Bran's Flashback of Ned Stark Could Mean Something Big for Jon Snow
Two separate storylines, oneplausible theory.
HBO
WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD!
Last night's Game of Thronesepisode "Oathbreaker" gave us a taste of a major Jon Snow fan theory—but through Bran Stark's storyline. Stark has been time-traveling with the Three-Eyed Raven back to moments in his father's youth. In the latest episode, he finds a grown Ned Stark just after the war of Robert's Rebellion traveling with six men to the Tower of Joy, which is integral to one major theory about Jon Snow's true lineage. Let's break it down:
The Theory
The theory at hand here is R+L=J, which purports that Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark are Jon Snow's true parents, but Rhaegar died in the war and Lyanna, who died right after childbirth, asked Ned raise Jon as her dying wish. You might already be familiar with the theory, considering how widely circulated it is.
The Backstory
As the story goes, Prince Rhaegar (Daenerys's oldest brother) and Lyanna eloped (though some say he kidnapped and raped her) even though Lyanna was already promised to Robert Baratheon (Cersei's deceased husband) and Rhaegar was already married to Elia Martell (Doran and Oberyn's sister). Robert's Rebellion was Baratheon's retaliation against House Targaryen, whose patriarch Aerys ("The Mad King") sat on the Iron Throne at the time.
Rhaegar fought in the war that ensued, but left Lyanna in the Tower of Joy, located in Dorne, protected by three of his Kingsguard, including the great swordsman Ser Arthur Dayne. But why would the prince do so much to protect his lover? Why would Dayne, a great fighter, be forced to stay at the tower rather than fight in the war itself? The theory suggests Lyanna was pregnant with Rhaegar's son, Jon, and he needed to be protected from enemies since he would be one of Rhaegar's heirs (in fact his only heir, after Baratheon's army murdered Rhaegar's wife and legitimate children).
HBO
Above, a battle breaks out between Ned Stark and the Targaryen Kingsguard at The Tower of Joy in "Oathbreaker."
Back to Bran
Bran's vision picks up when the war is over and Ned arrives at the tower with his squad, which includes Howland Reed, the father of Bran's travel buddies Meera and Jojen. Dayne challenges them to a bloody battle that leaves only Ned and Reed as survivors. (Reed stabbed Dayne in the back to save Ned's life.) In the scene, a blood-curdling scream emerges from the tower—presumably from Lyanna—and Ned chases it. That's were Bran's vision ends.
Though Ned never talked about Lyanna, as Bran and Sansa have mentioned in prior episodes, those who read the books got hints of Ned's last meeting with her through vague flashbacks in the days leading up to his beheading. But in the show, the writers decided to save those memories and use Bran's visions as a substitute for Ned's subconscious.
What Happens Next
We know from the books that Ned finds Lyanna in a pool of blood. She cryptically implores, "Promise me, Ned," then dies of unknown causes. However, R+L=J suggests that she had just given birth to Jon and hands him to Ned as she lay dying, making him promise to raise Jon as his own.
What It Means
If R+L=J is true, that makes Jon a true Stark (just not Ned's son), a Targaryen and an heir to the throne. It actually even gives fuel to Melisandre's theory that Jon could be Azor Ahai, the Prince That Was Promised (the one Stannis failed to be).
Let's also recall that Jon is no longer a member of the Night's Watch, since he stormed out of Castle Black saying his "watch is ended" after hanging his traitors. Previously, a major flaw in the theory was that Jon, as a member of the Night's Watch, swore an oath to "wear no crowns and win no glory." Traditionally, men are tied to the Watch for life and only death can sever the oath. But Jondid technically die, so that might just be his supernatural loophole. Plus, if his relationship with Ygritte taught us anything, it's that Jon is not very good at following the rules.
Regardless, now that he's free, Jon can take up whatever crowns and glory he can get. If Bran's visions pick up again at the Tower of Joy, no matter the outcome, we are in for a major reveal. The press release for the May 22 episode, "The Door," already offers a hint: "Bran learns a great deal."
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