“Next time we see each other, we’ll talk about your mother. I promise.”
Jon Snow’s true identity has always stirred up debate within the Game of Thrones community, and that’s even before you factor in season 7’s biggest reveal: Jon’s official title is Aegon Targaryen, son of Rhaegar and Lyanna, which makes him the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.
It was a long-anticipated revelation that came during Jon and Dany’s impassioned love scene, much to the dismay of Peter Dinklage’s Hand of the Queen, Tyrion, and one that will surely have some far-reaching consequences – consequences that will be felt across the four corners of Westeros come 2019. But a new theory compiled by Reddit user ‘duh_metrius’ goes one step further to explain why Ned Stark christened Rhaegar’s child Jon Snow in the first place.
A name like Aegon Targaryen would’ve raised more than a few eyebrows, especially in Winterfell. And so, in order to protect the young Jon, this particular fan theory suggests Ned Stark named the boy after Jon Arryn.
It certainly makes sense, too. As duh_metrius notes, each of Ned’s biological children have a carefully chosen alias. Robb Stark, the young wolf, is named after his good friend Robert Baratheon – ditto for Ned’s brother, Brandon, while Rickon gets his name after Ned’s father.
On a more personal level, the fact that Papa Stark chose Jon after Jon Arryn echoes his own relationship with the former Lord of the Eyrie; Ned Stark raised Lyanna’s child as his own, just as Papa Arryn raised Ned as a son before the War of the Five Kings gripped Westeros. It’s a neat expansion to the Game of Thrones lore, and does bring some clarity to what is, admittedly, a confusing family tree.
After seven episodes of blockbuster proportions, Game of Thrones has now been placed on ice in anticipation of its eighth and final season. Filming isn’t due to commence until October, which means HBO will likely reserve the vast majority of 2018 for its other star-studded flagship, Westworld. As a result, don’t expect to make a return to Westeros until 2019.