Thett/ bossy Tournament R1 (ASOIAF) R + L = J is most likely the correct theory.

I will be arguing in favor of the R+L=J theory being the most logical and accurate theory in regards to Jon Snow’s Parentage. The Game of Thrones set’s scene in Winterfell, the northern territory of Westoros. Eddard Stark is the Warden of this territory, and is a major character in the first book. “Ned” (As he is commonly called among friends) has 5 natural born children between him and his wife Catlynn Stark, and a sixth bastard son called Jon Snow. Throughout the series, right from the beginning, the author makes no real connection to who the boy’s mother is. It is generally assumed that Ned had “cheated” (for lack of a better word) on his wife Catlynn during the war where he was off with King Robert usurping the Iron Throne from the Targaryen’s. Now in the ASOIAF series, it is not commonly frowned upon for a man to sleep with another women during his marriage. However in Ned’s case, it is cause for a lot of strife in his relationship, as it is un-befitting for Ned’s usual honor-bound attitude. More background will be provided in further points. Argument 1: What was Eddard’s promise? Eddard recalls his sister dying "in a bed of blood," where he made her an unknown promise just before she died. (1) So this debate is a theory that Eddard Stark didn’t really “cheat” on his wife Catlynn. This theory is that Eddard Stark covered for something potentially far more serious, out of love for his sister Lyanna. It is mentioned a couple time in the book’s that Lyanna asked Ned to “promise her” something. What this promise was exactly is never stated in the books, and Ned is usually quick to change the subject. Lyanna Stark’s death was the primary reason Robert’s Rebellion to Usurp the Iron Throne, and she is said to have been killed by Rhaegar Targaryen. Rhaegar was the beautiful son of the mad king Arys Targaryen, and was said to have a deep love Lyanna (even going as far as to name her the queen of love and beauty over his own wife Elia Martell). They even ran off together (in the books it was stated by bias opinions of certain characters that she was ‘kidnapped’, but I digress), which is when Ned has apparently found his sister dying. The cause of her death is never clarified, but is said that she died on a flower of her own blood. This theory assumes that she died in child birth, having conceived Jon Snow with Rhaegar. Meaning that Daenery’s is not truly the last living Targaryen. Ned knows that simply having Targaryen blood is enough to mean your death. In fact, Tywin Lannister had ordered Gregor Clegane to kill Elia (Rhaegar’s Dornish wife) and their new-born babes upon seizing the Iron throne. This leads to a very interesting plot point in the theory. When Ned leaves to kings landing to serve as Robert’s Hand, he doesn’t do a whole lot. In fact one of the only major thing’s he tries advocating against is an attempt prevent Robert sending an assassin to kill Daenerys Targaryen, when he receives word of her location in Eastoros. Ned having a simple “moral objection” to this killing would be one thing. He claims he had a similar moral objection when Elia and the Targaryen babes were murdered originally. But when this originally happened, Ned never went as far as to defy his friend, and king. However as soon as he becomes hand, the one singular issue of killing Daenarys is going to cause him to betray his honor and pledge to his king? He went as far to make an emotional outburst in front of the council, and defy Robert. This type of outburst would have resulted in Ned losing his head in most circumstances. However, Robert’s long lasting friendship with Ned prevailed Robert’s decision in the end to side with Ned. Let’s talk for a moment, about Eddard’s motivation for his outburst however. We are talking about a guy that is so honor-bound, that he is willing to be-head someone in front of his children in order to prove that honor is more important than moral’s makes me question if he indeed did have external motivation. If Rhaegar and Lyanna were really the parents of Jon Snow, then it would be hypocritical for Eddard to allow the killing of another Targaryen heir. If this theory is correct, then Ned’s over-reaction to Robert’s decision makes sense on more of a person level than simply a moral dis-agreement. Ned’s honor to his family name and beloved sister prevails his honor to his king. In fact when you think about the entirety of this chapter, it makes so much more sense in context to the R+L=J theory. George R.R. Martin doesn’t seemingly put many filler chapters in that do not serve a purpose. And this plot point of Ed losing, and regaining his position as Hand of the king makes much more sense than a simple character building chapter, if it is in fact a clue to something more impacting. Keep in mind, despite Ned’s objection to the killing of Daenerys, Varys reports that the “I’m afraid that bird has already flown”. In other words, the entirety of Ned’s objection served no real purpose in the book as it didn’t prevent Daenery’s assassination attempt. I don’t think Martin would include such a big event in his story if it didn’t have meaningful impact. And that meaningful impact is Ned’s personal connection to a Targaryen heir. Sub A: Eddark’s Honor VS family Now the above point might draw the argument that “If Ned is so honorable, why would harbor a Targaryen fugitive, which would clearly be a major crime in the eyes of King Robert? While Ned is honorable, he clearly struggles with honor vs family in the book. This internal dispute is noted from the very beginning scenes when Ned struggles to move his family into king’s Landing, away from everything they knew and loved in Winterfell. It continues when he delves into his private investigation into Bran’s “fall” and sub-sequent assassination attempt, and rolls over into his protection of Arya when she attacked Joffrey. We see it all the way to the end, when Ned must choose between violating his honor by lying and admitting to making traitorous accusations against Queen Cercei or sticking with his pride and dying honorably. In the end, Varys convinces Eddard to that for his children’s sake, the lie is worth it. This point’s purpose isn’t to de-emphasize that his honor is solid (it clearly isn’t told that way in the series), just that his priorities lie with his family and friends (Jon Arryn, etc). This to me proves two things. The first being that he isn’t lacking in honor enough to really cheat on his wife, and two that he is capable of lying in order to protect his sister’s final wishes out of love. Argument 2: “The Butler did it” clues, subtle confirmation from the author George may have accidentally confirmed many fan theories. In a Edinburgh International Book conference, a fan asked Martin if he would change plot points in the book based on Fan’s guessing thing in the books. Martin says this: I’ve been planting all these clues that the butler did it, then you’re halfway through a series and suddenly thousands of people have figured out that the butler did it, and then you say the chambermaid did it? No, you can’t do that. (2) And in another YouTube interview, was asked the same question and gave a pretty similar answer. Martin says changing plot facts because readers may have guessed an outcome would leave his story a mess. Now, while the above quote only proves that some fans may have guessed some things in his books, it definitely doesn’t confirm which theory he is talking about. When Martin says ‘Thousands of people have figured out’, he could just be speaking hypothetically. There are many of theories out there, some that contradict the R + L theory, or some that suggest different parents (This wet-nurse Wylla, or Ashara Dayne, etc), But to say thousands of people may have guessed a theory, to me indicates that the R+L=J theory is the one he was talking about. It is by far the biggest theory in terms ASOIAF series go. It is easily the most researched, and most talked about theory regarding Jon Snow’s parentage. Out of all the fan theories on the ASOIAF series, it is most talked about, popular theory. Could he have been talking about something else? Sure. Is it likely he was? Probably not. Even the name of the saga “A Song of Ice and Fire” is near damning evidence. The story builds on Daenerys’s Journey to take over a corrupted Westoros, and emphasizes a bastard boy whose life is in service to the wall. Daenerys, Fire. Jon, Ice. The Targaryen girl bathed in fire and the mother of dragons. Her Targaryen relative Jon Snow shrouded by Ice, snow, and cold his entire life. Fire and Ice, it almost makes sense like a puzzle fitting together nicely that these two characters are going to be major contributors to the overarching theme Martin is trying to accomplish. To conclude, there are vasts amount of evidences in support of this theory. I am assuming my opponent knows most of these because he accepted the debate with relative knowledge of its theme. I didn’t want to spam this debate with repeated info from other forums. But I want emphasize that the evidence alone isn’t what makes this theory the most likely to be accurate. It’s because if it isn’t accurate, certain parts of the story don’t make a whole lot of sense. Good luck Ser Skeps, this should be a fun debate! Sources: http://awoiaf.westeros.org... http://www.gizmodo.com.au...