GOES WITHOUT SAYING....SPOILERS AHEAD
Riddled. Infested. Overwhelmed. Sinking under the weight of.
Each of these is an apt description of just how many Game of Thrones spoilers appear in the following few paragraphs - so if you haven't yet watched the drama heavy finale of season six, turn back now.
For the rest of you - WE'RE FINALLY PIECING TOGETHER JON SNOW'S PARENTAGE!
It all surrounds a fan theory known widely as R + L = J.
First hinted at in George R R Martin's books, subsequently nudged and winked at during HBO's adaptation, it surrounds the idea that Ned Stark isn't the father of Jon Snow, but that our favourite know-nothing bastard is actually the offspring of Ned's sister Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. You can read more about that here, but it's a theory that even Martin all-but-confirmed back in 2014.
Amidst the action of the finale, we saw the close of a flashback story surrounding the Tower of Joy, where Ned goes to rescue his sister Lyanna. He finds her dying, post childbirth, and swears to protect her newborn son - his nephew. In case the subtleties of this reveal were lost on the audience, the action then cut to a close up of the matured Jon Snow. Nudge nudge.
So: Jon Snow is Lyanna Stark's son! Which all-but-confirms that Rhaegar Targaryen is his father - which means that Jon Snow has a rightful claim to the Iron Throne!
But will this King in the North get on with his Targaryen Sister in the South, currently heading to Westeros with her dragons and arm? We'll have to wait until season seven. Which is ages away.
If only someone was writing a book about all this that could arrive before the next series and fill in some blanks. Just a thought.
(Images: Sky/HBO)
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