Jon Snow's parentage is one of the most heated debates in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series and in HBO's "Game of Thrones" fandom. Fans know that Jon Snow is an illegimate Stark child but no one knows if he truly is Ned Stark's bastard son much to Catelyn Stark's dismay.

Who Are Jon Snow's Parents?

Jon Snow arrived in Winterfell as a baby by Ned Stark. At that time, the Stark was already married to Catelyn Tully. It was said that Ned had an affair during Robert's Rebellion which led to the birth of Jon Snow. However, fans of the franchise seem to think otherwise. There are different fan theories all over the internet but the most popular one is the "R+L=J" theory.

The Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark "R+L = J" Fan Theory

According to the International Business Times, Ned was a man of honor so it doesn't really fit his persona to have an affair when he was married to his wife, Catelyn. The popular R+L=J fan theory points to Ned's sister, Lyanna Stark as the mother of Jon Snow. Lyanna was betrothed to Robert Baratheon but she was kidnapped by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and this ultimately led to the war. Prince Rhaegar was the son Aerys Targaryen who was dubbed as the "Mad King." The kidnapping only added fuel to war's fire which resulted in Robert Baratheon being king of the Iron Throne.

Lyanna was kept at the Tower of Joy in Dorne and it was believed that she was pregnant during that time. During the battle where Rhaegar was killed, Ned and Howland Reed arrived at the Tower where they found Lyanna in a pool of blood and dying. The theory is that Lyanna asked Ned to keep a secret and that was to protect Jon Snow whom fans are saying was Lyanna and Rhaegar's son, Comic Book shares.

According to fan theories, there are many reasons why Jon Snow's parentage should not be revealed. One of the reasons why is that if Jon Snow really is the son of Lyanna and Rhaegar, Robert Baratheon would have felt betrayed by Ned. Tech Insider points out that Robert also promised to destroy every Targaryen child, even those with half-blood.

Will Jon Snow's Parents Be Revealed In Season 6?

HBO's "Game of Thrones" has revealed the episode titles for this season. Episode 3 is titled "Oathbreaker" and MTV shares that this may allude to Jon Snow's origins. The description of the episode is just as cryptic as the rest of the upcoming episodes.

Who do you think are Jon Snow's parents? Do you think the Lyanna and Rhaegar fan theory is true? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

Read more
Tags Jon Snow, Game of Thrones, HBO, George R.R. Martin