‘Game of Thrones’: 4 theories on how Jon Snow will learn about his parentage

Liz & Lindi June 27, 2016

0 3 minutes read

This post contains spoilers for the Game of Thrones season 6 finale, “The Winds of Winter.” If you haven’t watch it, we still love you but we’re judging you.

The season 6 finale confirmed a HUGE theory that pretty much everyone was expecting, but it was amazing nonetheless. Yes, we’re talking about R+L=J. Bran flashed back to the Tower of Joy where Ned heard the baby crying from the tower earlier in the season. Sure enough, it’s Lyanna who has just given birth to baby Jon. She whispers something to Ned and makes him promise her to keep him safe and not tell anyone because she knows he’ll be killed. Boom! This pretty solidly confirms that Rhaeger is Jon’s father — a fan theory we’ve been waiting to be revealed for freaking EVER.

Okay, so Jon is going to find out about his parentage somehow, right? Here are four theories about how that could happen.

Petyr Baelish, the know-it-all.

Littlefinger and Varys somehow know everything about everyone, past and present. They’re probably informed every time Cersei takes a sh*t. I mean, it’s that ridiculous. Our guess is that Littlefinger knows that Jon is part Targaryen. In “The Winds of Winter,” Sansa turned him down and broke his creepy, power-hungry heart. Tiny badass, Lyanna Mormont, rallied the other houses behind Jon explaining that she doesn’t care if he’s a bastard because he has Ned Stark’s blood running through him … except he doesn’t.

If Littlefinger knows this (and you know that dude somehow does), then he could use the information to boot Jon from his new position as King of the North. If Sansa comes to power, he may have another chance to marry her and gain the power he needs to make a play for the Iron Throne. We know Littlefinger has something up his sleeve — he always does.

Bran returns home

So, this is kind of boring and obvious, but Bran might travel to Winterfell to tell Jon himself. And where is Arya going to go now? When she left the House of Black and White, she proclaimed she was going home, but we wouldn’t be surprised if she made a couple more stops-of-vengeance along the way. One giant Stark reunion would be a dream come true. If Bran is the one to tell Jon about his parentage, it might be able to stay a secret until its revealed at just the right time (you know, when Jon and Dany share the Iron Throne as nephew and aunt because that would be amazing).

The crypt

Under Winterfell is a crypt where all of the Starks are buried. Tombs are prepared long before the person dies, so that they are ready when the person finally checks out. In A Song of Fire and Ice, Jon actually has a dream about going down to the crypt. Foreshadowing? Maybe so. We feel like there could be two options here:

A) Lyanna left a letter or some kind of note that reveals the truth about Jon’s parentage down there.

B) A Redditor suggested that maybe Jon will go down in the crypt and see a tomb hidden away, and on it will be inscribed: “Jon Snow: son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.” OR he’ll see a crypt with a name other than Jon — his real name. Many fans think that Ned named the baby Jon as a nod to Jon Arryn, which is quite possible.

BLAMMO! Mind blown.

Melisandre isn’t done yet

What was the importance of the Red Priestess in Meereen who appeared before Varys? Well, maybe it was to prove to him that the Lord of Light has legit powers. Now, Varys is traveling with Dany trying to help her claim the throne, and Melisandre has been banished from Winterfell.

Suppose that Dany and Varys cross paths with Melisandre and she has a vision of Jon as a Targaryen or of him being the key to winning against the Lannisters. Varys will be inclined to believe this after the other Red Priestess blew his mind in Meereen, and perhaps they’ll head to Winterfell to see if Jon is a dragon rider and so that Dany can meet her nephew. This would bring all of our favorite characters together to fight the White Walkers and Cersei … if Jaime doesn’t just kill her first.

Do you think any of these theories could really happen? How do you think Jon’s parentage will be revealed on the show? What role will Jon play in the war(s) to come?