Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com. Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. It remains to be seen how the rest of Westeros might feel about that. A man can take a name only if he lacks one. Photo illustration by James Kim and Martin Gee for TIME; HBO, How Black Filmmakers Are Reclaiming Their History Onscreen. The better question as of right now, though, is who honestly knows he's a Targaryen but Bran? Nevertheless, stranger things have happened in the Game of Thrones universe. Youre Aegon Targaryen, true heir to the Iron Throne, Sam tells Jon in the crypts. While at The Citadel in Oldtown, he spent most of his time cleaning bedpans and complaining about how much he hated his internship. Even if Ned hadnt directly told Howland that Jons father was Rhaegar Targaryen, anyone in the realm could have guessed as much. In an incredible bit of acting from John Bradley, Sam is stunned, and shocked at the cruelty exhibited by this woman to whom Jon has bent the knee. Sam declares that Jon is the heir. Game of Thrones season 1 features a quick mention of Wylla when Robert and Ned eat a meal together, with the two reminiscing about their time during the rebellion. What is Dracarys? It has been a fan theory that has received so much popularity that it would have been a plot twist for it not to be true. when will Jon find out he's a Targaryen on. Jons parentage was Westeros best-kept secret for over 25 years, but once it spread to Jon himself, quickly became common knowledge among Westeros nobility. He made the executive decision to send Rickon off on his own with Osha. One of the biggest moments ofGame of Thrones' Season 6 finale wasthe revelation of Jon Snow's birth mother,Lyanna Stark. In the end, we see Beric and Tormund, who are alive (!) Jon Snow has now finally learned he is a Targaryen in Game of Thrones - but the hints were there from the start. The final season kicks off with a revelation decades in the making. "Hey, yeah, by the way, I'm a tree wizard now, and dad's not your father.". The last person to find out about Jon Snow's parents before tJon Snow himself was his best friend, Samwell Tarly. Martins books describe Wylla as a wet nurse who had served House Dayne for many years, though its unclear how she met Ned. "It's a gutting thing for Bran, whenever he finds out. She runs on coffee and classic movies, taking pride in having watched every film on AFI's 100 Greatest Films list and every Best Picture Oscar winner. In August in 1996, George R.R. There was a problem. However, they may not be able to tell him before his sexual tension with Dany becomes impossible to resist, leading to Jon having a romantic connection with his own aunt. Every product on this page was chosen by a Harper's BAZAAR editor. That meant the baby resulting from that union who was named Aegon Targaryen but was raised as Jon Snow is a fully legitimate Targaryen heir . As Samwell and Bran figured out together at the end of last season, Jon Snow is the last living male Targaryen left in Westeros, which means he's the heir to the Iron Throne. Most people here and around the world had their own theories about the show. Up to this point, the only narrative that we had been presented with was that Rhaegar left Elia, andtook Lyanna against her will. They had been quietly married shortly before Rhaegar was killed by Robert and Lyanna died during childbirth. Heres how Tyrion found out about Jon Snow and who told him. Since he's already heading south, Wright imagines he'll travel to Winterfell to tell his half-brother (now cousin) the truth. The Season 6 finale of Game of Thrones showed a whole lot of pretty much everyone we care about in both Westeros and Essos, and did a great job in setting things up for Season 7. A queen arrives at Westeros instead of a king, there are many reunions, and, in the end, Bran Stark sees Jaime Lannister. That is when Sam tells him. Martin finally published A Game of Thrones, the first entry in a fantasy saga that he'd been writing for five years. Game of Thrones' books confirm that Ned went to Starfall following Lyannas death because he had to return House Daynes ancestral sword after killing Ser Arthur Dayne, with it being likely that Wylla was simply the wet nurse for Jon during their stay there. In Game of Thrones season 6, the Three-Eyed Raven takes Bran back in time to when Lyanna died after giving birth to a baby, with Lyanna simply saying promise me, Ned before giving him the child. Jons silence reveals to Sam that Daenerys had not told him. How many tens of thousands had to die because Rhaegar chose your aunt?". Eventually, he was crowned as the first elected ruler of the Six Kingdoms, styled as Bran the Broken, the First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Six Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm . Then, almost 20 years to the day of the release of A Game of Thrones, the TV adaptation of the series finally revealed that Jon Snow is really Aegon Targaryen, the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. In episode four of season one, Jon is at Castle Black discussing how anonymous his mother is in his mind. I mean, certainly it will make these two at least pump the breaks on their budding romantic relationship (hopefully?). The Season 6 finale of Game of Thrones finally confirmed the theory that Jon Snow is the child of Lyanna Stark and Raegar Targaryen, albeit without actually saying it but, you know, basically saying it. It's possible, maybe even probable, that Jon will find out in a more dramatic way than Bran casually revealing his heritage via raven. He. "I don't know how Bran's going to break it to Jon," he told THR. Bran only knows about this lineage due to his warging ways, but Howland Reed was actually there and there's no way Lord Eddard Stark could have talked his way out of that one after going into the tower empty-handed and coming out with a baby. Sam tells Jon that Jon is a king and that he has always been a king. This moment is somewhat tarnished by the rift of Dany between Jon and his sisters. How does the conquest go when another king and another dragon play their part and what does this mean to the past, present and future. Matt Miller is a Brooklyn-based culture/lifestyle writer and music critic whose work has appeared in Esquire, Forbes, The Denver Post, and documentaries. The Tower of Joy is, of course, located in Dorne. It is not entirely clear why. At the end of Game of Thrones season 7, it's officially confirmed that Jon Snow is both a Stark and a Targaryen, the trueborn son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. Sam, the sensitive counterpoint to a very blunt Bran, explained to Jon that Lyanna swore Ned to secrecy. With just those clues from A Game of Thrones, the first known R+L=J theory .css-umdwtv{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#FF3A30;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #d5dbe3 50%, #d5dbe3);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-umdwtv:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}appeared on the Internet a year after the book was published in 1997. Bran is in Westeros and Sam is headed to Eastwatch, both popular travel stops for the King in the North. Game of Thrones left plenty of mysteries about its characters after its finale, and House of the Dragon can finally answer a major question about Jon's warging power with his Targaryen blood. Freed from his Night's Watch vows, Jon and his half-sister Sansa Stark retake Winterfell from House Bolton, restoring House Stark's dominion over the North. ", Just one episode later, in episode five of the fifth season, Maester Aemon has some conveniently timed words of "prophecy. Making his claim to the Iron Throne a legitimate and rightful one. Before the ultimate reveal of baby Jon being delivered by Lyanna in the tower later in the season, there were plenty of hints to let us know what was soon to come. Jon Snow famously used to know nothing. But Ned was killed on the orders of Joffrey Baratheon and never saw Jon again. That book tells the story of the Stark family's downfall and the beginning of a great war, but thematically focuses more precisely on lineage. Even though he is Elia's brother, Oberyn gives us our first taste that this story may not be as we have heard. When Sansa quipped back at him with what she believed to be true, that Rhaegartook her aunt Lyanna against her will, Baelish gave the sliest of smirks, insinuating that he knew this not to be true. WHAT DID JON SNOW SHOUT AT THE DRAGON AT THE BATTLE OF WINTERFELL? Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Game of Thrones DAENERYS TARGARYEN BRAN STARK Funko Movie Pop! All this Winterfell talk is still a mere possibility for Bran, as he makes his way down from north of The Wall. When did Sam find out about Jon Snow? Related: GOT Theory: Benjen Stark Knew Even More About Jon Snows Parents Than Ned. In the same episode of Littlefinger and Sansa's exchange, Stannis Baratheon has a pivotal one of his own, with his wife Selyse. Bran sees the truth. That is when Sam goes for it. Instead, it looks like Jon Snow was saved so he could do what he does . Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. One of those is a "promise" that the next time they meet, Ned will tell Jon about his mother. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sam and Gilly know this crucial information, but they may not know that they know it. Heres a breakdown of everyone in Game of Thrones who knew that Jon Snow was a Targaryen before he found out himself, including book characters. Short answer: Sansa told Tyrion, who told Varys. It might nothave been surprisingthanks to a famous theory, everyone saw this comingbut it was certainly satisfying. I know its a lot to take in., Jon reacted to the revelation with indignation, upset that his father figure Ned Stark had lied to him for so long. He isn't who he thought he was. Classic Cersei! Fans have known the truth since the end of Season 6, but is someone going to tell Jon about all of this? So Jon Snow isn't my half-brother.' Like us on Facebook. Sam is stunned and quickly corrects Bran. Most notable of which, Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning and greatest swordsman of Westeros. I also love how the story created to subvert popular fantasy tropes ended up subverting the most popular fantasy trope, while pissing off many fans who kinda forgot what type of story they were watching. Thus, confirming for viewers and himself that what Sam said is true. Sam explains what was at stake. After Sam asks Jon if he would have done it, he says he has executed men who have disobeyed him. Talk later! Since Game of Thrones began, everyone believed that Rhaegar had kidnapped Lyanna. Let's hope that's not true. Back in season one, before Ned and Jon say what will ultimately be their final farewells, Ned says a couple of really important things to Jon. However, Sam had already unintentionally discovered the full truth about Jons parentage when at the Citadel with Gilly. When Game of Thrones starts, Jon believes he is the illegitimate son of Ned Stark and an unidentified woman. That book tells the story of the Stark family's. However, the Targaryens have a long history of incest, having spent over 300 years wedding brothers to sisters to keep their bloodline pure. And will Bran even make his way back to Winterfell to tell his brother/cousin the truth about his parentage? Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Game of Thrones season 8 premiere. The season six finale along with a HBO infographic all but confirmed that Jon was not the illegitimate son of Ned but rather the child of Lyanna and Rhaegar. Bran would also learn about Rickon's death upon his return. It's strange how this takes place, in the middle of the episode, with few people really acknowledging that it happened. We know that the surname "Snow" is a default for bastards conceived in the north, but why did Ned pick the first name Jon? However, kit harington and jon to know what proves most problematic about other characters jon snow and daenerys'. Sunday, 5th March 2023See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. As Bran flashes back to Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryens secret wedding ceremony, he proclaims something else. His partner Gilly, however, stumbled across some important information. Ned is beheaded in King's Landing, and Jon Snow goes North to The Wall where he leads the fight against the White Walkers in books to come. Fans have also known that Jon was not Rhaegar's bastard, either, since last season. Game of Thrones characters Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) are the two most likely to have told him. .css-o05pt{display:block;font-family:Didot,Didot-fallback,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:0rem;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;text-shadow:0 0 0 #000,0 0 0.01em transparent;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-o05pt:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.18581rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;margin-top:0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-o05pt{line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-top:0rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-o05pt{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}The 30 Best TV Shows on Prime Video, Tan & Gigi Aren't Your Typical Reality Show Judges, Daisy Jones & The Six: Book vs Show Differences, 35 Classic Photos from the Academy Awards, 46 of the Coolest Set Photos in Movie History. Sam makes his case. Rhaegar was Danys older brother, which makes her Jons aunt. Samwell Tarly revealed this information to the King of the North during the first episode of the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones. Game of Thrones season 8, episode 4 review: An emotional rollercoaster. In both Game of Thrones and the books, Ned Stark is the only character confirmed to have known about Jon Snow's father since he was born. He had a High Septons diary, and Bran had what Bran has. Jon is still confused. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), Jon Snow, and a number of the prominent GOT characters in Winterfell are planning their preparations for the battle against the Night King (Vladimir Furdik) and his army of the dead. Does Bran's wolf die? In an interview (via Entertainment Weekly), Jon Snow actor Kit Harington teased that Snow's journey after Game of Thrones will see the character going to battle with many of his past traumas, and that could include his Targaryen lineage. Game of Thrones biggest secret wasnt kept quiet for too long once Jon Snow discovered he was a Targaryen, with several characters having already been aware of Jon Snow's parents. Historically, male heirs have been given preference over female ones in Westeros though Queen Cersei does currently sit on the throne. In a series of flashbacks that nodded to the episode title The Dragon and the Wolf, it was revealed that Rhaegar Targaryen had wed Lyanna Stark after annuling his marriage to Elia Martell. Robert would have murdered you if he knew. This goes down rather matter-of-factly, with Dany casually coaching Jon by telling him not to fall off (which was kind of how my first surfing lesson went). George R.R. GAME OF THRONES SEASON 8 EPISODE RUNTIMES. However, the character Edric Ned Dayne tells the adventurous Arya Stark that he and her brother Jon Snow are milk brothers, as they were both nursed by Wylla as babies. A Game of Thrones examines this theme from a varying number of characters. What Jon Snow knew at the beginning. The reveal took place during one of Bran Stark's visions, where he traveled back in time and visited the famous Tower of Joy. As expected, Ned kept his word to Lyanna, with Jon only finding out his true name is Aegon Targaryen at the beginning of Game of Thrones season 8. Season four presented us with a new character in the show, Oberyn Martell, whose sister, Elia, was married to the late Rhaegar Targaryen. While not confirmed, Ashara Dayne is another rumored mother of Jon Snow in the books, which would clearly indicate that she knows the truth about Jon Snow's parents. Though a Targaryen didn't end up on the Iron Throne due to Dany becoming the Mad Queen and Jon being shipped back to the Wall (and the Throne being melted), Game of Thrones proves that these were the two Targaryens that Aegon spoke of in his House of the Dragon dream, only solidifying the importance of Jon's Targaryen heritage even though it didn't matter as far as Westerosi politics were concerned. Want more stuff like this? Understanding that Robert would kill Jon, a.k.a. Jon hops on and struggles to hold on at first. If Jon is to publicly reveal R+L=J, then he wouldn't introduce himself as a Stark as the would hurt his case. Distraught from learning that Daenerys executed his brother and father by fire, Sam goes to the crypts of Winterfell. Following the latters arrival at Winterfell, the pair confirmed not only the identity of Jons real parents, but also that he is a legitimate Targaryen. Daenerys had left Jon behind in the library and climbed up the destroyed stairs to find Drogon roaring loudly in a panic nearby. The direwolf is the sigil of your . Robb's will does legitimize Jon as a Stark. Technically, at this point we have had the big reveal at the end of season six, but as far as we know the only thing that changed was his last name: from Snow to Sand (Sand is the last name given to bastards of Dorne). New 'Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3' Trailer, Where To Watch Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, 'Party Down' Season 3 Interviews: Jane Lynch and Ken Marino, 'Jesus Revolution' Interview: Kelsey Grammer, Stranger Things Prequel Story to Hit Stage, 'Babylon' Interview: Composer Justin Hurwitz, 'Linoleum' Interview: Rhea Seehorn Talks New Sci-fi Comedy, Jonathan Krisel Directing Pokemon: Detective Pikachu Sequel, 'Creed III' Interview: Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors, Trailer for the The Power TV Adaptation, Where To Watch Blumhouse Thriller M3GAN.