Jon Snow

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Jon Snow
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Jon Snow by AniaEm.jpg
Artwork by Anja Dalisa ©

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

Played by Kit Harington
TV series Season 1 | Season 2

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 Character in the books.

Character and Appearance

Jon was raised as a Stark and Northerner and in many ways took to their values of honour and later on even when forced with horrendous decisions he stays morally correct and upright. Jon always had issues with his bastardy and at time feels alienated; he eventually chose to join the Night's Watch, where the circumstances of his birth were of little importance, however it also means he would have to leave all bonds of the past behind. For a long time he struggled with this but eventually, he honors his new vows and become fully committed to the Watch.

Jon has strong Stark-like features. He has a lean build and a long face, with dark brown hair and grey eyes.[3]

History

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, which turned to be a source of friction between him and his wife, Catelyn, who saw Jon's presence as a constant reminder of her husband's infidelity, making him feel unwelcome. However, Eddard always treated Jon the same as his trueborn children and Jon got on well with his half-siblings, particularly with Robb and Arya.

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Jon Snow by Amoka©
Kit Harington as Jon Snow, beyond the wall (Tv show)

At the beginning of A Game of Thrones, Jon is fourteen years old. Jon accompanies his father to an execution of a deserter from the Night's Watch. On their way back they encounters the direwolf pups, Jon takes the albino pup, as it is an outcast from its litter.[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. On his journey to the Wall, Tyrion Lannister accompanies him, and their friendship is fostered by their shared position as noble outsiders. [4]

At first Jon remained aloof and distant making no friends, he scorn his fellow recruits and return the felling, resenting him because of his noble background. He feels particularly alone as his uncle Benjen leaves to lead a ranging. After a fight breaks, a talk with Donal Noye, helped him correct his attitude, and he soon became a natural leader, mentor, and friend to most of his fellow trainees, earning him the emnity of the master-at-arms, Ser Alliser Thorne.[5] Jon also protects Samwell Tarly from bullying by some other recruits.[6][7]

After being raised to the back, Jon was angered of his appointment to the steward, as he expected to be posted to the rangers. Though in time and with the help of Samwell, he realize that his assigned to Lord Commander Jeor Mormont personal steward was intended to groom him for command.[8] 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.[9]

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 became torn between his family and his vows to the Watch. Jon find lend himself imprisoned after striking at Ser Alliser, who provoked him by mocking his father and after learning of his father's arrest, he 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 squire and prepares for the journey north, on the large Ranging into the Far North that Mormont leads.[10]

A Clash of Kings

Jon is part of the Ranging north to investigate the goings-on in the Haunted Forest beyond the Wall after disappearances of several rangers, including Benjen Stark, upon reaching the Fist of the First Men, Jon is picked to accompany one of the three scouting parties into the mountains, led by the famous Qhorin Halfhand.[11]

In the Skirling Pass, they come across a groups of wildling sentries, and Jon is one of those assigned to take them out. He kills one, but discovers one of them is a women. Jon takes the girl Ygritte, prisoner instead and later when Qhorin ordered Jon to kill her, he secretly let her go [12] The party is later discovered and pursued by wildlings led by Rattleshirt.[13] Before they are overtaken, Qhorin commands Jon to join the wildlings and discover their plans, making Jon appear to be a traitor. Ygritte is part of Rattleshirt's band and believes that Jon has abandoned his former ways after he kills the Halfhand at Rattleshirt's command.[14]

A Storm of Swords

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. For a time, Jon breaks his vows of chastity and becomes Ygritte's lover. He hesitates between betraying her or leaving the Night's Watch. Jon joins Styr's mission to scale the Wall and take unaware the skeleton crew left manning Castle Black. After scaling the wall, he gets the opportunity to escape as the wildlings are attacked by Summer (direwolf) in the vicinity of the abandoned Queenscrown. He manages to escape in the confusion on a horse, but not before taking an arrow in the leg.

Jon survives his arrow wound and reaches Castle Black, where he learns that his brothers, Bran and Rickon, have died at the command of Theon Greyjoy. There he helps Donal Noye in the Defence of Castle Black against Styr's raiders. All of the raiders are killed, including Ygritte. After the fall of Donal Jon receives command of the Wall's defences against Mance's direct assault. Using his natural leadership, Jon successfully holds the Wall against overwhelming odds for several days. However, upon the arrival of Alliser Thorne and Janos Slynt to Castle Black, Jon is arrested for his earlier defection and forced to make an assassination attempt on Mance during a parley. Before Jon can attack, Stannis Baratheon's forces make a surprise appearance and route the wildlings.

Jon's service defending the Wall earns him popular support and his release from imprisonment. Due to the efforts of Samwell Tarly, Jon is voted as a compromise candidate between rival factions of the Watch for the post of Lord Commander. Though Stannis offers to make him Lord of House Stark if he will recognize Stannis as king, Jon refuses and became the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. His earliest acts as Lord Commander serve to frustrate the plots of Stannis's priestess, Melisandre, by secretly sending Mance's child away from the Wall and impersonating it with another.

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.[15] 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.

Jon rebukes all demands from Stannis to settle his men within the Gift, claiming that the land and all of the 16 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 Maester Aemon, Gilly, and the infant son of Mance Rayder in an effort to spirit him away from Melisandre.[15][16] When he orders Janos Slynt to garrison one of the abandoned castles along the Wall, Janos refuses and Jon beheads him for insubordination, using Longclaw to carry out the sentence himself.[16]

Jon continues to displease 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.[17] It is later revealed, however, that the burned man was in fact Rattleshirt under a glamour created by Melisandre.[18] Mance is sent by Jon to rescue his sister Arya Stark from Ramsay Bolton, being unaware that it is actually Jeyne Poole.

Stannis soon departs, accompanied by the Northern mountain clans to go to war with House Bolton upon hearing of Ramsay's impending marriage to "Arya Stark". Jon is warned throughout the novel by Melisandre of what she has seen in her flames: a girl on a dying horse, who turns out to be Alys Karstark fleeing from her uncle who is then captured by the Night's Watch, and daggers in the dark. Jon pays no heed to Melisandre's warnings. Jon receives a letter 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.[19] Jon responds to this letter by giving command of an impending ranging to Tormund Giantsbane in his stead and announces he is journeying south to battle the Boltons. He requests any aid that can be given from his men or the wildlings of their free will. Jon's decision, however, causes great discontent within the Watch's upper leadership, and he is stabbed several times by Bowen Marsh and other unseen faces. Whether or not Jon survives this attack is currently unknown.

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. Years later, when queried by Robert, he claimed that a lowborn woman named Wylla is Snow's mother. Both possibilities have been mentioned by outside sources. Cersei Lannister believes his mother to be Lady Dayne, while Edric Dayne, who was wet-nursed by Wylla, told Arya that he and Jon are milk-brothers.

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.

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. [20]

References and Sources

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at House Stark. The list of authors can be seen in the page history of House Stark. As with A Wiki of Ice and Fire, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.