Jon Snow: Bastard, Brother,...Badass?

[gingerella]

I think its high time that Jon Snow and Kit Harrington earned their own thread now, don't you?

I know a lot of folks have grown tired of the perpetual pout that is Jon Snow, but I gotta say, he really earned my respect this season, and in particular, in his taking charge and leading his NW Brothers during the Battle of the Wall, and his meeting with Mance Raydar. He showed true leadership throughout the last two episodes, and once the naysayers had either been injured or killed, he was the one who stepped up to the plate and the other NW followed him. He set up the strategy on top of the Wall and left the best man to see it through up there. He sent the right group of seemingly ragtag Brothers down to the tunnel and told them to hold the tunnel no matter what. And they did. They went to their deaths defending the tunnel, knowing they would probably not come out alive, but they followed Jon Snow, their defacto leader. He knew when the moment was right to unleash Ghost. It felt like he was a step ahead that entire battle, always in the right place at the right time.

As for his going to seek out Mance, he didnt have to do that, but he knew they couldnt hold off the future Wildlings coming for them either, so he did what he had to do. Not many, men would have walked ut of that tunnel again so soon, not after what they'd seen on the other side of The Wall. I actually couldnt believe he dragged Ygritte into the forest to burn her body. I would have been scared shitless to go back out there knowing what lurked out there. Jon's got some balls for sure. Ned would have been proud.

I am glad Ygritte is now out of the picture completely because she was an energ suck for the Jon Snow storyline. And in the aftermath of the Battle of the Wall and Stannis' Pony Brigade riding into town, it feels like Jon's story has moved forward in one huge leap suddenly. He is seen as a leader to what is left of the NW. Stannis sees his as a leader and an honorable ally as he is Ned Stark's son and he was attempting to negotiate with Mance. Okay, so he was trying to kill Mance, but still, I think Mance was making a good point about simply wanting to seek refuge behind the Wall, thats all. And Jon's advice to Stannis was measured and reasonable, not hot headed or irrational.

Who knew I coud like Jon Snow again this much? Let's hear it for A Viewer! Also, on a totally superficial note, Kit Harrington wears that NW pelt/coat thing really really well...just sayin'.

[Llywela]

I've always liked Jon. He's been on something of a maturation journey - the young man learning what it takes to truly be a hero - so it doesn't trouble me that he's made missteps along the way. He's learned a lot in the process.

 

If I was him, though, I'd be cursing the fates wondering why Stannis and his army couldn't have shown up 24 hours earlier!

Edited June 17, 2014 by Llywela

[WhiteStumbler]

I did NOT like the way that Mel was eyeballing him thru the flames of the funeral pyre for the dead NW members.

[stillshimpy]

I did NOT like the way that Mel was eyeballing him thru the flames of the funeral pyre for the dead NW members.

 

Yeah, that was not subtle at all, was it?   Sound the sirens, because yikes, she had Jon in her sights for some reason.  Now, it's actually possible that it has to do with him being good-looking, but it didn't look that way to me.  Unless she thought "Aha, sex would be fun...and then I could burn him alive!"  

 

Ever since it was confirmed that Rhaegar Targaryen abandoned a wife and children, I've oddly been more at peace with the concept that Jon might Lyanna and Rhaegar Targaryen's son.  It's just, I find the "They loved each other and ran away together!" stuff to be a) unlikely b) really not the kind of stuff that is in this story c) gross and rather drippy.   

 

I really, really and I do mean really cannot see a Stark deciding to run away with a married man, heir to the throne and apparently father to at least two children.  There's UnStarkian (like Robb breaking his vow to marry an unseen Frey girl in favor of Talisa ) and then there's that level of "Honor?  Fuck it!  Let's be gross on every known level and wreck the Kingdom while we're at it!" 

 

So I'm sort of more okay with "Well, maybe Jon really is Lyanna Stark's son..." and if Jon was either the son of Robert or Rhaegar, that would bestow the Blood of Kings thing.  As for why in the world Ned Stark would have hidden Robert's son from him, no clue other than wanting the son of his dead sister with him...or it's possible that Lyanna didn't know one way or the other.  

 

So to recap, Jon as the son of Rhaegar doesn't bother me if it wasn't a voluntary union.  Not, mind you, that a forced union/rape is anything other than horrible...it's just Lyanna Stark setting the Kingdoms to war willingly to be with another woman's husband even though his family burned her father and brother alive is just...horrible on another level and so wholly lacking in anything resembling decency or maturity that I just can't believe that's who Lyanna Stark was.  

 

I know Sansa Stark was a silly, fanciful girl willing to accept all manner or lies to get her fairytale...but I very much doubt that Ned Stark would have allowed his daughter to be raised in a way that would encourage her to believe in such things if his own brother and father had been the victims of what a foolish belief in romance might bring.  

 

Captive and forced? Okay.  Sadly it is that type of story.  

 

I like to think Jon is Ned's son for a variety of reason (I'd like for poor Ned to have been in love before he was married off to Cat as her consolation prize) .  Plus, I have no idea what it would do to Jon at this juncture to find out Ned -- who he clearly loved and admired -- was not his father and lied to him his whole life.  

 

But there's no mistaking that Melisandre seemed to be giving Jon the appraising eye.  Here's hoping she was just thinking "Pretty.  Rowr."  Or "He looks like he will be  a problem."   but since Mellie would really like to spill the Blood of Kings or burn him alive (and yes, Jon does burn, we know that already) , it's difficult to dismiss the way Melisandre was looking at him. 

Edited June 17, 2014 by stillshimpy