WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
The first Game of Thrones episode in season eight — which united a whole bunch of characters — included one humongous revelation that’s been building for seasons: The identity of Jon Snow, who turns out not to be a “bastard” in the sense of having unmarried parents, but a member of the Targaryen clan.
If you’re a little confused about the moment in which Samwell Tarly informs Jon about this extremely vital fact while they’re in the crypts of Winterfell, we’ve got you covered with an explanation that hopefully clears up why this is a HUGE DEAL and what Snow’s backstory is.
Who is Jon Snow?
Let’s start with who is at the beginning of the HBO series: He’s an illegitimate son of Ned Stark, but there’s some mystery about who his mother is.
Who discovered his true origins?
That would be Bran Stark, who becomes the time-traveling Three-Eyed Raven and goes back to see a young Ned Stark visit his sister Lyanna. She’s dying after she gives birth to a son and tells Ned to promise that he’ll take care of him. That child is Jon Snow.
So he’s not Ned’s son?
No. Bran figures out that Lyanna wanted to keep her son a secret because the father is Rhaegar Targaryen.
Who’s that?
He’s the older brother of Daenerys Targaryen and Viserys Targaryen. Viserys, you may recall, sold Daenerys into marriage with Khal Drogo of the Dothraki in exchange for an army that would help Viserys reclaim the throne for the Targaryens. He was eventually killed by Drogo.
Why is Jon’s father being Targaryen a big deal?
Because the king at the time Jon was born was Robert Baratheon. He wanted to wipe out all Targaryens after his rebellion led to Jaime Lannister killing the “Mad King” Aerys Targaryen, the father to Rhaegar, Viserys and Daenerys. If King Robert found out Snow — who’s real name is Aegon — was a Targaryen, he’d kill Jon.
But was Snow then born out of wedlock?
No. Back in Season 7, Samwell’s wife Gilly was reading some books from the Citadel and found out that Rhaegar’s marriage to Elia Martell was annulled. He then married someone else in a secret ceremony. That someone was Lyanna Stark.
So what does that mean?
As Samwell and Bran figured out together at the end of last season, Jon Snow is the last living male Targaryen left in Westeros, which means he’s the heir to the Iron Throne. Bran told Samwell to inform Jon about his true past on Sunday’s episode.
Wait, isn’t he romantically involved with Daenerys?
Yep. And that’s his aunt.
Isn’t that weird?
Well, yeah! But this is a show that hasn’t shied away from family entanglements like that.
How did Jon … er, Aegon … take the news?
I’d say he’s a little shocked.
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