Proof that Jon Snow is not a true dragon and he’s much more a Stark
WELCOME to our latest instalment of We Knew Nothing, Jon Snow: our look back at the first season to find the hidden clues as to what will happen in the final season of Game Of Thrones.
JON Snow might be the rightful heir to the Iron Throne but he’s not a true Targaryen, he’s more of a Stark.
That is one of a series of surprising reveals in edition eight of We Knew Nothing, Jon Snow. It’s our look back at the earliest episodes of Game Of Thrones as we examine the clues there to see what they reveal about the final season of the show.
And episode eight, “The Pointy End”, is particularly useful as it was written by George RR Martin himself. Therefore we know that the clues he left are genuine ones.
Biggest of all, obviously, is the reveal about Jon Snow.
We know from Daenerys that true Targaryens cannot be harmed by fire. She can juggle hot dragon eggs and walk into boiling water without any ill effects. Brother Viserys proved in somewhat grisly fashion that he was not a true Targaryen when he died from having molten gold poured over his head.
In this episode, we see Jon meet a wight for the first time, when it tries to kill Lord Mormont. We also learn that his direwolf Ghost can detect the creatures. (This makes it more strange that Jon hasn’t had Ghost by his side for more than a season now. Incidentally, these wights don’t have blue eyes when they are dragged into Castle Black, hinting that the power can be turned on and off).
Anyway, Jon seizes a lantern and hurls it at the wight, who conveniently bursts into flames. But Jon’s hand is burned, proving he is not a real Targaryen.
This is going to have huge ramifications in season eight, as Dany and Jon discover he is the rightful heir. But if he’s not a real “dragon”, then will Dany accept him? And will he be able to ride a dragon?
But this is not the only revelation.
It appears that Sansa will indeed be the young queen who is prophesised to bring down Cersei. Of course it could still be Dany but all the pointers are on Sansa doing the job.
Maester Pycelle says: “She’s a sweet young thing but in 10 years who knows what treason she will hatch?”
Sansa, trying to prove she’s innocent, tells Cersei: “I’ll be a Queen just like you, I promise.”
Later Varys adds: ‘Wisdom often comes from the mouth of babes”.
Yes indeed, Lord Spider!
We also get the very strong hint that Tyrion will survive all this when he tells the hillmen that he will die: “In my own bed, aged 80, with a bellyful of wine and a girl’s mouth around my cock”.
Not that we’re likely to see such a scene, especially given that all the explicit nudity has been tucked away since season five. But it does look like he will make it.
Lord Varys, on the other hand, will definitely die. We know this. But it seems his passing will be dramatic. He tells an imprisoned Ned Stark: “When you look at me, do you see a hero?”
We will, Varys, we will.
This episode also features plenty of dramatic irony.
Tyrion offers Bronn “double” whatever the sellsword is offered to betray him;
Ser Alliser threatens Jon that he “will hang”;
Bran attempts to reassure Rickon that Robb will return with their father and mother, only for Rickon to gloomily announce: “No, they won’t”;
Osha tells Bran: ‘Your brother is going the wrong way … all those swords should be going north, not south”;
Sansa writes the letter to Robb that Littlefinger attempts to use against her in season seven;
Daenerys tries to protect slaves, only to spark a fight between Drogo and Mago that sees one of them betray her and poison Drogo;
Catelyn mentions that when it comes to Lord Walder Frey: “Some men take their oaths more seriously than others”; and
Cersei and Joffre tell Ser Barristan Selmy that “you are too old to protect anyone”.
Some of these would make you laugh, only they are more likely to make you cry!