No. I believe they showed last season through Bran's visions with the Three Eyed Crow that Jon was the bastard son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.

 

How do they explain the black hair then? Targaryen's were always fair-haired. And why bring up hair color at all if it has no meaning?

 

Well it did have meaning when it came to figuring out that Cersei's kids weren't Robert's but Lyanna had never slept with Robert nor was she pregnant before she ran off with Rhaegar.

While I'm not a time line expert, it was longer than nine months between the time the couple absconded and the time that Ned was finally able to find her, right after giving birth in the Tower of Joy, which I think was in Dorne. Someone correct me if I'm wrong about the location. So she must have gotten pregnant at some point after she disappeared. No Robert around in that love nest, although he was liberally sowing his seed every where else.

In the meantime, all the other events which led up to Robert's Rebellion had to take place and the war fought. Ned made a promise that he would protect the child and he did, even at the expense of his marriage by passing Jon off as his own. Going back to season one, Robert even asked Ned who Jon's mother was. Clearly he was clueless...lol

 

Genetics can take different turns. From a writing perspective too it would've been difficult for Martin to have Jon with light hair. While Robert was clueless about Ned's affair, it would have sent up red flags for him if Ned returned with a fair haired son.

 

Lyanna had dark hair, so it's possible (and obvious) Jon got the dark hair from his mother's side.

I've read theories that Lyanna and Rhaegar were married, which would mean Jon was not a bastard at all.

 

I agree. If Targaryens gene for blonde hair is a recessive gene and Targaryens were always intermarrying , their offspring would all have the recessive trait. If dark hair gene is a dominant gene , dark hair offspring would come from the Stark genes. If Jon snow has both dominant (from mother)and recessive genes (from father), he could have either blonde hair or dark hair offspring if he marries a woman that also has recessive gene.

 

Especially in light of the fact that Robert was determined to eradicate every last Targaryen. Look what they did to Elia's kids. Hiding a silver haired boy would have been tough....they had to dye Aegon's hair and he was living outside of Westeros!

 

That's interesting, but how could that be? Elia had returned to Kings landing after the tourney which caused all the trouble, and that's where she and the kids were murdered when Tywin doubled crossed his King and let the enemy armies into the city.

Rhaegar was off with his lover during most of the war but had to pull himself out of Lyanna's er....bed, lol to come to the aid of the kingdom. Unfortunately for the couple, he was killed at the Trident by Robert's war hammer. So who dissolved his first marriage so he could remarry and when, since the two were hiding out?

Remember he was all up in his head about the prophecy of the three headed dragon. He thought it would be fulfilled by his children but he only had two with Elia. After Aegon's birth, she was told another child might kill her. I read that while it might have been a bit humiliating that her husband crowned another woman, the Queen of love and beauty at the tourney, she came from Dorne, a land where it was common to have a paramour....so,she got it, even if she may not have liked it.

Also,why risk alienating your ally Dorne by putting aside the wife that was meant to seal the alliance when a bastard son, with someone you fell in love with, would do nicely? Not like there weren't a lot of those floating around Westeros.

In the context of this show, the implications of Jon not being a bastard would mean HE has the legal right to sit on the Iron Throne....even before Dany, right? Whoa...

 

Apparently some of the older Targaryen's had more than one wife. It's believed this information will be uncovered at the Citadel. If this polygamist marriage is accepted, then yes Jon would be legitimate giving him the right to the throne. Although I think we all agree he does not want the Iron Throne.

It would be interesting if it is also discovered that Tyrion is the illegitimate son of Aerys. Aerys did have a thing for Tyrion's mother, Joanna. Tyrion did make friends with the dragons rather easily...

 

Huh....I had not read that. Nothing would surprise me about those old Targs though. We're talking about a dynasty that married their siblings in times past as well. Good thing for Dany then, that it appears Jon would have no interest in ruling Westeros as he identifies himself as being a Northman.

 

Jon has his eye on the true enemy, the White Walkers. I think he will be able to convince Dany about the necessity of alliance to save Westeros. Cersei, that is a whole other ball game. She and Euron are both nuts and can only see what is in front of them!

 

I don't think we'll see that on the show, since the writers chose not to bring out all this juicy stuff you read in the books.

Personally, I don't believe it. Yes, in the books it said that Aerys overstepped his bounds at the bedding ceremony, and was taken with Joanna, but you know Tywin. Once all the wedding guests were off the Rock I'll bet he made sure his wife was knocked up with his child. Again, Aery's was mad but do you risk alienating your Hand if he's Tywin Lannister? You can claim you were drunk at the wedding but no excuses after that.

We don't know exactly what Aerys did, but Tywin had to consummate his marriage right then and there so you know he was pounding that hard to stifle any chance that there'd be talk later that Joanna's first born might not be his. He must have been satisfied cause he didn't break his relationship with the king until years later when Aerys refused to betrothed Rhaegar to Cersei. Tyrion came along 9 yrs. later so how do you sneak around with your Hands wife and him not knowing about it?

*corrections* (I did some research and here's what I found)

Tywin and Joanna were first cousins.

He was already Aery's Hand and she was one of Queen Rhaella's ladies in waiting when they were married at Kings Landing in 263 AC.

The Queen was not amused by what she heard of her husband's infatuation and dismissed Joanna from her service. Joanna promptly returned to the Rock.

Cersei and Jaime were born at the Rock in 266 AC, three years later.

 

Good info, thanks!

What sticks in my mind is 2.10 - when Tywin told Tyrion "since I cannot prove you are not mine". It does make me wonder.

 

By all reports, Tywin and Joanna had a happy marriage but Tywin had a stick up his butt none the less. I've always felt he said what he did because he could never believe that the great Tywin Lannister could have sired such a "monstrosity" rather than that his wife may have been fooling around. He couldn't prove it because no proof existed. There would have been no such thought in his mind if Tyrion had been as tall and handsome as his older brother. He was just spouting off cause his kids were frustrating him.

 

That would put Jon in line for the throne if they were married. Always thought it'd be cool if Dany took a slight turn toward the bad. She's shown shades of it before. But that's not something I anticipate for the TV show. Would be interesting to see Dany vs. Jon. But they have more than enough to cover in the 12 episodes to go with Cersei, Euron and the Night's King.

 

We're getting to a point though where some of the older norms are being tossed aside. Jon as a bastard was still named King in the North. If Jon saves Westeros from the Night's King people would likely want him to lead overall.

I see a different system being set-up though with the survivors where there's more control possibly by a council made up the leaders of the seven kingdoms. Jon, or someone else, might be the nominal King or Queen of the realm but not with the same authoritarian level of control as before. Don't see this as a role Dany would be suited for though. Jon or Tyrion are the only two with the full balance and perspective to do it.

 

I'm not sure how ready they are to accept new norms. Jon was made King of the North because he was the last living Stark male (Bran' s existence is not generally known yet) and I don't think it hurt that he came back from the dead.

As for inheritance, IF he's legitimate, a son from Rhaegar would be in direct line to the throne over a sister to the crown prince.

As it stands, Dany trumps a bastard. I think that she would want to retain ultimate control over Westeros secure in the knowledge that her nephew ruled the North. I do see that she would want to convene regular meetings with the high Lords of the kingdom to address their concerns and hear their grievances, but she would make any final decisions with Tyrion as Hand to guide her.

 

I thought epi 2 had strong moments.

First off, Dany is done taking shit from anyone now that she's home. I liked that she challenged Varys and then let him know how it was going to be between the two. I think he's sincere in wanting the best monarch on the throne for the people of Westeros and he's been working to that end for some time. Yeah, she let him off the hook for trying to get her killed back when but I think he understands he's not going to be trying anything again cause there's no second chance.

I thought what a odd assortment of allies at the meeting but Dany, with Tyrion's plan, was able to get everyone on board. Lady Olenna, though had some interesting advice....trust herself cause she's a dragon.

In the other camp, Cersei and Jaime trying to rally the other Lords to their side with skewed reports of Dany's goings on made me think, "FAKE NEWS!" lol Let's see how much real support the Lords give her once the battle begins......even with that dragon cross bow right out of the Hobbit, it's gonna be hard to get all three.

And what about Jon giving over control of the North to Sansa!! It's women rule all around! Not that that's a bad thing but I don't like the fact that Petyr thinks it's a good thing, I think. He couldn't quit running his mouth in the crypt. He would have been further ahead, IMO, if he had omitted that little tidbit about loving Sansa like he did her mother. TMI and Jon let him have it. What's gonna happen while Jon's away???

It looks like Jorah's in good hands with Dr. Sam and Arya on her way back to Winterfell!!! Yea!!! I'm not sure of the significance of her saying, "It's not you" when Nymeria walked away from her after their encounter, if I heard that correctly. At least the dire wolf remembered her former mistress and didn't attack but I'm not sure they'll team up ever again.

Ok. Who was on watch duty with the fleet??? No sighting at all of that big ass ship Euron was piloting, bearing down on them before it crashed into the side of the ship? If that's all Yara's got it would have been pretty one sided during any battle it would seem although I remember Jaime saying last week that Euron also sneaked into the bay at Casterly Rock and burned their ships years past so he's a right sneaky bastard. Looks like he has his gift for Cersei, both Yara and Elia with one of the Sand Snakes. Theon might have been a coward and jumped overboard but he may yet have some part to play cause he's alive...something that wouldn't be if he had faced off with his uncle.

 

I have liked the first 2 episodes . Not a lot of surprises but I dont expect as many as earlier seasons since show is nearing its end . Previous groundwork should reach logical conclusions (Dany reaching westeros battling to take throne and then whitewalkers, Jon going to get dragonglass as examples).
They did fool me for a brief millisecond with Sam surgery and then eating scene where i thought WTF!? Everyone I watched with laughed though.
Big quibble was sea battle. I dont like action scenes that are in the dark that have quick cuts where it is difficult to focus on what is happening. If big money and time are put into filming a scene I would like to easily watch what is happening.
A minor quibble was Arya with Hotpie. At first I thought dont they recognize each other. She was all friendly and giggles with Lanister soldiers she didnt know last week and now acts so cold to Hotpie.