Jon Snow’s parentage: Here’s the crazy way he could find out—and prove it to Westeros
Here are Pure Fandom, we’re diving into all sorts of mythologies and theories in the World of Westeros with our A Podcast Remembers podcast (hey, what else are we going to do until the show comes back in April 2019?). We’ve dug into what being a “true dragon” really means, the Grand Master Conspiracy to wipe away all magic in Westeros, and who really knew about Jon Snow’s parentage all along (cough, Mormonts, cough). Now that it’s been revealed to the audience that Jon Snow is really Lyanna Targaryen and Rhaegar Targaryen’s legitimate son and heir to the Iron Throne—not to mention addressed between characters in the show—how exactly will it be revealed to Jon, er, Aegon Targaryen, himself?
Let’s not only dive into the possible way Jon’s Snow’s parentage could be revealed to him in the final season of Game of Thrones, but how it could undeniably be believable to Jon, Dany, and the rest of Westeros.
Step 1: Bran tells him (duh), and provides records proving the marriage between Lyanna and Rhaegar, thus legitimizing Jon Snow’s parentage.
So yes, this is obvious. But how would a wacky teen who claims he can move through time be a legitimate source? Enter, Sam! As we all remember, Gilly found out through a high septon’s private diary (see the clip below) that he annulled Rhaegar’s marriage to Princess Elia of Dorne so he could legally wed Lyanna Stark, thus making “Jon Snow” their legitimate son and heir. But where is the proof? The proof is in the recordings at the Citadel, and here’s why: Maester’s, while they may have their own secret agenda, take their duties extremely seriously. While they may choose to not disclose everything to the public and other maesters throughout the kingdoms (see our breakdown of that covering The Grand Maester Conspiracy), it doesn’t mean they produce falsehoods. They keep record of everything. If a maester actually performed an annulment, then a marriage, it would be written down and recorded properly.
Step 2, the undeniable proof: There’s something buried in the Winterfell crypts with Lyanna
Where’s one place something could be hidden that no one would ever touch or tamper with? The answer: a crypt. More specifically, the Winterfell Crypts. Fans have seen seasons over how the Starks have gone to seek solace and silence at the foot of Lyanna Stark’s (Targaryen) burial place. Ned made sure to have her buried at her childhood home, and if he went through all the trouble of securing her son’s safety and anonymity, it’s not far off that he would also hide/bury something else proving his true identity there as well.
Here’s what could be buried with Lyanna to help prove Jon Snow’s parentage:
- The marriage papers and birth certificate of Jon (again, someone could claim this to be forged, but if the Citadel confirms its legitimacy, it’s true.)
- Something dragon-related. YUP, YOU READ THAT RIGHT. I believe there’s a dragon egg buried in Winterfell.
How are dragon eggs birthed, you say? Well, we dive into the all the ways recorded in the histories of the World of Westeros in this podcast, but the short version is this: with death, comes life. Dany’s dragons were born out of the pire from her beloved Khal Drogo. If Jon had an egg that was promised to and saved for him buried in his mother’s crypt, wouldn’t it make sense that it would hatch and come to life with his rebirth? He died at The Wall, and R’hllor, the Lord of Light, brought him back.
Let’s dig into the math of this: That would be approximately 1-yearish total (at most) of the hatched dragon in the crypts being alive. That wouldn’t make the dragon large enough to fight battles, but it could be the proof needed to confirm Jon’s Targaryen bloodline. Plus, he already had a moment with Drogon last season, providing evidence to his connection with dragons.
It’s a long shot, but it would be pretty badass, yes? More dragons is always a good thing! Comment your thoughts on this crazy theory, or tweet them at me @lizprugh.
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More episodes:
‘A Podcast Remembers’ Episode 2: The Grand Maester Conspiracy to wipe away all magic in Westeros
‘A Podcast Remembers’ Episode 1: What being a “true dragon” means in ‘Game of Thrones’
BONUS EPISODE! Live from Indy POPCON ’18: #GOT Season 8 theories
Episode 0: How the Mormonts new about Jon Snow all along
Featured image: HBO
