

Rather than using his nephew's birth name of Aegon, which would have given away his real parentage, Ned gave the baby the name "Jon" after his great friend and mentor Jon Arryn, Lord of the Vale, whom he loved like a second father. In accordance with her last wish, Ned resolved to pass Lyanna's son off as his own bastard and raise him in his home castle - a great blow to his honor as he knew that his decision would shame both himself and his wife, Catelyn Tully. Furthermore, the boy's existence was a potential threat to Robert's claim to the Iron Throne after the deaths of Rhaegar's other children, Rhaenys and Aegon, by his wife Elia Martell, who also perished, during the Sack of King's Landing. Desperate to protect the life of her newborn child, a fading Lyanna pleaded with Ned to promise her that he would keep her son safe, and his true heritage hidden from Robert as he had been Rhaegar's most bitter enemy. Īfter defeating the last of the Kingsguard, Ned rushed into the tower to save his sister - only to find Lyanna dying from childbirth, having just given birth to Rhaegar's own son. Ned and his companions engaged in a final fierce melee with the remaining Kingsguard, which resulted in the deaths of all combatants save Ned himself and Howland Reed.
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After the Sack of King's Landing, Ned continued south in search of his sister and ultimately found her at the Tower of Joy in the Red Mountains at the border of Dorne. Robert ultimately killed Rhaegar at the Battle of the Trident, effectively ensuring their victory in the war.

Eddard Stark rode to war along with her betrothed, Robert Baratheon, to rescue his sister and avenge the deaths of their father and brother at the orders of Aerys II, the Mad King. Rhaegar eventually returned to fight in the war, but not before leaving Lyanna behind at the Tower of Joy, guarded by Lord Commander Gerold Hightower and Ser Arthur Dayne of the Kingsguard. Ned Stark finds Lyanna dying after giving birth to Rhaegar's last living child, whom Ned then passes off as his own bastard son, "Jon Snow."Įighteen years before the War of the Five Kings, Rhaegar Targaryen allegedly abducted Lyanna Stark in a scandal that led to the outbreak of Robert's Rebellion. Īrtistic depiction of Rhaegar Targaryen abducting Lyanna Stark.

Promise me." ―Lyanna Stark to her brother Ned, speaking of her son Jon Snow. " His name is If Robert finds out, he'll kill him.
#GAME OF THRONES BEYOND THE WALL JON SNOW FREE#
He leads the remaining Free Folk to settle in the thawing free lands. However, when Daenerys lays waste to a surrendered King's Landing, Jon tries but is unable to dissuade her from more destruction and assassinates her to prevent further carnage.įollowing the Great Council of 305 AC, Jon is sent into exile, returning to the Night's Watch. Afterwards, Jon aids Daenerys in her resumed campaign to take the Iron Throne and participates in the Battle of King's Landing. A dragonrider whose dragon was Rhaegal, he fights in the Battle of Winterfell, during which the Night King is defeated and the return of the Long Night is prevented. Later, Jon learns his true lineage from Samwell Tarly, revealing Daenerys is his aunt. Later he pledges himself and his army to Daenerys, whom he falls in love with, subsequently abdicating his throne and being named Warden of the North. Jon negotiates with Daenerys Targaryen for an alliance against the White Walkers in the imminent Great War. As a result of several controversial decisions, such as allowing the wildlings to settle south of the Wall, Jon is murdered in a mutiny, but is resurrected by Melisandre.įreed from his Night's Watch vows, Jon and his half-sister Sansa Stark retake Winterfell from House Bolton, restoring House Stark's dominion over the North. Jon joins the Night's Watch and is later elected as Lord Commander. Jon's true parentage is kept secret from everyone, including Jon himself, in order to protect him from those that sought the complete annihilation of House Targaryen. From infancy, Jon is presented as the bastard son of Lord Eddard Stark, Lyanna's brother, and raised alongside Eddard's lawful children at Winterfell. Jon Snow, born Aegon Targaryen, is the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, the late Prince of Dragonstone. " You've got the North in you - the real North." ― Tormund
