Game of Thronesseason 8 confirmed the long-running theory thatRhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Starkare Jon Snow’s parents, andGeorge R.R. Martin’s original plan makes this twist far more impressive. Martin’sA Song of Ice & Fireseries is still ongoing, but HBO’s adaptation gave fans an idea of where the story is heading. While there’s no guarantee that everything will pan out the way it did in season 8, readers can count on the books replicating some of the twists from the show. After all, Martin did give its creators insight into the series' planned ending.
That said, David Benioff and Dan Weiss toldTIMEin 2017 that their ending wouldn’t be identical to Martin’s. Still,one thing that seems certain to carry over is the revelation that Jon Snow isn’t the bastard son of Ned Starkbut the legitimate child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Jon’s true identity has been hinted at throughout Martin’s source material, and it dates back to his original plan for the series. Needless to say, the impressive twist will likely happen all over again — and it could be more meaningful this time around.
George R.R. Martin Planned Jon Snow’s Parentage Twist As Far Back As 1993
It’s One Of The Things That Stuck From The Author’s Original ASOIAF Outline
Martin’s plans forA Song of Ice & Firechangedover time, and he has discussed his originalGame of Thronesplan, confirming how different it is from the current books and TV show. The author’s original outline sawJaime Lannister becoming king of Westerosand Sansa Stark having a child with Joffrey Baratheon. He also intended for the fantasy series to be a trilogy, and all of this suggests it’s for the best that Martin moved past his initial vision. That said,the author kept one development dating all the way back to 1993: the twist about Jon Snow’s parentage.
With so much changing as Martin wroteA Song of Ice & Fire,it’s truly impressive that this Jon development stuck.
It makes sense that Jon being a Targaryen was part of Martin’s original outline, as there are clues hinting at this twist from the very beginning of the series.That’s part of the reason the “R+L=J” theory became so popularas the books were coming out. And with so much changing as Martin wroteA Song of Ice & Fire,it’s truly impressive that this Jon development stuck. While Jon hasn’t technically learned that Rhaegar and Lyanna are his parents in the books, it’s only a matter of time. The extensive setup for this will make this twist even more satisfying.
Jon Snow’s Parentage Was Key To Getting Game Of Thrones Made
It’s How Showrunners David Benioff & Dan Weiss Proved Themselves
Game of ThronesshowrunnersBenioff and Weiss were among the readers who guessed Jon Snow’s true parentagebefore it was revealed. And without them piecing this twist together,Game of Thronesas we know it might not have gotten made. During a behind-the-scenes Q&A in 2013, Martin revealed that he asked the series creators “a few pointed questions to determine whether they had read the books” (viaCollider). Whether he let them make the series depended on answering these correctly.
The Night King Being A Stark Makes Sense Of An Unexplained Game Of Thrones Rivalry
The Night King’s identity is never revealed in Game of Thrones, but the theory that he’s a Stark would explain one rivalry that persists in the show.
And Weiss noted that “Who is Jon Snow’s mother?” was among the queries, despite the fact that Martin hadn’t revealed this in the books yet. Fortunately, Benioff and Weiss had talked about the possibilities before, and they answered correctly. It’s wild to think that Jon Snow’s parentage was the key to gettingGame of Thronesmade. Even if Jon being Aegon Targaryen didn’t place him on the Iron Throne at the end of the show, it seems it served some greater purpose. All the online speculation about Rhaegar and Lyanna’s true relationship likely helped as well.
GRRM’s Books Can Make Jon Snow Being A Targaryen More Meaningful Than Game Of Thrones
The Winds Of Winter & A Dream Of Spring Can Set Up A Better Ending
AlthoughGame of Thrones' endingestablished Jon’s true parentage, it failed to actually do much with this twist. One of the biggest complaints about season 8 was that Jon’s Targaryen heritage went nowhere. It created tensions between Jon and Daenerys Targaryen, but that’s all Jon being heir to the Iron Throne amounted to. Fortunately,Martin’sSong of Ice & Firebooks can do more with this revelation, making it more meaningful than the HBO adaptation did.
There is no official release date forThe Winds of Winteras of this writing.
There’s no telling whether the big reveal willcome about inThe Winds of WinterorA Dream of Spring.No matter which sequel reveals that Jon is a Targaryen,A Dream of Springmust give this development a deeper meaning. It could do this by placing Jon on the Iron Throne before the series is through, something manyGOTfans were hoping for. However, it could also mean stirring more political tensions and upheaval than it does inGame of Thrones. Even if the books have a similar outcome when it comes to Jon’s position, more people should care about who he really is.
Source:TIME,Collider
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
