Sport of Thrones confirms one of many greatest theories about George RR Martin A Track of Ice and Fireplace books, revealing that Jon Snow is the reliable son of Lyanna Stark and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Though the present initially presents him as Ned Stark's bastard, Jon's parentage is revealed in Sport of Thrones confirms that he's the true inheritor to the Iron Throne. And though this revelation doesn't lead him to say her on the finish of the Sport of Thronespaints a wholly totally different image of characters like Lyanna and Rhaegar.
Earlier than Bran's imaginative and prescient in Sport of Thrones Season 7, viewers are instructed that Rhaegar Targaryen kidnapped and raped Lyanna Stark. As Daenerys notes in Sport of Thrones Season 8, isn't a illustration of his brother that provides to all the nice issues individuals usually say about him. And the twist in Jon's parentage proves that Rhaegar and Lyanna fell in love and married, disproving these claims about Rhaegar. Nevertheless, viewers could also be left questioning how Rhaegar and Lyanna met earlier than Sport of Thronesas a result of his story is clearer within the books.
Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen met at a match earlier than Robert's riot
He topped her queen of affection and wonder at Harrenhal
The story of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen is described in Martin's books, which is likely one of the explanation why L+R=J turned an enormous success. A Track of Ice and Fireplace concept over time. Lyanna and Rhaegar's first assembly, specifically, gave readers cause to consider that the 2 had been romantically occupied with one another. Martin's books reveal that Rhaegar and Lyanna met at an amazing tourney held at Harrenhal by Lord Walter Whent.. Rhaegar received the match, defeating a number of members of the Kingsguard, together with Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Arthur Dayne.
As champion, Rhaegar named Lyanna Stark the queen of affection and wondertitle initially held by the daughter of Lord Walter Whent, for whom the match was held. In A Sport of Thrones, Ned remembers how Rhaegar positioned a wreath of blue roses on his sister's lap – a choice that shocked the lords and women current. Their damaging reactions stemmed from the truth that Rhaegar was already married to Elia Martell, in addition to the truth that Lyanna was betrothed to Robert Baratheon. Martin writes:
"Ned remembered the second when all smiles died, when Prince Rhaegar Targaryen urged his horse previous his personal spouse, the Dornish princess Elia Martell, to put the wonder queen's laurel in Lyanna's lap. He may nonetheless see: a wreath of winter roses, blue as frost."
Littlefinger additionally mentions this to Sansa Stark in the course of the present, nevertheless it's a dialog that could be forgotten over time. Sport of Thrones reveals the reality about Jon in season 7. In each iterations of the story, the couple meet on the match at Harrenhal. And one A Track of Ice and Fireplace the speculation means that Lyanna could have competed in it because the Knight of the Laughing Tree as effectively. This may have given him extra alternatives to work together with Rhaegar earlier than they met once more a 12 months later and fled collectively.
Was Lyanna Stark the Knight of the Laughing Tree?
A Track of Ice and Fireplace concept would add context to their romance
In A Storm of SwordsMeera additionally tells Bran in regards to the match at Harrenhal, however it focuses on a mysterious determine current on the occasion: the Knight of the Laughing Tree. In response to Meera, the knight appeared on the second day of the match and was "quick stature."The Knight"ill-fitting"The armor was haphazardly assembled and his protect featured the picture of a weirwood tree. He defeated three knights who had intimidated a crannogman the day earlier than - a person Lyanna Stark had gone out of his strategy to defend - and disappeared earlier than anybody may be taught his true identification.
Though most individuals on the match assumed that the Knight of the Laughing Tree was a person, the determine's top and protect led readers to consider that Lyanna Stark was the one beneath the armor. We all know from different characters' recollections of her that she had so much in widespread with Arya, from her fiery and cussed persona to her horse using and preventing expertise. If Martin confirms this concept in The winds of winter or A spring dream, could shed some mild on how effectively Lyanna and Rhaegar obtained to know one another in the course of the match.
Lyanna and Rhaegar's story was an enormous think about Robert's riot
Lyanna allegedly being kidnapped led to battle
Robert didn't like the truth that Rhaegar had topped Lyanna the queen of affection and wonder, and this elevated his hatred for Rhaegar Targaryen, which solely obtained worse when Lyanna disappeared with him. Lyanna and Rhaegar's relationship was a serious contributor to Robert's riota battle accountable for a lot of what adopted Sport of Thrones. When Lyanna and Robert fled collectively, Robert assumed that Rhaegar had compelled his fiancee to go together with him. Robert refused to consider that Lyanna needed to depart as he was in love along with her.
After all, Robert wasn't the one one who thought Lyanna had been kidnapped by Prince Rhaegar. Lyanna's father and brothers additionally believed she had been kidnapped. This prompted Ned's brother Brandon Stark to journey to King's Touchdown and demand his return. He additionally needed to see Rhaegar punished for the crimes he believed he had dedicated. Sadly, the Mad King arrested him fairly than meet his calls for - after which burned him alongside his father after calling Rickard Stark to court docket.
If Sport of Thrones' Jon twist is identical because the design of the books, Roberts' Revolt was "constructed on a lie."
In actuality, the assault on the Starks was what actually set Robert's riot in movementnevertheless it all led to Lyanna and Rhaegar's relationship. The battle's title additionally painted Robert Baratheon as certainly one of its primary leaders and heroes, and his actions had been motivated by Lyanna's jealousy and anger. But when Sport of Thrones' Jon twist is identical because the design of the books, Roberts' Revolt was "constructed on a lie."
Lyanna and Rhaegar's Story Was a Lie, In response to Sport Of Thrones
That is most likely additionally the case with A Track of Ice and Fireplace
Though Lyanna and Rhaegar's story began Robert's Revolt, the battle was based mostly on a lie: that Lyanna had been kidnapped by Rhaegar. Sport of Thrones reveals that the 2 characters had been in love with one another, with Rhaegar annulling his marriage to Princess Elia Martell earlier than marrying Lyanna. A Track of Ice and Fireplace hasn't technically confirmed this, nevertheless it's more likely to observe the identical path that Jon's parentage reveals within the sequence. In spite of everything, the Sport of Thrones producers accurately guessed who Jon Snow's mom was earlier than Martin stated sure to them adapting the sequence (by way of Collider).
Martin additionally dropped many clues all through the supply materials, all of which lay the groundwork for a similar Lyanna/Rhaegar reveal in A Track of Ice and Fireplace. Sport of Thrones confirmed the reality of this concept early, proving that Robert's Revolt was, as Bran notes, "constructed on a lie."After all, given the Mad King's habits that led to this, it was most likely essential anyway - however the fact makes Prince Rhaegar and Ned Stark look so much higher.
Supply: Collider