Could Jon Snow be a Targaryen, Azor Ahai come again, and the legitimate king of Westeros?

THERE ARE SOME SPOILERS HERE SO IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPOILERS, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TODAY.

We are almost at the end of the 4th season of HBO's "Game of Thrones," and there's been a lot to chew on this time around, especially with the few spoilers that have creeped into the narrative thanks to showrunner insight from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. In last night's episode, Aemon Targaryen (who serves as the Maester for the Night's Watch) started to wax poetic to Samwell Tarley about his youth, in particular the pretty girls that once courted him because (like his brother Rhaegar), he was only a step away from the throne itself. He describes a woman of great beauty that captured his imagination but fails to name her for whatever reasons. It made me think of Lyanna Stark, and it got me to pondering about a mystery in the books that has been consuming my mind for several years now: who are Jon Snow's actual parents?

Jon Snow and Ghost by guillemhp. Deviant Art page HERE.

Yes, I know that the honorable Ned Stark is supposed to be Jon's dad. However, I don't subscribe to the fact that Jon Snow is Lord Eddard Stark's bastard. I think Ned was an honorable man, and he would have never cheated on Catelyn Stark. And I mean NEVER! What I know of Rhaegar has been colored somewhat by Robert Baratheon's opinion. But everyone outside of King Robert Baratheon seems to think of him as an example of what a "true prince" might be. Here are the facts as I know them:

1) After the tourney of Harrenhal, Lyanna was made Rhaegar's Queen of Love and Beauty. Afterward, they both vanished together for a long while. Hmm, where did they go and what were they doing?

If Rhaegar "raped" Lyanna, then this is truly the perspective of someone
who frames a situation to serve his own ends. I think that's exactly
what's happened in the books, because King Robert Baratheon was
pretty much a loud, egotistical pig of a man and saw the world through
his own unique set of lenses.

2) Lyanna's betrothed was Robert, and she didn't want him for a husband despite the fact that he loved her so much. When Lyanna disappeared, Robert assumed that it was without her consent (naturally) so he made up this story that Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna and raped her to convince himself that this woman that he loved so much wouldn't/COULDN'T dare love another man. It's just not possible, right?

3) After Robert killed Rhaegar following the rebellion, Ned went to the Tower of Joy to look for his sister Lyanna, and he found it guarded by three Kingsguard. What the hell were these men doing there when they could be just about anywhere else? At Rhaegar's side? With Viserys (the eunuch) at Dragonstone, or in exile accompanying Viserys and Dany. It doesn't make any sense unless you assume they're there to protect a royal prince. Think about it: if Lyanna had given birth to a baby, a.k.a. Jon Snow, then they'd be sworn to protect him. Especially true because the Mad King and his family had been butchered, and Rhaegar himself was now dead. I think Rhaegar married Lyanna in a secret wedding, fathered a child with her, and she gave birth to a legitimate son and not a bastard. This would have made Jon heir to the Iron Throne, right?

King Robert Baratheon was obsessed with Lyanna.

4) Lyanna died in a bed of blood. Childbirth gone wrong perhaps? I think that bringing Jon Snow into this world killed Lyanna, and she used her last breath to make Ned swear that he'd protect her son. At that point, I think Ned made up the whole story of Jon's ignoble birth and this is why he never described the woman he supposedly "cheated on Catelyn" with to his friend, Robert Baratheon. To do so would have sentenced the child to death.

The only house that ever had "nuclear weapons," House Targaryen is
probably going to sit on the throne once more by the time all of this is over.

5) The Prince that was Promised. This is a prophesied leader that foretells the coming of a hero to deliver the world from darkness (think Azor Ahai reborn). A bleeding star is supposed to herald the coming of the prince (well that's the comet in the sky), and the prince is said to have a song (well wolves have a song). Melissandre of Ashai also says, "When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt." Well when Jon Snow is stabbed to death at the end of A Dance With Dragons, the men doing so are crying (salt in tears) and there is plenty of smoke from all the fires they've had at Castle Black. And last (but not least) the "Prince that was Promised" must be "Of the Blood of the Dragon." Melissandre has interpreted this as being Stannis because he rules from Dragonstone. I think it's Jon Snow.

And regarding Martin's cliffhanger at the end of A Dance With Dragons (curse you George!), there's no way that Jon Snow is dead forever...not in the same way that Ned Stark is dead. Rather, I think Jon's going to be reborn (which fits the Azor Ahai and the whole Prince that was Promised prophesies above) because this is the only way he can leave his vows. Please recall that when a crow dies, the brothers of the Night's Watch end the eulogy with the words, "And now his watch is ended."

AZOR AHAI COME AGAIN:
According to prophecy in the ancient books of Asshai (think Melissandre here), Azor Ahai is going to be reborn to challenge the Others (the White Walkers). Wielding Lightbringer once more, Azor Ahai will stand against the Others and if he fails, the world fails with him. Well, "The Others" has pretty much been Jon Snow's storyline since day one.

"There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him."

George R.R. Martin has already broken out just about any kind of magic that you can in his books. We've seen dragons, resurrections, and the undead just to name a few. I wouldn't put it past George to have killed Jon Snow off on purpose at the end of A Dance With Dragons merely to bring him back so that he can eventually rule Westeros, perhaps as a partner of Daenerys who has an even more legitimate claim to the throne than Jon? Targaryens, afterall, are known to marry one another. This would of course mean that eventually Dany will have to forsake her current marriage to Hizadhr zo Loraq who brought peace to Mereen for a period of 90-days. Either that, or we can add Hizadhr to the long list of characters who are doomed to die before their time. Ah well, it's lovely to think about all this backstabbing and plotting, isn't it? I really wish that I had The Winds of Winter to keep me busy in this one year gap to the next season of the show. Sigh.

This 8-Bit gif of Daenerys Targaryen telling Drogon to burn Kraznys to a crisp made my day

This is easily the coolest scene in "A Storm of Swords." Is anyone else looking forward to the return of A Game of Thrones?

You know you've made it when things like this start showing up online with regard to your books. 

Check out more at Buzzfeed HERE.

My prediction regarding the Iron Throne of Westeros

With the calendar about to turn to a new year in just a few short weeks, season 3 of "A Game of Thrones" really isn't all that far off. Recently io9 ran an article on the characters least likely to sit on the Iron Throne by the time Martin pens the last page of A Whisper of Spring which is tentatively the title for the last book (following The Winds of Winter due to hit shelves in 2015). So I'm taking my argument to you, dear readers, who are also fans of Martin's epic fantasy saga.

Daenerys Targaryen

My prediction: Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow.

Why? Daenerys is the last of the Targaryens, she is the blood of the dragon, and I think the coming of the dragons is going to be instrumental in the war against the Others (the White Walkers). And I think Jon Snow is a Targaryen. I think there's plenty of evidence written subtly into the narrative penned by Martin to suggest that Lord Eddard Stark could never be unfaithful to his wife. He was just too much of a goodie two-shoes that the whole "I'm a cheater" thing is really bothering me. I think that Jon's mother could possibly be Lyanna (who Robert Baratheon loved very much) and who was kidnapped by Rhaegar (called the mad king). What if the mad king raped her, and she bore a child, Jon, and then forced her brother, Eddard, to raise the child as his own upon her death bed and to protect him so that no one would know he was a Targaryen?

Jon "You know nothing" Snow

Why it would be the greatest kept secret in Westeros. And that, I think, is brilliant.

So this is what I see happening. The kingdoms softened up by warring with each other no longer have the strength to withstand the White Walkers. The White Walkers march all over them with an army of wights at their back and keep heading south. The North falls. Then Daenerys shows up with her dragons and arms the men with dragon glass weapons and the might of old Valyria. And because Targaryens are known to intermarry, Daenerys and Jon Snow hook up and take the Iron Throne as king and queen.

And that is my prediction regarding the Iron Throne of Westeros. Thoughts anyone?

It kind of gives me goosebumps thinking that this may be what Martin is doing.

The noble houses of A Game of Thrones

I'm getting very excited that HBO's Game of Thrones is returning with an action-packed, fantasy-filled, second season. I do like the world of Westeros, so I wanted to chime in on the different houses. HBO did videos for each one to get people interested in picking a side. But, I'm not going to show those even though I watched them. As a reader, I haven't picked a side as much as I've enjoyed all the story arcs. Here are the houses from my perspective.

House Lannister. The only one of the Lannisters that I like is Tyrion. He's clever and smart. Yet Jaime has shown remarkable growth after he had his sword arm cut off. I still don't much like him though. The Lannisters are smug and pretentious. They all have lily white skin, blue eyes, and blond hair. I would liken them to Hitler's "master race" with all the superiority that issues from such a statement. I think that this house would appeal to anyone that could identify with the need of feeling superior to someone else exclusively because of beauty or wealth and not ability. Lannisters are manipulative. They are the people that plot and plot if not against you...then each other. You can't trust a single one of them.

House Baratheon. I did like King Robert even though I thought he made a terrible monarch. I also like Renly (his younger brother) because he's gay and that (in my book) makes him more open-minded and understanding, because he has had to live in a world where people just assume that everyone is straight (and that this is natural). The Baratheons are a tough, honest house. This means that they won't lie to you. It also handicaps them because they assume everyone is like them and that's not true. They tell it like it is whether or not you care for their opinion. And they do know how to party. A Baratheon is the kind of person that would have your back in a fight. They have honor and I think that would be important to me in this world.

House Targaryen. Daenerys' brother died in season one and he was condescending, pompous, demanding, and evil. Daenerys herself has these same traits, but to a much lesser extent. Like about 5% of what her brother had. This I think seems to be at a tolerable level for someone that is a ruler of many people.  She's also cool-headed, intelligent about what she does, and seems to be quite calculating.  She's also fiercely loyal to anyone that serves her just so long as you do not cross her.  I also like that.  She's got your back even more so than a Baratheon.  I like Daenerys (not necessarily her house) and if I had to choose, I'd be in her camp and would predict that she would make the best ruler on the Iron Throne.

House Greyjoy. I hate this house. I wish George had not included it. Theon is a waste of skin (the irony is that he gets skinned). Asha sucks. They are a bunch of backstabbing, power-grubbing, rapists and murderers who live on the sea like pirates. I just really can't say anything I like about the Greyjoys. They are as likeable as a squid (shown prominently on their banner). I honestly can't say anything good about this house. There only existence, it seems, is to get involved with Daenerys at some point because as it is, her story has gotten boring.

House Stark. I loved this house. They are romantics. Loyal, honest, knightly, and hard-working. The decimation of the Starks leaves a sour taste in my mouth because they were legitimately good people.  And in A Dance with Dragons, Bran is doing some weird spiritual thing with trees that makes me wonder if George is smoking weed. I don't get how any of Bran's powers are even remotely tied to the story. Everytime he goes off on a Bran chapter, I think, "Okay another waste of fifty pages where some crippled boy flies around and teleports through trees but doesn't do anything and no one cares because...well...no one cares."

Anyway, Season 2 starts on April 1st. I'm really excited because it's sexy, romantic, cunning, dangerous, and all around riveting. And I'm most excited about the new character of Melissandre (sp?). She's just dang cool.

Which house are you?