Spoiler Alert!
If you have not yet seen the third episode in season six of Game of
Thrones, then you are now warned that this post contains some details from it.
The episode was called Oathbreaker, and the story was mainly about Jon Snow.
Yes, he is alive!
For me the
most interesting part of the episode was the scene where a young Eddard Stark
fights against two members of The Kingsguard in front of a Dorne castle. This
was towards the end of the war known as Robert’s Rebellion, and the mad king
was dead. What was so important to protect, that two members of The Kingsguard
needed to defend a castle in the far end of the realm, rather than stay in the
capital with their king? As the sword fight progresses, it becomes clear to his
son Brandon watching, that his father has lied to his children about how he
defeated Ser Arthur Dayne. What else has he lie about?
This got me
thinking about two stories in A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) that I
have always had my doubts about. The first one is the story about how Eddard
Stark had an affair during the war that resulted in Jon Snow being born out of
wedlock. Every time someone told the tale, the details were a little bit
different. Was the mother a servant or noble woman? Was her name known or not?
Was she dead or alive? If it was the latter, why did she not try to keep in
contact?
The second
story is how Robert’s Rebellion started. Eddard Stark’s sister Lyanna was
enganged to Robert Baratheon when we was kidnapped and later killed by Crown
Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. When Lyannas father Lord Rickard Stark (Warden of the
North) and her elder brother Brandon Stark came to King’s Landing to protest
about the kidnapping, The Mad King Aerys II Targaryen had them both killed. That
got the houses of Baratheon, Stark, Tully and Arryn to rise up in rebellion. Despite
the foul act of Rhaegar Targaryen, every one who knew him always spoke of him
with the highest regard. Why did the perfect gentleman, the noblest knight, heir
to the throne and a model man become such a villain?
Here is what I think happened
I do not
think Eddard Stark was Jon Snow’s father. The only reason he lied about such an
important matter that got to shape his life and cast a shadow over his marriage to Catelyn Stark was
that the truth was much worse.
Rhaegar met
Lyanna at the jousting tourney at Harrenhal. It is a known fact that he fancied
her, and I think the feeling was mutual. Perhaps he did kidnap her, or perhaps
they fled together. Nevertheless I think they fell in love. Does this sound
familiar? Yes, it should, because it is pretty much how the story of Paris of
Troy and the beautiful Helen goes in The Illiad by Homer.
After killing
Ser Arthur Dayne, I believe the young Eddard Stark went into the castle only to
find his sister Lyanna and her new born son that she got after the romance with
Prince Rhaegar. I think she either died giving child birth, or perhaps Eddard
Stark killed her because shame and anger when discovering that the whole
rebellion was based on a lie. Then I think Eddard found the child, and decided
to raise Jon as his own bastard. Both to honor his sister Lyanna, and also to atone
for his sins in the war.
So..what do
you think? Is Jon Snow the first heir to the throne of The Seven Kingdoms? Is
he half Stark and half Targaryen? Will he marry Daenerys? Afterall, the Targaryens have a tradition of marrying their siblings J
