this character like Stannis for instance he seemed like an asshole for
the first couple seasons but now the show wants you to think of him as a good character
so the rest of the episodes this season will give you an idea of how the show wants you
to think of John snow lately it is been that he has very special power that Melisandre
want sent to explore all the stars are confirmed Ward so she could just be talking about that
and even if he really is Ned's Bastard and not Lyanna son he was still be half noble
I mean he would still have the same kind of power in his blood the Gendry had so there is number of interpretations
but you guys can let me know ya know do you think that John snow is the son of Lyanna Stark
and Rhaegar Targaryen and do you think that the show is going to back him is like one
of the most important characters you know along with Daenerys into like season six and seven in related
news episode five tonight be sure to subscribe to get that I'm gonna be doing a new round
of the giveaway I will be giving away the signed copies of feast for crows and dance with
dragons they're both hardbacks signed by George R R Martin so just watch my episode five video
you guys will see in case you guys haven't seen it you can click here for my episode
five video I'll add the annotation after I post the video tonight and you can click here
to learn all about the history of Winterfell thank you so much for watching, everybody high
five and I'll see you guys tonight!