As many already know, Daenerys Targaryen is almost certainly a aunt of John snow. But if you still have all that sorted, this post is for you.
Let’s recap some important backstory and how she connects with each other the John and Denis…
Go back to the time when Aerys II Targaryen, otherwise the Mad King, sat on the Iron throne.
Aerys II was married to his sister Reil, with whom he had three children: Rhaegar, Viserys and Daenerys.
*Yes, Targaryens are big fans of incest, believing it important to preserve the “purity” of pedigree. That’s why they look so different from the others — and some of them are prone to insanity. They also practiced polygamy: Aegon the Conqueror, the ancestor of Daenerys, who conquered and United the Seven Kingdoms, was married to both his sisters. In the book Daenerys was growing up, convinced that marrying Viserys.
The Rhaegar was much older than his brothers and sisters (in fact he died before the birth of Daenerys). He was married to Elia Martell, sister of Oberyn. The Rhaegar and Elia had two children: Reinis and Aegon.
Elia nearly died giving birth and subsequently could no longer have children. Apparently, Elia loved Rhaegar, and the book says that she “sympathized with”.
Meanwhile, lyanna stark, ned’s sister, was betrothed to Robert Baratheon.
According to the book, Lianna, it seems, was not too happy about their engagement, organized by her father and Robert. She knew that Robert already had a bastard child, and therefore did not count on his loyalty.
Mentioned characters has faced at the tournament at Harrenhal. The series mentions this event in passing, but here’s what we know from the text of the novel: when at Harrenhal few squires mocked Holanda reed (father Join and Worlds), he stood up lyanna stark, she washed and bandaged his wounds and took with him to the feast.
On the feast of Rhaegar, the former a talented musician, performed a sad and beautiful song that touched Leanne to tears.
During the tournament, a mysterious knight known as “the Knight of the Laughing Tree”, challenged the three knights whose squires were bullying Holanda, and won. The majority believes that the armor of this knight was hiding lyanna.
Paranoid Aerys II was considered a secret of a knight as the enemy. He sent Rhaegar to find the knight disappeared. According to popular theory, Rhaegar actually realized that it was Lianna, and gave her — and probably fell in love with the girl.
In the end Rhaegar won the tournament and proclaimed Leanne, not his wife Elia, “Queen of love and beauty”. We saw in the fifth season, reported the incident told the little finger.
Many fans believe that Rhaegar did it to pay homage to the valor of Lenny under the guise of the Knight of the Laughing Tree (and also, perhaps, because it is not a joke fell). For attending the tournament it was a shocking thing to do, not only because he insulted his wife, but also because lyanna was betrothed to Robert.
The following year, Rhaegar and lyanna ran away together. There are several options of how this happened.
According to the “official version”, common Robert, Rhaegar kidnapped Leanne, held her captive and then raped.
But many fans of the Saga consider that in fact, the lovers ran away together (read more in this post). Some people think that Aerys found out that lyanna was the Knight of the Laughing Tree, and Rhaegar hid her to save. Others believe that Rhaegar, who was obsessed with prophecy, believed that he needed to have another child (“the dragon has three heads”), and kidnapped/ fled secretly with Lannoy to fulfill the prophecy, as his wife Elia could no longer have children.
Whatever the reason, the result is one: Rhaegar and lyanna disappeared together somewhere in Dorne, while family Lianne believed that she was kidnapped.
Brandon stark (the elder brother Lenny and weeks) went to king’s landing and demanded Rhaegar’s death. II Aerys accused Brandon of treason and arrested him. Then he called Ricarda stark (father of Brandon, ned and Lenny), who was arrested on arrival in the capital.
Both the Starks brutally executed in the throne room — the event mentioned several times this season, including when Jon met Daenerys in the third episode.
Then Aerys II demanded that Jon Arryn, Lord of the Vale, with which this couple lived some time (the circumstances of his death were investigated by Ned in the first season), to give him the head of Robert and ned. Jon Arryn, Ned and Robert called their banners and began Robert’s rebellion.
Making alliances Ned married Catelyn Tully (who was previously betrothed to his brother Brandon), and Jon Arryn married Catelyn’s sister, Lysa.
After the wedding Ned and Catelyn have been together for very long, ned had to go to war. But in this short period of time they had to conceive Robb.
One of the major battles during Robert’s rebellion was the battle at the Trident, where Robert and Rhaegar met face to face in battle.
The Rhaegar hurt Robert, but he struck a mortal blow to Rhaegar war hammer. Say Rhaegar died with a name Lianny on the lips.
Robert needed time to recover from his wounds, so he asked ned to take his army to king’s landing.
Meanwhile, Aerys II sent his wife Ralu (the pregnant Daenerys) and Viserys on Dragonstone for their safety, however, not allowed to leave king’s landing Rhaegar’s wife Elia or her children.
Up to this point the Lannisters were not involved in the war. When Tywin appeared at the gates of king’s landing with his army and declared their devotion Arisu II, the Mad King let him in. In the end, the Lannister army sacked the city.
Aerys II ordered Jaime Lannister, who was part of his Royal guard to bring him the head of Tywin. He also ordered to set fire to a wild fire that is kept throughout the city. To save the lives of thousands — his own father — Jaime killed the Mad King.
Meanwhile, Gore, who fought for the Lannisters killed Rhaegar’s children and Elia, raped and killed Elia herself.
*In the book one of the children kills Amory Lorch, but the series is not mentioned.
Upon arrival at the city, Ned found it destroyed by the Lannisters, while on the Iron throne sat their king killed Jaime. Later when Robert arrived, he and ned had happened of a stormy dispute over the death of Elia and the Targaryen children. Robert was happy with this event, but the weeks it caused disgust, and he left the capital.
Ned was in Dorne with a number of companions (including Holenda reed), at the Tower of Joy (as he was called by her Rhaegar), he met a few knights of the Kingsguard Targaryen, including Syrah Arturo Dane.
We have seen this in one of the visions of bran in the sixth season. It is noteworthy that at that time, Aerys II and Rhaegar was dead, but the guards of the king is still someone to protect. That someone was the last remaining child of Rhaegar — our boy Jon snow.
Although many believe that John is illegitimate, because before to kidnap Leanne to flee with her, Rhaegar was already married, there are two popular theories that seek to justify the legitimacy of John. According to the first, Rhaegar has terminated his marriage to Elia, and then married Leanne, so John, the next heir to the throne targaryens. Another theory is that Rhaegar, while continuing to be married to Elia, married to Leanne, thereby resorting to the practice of polygamy of their ancestors. Again, in this case, John got a serious right to claim the throne.
As we know, Ned and his companions fought with the Royal guards and killed them. Howland was wounded, but survived. Ned entered the tower to find Leanne — the fate of which nothing was known throughout the uprising, dying after the birth of baby John.
We still don’t know the real name of John, but it is likely that it is in the spirit Targaryen (Ned named him John in honor of Jon Arryn). Before her death, lyanna asked ned to protect her child, because Robert wanted him dead — this request is especially echoed in the minds of Neda, who witnessed the joy with which Robert reacted to the death of other children of Rhaegar.
Ned returned home to Winterfell and introduced Jon as his own bastard son to protect him. Catelyn, meanwhile, gave birth to Robb, this news pleased little (to put it mildly).
In king’s landing, the coronation of Robert, meanwhile at Dragonstone Reil has already announced king young Viserys because no one else from the Targaryens (as she was known) was alive. Later, during the great storm that destroyed the Targaryen fleet, Reil gave birth Daenerys, but she died in childbirth.
While some denizens of the Dragon Stone had planned to give Viserys and Daenerys to Robert Baratheon, a few people loyal to Targaryens secretly smuggled them to Braavos, and the rest, as they say, history.
So now you know! John is the son of Lianna stark and Rhaegar Targaryen (NOT Robert Baratheon, as some people think — seriously, the chronology of events does not add up). And then Daenerys is his aunt, although she is a bit younger than him.
What does this mean for their relationship?
At the moment none of them is aware of this kinship. Seems to have a bit of a pull to each other, and they definitely want to be allies. The chances that they will agree — whether it’s marriage or simply the Alliance — seem to be quite high.
When they learn the truth — probably through bran, but also potentially from Howland reed (although this seems less likely since left the World) — it can either divide or bring together. If it turns out that Jon is the legitimate heir, Daenerys may perceive him as a threat — or as a more powerful ally. On a personal level, they can drive the fact of incest (especially John). Daenerys, given the history and beliefs of her family is, in all probability, is concerned not so much. In fact, it can be for her even a point in favor of John.
We’ll have to wait and see how things will turn out, but one thing we know for sure…
“If you think that there is a possible happy ending, then you obviously distracted”.
