Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark's son is Jon Snow. That's the popular theory, anyways.

I don't see it. However, I think the formula is still correct. Except it's Robert Baratheon and Lyanna Stark's son.

Think about it, Rhaegar had the typical silver hair and purple eyes. Lyanna presumably had the Stark brown hair and grey eyes. It was well known Robert was in love with Lyanna and he's also a manwhore. They were already betrothed and Rhaegar has two kids with Elia of Dorne. That's not to say Lyanna and Rhaegar maybe didn't have feelings for each other but I think Robert had already knocked her up.

It was no secret that Robert had no love for Rhaegar and visa versa. Stealing off with Robert's soon-to-be-wife sparked the war. She was already pregnant at the time.

We've seen GRRM stress the black over gold in the hereditary department as far as Lannister versus Baratheon goes. Jon Snow is described having grey eyes and dark hair. Could be either Stark hair or Baratheon. The grey eyes goes with the Stark territory.

Now, why hide his identity after the fact? Robert would assume Jon is Rhaegar's bastard. We can assume after the birth Ashara Dayne took Jon Snow down to Starfall until the war ended, where Eddard rode south to give back Dawn and retrieve Lyanna's son to raise as his own. Ashara was close to Rhaegar and potentially loved him. Her "stillborn" child might even have been Rhaegar's child. (As a complete guess, that kid could have been the one the Mountain "smashed" to replace Aegon VI.) Her cover story was a stillborn daughter and threw herself off the tower. I'm wondering if Eddard or Connington didn't deliver the true Aegon to her at the same point and she faked her death and crossed the sea. Still, between her and Connington, I think they both loved Rhaegar more than just friends.

Not telling Robert about Jon being his legitimate child after all those years was due in part because he was crowned king and betrothed and married Cersei. After Joffery was born it was too late, he had his own natural kids (or so everyone thought) along with a dozen bastards. However, we come to find out that those kids of Cersei are all illegitimate and that would make Jon Snow the heir as Lyanna was highborn and he would surely have the heads of all the Lannisters, starting yet another war.

Would Eddard have told him? Probably not, he let Jon go to the wall, that way his claim to the throne would be null and void and he'd be safe. Besides, everyone knew some Targaryens got away, sooner or later they'd be back.

Thoughts?


(had to make 2 posts forum limits it.)

Except that all of Robert's kids look just like him.  

Jon Snow looks just like a Stark.

Not necessarily. Like everyone's children you usually get features from both parents. It is heavily stressed his kids have dark hair over light. Just like Snow (dark hair over silver Targaryen.) Of course Snow also looks like a Stark. He is half a one, no one is denying that. But there's nothing to make him look like a Targaryen.

I don't believe your theory would make for an interesting ending to the story. I fully admit though
I have no idea what's gonna happen.

I think Jon Snow is a red herring. Aegon and Daenarys will seek to claim the throne. The long winter will be upon them. I'm not foreseeing any solid ending here and hope that if GRRM keeps up his trolling, he'll leave it completely open

The real protagonist is Arya Stark.

Yes, necessarily.  It says so in the first book.  If you don't believe me ask Jon Arryn.

Targaryens look like Targaryens. Purple eyes, silver hair. Neither of which Jon has.