Game of Thrones fans have long been told that Jon Snow is Ned Stark’s bastard, but speculation has run rampant that the fan favorite may actually have been born to a different member of the House Stark. While the HBO series has never offered any definitive proof either way, the network has now put an end to the speculation with a new infographic. And if you aren’t ready to know the truth, stop reading — there are spoilers ahead.
The answer came in the form of a very convoluted diagram, posted on the Making Game of Thrones blog, that confirms what was seriously hinted at in the season 6 finale: Jon Snow is indeed the son of Ned’s sister, Lyanna Stark, and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. It is known.
The infographic served in part as a family tree, though in the form of a circle, and presents 20 key Game of Thrones characters using different lines to indicate connections between them. Both Lyanna and Rhaegar have black lines running to Jon, indicating that they are his parents. There is also a pink dashed line between the two deceased characters to show that Rhaegar abducted Lyanna. Another line — this one blue — connects Jon to Ned, and it means that the late Lord of Winterfell was his guardian (not to mention his uncle).
The information all fits with the events of season 6, episode 10, The Winds of Winter. The epic finale revealed how Lyanna was engaged to Robert Baratheon, only to be abducted by Rhaegar. By the time her brother got to her, she was on her deathbed, leaving her brother to raise her newborn son as his own.
The reveal has been a long time coming, and it is bound to have a huge impact moving forward. As a Targaryen, the new King of the North now has closer ties to the Iron Throne. If only season 7 weren’t so far away.
