Jon Snow

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Jon Snow
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Jon snow by teiiku.jpg
Artwork by Tei Iku ©

Aliases
  • Lord Snow
  • Ned Stark's Bastard
  • The Snow of Winterfell
  • The Crow-Come-Over
  • The 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch
  • The Bastard of Winterfell
  • The Black Bastard of the Wall
  • Lord Crow
Title Lord Commander of the Night's Watch
Allegiances
Culture Northmen
Born In 283 AC, Unknown
Books

Played by Kit Harington
TV series Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4

Jon Snow is the bastard son of Eddard Stark, by a mother whose identity is a source of speculation.[1][2] He was raised by his father alongside his true-born half-siblings, but joins the Night's Watch when he nears adulthood. He is constantly accompanied by his albino direwolf Ghost. At the beginning of A Game of Thrones, Jon is fourteen years old. He is one of the major POV characters in the books.

Appearance

See also this collection of images.

Even at age fourteen, Jon is said to have more Stark-like features than any of his siblings. Jon has a lean build, with dark brown hair and grey eyes so dark they border on black. He is graceful and quick.[3] Tyrion Lannister notes that Jon has the traditional Stark face in everything but name— long, solemn and guarded— a face that gives nothing away. He remarks to himself that whoever Jon's mother was, she left little of herself in her son's appearance.[4] Arya Stark is said to resemble Jon the most of the Stark children.[5] After joining the Night's Watch, he dresses in their official black garb.

There is no description of a personal coat of arms in the books, but George R.R. Martin told the company Valyrian Steel, who made replicas of Jon's sword, to use the reversed Stark colors on the plaque that goes with the sword.[6]

Character

Jon was raised as a Stark and Northerner and in many ways took to their values of honor, to which he tries to conform even when faced with complex and morally ambiguous decisions. He idolizes his father, Lord Eddard, but is wounded by his refusal to discuss or name his mother. He has a perceptive and observant outlook, and displays bravery, resourcefulness and quick thinking during his time at the Wall, eventually becoming a natural leader and mentor in the Night's Watch.

While he was close to the Stark children, Jon once stated that, as a bastard, he "grew up quicker" than them, and he is shown to be a great deal more solemn than his siblings; the experience of maturing with an illegitimate status made him bitter and with a desire to prove himself, thus, he chooses a life of hard duty in the Night's Watch to earn his own honor.[4] Despite his somber demeanour, however, he is compassionate towards those he views as fellow outcasts and rejects, and is particularly close to his tomboyish half-sister Arya, who also understands how it feels to be overshadowed. He is noted to be a skilled horse rider, and is a gifted swordsman, being trained with swords "since he could walk".[7] Jon is also said to be better than his half-brother Robb with a sword.[8] He keeps faith with the old gods.[9]

In A Clash of Kings, Jon discovers that, like his brother Bran, he is a warg and can therefore take control of Ghost whenever he opens his "third eye." Also, like many other characters in the series, he occasionally has dreams that seem to be prophetic.

History

Snow and Stark at sword-play
Jon and his half-brother Bran

Jon Snow's parentage remains a mystery (see theories below). He is believed to have been born towards the end of Robert's Rebellion, within one month, give or take, of the Sack of King's Landing. Returning from the war, Lord Eddard Stark brought the new born babe to Winterfell, insisting on raising him with the rest of his family. Jon was named by Lord Eddard.[10]

Jon has an older half-brother, Robb, two younger half-sisters, Sansa and Arya, and two younger half-brothers, Bran and Rickon. Jon received a noble's education by Maester Luwin alongside his half-siblings. His presence at Winterfell turned out to be a source of friction between Eddard and his wife, Catelyn, who saw Jon as a constant reminder of her husband's infidelity. She treated him coldly making him feel unwelcome. His appearance, resembling Eddard more closely than any of his true born siblings, strained the relationship between himself and his stepmother further. However, Eddard was always "fiercely protective" of Jon, he treated him the same as his true born children and Jon got on well with his half-siblings, particularly with Robb, whom he viewed as his "best friend, rival and constant companion", and Arya, who "never seemed to fit, no more than he had."[11][12] Despite this, Jon always had issues with his bastardy and at times felt alienated, contributing to his eventual decision to join the Night's Watch, where the circumstances of his birth would be of little importance.

Growing up as the two eldest boys, Jon developed a friendly rivalry with Robb, whom he differs from in appearance and personality. Once, they were at a continued game of sword-play in which they would shout out the names of great heroes when Jon called out (as he had countless times before), that he was "Lord of Winterfell", leading Robb to swiftly reply for the first time that he "couldn't ever be Lord of Winterfell" as he was bastard-born. This became a sore memory for Jon, as part of him always wanted to succeed Lord Eddard and resented that it was impossible for him. When he had been a boy at Winterfell, his hero had been the Young Dragon, the boy king who had conquered Dorne at the age of fourteen. Despite his bastard birth, or perhaps because of it, Jon had dreamed of leading men to glory just as King Daeron had and bestowing honor on the house he had never really belonged to. He hoped to somewhat fulfill these ambitions when joining the Watch but becomes disillusioned and ashamed of such dreams, resigning himself to his fate upon the Wall.[13][7]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Artwork by Michael Komarck ©

Jon is fourteen years old, he accompanies his father, Robb, Bran and Theon Greyjoy to an execution of a deserter from the Night's Watch. On their way back to Winterfell, they encounter a litter of direwolf pups. Lord Eddard states that killing the pups quickly would forestall a painful and slow death but Bran passionately protests. Jon points out that there are five pups, one for each of Eddard's legitimate children; since the direwolf is the sigil of House Stark, they must be meant to have the wolves. Bran immediately realizes, along with everyone else, that the comparison only works out because Jon is not claiming a pup for himself. Each of the other Stark siblings receives one of the young animals as a pet, but Jon discovers an albino pup, outcast from its litter and claims it for his own, eventually naming it "Ghost".[3]

Jon's position both inside and outside the family subtly chafe him over the years until, when he nears adulthood, he joins the Night's Watch, after his uncle Benjen suggested that the Watch could use a man like him. Before he leaves for the Wall, he witnesses the royal family's visit to Winterfell and befriends Tyrion Lannister. Jon says his last goodbyes, first to the comatose Bran, then to Robb, and finally to Arya, to whom he gives a Braavosi-type sword, which they name Needle. On his journey to the Wall, Tyrion accompanies him, and their friendship is fostered by their shared position as noble outsiders.[4]

At first Jon remains aloof and distant making no friends; he scorns his fellow recruits who return the feeling, resenting him because of his noble background. He feels particularly alone as his uncle Benjen leaves to lead a ranging. After a fight between Jon and several recruits, a talk with Donal Noye helps him correct his attitude, and he soon becomes a natural leader, mentor, and friend to most of his fellow trainees, earning him the enmity of the master-at-arms, Ser Alliser Thorne. Jon also protects Samwell Tarly from bullying by some other recruits.[14][15] [12]

When being raised to the black, Jon is angered by his appointment to the stewards, as he expects to be posted to the rangers. Though in time and with the help of Samwell, he realizes that his assignment as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont's personal steward is intended to groom him for command.[9] During a wight attack on Castle Black, Jon saves Mormont's life and receives serious burns on his hand. Mormont gives him the Valyrian steel bastard sword, Longclaw, of House Mormont, and has a direwolf head engraved onto the pommel in honor of House Stark.[16]

Although Jon has learned to fit in with the Watch, he has difficulty separating from his old life. At the outbreak of the War of the Five Kings, Jon becomes torn between his family and his vows to the Watch. Jon finds himself imprisoned after striking at Ser Alliser, who provokes him by mocking his father after learning of his father's arrest. After his father's execution, Jon tries to desert to join Robb's army, even though the common penalty for deserting the Night's Watch is death. His new friends bring him back, however, and save him from this fate.

The next day, Lord Commander Mormont chastises him for running, and after Jon finally decides to honor his bonds and fully commit to the Watch, he accepts his place as Mormont's squire and prepares for the journey north, on the large Ranging into the Far North that Mormont leads.[17]

A Clash of Kings

Jon Snow by AniaEm ©

Jon has started to wear two gloves, the right because it is burned, the left because it felt foolish wearing only one glove.[18]. He is summoned to Commander Mormont and is told the story of Maester Aemon (he was at one point considered a candidate for king, but instead kept his vows and was passed over for his brother). Mormont points out the similiarities between Jon and Aemon in having a brother for king; Jon reassures the Lord Commander that, like Maester Aemon, he too will keep his vows.[19]

Jon is part of the The Great Ranging north to investigate the goings-on in the Haunted Forest beyond the Wall after disappearances of several rangers, including Benjen Stark, and is accompanied by his direwolf, Ghost. The ranging party passes through several wildling villages, including Whitetree, but find no hint of any wildling presence. They then stop at Craster's Keep, where they learn that the normally anarchic wildlings are uniting under a single figure, King-beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder. After reaching the Fist of the First Men, Ghost leads Jon to a mound where the direwolf digs up an old warhorn and a cache of dragonglass wrapped in an old cloak of the Night's Watch, and Jon distributes these items among his sworn brothers. Afterwards he is picked to accompany one of the three scouting parties into the mountains, led by the famous Qhorin Halfhand.[20]

In the Skirling Pass, Qhorin's party comes across a groups of wildling sentries, and Jon is one of those assigned to take them out. He kills one, but discovers the other one of them is a woman. Jon takes the girl Ygritte, prisoner instead. Jon reveals to Ygritte that he is the bastard son of Ned Stark, and during the night, Ygritte tells Jon the story of "Bael the Bard", a song which insinuates that, through Bael, the Starks too have wildling blood. Later, when Qhorin orders Jon to kill her, he secretly lets her go[21]. The group is later discovered and pursued by wildlings led by Rattleshirt.[22] Facing certain defeat, Halfhand commands Snow to act as a turncoat to infiltrate the wildlings and learn their plans. Jon and Qhorin are then trapped by the wildlings, and to create proof he has truly turned, they force Jon to fight Halfhand. Jon kills him with the aid of Ghost. Ygritte is part of Rattleshirt's band and believes that Jon has abandoned his former ways; Jon then learns that Mance Rayder is already advancing on the Wall with a hundred thousand wildlings, giants and mammoths.[23]

A Storm of Swords

Jon Snow during the Battle of Castle Black - by Michael Komarck ©

Jon meets with Mance Rayder and convinces him that his desertion is sincere. During their conversation, Jon learns Mance's plans to invade the Seven Kingdoms.[24] He falls in love with Ygritte and briefly breaks his vows of chastity with her. He hesitates between betraying her or leaving the Night's Watch, eventually realizing that he must escape and warn them of the upcoming attack. Jon joins Styr's mission to scale the Wall and take unaware the skeleton crew left manning Castle Black.[25] After scaling the wall, he gets the opportunity to escape as the wildlings are attacked by Summer in the vicinity of the abandoned Queenscrown - unaware that it is due to the efforts of his half-brother Bran, who is hidden in a nearby castle. He manages to escape in the confusion on a horse, but not before taking an arrow in the leg.[26]

The death of Ygritte by zippo 514 ©

Jon reaches Castle Black barely conscious. He is tended to by Maester Aemon and warns the Night's Watch of the upcoming attack of the wildlings. Maester Aemon and Grenn gently break the news to Jon that his brothers, Bran and Rickon, have died at the command of Theon Greyjoy.[27] After Jon recuperates, he helps Donal Noye in the Defence of Castle Black against Styr's raiders. All of the raiders are killed, including Ygritte, who dies in a grief-stricken Jon's arms.[28] After the fall of Donal, Jon reluctantly takes command of the Wall's defences against Mance's direct assault after prompting from Master Aemon. Using his natural leadership, Jon successfully holds the Wall against overwhelming odds for several days.[29] However, upon the arrival of Alliser Thorne and Janos Slynt to Castle Black, Jon is arrested for his earlier defection and thrown in an ice cell, where he is threatened with execution for his desertion and murder of Qhorin Halfhand.[30] After Aemon vouches for Jon's honour and capability during the wildling attack, Thorne and Slynt realize they cannot have Jon hanged due to his popularity on the Wall and therefore force him to make an assassination attempt on Mance during a parley, hoping he will be killed there instead. During the negotiations, Mance states that he has the Horn of Winter, which he claims will cause the Wall to collapse; he reveals that he only had the wildlings attack the wall not to conquer, but to escape the Others. The King-Beyond-the-Wall then offers Jon the Horn of Winter if the Night's Watch allows the wildlings to safely pass through to South of the Wall, but states that they will not yield to the lords or their laws. Before Jon can attack Mance or destroy the Horn, Stannis Baratheon's forces make a surprise appearance and route the wildlings.[31]

Artwork by Amoka ©

Jon's service defending the Wall earns him popular support and his release from imprisonment. Jon meets with Stannis, who tells him that if he recognizes Stannis as king, he will legitimize him and make him Lord Jon Stark of Winterfell, as he needs "a son of Ned Stark" in order to gain support of the North. [31] He is overwhelmed by feelings of guilt and grief for his dead siblings, especially since he bitterly admits to himself that becoming Lord of Winterfell was something he always desired, and that he was always envious of Robb for his legitimate birthright. Meanwhile, however, due to the efforts of Samwell Tarly, Jon has been voted as a compromise candidate between rival factions of the Watch for the post of Lord Commander.[32] Unaware of this, Jon musings on being legitimized are interrupted by Ghost's return from beyond the Wall, to their mutual joy. He is reminded of the day the Starks found the direwolves near Winterfell; Ghost had the red eyes of the weirwood, and he recognizes that Ghost "belongs to the old gods", as does Winterfell. He realizes that if he bends the knee to Stannis he would have to choose to yield the castle to Stannis' priestess Melisandre, and give her leave to burn the heart tree, a choice which Jon deems to be disrespectful. Thus, he refuses Stannis and becomes the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch in a landslide vote, to his own disbelief.[7] His earliest acts as Lord Commander serve to frustrate the plots of Melisandre by secretly sending Mance's child away from the Wall and impersonating him with another.

A Feast For Crows

In King's Landing, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister is outraged to learn of Eddard Stark's bastard's appointment to Lord Commander of the Watch. She plots with the Small Council ways to "remove Lord Snow from command". The council decides to warn the Watch that the crown will stop sending men to the Wall, but Qyburn suggests that they do send 100 men in the guise of men of the Night's Watch. Cersei picks up on this, delighted with the idea that the men sent will really be assassins ordered to murder Eddard Stark's bastard.[33] However, she is imprisoned by the Faith before these plans can come to fruition.

A Dance With Dragons

Slowly Jon grows into his position as a leader. Jon takes up residence within Donal Noye's quarters, following the blacksmith's death in the previous novel.[34] Jon is continually harassed, predominantly by Stannis's men, who have taken up residence within Castle Black and the Nightfort, which Jon granted to Stannis as thanks for his aid against the wildling assault. He attempts to maintain the neutrality of the Watch in the ongoing civil war for the Iron Throne, walking a political tightrope as Queen Regent Cersei is outraged that Ned Stark's bastard son is now commanding the Wall. Jon rebukes all demands from Stannis to settle his men within the Gift, claiming that the land and all of the sixteen unoccupied castles along the Wall as belonging to the Night's Watch. He sends Sam to the Citadel to train as Castle Black's next maester. With him, he sends Gilly, Maester Aemon, and the infant son of Mance Rayder, the last two for fear that Melisandre might want to use their royal blood for her magic.[34][35] He constantly broods upon the last words Maester Aemon gave to him before leaving:

Allow me to give my lord one last piece of counsel. The same counsel I once gave my brother when we parted for the last time. He was three-and-thirty when the Great Council chose him to mount the Iron Throne. A man grown with sons of his own, yet in some ways still a boy. Egg had an innocence to him, a sweetness we all loved. "Kill the boy within you," I told him the day I took ship for the Wall. "It takes a man to rule. An Aegon, not an Egg. Kill the boy and let the man be born." You are half the age that Egg was, and your own burden is crueler one, I fear. You will have little joy of your command, but I think you have the strength in you to do the things that must be done. Kill the boy, Jon Snow. Winter is almost upon us. Kill the boy and let the man be born. [35]

When Jon orders Janos Slynt to garrison one of the abandoned castles along the Wall, Janos refuses. Jon publicly points out that the punishment for refusing a direct command is death, yet gives Janos three chances to follow orders (noting as he does so that it was more chances than Janos gave his father when he betrayed Ned two years prior). After Slynt refuses once more, scoffing at the idea that Jon can command him or the Night's Watch, Jon orders him to be executed for his insubordination. However, he then recalls the laws of the First Men and his father, and beheads Slynt himself, using Longclaw to carry out the sentence and exacting small justice for Ned. This increases Stannis' respect for Jon and cements his new position.[35]

Depiction of The Stabbing of Jon Snow by Conor Campbell ©

Jon displeases his fellow commanders of the Night's Watch by sending the wildling Val to treat with Tormund Giantsbane. This results in a fragile alliance between the Night's Watch and the wildlings. Jon settles the wildlings on the Gift and gives the warriors the opportunity to guard the Wall by garrisoning unoccupied castles against the Others. As the wildings are moved into the gift, Mance Rayder is given to the flames by Melisandre.[36] It is later revealed, however, that the burned man was in fact Rattleshirt under a glamour created by Melisandre.[37] Mance is sent by Jon to secretly rescue his sister Arya Stark from Ramsay Bolton, being unaware that it is actually Jeyne Poole.

With Stannis about to march on Deepwood Motte, Jon advises him to seek the help of the Northern mountain clans. Following Jon's advice, Stannis is able to secure the allegiance of the clans, greatly augmenting his own strength. Soon after Stannis has taken Deepwood, news arrive of Ramsay Bolton's impending marriage to "Arya Stark". Stannis immediately marches on Winterfell, the chosen site for the marriage, to face the forces of the Boltons.

Melisandre tells Jon she sees in her flames a girl on a dying horse making for Castle Black; she is convinced it must be Arya escaped from the Boltons. Melisandre also tells him she sees him surrounded by daggers in the dark, but he pays no mind to this warning. When Jon is awoken by Mully, who tells him that a girl has arrived on a dying horse, Jon's thoughts instantly go to Melisandre's vision; he giddily thinks that Arya may have come to him as prophesied and he and his half-sister will be reunited, but recognizes the girl as Alys Karstark, who states that she is fleeing a forced marriage to her uncle Cregan Karstark. Alys tells Jon her uncle only desires her because she is heir to Karhold and pleas Jon for his help.[38] He arranges a marriage between her and Sigorn, a wildling, and thus establishes a new house of Thenn. When Cregan arrives at Castle Black with reinforcements to claim Alys, Jon has them thrown in an ice cell. [39]

Weeks after Stannis has departed for Winterfell and is supposedly rallying his troops to battle, Jon receives a taunting letter purportedly from Ramsay Bolton entitled 'Bastard,' which claims that Stannis has been defeated and Mance Rayder captured. It demands fealty from Jon to House Bolton if the Night's Watch is to survive and gives a detailed account of Ramsay's actions which Jon views to his disgust repeatedly sully the honor of what was once the ancient seat of House Stark.[40]He responds Ramsay's letter by relinquishing command of an impending ranging and announcing his intention to ride South against the Boltons. He does not order the Night's Watch to fight with him, but asks both wildlings and black brothers alike to join him of their own volition. Jon's decision (which is in violation of his oaths) causes great discontent within the Watch's upper leadership; in the confusion resulting from Wun Wun's killing of Ser Patrek of King's Mountain, he is stabbed repeatedly by Bowen Marsh and other black brothers, who attack in tears while muttering "for the Watch". Whether or not Jon survives this attack is currently unknown.

Quotes by Jon

Arya: I wish you were coming with us. Jon: Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle.[41]

– Jon to Arya Stark


Tell Robb that I'm going to command the Night's Watch and keep him safe, so he might as well take up needlework with the girls and have Mikken melt down his sword for horseshoes. [42]

– Jon to Tyrion


... a road of no particular promise, yet the sight of it filled Jon Snow with a vast longing. Winterfell was down that road, and beyond it Riverrun and King's Landing and the Eyrie and so many other places; Casterly Rock, the Isle of Faces, the Red Mountains of Dorne, the hundred islands of Braavos in the sea, the smoking ruins of old Valyria. All the places that Jon would never see. The world was down that road... and he was here. [15]


Tyrion Lannister had claimed that most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it, but Jon was done with denials. He was who he was; Jon Snow, bastard and oathbreaker, motherless, friendless, and damned. For the rest of his life –however long that might be– he would be condemned to be an outsider, the silent man standing in the shadows who dares not speak his true name.[43]

– Jon, on himself


Jon was not afraid of death, but he did not want to die like that, trussed and bound and beheaded like a common brigand. If he must perish, let it be with a sword in his hand, fighting his father's killers. He was no true Stark, had never been one... but he could die like one. Let them say that Eddard Stark had fathered four sons, not three. [17]

– Jon's thoughts after his father's execution


Forgive me, Father. Robb, Arya, Bran... forgive me, I cannot help you. He has the truth of it. This is my place. "I am... yours, my lord. Your man. I swear it. I will not run again." [17]

– Jon to Jeor Mormont


There’s no shame in fear, my father told me, what matters is how we face it.


Some men want whores on the eve of battle, and some want gods.[18]


We look up at the same stars, and see such different things.[44]


The more you give a king, the more he wants. We are walking on a bridge of ice with an abyss on either side. Pleasing one king is difficult enough. Pleasing two is hardly possible.[35]

– Jon to Sam


Edd, fetch me a block. [35]

– Before the execution of Janos Slynt

Quotes about Jon

Yes. I can see it. You have more of the north in you than your brothers.[8]

Tyrion Lannister to Jon


Never ask me about Jon...He is my blood and that is all you need to know.[2]

Eddard Stark to Catelyn Tully


Whoever Jon's mother had been, Ned must have loved her fiercely, for nothing Catelyn said would persuade him to send the boy away. It was the one thing she could never forgive him. She had come to love her husband with all her heart, but she had never found it in her to love Jon. She might have overlooked a dozen bastards for Ned's sake, so long as they were out of sight. Jon was never out of sight, and as he grew, he looked more like Ned than any of the trueborn sons she bore him. Somehow that made it worse. [2]

Catelyn Tully


Jon’s more a Stark than some lordlings from the Vale who have never so much as set eyes on Winterfell. [45]

Robb Stark to Catelyn Tully on his plans to name Jon heir to the North


No one has seen or heard of Arya since they cut Father’s head off. Why do you lie to yourself? Arya’s gone, the same as Bran and Rickon, and they’ll kill Sansa too once the dwarf gets a child from her. Jon is the only brother that remains to me. Should I die without issue, I want him to succeed me as King in the North. [45]

Robb Stark


Maybe I should go to the Wall instead of Riverrun. Jon wouldn’t care who I killed or whether I brushed my hair...“Jon looks like me, even though he’s bastard-born. He used to muss my hair and call me ‘little sister.’ ” Arya missed Jon most of all. Just saying his name made her sad.[46]

Arya Stark to Ned Dayne


My lords, when Donal Noye was slain, it was this young man Jon Snow who took the Wall and held it, against all the fury of the north. He has proved himself valiant, loyal, and resourceful. Were it not for him, you would have found Mance Rayder sitting here when you arrived, Lord Slynt... Jon Snow was Lord Mormont’s own steward and squire. He was chosen for that duty because the Lord Commander saw much promise in him. As do I.[30]

– Maester Aemon


The gift was strong in Snow, but the youth was untaught, still fighting his nature when he should have gloried in it. [47]

Varamyr


The only gods he worshipped were honor and duty.[48]

Melisandre


Jon Snow, bastard-born, had always been eclipsed by his trueborn sibling, the young hero men had called the Young Wolf.[48]

Melisandre


Cregan: I see what you are, Snow. Half a wolf and half a wildling, baseborn get of a traitor and a whore. You would deliver a highborn maid to the bed of some stinking savage. Did you sample her yourself first? If you mean to kill me, do it and be damned for a kinslayer. Stark and Karstark are one blood.

Jon: My name is Snow.

Cregan: Bastard.

Jon: Guilty. Of that at least.[39]

Cregan Karstark to Jon

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Beron
 
Lorra
Royce
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Donnor
 
Lyanne
Glover
 
 
Willam
 
Melantha
Blackwood
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Artos
 
Lysara
Karstark
 
Berena
 
Alysanne
 
Errold
 
Rodrik
 
Arya
Flint
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brandon
 
Edwyle
 
Marna
Locke
 
Jocelyn
 
Benedict
Royce
 
Brandon
 
Benjen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Harrold
Rogers
 
Branda
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Issue
 
 
 
Issue
 
Issue
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rickard
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lyarra
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brandon
 
Catelyn
Tully
 
Eddard
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
woman
 
Lyanna
 
Benjen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeyne
Westerling
 
Robb
 
Sansa
 
Tyrion
Lannister
 
Arya
 
Brandon
 
Rickon
 
Jon
Snow
 
 
 


Parentage

Jon Snow's parentage remains a mystery, as Eddard rarely spoke of the matter. When Catelyn confronted him about the rumor that Jon's mother was Ashara Dayne, Eddard would not answer.[8] Years later, when queried by Robert, he claimed that a lowborn woman named Wylla is Snow's mother.[41] Both possibilities have been mentioned by outside sources. Cersei Lannister believes his mother to be Lady Dayne[49], while Edric Dayne, who was wet-nursed by Wylla, told Arya that he and Jon are milk-brothers.[46]

According to Lord Godric Borrell, the daughter of the fisherman who tried to take Ned Stark from the Vale across the Bite to the North at the beginning of Robert's Rebellion, gave birth to Eddard Stark's bastard.[50]

Fans of the series speculate about his parentage, with a large number believing that his true parentage is likely to be Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. [51]


References and Sources

  1. A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 6, Catelyn II.
  3. 3.0 3.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 1, Bran I.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 13, Tyrion II.
  5. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 7, Arya I.
  6. Longclaw: Plaque>> Valyrian Steel
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 79, Jon XII.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 5, Jon I.
  9. 9.0 9.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 48, Jon VI.
  10. So Spake Martin February 28, 2002, Numerous Questions.
  11. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 45, Catelyn VI.
  12. 12.0 12.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 19, Jon III.
  13. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 35, Jon VII.
  14. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 26, Jon IV.
  15. 15.0 15.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 41, Jon V.
  16. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 60, Jon VIII.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 70, Jon IX.
  18. 18.0 18.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 6, Jon I.
  19. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 3, Tyrion I.
  20. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 43, Jon V.
  21. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 51, Jon VI.
  22. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 53, Jon VII.
  23. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 69, Bran VII.
  24. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 7, Jon I.
  25. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 30, Jon IV.
  26. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 41, Jon V.
  27. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 48, Jon VI.
  28. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 55, Jon VII.
  29. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 64, Jon VIII.
  30. 30.0 30.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 69, Jon IX.
  31. 31.0 31.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 73, Jon X.
  32. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 78, Samwell V.
  33. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
  34. 34.0 34.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 5, Samwell I.
  35. 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 7, Jon II.
  36. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 10 - Jon III, pages 134-138
  37. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 31 - Melisandre I, pages 418-419
  38. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 44, Jon IX.
  39. 39.0 39.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 49, Jon X.
  40. A Dance with Dragons,Chapter 69 - Jon XIII, pages 907-908
  41. 41.0 41.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 10, Jon II.
  42. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 21, Tyrion III.
  43. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 30, Eddard VII.
  44. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 26, Jon III.
  45. 45.0 45.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
  46. 46.0 46.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 43, Arya VIII.
  47. A Dance with Dragons, Prologue.
  48. 48.0 48.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 31, Melisandre I.
  49. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 45, Eddard XII.
  50. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 9, Davos I.
  51. Discussion of parentage on Westeros Forum

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