Jon Snow - the key figure in the series?

[Wulfa_Jones]

Keeping in mind I've only read up to Storm of Swords, the feeling I get is everything is leading up to Jon Snow being a major player within Westeros.

He's now the Lord Commander of the Night Watch and clearly much of the goings on elsewhere within the story are all pointing towards the Wall - already Stannis is up here and I've a feeling that Daenerys and her Dragons are eventually going to be needed up there – The Others being Ice and the Dragons/ Melisandre being Fire.

Is Jon going to be the central force on the Wall? The figure who saves the Westeros from The Others?

Is that what all this is leading up to?

 

[Icewind]

I've always kind of felt Dany was the one who would stand out has the books progressed, but you're right jon does seem to be headed for something big.

 

[Mock]

I love characters like Jon: starting from scratch and forging a legend for themselves.

Like Genghis Khan.

 

[Icewind]

hopefully Jon wont die of a nosebleed like genghis or was that atilla the hun

 

[Werthead]

I'd go with this. Jon and Dany are the two most critical figures in the series, with Tyrion right behind them and maybe Arya and Bran as a step below. Of course, Jon and Dany might both die four chapters into ADWD and that would leave us really stumped, but I doubt it.

 

[clockwirk]

I'd go with this. Jon and Dany are the two most critical figures in the series

what he said

 

[Mock]

What about Littlefinger?

 

[Icewind]

I'd go with this. Jon and Dany are the two most critical figures in the series, with Tyrion right behind them and maybe Arya and Bran as a step below. Of course, Jon and Dany might both die four chapters into ADWD and that would leave us really stumped, but I doubt it.

If they were to die i wonder which characters would take up the mantle of hero. If thats the the right word.

 

[King Bonez Xx]

i think jon will come to eventually rule all westeros. he seems to be able to join people together and get him to join his cause better than dany, and when the others attack he'd be able to join everybody. that's how i see it, at least.

 

[Number Ten Ox]

The Twist

It's never quite that simple.

Based on the fact that obsidian is called Dragonglass, which is instrumental in defeating the Others, I think Jon is going to lead a desperate army with these weapons, but Dany and her dragons will be critical for making the weapons. Some sort of alliance between them will be needed.

I suspect that the Wall will fall, and maybe even that Stannis' army becomes the backbone of the wraith-zombies. Jon will escape with the Night's Watch, in a retreat that gives the sotherners time to organize and arm themselves. But depleted as they are, Jon and/or Dany will make a final "sacrifice" that noone will realize or understand.

Of course, even this kind of tragic consequence seems a little cliche. I am really hoping for something even more twisted from GRRM... do you think the Others have Ice dragons? Or the maesters at Oldtown start getting creative with their info? Or the Asshai people get summoned and now Jon has to fight with the Others instead of against them?

Whatever happens, expect the unexpected.

Number Ten Ox

 

[saintjon]

What about Littlefinger?

I think he's a catalyst and probably a main antagonist. IF the political strife in the south is what will hinder mankind from doing what they should and unite against the Others for survival then certainly he is profiting more than most and IMO is the one who started the ball rolling, and gives it substantial pushes from to time as well.

 

[Abhorsen]

Jon will bring down the wall and with it end the long winters and destroy the others

 

[Richardb]

Jon will certainly (I think) be one of those standing strong when all is said and done. So will Dany, and Littlefinger, and the rest of the Starks. He won't be the Stark in Winterfell, nor a king, however. He will be on the wall, and he will have a heavy influence on activities to the south, I'd imagine.

Jon is a great character, and a strong leader, who won't leave his post, though he may be forced to take a more active hand in the politics of Westeros than his role was meant to.

 

[D_A]

It honestly wouldn't surprise me if Dany and Jon hooked up by the end of the series, with Dany reinstalled on the throne of Westeros as the first Targaryan Queen and Jon as her regent (still Lord Commander of the Wall, though).

It's been ages since I read the books last, and if I remember correctly, Jon swore off women after his redhaired wildcat died (her name escapes me just now -- Ysette or something?), but I think he'll react differently when Dany rocks up at the Wall with her Dragons in tow.

 

[Dyloot]

I'd go with this. Jon and Dany are the two most critical figures in the series, with Tyrion right behind them and maybe Arya and Bran as a step below. Of course, Jon and Dany might both die four chapters into ADWD and that would leave us really stumped, but I doubt it.

Unless Martin is playing us, Jon and Dany are the main players in this series and the rest are just a supporting cast.

 

[Spiral]

I don't think Jon will leave the wall and I don't think he will marry Dany either. I think the whole point of Jon's characters is his constant struggle to be dutiful and honor his duty to his position at the wall of Duty and Honour before the self.

Spoiler

First we see Jon having to kill Qhorin and join the wildlings then he has to keep out of the southland war and stay at the wall, and in this way Mance is kind of his antithesis

I think Jon is simply going to end up sitting on the wall for the rest of his life, while Dany ends up going back across the sea and abandoning westeros after going there. Having either her or jon as the ruler of westeros at the end seems a bit to simple for martin.

I wonder if there really is going to be one stand out character in the end. The red wedding I think killed off any chance of having a big singular hero while from whats happened so far in the books I wouldn't be surprised if Arya and Bran end up being very big characters, which would actually be really cool. I have a feeling that they will be big as well. I would also like to see Brienne become big character, but i guess with the end of aFFC you cant be sure. and then there is also Tyrion, but who knows what will happen there.

 

[D_A]

While I admit that it's probably not likely that Dany and Jon may marry, and I agree with your sentiment that Jon is someone who struggles with Honour and Duty, keep in mind his relationship with Ygritte. He intially struggled with that before finally bedding her, so don't rule out the possiblity that Dany and Jon may end up in some sort of relationship (even if it's long-distance). And consider as well, that if Dany's dragons take care of the Others, and the Wilderlings can be brought back into the fold, the Wall may no longer even be necessary in the short term.

As for Dany abandoning Westeros, I can't see that happening at all. It's her birthright afterall, and she has to avenge the deaths of a large number of her family. Also, given the current state of the situation in Westeros, I don't think that Dany would leave it to Cerci Lannister once she's sorted out things in the North beyond the Wall.

 

[goldhawk]

While I admit that it's probably not likely that Dany and Jon may marry, and I agree with your sentiment that Jon is someone who struggles with Honour and Duty, keep in mind his relationship with Ygritte. He intially struggled with that before finally bedding her, so don't rule out the possiblity that Dany and Jon may end up in some sort of relationship (even if it's long-distance). And consider as well, that if Dany's dragons take care of the Others, and the Wilderlings can be brought back into the fold, the Wall may no longer even be necessary in the short term.

It has been mentioned in other places that Jon is the son of Prince Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark, making him Dany's half-brother. Traditionally, the Targaryens have two wives, so Jon would be his legitimate son and heir to the throne. Also, traditionally, the Targaryens marry their sisters, so Jon could legally marry Dany. Since it is unlike that Dany can have more children, Jon would have to marry someone else to continue the line of Targaryens.

 

[D_A]

It has been mentioned in other places that Jon is the son of Prince Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark, making him Dany's half-brother. Traditionally, the Targaryens have two wives, so Jon would be his legitimate son and heir to the throne. Also, traditionally, the Targaryens marry their sisters, so Jon could legally marry Dany. Since it is unlike that Dany can have more children, Jon would have to marry someone else to continue the line of Targaryens.

I don't recall that he's the son of Lyanna and Rhaegar, but maybe I've missed it somewhere, but if that's the case, everything else you've said works out.

As for Dany not being able to produce legit heirs, well, my guess is that Melisandre could probably fix that. Besides, it's not like there are any other Targaryens around, at least that we know of, right?

 

[Dyloot]

I don't recall that he's the son of Lyanna and Rhaegar, but maybe I've missed it somewhere, but if that's the case, everything else you've said works out.

As for Dany not being able to produce legit heirs, well, my guess is that Melisandre could probably fix that. Besides, it's not like there are any other Targaryens around, at least that we know of, right?

The Lyanna/Rhaegar union and birth of Jon has never been directly said. There are clues that point to it and it's been on of the bigger theories for the series.