R Plus L Equals J - Tumblr Posts
The thing about Jon that a lot of people forget is that he is actually a rather well known figure all around Westeros. I don’t think it’s incorrect to say that he’s Ned’s most famous kid by a large margin, and perhaps even one of the more famous teens in Westeros; especially now that he has become Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and his reputation has began to stretch to a different continent. Because of his very unusual origin - being honorable Ned Stark’s bastard son by an unknown woman - his name has been passed around in noble houses across the entire continent. He’s not some random kid from the North that no one has heard of. The majority of people may not have seen him, but they have at the very least heard of him.
I bring this up because people tend to act as if Jon would be automatically scoffed away by just about everyone if his true parentage ever came to light. After all, they say, why would anyone believe that some random kid from the north is a Targaryen prince? But this is not really true. Jon is not a random kid. His father was one of the most powerful men in the entire land. And not only that, but Ned’s reputation as an honorable man with no fault ensured that the scandal of begetting a bastard was known by everyone who is someone. The thing is, readers tend to ignore a very large gaping hole in the story when it comes to public perception of Jon’s parentage. People all over Westeros have been talking about Ned and his bastard, but no one can agree on the mother - this is actually important!
Most people would not have questioned Ned to his face, but they too want to know who Jon’s mother was, even if it’s just for a little bit of gossip among nobles. Jon’s parentage is a mysterious puzzle that a lot of people have tried to solve themselves. Catelyn hears one answer in Winterfell, but Davos hears another on his way to White Harbor. Edric Dayne from Dorne says a different name to Arya, while Cersei and Robert (who both live in KL) hear different things. That there’s so much variation all around Westeros is actually proof that a lot of people are talking about this one issue. And Ned’s refusal to name a woman may actually end up having unexpected consequences when someone finally mentions the name “Lyanna Stark”.
So I would like to push back on the belief that no one in Westeros would care about the R+L=J reveal or that they would immediately write Jon off. GRRM deciding to keep Jon’s mother an in universe mystery that is the topic of constant conversation will have major payoff. While I could see some being incredulous, it’s absolutely not a foregone conclusion that most people will choose not to believe it. And it’s not a foregone conclusion that this reveal will only matter to the Stark kids and no one else. Sure GRRM is playing with fantasy tropes, and Jon squarely falls under the hidden prince/king. But something that makes Jon quite different from a lot of his genre counterparts is that he’s not an unknown figure who shows up at the last minute to claim the crown. Jon is not an unknown entity. He is well known, it’s just that very few people have dared to think too deeply about the very large elephant in the room regarding his origin. But I’d imagine that if R+L=J was to be revealed, it wouldn’t be too shocking for a lot of people. It’s not so far fetched that honorable Ned Stark actually chose to protect his sister’s son.
And in regards to GRRM playing with fantasy tropes, Young Griff always comes up in conversation as Jon’s foil. People say that he will be the one to be believed because he looks the part of a Targaryen, whereas a random kid from the North won’t be believed because of his brown hair and grey eyes. Jon doesn’t look like some random unrecognizable Northman. He very specifically looks like a Stark! And anyway, is Jon’s story - that Ned took him in after his sister died and raised him as his own under the protective banner of House Stark - any less believable than Young Griff’s - that Varys had the foresight to save him and whisk him off to Essos before the Mountain bashed his head in? Until now, people have never heard of Young Griff so they’ve never had the opportunity to ruminate over and gossip about his origin story. But they know Jon. And they know about Rhaegar and Lyanna. And Jon looking so very undeniably like a Stark (like Lyanna Stark!) could perhaps work in his favor.
That Ned’s ghost and bones are in a constant state of restlessness after his death is so interesting to me. We haven’t heard much of Ned’s bones after Lady Catelyn sent Hallis Mollen north with them, but then Barbrey Dustin in ADWD says that she intends to block them from reaching Winterfell, and the reason for doing so is tied around her husband dying at the Tower of Joy and not returning home.
But what is more revealing is immediately after his death, Ned’s ghost gets to the crypts and wanders about restlessly, which is felt by the three Stark boys who have the power of prophetic dreams: Jon who constantly looks for his father in this “underworld” is pulled into searching for Ned before his execution, Rickon is called to the crypts and has a mysterious conversation with Ned where he promises to come back (but how will he be back if he’s dead?), and then there’s Bran who gets to have a more substantial conversation with his dead father’s ghost as he speaks sadly about Jon.
We know that even before death, Ned was surrounded by a sense of guilt and shame because of Jon, and he even expressed a deep desire to speak with the boy. Accounting for all these, it starts to look like Ned’s restlessness, dead or alive, is deeply rooted in the secret of Jon’s parentage and can only be alleviated once he confronts Jon about this truth. That might explain why Jon is constantly looking for Ned in the crypts and why he’s afraid of what he might find down there (and not who). So perhaps Ned’s bones can only be laid to rest once his ghost sets things right with Jon.
“Not my mother, Jon thought stubbornly. He knew nothing of his mother, Eddard Stark would not talk of her. Yet he dreamed of her at times, so often that he could almost see her face. In his dreams, she was beautiful, and highborn, and her eyes were kind.” –Jon Snow thought about his mother (Game of Thrones, Jon chapter)
In the end, everything will be back as it should be.
Whether he lives, or dies. Let him in peace.
In my personal opinion a lot of people misunderstand the situation around Ned's battle at ToJ. Ned and his men fought and killed several men of the Kingsguard. But why? Why won't they let him get to his sister even though Rhaegar and Aerys are dead?
"I came down on Storm's End to lift the siege," Ned told them, "and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dipped their banners, and all their knights bent the knee to pledge us fealty. I was certain you would be among them." "Our knees do not bend easily," said Ser Arthur Dayne. "Ser Willem Darry is fled to Dragonstone, with your queen and Prince Viserys. I thought you might have sailed with him." "Ser Willem is a good man and true," said Ser Oswell. "But not of the Kingsguard," Ser Gerold pointed out. "The Kingsguard does not flee." "Then or now," said Ser Arthur. He donned his helm. -Eddard X
Aerys is dead. Rhaegar is dead. Aegon is dead. Rhaenys is dead. And they know Prince Viserys is alive and unprotected at Dragonstone with a respected knight. Why not go to him? The next in line. Why stay and guard Lyanna? Because they're not guarding Lyanna. They're guarding their King. Jon Snow. They are the kingsguard and their knees do not bend easily. They cannot bend their knee to anyone other than Rhaegar's last living son. They know Lyanna is dying, they know Ned will take Jon away. They might even think Ned will kill him then and there, why not? His faction killed Aegon and Rhaenys. They aren't stopping a young man from seeing his beloved sister, they're stopping him from killing their rightful king.
Mother and son. The shield is a bit too small for his tastes but by the gods Jon's gonna use it.
Featuring pointillism because I'm at work and do not have access to anything other than office supplies. Also I don't think I own art supplies?
A few notes:
• Jon's shield arm is giving Rob Liefield, I know. Nevermind the anatomy.
• All things considered, the lack of Ukrainian flower crowns in Lyanna fanart is absolutely criminal.
• Post-res!Jon adopts black, white and red as his colors for. Uh. Several reasons. He's making a exception here, though.
• If the wolf embroidery on Lyanna's sleeve looks a bit wonky... Well, it's because she did it herself. Sorry girl. I also Cannot draw roses for the life of me, apparently.
• Jon got Lyanna's nose and chin! Those emo eyes, though. He's lucky no one who knew Rhaegar paid attention to him. Also I'm a pretty hair Jon truther no cap.
Day 25: Family - Jon Snow
Me: *shows up a month and 6 days late with Starbucks*
I started this the literal night of the season finale and just now finished it bc I’ve been swamped with commissions.
Buy the print here!
The resemblance between Jon and his father in the official calendar is INSANE 😭
GRRM did that on purpose, there is no way. The artist know what he is doing!
honestly rhaegar targaryen is one of my favourite characters. he's like a ghost posessing the text, permeating the narrative with meaning and magic and prophecy, a memory of music to make you weep, of iron in his voice and sadness in indigo eyes, grief and mist. he haunts the living, the blood of the dragon daenerys wants to be and the sire jon doesn't know he had, the fairytale and the tragedy, saviour and doom, born amid fire and blood, heir to a dying legacy. yet the rubies flew from his chest, the dragon his sigil was ressurrected on the great grass sea by the sister so like him, his son the fire that burns against the cold just as aegon the dragon foretold. the prince of dragonstone is in every corner of the page.
that ‘u ur daddy’s son’ tik tok audio but make it mommas boy
Jon looking at his own reflection and seeing the male version of the mother he so longed to know. Him not realising that the Stark looks he takes such pride in are from her. It hurts me. It heals me.
The speculations and theories of Jon coming back with red eyes and/or white hair have the added layer of angst that is him losing more of his mother. He may not care too much when/if it happens, despite being proud of having recognisable Stark features, because of, well, being killed and resurrected and the war going on. But. When he finds out? He already had his mother staring back at him in the mirror, all these years.
I think the knowledge will fall like a missing piece of puzzle in his heart. That it will feel right, in a way, despite the hurt and the feeling of betrayal.
After a prophetic dream, Jon Snow leaves his home in Solitude to go home for the first time is 7 years. He returns to Westeros with untold riches, lifelong friends and allies, a family he created for himself, and knowledge and power beyond measure. The Legendary Dragonborn sets out on a new adventure, will it be his last? Or will he be able to save the world once again? For when the night is dark and full of terrors, when Winter comes for them all, so does the Dragonborn, with fire and blood he will protect that which he loves and take what is his.