Absolute game changer in Game of Thrones.
Time to reiterate our house words because ‘Spoilers are Coming.’
Curiosity usually leads to awful things in Game of Thrones. For example, Ned Stark wanted to get to the bottom of the murderous plot that surrounded Jon Arryn’s death. He ultimately lost his head.
Jon Snow was curious to discover the whereabouts of his uncle Benjen that went missing beyond the Wall. He got captured by wildlings and held prisoner. Elsewhere, Arya and Bran wanted to discover the secrets of the Faceless Men and the Three-Eyed Raven respectively. In doing so, they lost a large portion of their soul and personality.
This being said, four words of curiosity have absolutely changed the future in Game of Thrones.
‘What does annulment mean?,’ asks Gilly as Sam continues to read the diary of High Septon Maynard.
As Sam explained to his girlfriend, it meant terminating one marriage so you can wed another person. In doing so, the fate of the Iron Throne changed forever because High Septon Maynard once granted an annulment for a “Prince Raggar.”
In Gilly’s words, “says here (the high septon) annulled a marriage from Prince Raggar and married him in secret, to another woman, in Dorne.”
Yes, that’s right. Rhaegar Targaryen is Jon Targaryen’s legitimate father. Jon is the Rightful Heir to the Seven Kingdoms.
Of course, if you were to believe Robert Baratheon’s version of history, Rhaegar Targaryen – son of The Mad King and Daenerys’ older brother – kidnapped Lyanna Stark against her will.
Given the fact that Robert was betrothed to her, Rhaegar’s decision to ‘abduct’ Lyanna was a key reason in Robert’s Rebellion. Ultimately, Rhaegar was killed by Robert before the events of Game of Thrones began.
Despite being married to Elia Martell and having two children with her, Aegon and Rhaeneys, during a tournament at Harrenhal, Rhaegar named Lyanna Stark the queen of love and beauty instead of his wife, Elia Martell, giving Lyanna a garland of blue roses thus igniting the fuse.
After The Mad King was killed, Rhaegar’s wife and both of his children were murdered by The Mountain under the orders of Tywin Lannister.
Throughout the show, we’re led to believe that Rhaegar not only kidnapped and raped Ned’s sister, but he kept her hidden and locked away at The Tower of Joy where she gave birth to a boy – Jon Snow.
While Robert Baratheon has portrayed The Mad King’s eldest son as a violent rapist and abductor, Ser Barristan Selmy –  the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard of Robert Baratheon – has described Rhaegar as the “the finest man I  ever met.”
Now that we know Lyanna and Rhaegar  were legitimately married, how does this influence the game of thrones?
According to the rules of succession, as Rhaegar’s legitimate son, Jon would have a better claim to the Iron Throne than Rhaegar’s sister: Daenerys.
Given the fact that Dany has been living under the assumption that she was the last Targaryen alive, this information might change her belief that she’s ‘born to rule the Seven Kingdoms,’ while Jon Snow is no longer just a bastard and Ned Stark’s son.
For those saying that Robert had usurped the Targaryen lineage by conquest, upon his death and Robert’s legitimate children’s deaths – along with his brothers (Stannis and Renly) deaths as well, the true heir would go back to Jon, by way of the fact that Robert’s grandmother (Rhaelle Targaryen)Â was a Targaryen.
Jon Snow/Targaryen is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.
