My Big Game of Thrones Existential Questions
what the fuck is going to happen to Jon when he finds out his parents were? it sounds stupid, because, for six seasons i have sat there screaming at my screen wondering why the hell no one would talk about this kid’s mother, and how evil ned and catelynn must have been to deprive him of his birth mother’s identity. THEN when we get confirmation that Jon isnt Ned’s i sat back screaming at my screen even more SOMEONE TELL THIS CHILD WHO HIS PARENTS REALLY WERE. once the audience was clued in and it was confirmed we have the child that is both fire and ice (stark and targaryen) now all we want is for Jon to know because ITS BEEN A QUESTION LEFT OPEN SINCE THE FIRST FUCKING EPISODE.
but seriously, what the fuck is going to happen to Jon’s mentality, his identity, who he believes he is, when suddenly the carpet gets ripped out from under him that not only was his mother not Catelynn but his father wasnt even ned?! break it down even more, what will happen to all the Stark kids, to the world that exist today, when the revelation comes out to light that the “honorable” ned stark who never lied who was loyal and truthful and a brave warrior, whats going to happen when EVERYONE knows he fucking LIED. LIED TO HIS BEST FRIEND. to protect his nephew who was born half a targaryen WHO HE WAS SENT TO DESTROY BECAUSE THEY WENT MAD????
And going back to Jon. Jon idolized Ned, we talk about it now how he is living by Ned’s example, “the man who passes the sentence swings the sword” yaddyadda. He’s built his identity, who he is in this world, based off the father that he knew, the father that claimed him. What kind of damage will it do, if he does find out that Ned wasnt his father, that he has both a father and mother that were together in secret that he was conceived during a time of great war, how everything would have been different if maybe the Stark did marry the Lannister, and did not marry the Dornish woman he was forced to (which sparked the whole issues between the dornish and the lannisters/baratheons). Will it turn Jon mad? will it ruin the person that he has slowly become? will he resent the Starks for all their secrecy? will the rest of the family accept him?
my questions could continue but i will stop there. I just think there is something to be said about the audience (me in particular) who is salivating in anticipation for the day Bran gets to tell Jon who his parents were. Maybe we’re evil for rooting to destroy the only family this kid knows, maybe we’re really fucked up thinking this will cause more good than bad. I dont know what it will do, i just think i never thought about how its really going to fuck up the psyche of someone who already kinda went through an identity crisis just not knowing who his mother was, i cant imagine now what will happen when he realizes he will never get to meet or know both his mother AND father.
Also wouldnt that lead for an interesting story between dany and jon? if he does find out, shes the only person that he knows, or that exists today, that is a targaryen and knows their history and who is proud of their history no matter how dark it is. Maybe as she needed him this last episode to solidify that she is doing the right thing by not melting kingslanding down, maybe she can help him rectify this emotional bomb that bran potentially throws in his life?
or hell never find out bran will take it to his grave and the reveal was only for us to know that its a mix of your DNA and your upbringing that shape (more like walking that line of nurture v. nature saying its a 50/50 split?)
ALSO
just another huge throwing it out there thought. We have no idea how time travel works in this universe. Like, we have nothing really to go on in terms of what happens when Bran wargs out. When he sees the past present or future, if he tells someone what is going to happen, or what has happened, will it change the path of fate? As ive brought up at length before, the whole Bran going back to see Ned at the Tower of Joy thing. Im still hung up on when he calls for his father, dad turns around as if he hears something, then goes back to climbing, then the next time we see that same scene he turns around again only this time Bran says nothing. Same thing with Hodor he jumps into Hodor back in the past which makes him who he is in the present so bran’s future actions caused Hodor’s past to be shaped as it is. So my nagging question is, if Bran reveals anything he sees of the past present or future, does this fuck with “fate”? will the events that he sees happen if he somehow intervenes? did they already set the stage to let us know that anything he does now currently, has already been done (back to my Lost comparisson?) The first Three Eyed Raven (who lets be real im going to say is Bran, like he was the old man in the tree AND the young boy at the base of that tree at the same time thing, see mereena’s “you died in that cave” like duh the night king slashed the old man in half turning him into what looked like spilled oil/feathers/crows, i digress) but the old man was isolated from everyone. he was alone just watching over things and what not, no one there to ask him what the past was like or whats in store for the future, no one running into him that he has seen their true stories that he feels compelled to reveal. he was an island essentially. now bran is surrounded by people, all with stories all with backgrounds and histories and futures, he is confronting his sisters and has intimate knowledge of his “brother” jons true lineage, if he exposes all the things he knows, does that somehow fuck with the space-time continum thats going on? is time really a circle for which he is just a dot on the wheel that keeps turning?
my mind is mush. just thought id ramble about shit that seems to be happening infront of our faces but we’re too distracted on amazing fucking dragons just burning armies down and being in love with a sisterly runion that made me so happy i texted my sister immediatly so we could both revel in the joy of having a sister and how we know what that must have felt like.
sorry i know, go back to work? get a life? ugh annoying.
BY THE WAY, ya broke the ituned top 100 (#55) and are now featured on the Game of Thrones feature section (#3) i could not be more happy, its impressive to see how the Thronies all had their podcasts, and you three coming in during the second to last season, and crushing all the other pods, really makes me so so happy for you guys. its well deserved.
thanks! – Gillian
Subscribe Now
- Android: https://shatontv.com/game-of-thrones-android
- Apple/iTunes: https://shatontv.com/game-of-thrones-itunes
Help Support the Podcast
- Support with Paypal – https://shatontv.com/paypal
- Support With Venmo – https://venmo.com/ShatPodcasts
- Shop / Merchandise: https://shatontv.com/shop
- Shop Amazon With Our Affiliate Link – https://www.amazon.com/?tag=shatmovies-20
- Sponsor’s Listener Survey – https://shatontv.com/survey
- Leave an iTunes Review – https://shatontv.com/game-of-thrones-review
- Leave a Voicemail – (914) 719-SHAT – (914) 719-7428
- Feeds & Social Media – https://shatontv.com/subscribe-and-follow/
- Checkout our Movie Podcast – http://shatthemovies.com
- Theme Song – “Seven Nation Army (Epic Orchestral Cover)” – Ciaran Burch
Gillian,
Great stuff in your post and 2 of my favorite topics to consider. I’ll tackle some of it, but I freely admit I’m wrong a lot.
Regarding the reveal of Jon’s parents and how he will take it: In my opinion, Jon’s reaction to his real parent’s identities will be based entirely in how the information is presented. If he believes he is the product of an abduction and rape, yea Jon will probably be on a 1 way path to self loathing and destructive behavior. If Jon gets what I believe is a story of love, misunderstanding, and tragic circumstances, then I think Jon is going to be just fine. Key word here is LOVE. If Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen were truly in love, awesome. Ned’s search for his sister, was an act of love. Ned’s promise to protect Jon’s identity and sacrifice his reputation to raise Jon, is an act of love. And, there is no doubt in my mind that Ned did love Jon deeply. Stark family values and a mostly grounded upbringing should win the day for Jon. I really hope that is the version of the truth he gets. Afterall, he is found in the Tower of Joy! All of my rainbows and unicorns of love aside, if Jon believes the BS of abduction and rape and God forbid, that BS is true, my living room will look like a tornado went through because I will probably lose my shit.
Regarding Bran: I don’t have a lot of answers here. The mythology of how people become a greenseer and the extent of their abilities hasn’t been spelled out to the book readers or in the show. There is enough to speculate on but concrete knowledge is limited. I don’t think Bran is the 3ER because they both existed in the same time. Per books and lore the 3ER is Brynden Rivers. A Targaryen. The Three Eyed Raven is more of a title that Bran associates with the one person who is the current Greenseer. Meera saying he (Bran) died in the cave, I took to mean Bran’s humanity and connections to the currently reality were over. Just my .02. Time will tell. No pun intended.
Stacey