Brukel is right. In his internal monologues, N never once refers to J as his son - only that he is of his blood.

This fan theory is very well supported by textual evidence and contextual implications (N's promise, N's character, R setting the Kingsguard over the ToJ). GRRM is a great writer in that he rewards attentive reading.

What R+L=J does not mean (as many fans expect) is that J will take the throne, ride dragons etc - that much will be too clichéd, and isn't consistent with J's motivations and actions thus far. ASOIAF isn't a fairytale.

That said, I do not think, as Republic does, that this different parentage detracts from N and J's relationship. They are in all relevant senses, father and son.

Compare this to the other, wilder theory that Aerys raped Joanna and conceived Tyrion. Even if this were true, Tyrion is still essentially Tywin's son - of the Lannister trio, he is most like Tywin, having his cunning and dispositions. Who fucked whom to conceive whom decades ago, doesn't matter - upbringing and actual parenting does.

 

Spoiler

Then will he kill her to obtain the Lightbringer? As the hero of old did? That would be pretty fun. Since he is most likely dead and will later be resurrected by the Red God, that would make him a Zombie which has killed the only thing he loved to obtain a weapon that will save the world. Nifty.

True be told, I do not think Martin will go this way (though Dany travelling to Westeros on the back of Drogon is very plausible) he will create an even more convoluted scenario that will be the least obvious one.

I am more and more convinced that Martin does not know where to go with the series. Or rather how to finish it all up. Though the new book could possibly change things, he stated that the Others' plot will feature heavily in Winds of Winter.

 

Basically, yeah. Or maybe Dany kills Jon. Or maybe nobody dies and Lightbringer IS Dany. Or maybe Lightbringer is the dragons. No clues as to how that will go down exactly, but the textual evidence for one of them being Azor Ahai is pretty solid.

/derail

 

I've never understood this theory. If anyone of Tywin's kids are Targs (which I doubt), it's Jaime and Cersei. More likely timeline wise, more poetic (The incest, Jaime killing his actual father after being ordered to kill his believed father, Cersei's obsession with fire and her level of attraction to only Jaime and Rhaegar), and waaay more ironic with Tywin "muh line, muh family" Lannister treating his only legit heir as unwanted trash. Plus, like you mentioned he has the most of Tywin's traits out of all three.

As far as I can see, the Tyrion being a Targ thing seems to just people wanting him, Jon and Dany to be the three heads of the dragon because they're their favorite characters or something.

 

Can't remember where, but I read a pretty persuasive case that Jon is AA, and the Nights Watch is light bringer. Largely based on the vow "I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn" and them taking no wives being the sacrifice of whatshername

 

Spoiler

So in fact, anything can happen and we don't know shit.

We have four points pointing to either J or D being the AA that is:
1) Jaehaerys being convinced that the AA will be born from the union of Aerys and Rhaella
2) R + L = J
3) Maester Ameon ponderings
4) Mellisandre seeing Jon in her fires

Based on Martin's track record none of that means anything. For example Mellisandre believed Stannis to be the AA. Aegon has now appeared, which gave yet another candidate. Jon was killed (probably). Two of the dragons are wild. I just think he won't finish the series in a way we think he will.

 

Spoiler

I doubt Aegon is who he thinks he is. My only real theory about anything in the next few books is the eventual reveal that Aegon is a fake, either a Blackfyre or pisswater prince, and Connington is being taken for a ride by Varys and Illyrio.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that good? It'd be a fairly boring two books if we already knew everything that was going to unfold. Also, just because we don't know doesn't mean he doesn't, which was your original point to begin with.

 

And I once again state it. I do not think Martin knows how or in what way his series will end. He most likely has some guidelines prepared but all of them are worth less than crap, he can change his mind anytime, which is of course his right. What I am saying is that he did not have a plan which he followed. He had a rough outline and then went with the flow. Because of that, he multiplies plots and introduces new characters, which have little, if anything, to do with his original premise.

On the matter of plot predictability:

Our expectations, while important (to us), are not pertinent to the series. And there is a difference between knowing what will happen and seeing the way it will happen. For example, when I read a novel, let's say Christie's, I know that Poirot or Miss Marple will find out the villain and everything will be fine in the end. And yet, why am I (and millions of others) so engrossed in the story years after the hype has gone down? Another example: We all knew that Harry will kill Voldemort, in some way. And yet millions preordered the 7th book, despite knowing how it will generally end (Harry kills Voldemort, lives happily ever after). It is the journey and the fun of reading a hero's story that compels us.

Martin's books were great, because they were unconventional. They went against the tide. But that can be enjoyable only for so long. Why should you get involved emotionally in a character if you know they will die? Subverting a trope only works a couple of times, before it gets tedious. It is one of the problems with Martin's books, though not the only one. There is a reason why a classic hero story is CLASSIC.

 

Spoiler

I'm so tired of hearing L+R=J. I'm fully expecting Martin, to make Jon, trully Eddards bastard, just to spite those who believe in this theory.

Also, concerning the ending. IMO, it will all end with the Others victory. The politicking of Great Houses will prove to be humanity undoing, and the Others will cross the Wall, murder everyone, and bring forth the ice age.
...
...
...
And then Bran Stark, will travel back in time, and shall be known as Brandon the Builder

 

He has already said very emphatically that he would never change his story based on fan predictions. Link.

 

Yup - Martin wouldn't shit on his own story and its consistency just to ... spite fans dedicated enough to analyze the finer details of his tale.

 

At this point, all I want is for Martin to die before he finished the last book and watch the world burn.

 

What a horrible thing to say, even for DLP. You are truly one of the most annoying people on the forum.

 

That sort of sentiment is like hearing that The Dark Knight was only good because Heath Ledger had died.

 

Considering the fact that he told the creators of the TV show how the series is going to end (in case he doesn't make it), it seems to me that he has at least some idea of how it is going to end.

 

I think this gets my vote for 'best kill' of the series, with Theon's fail beheading coming in a close second.

 

Just imagine Polliver wheezing out , "I see what you did therrrrr-hurghk"

 

To question those who don't think Jon is Ned's son, isn't it specifically stated how much Jon looks like Ned? I remember one scene from the books, where someone sees him, and comments that it is like looking at Ned Stark when he was younger.

 

It seems you lack a basic understanding of genetics.

Lyanna could have gotten almost all the same chromosomes from her parents as Ned did save for the Y. She passess those chromosomes to Jon. Many of her alleles are dominant or codominant. Bing bang boom, Jon looks like Ned instead of Rhaegar.

It's pretty common too. My cousins look just like my Mom.