Entertainment

Helen Sloan/HBO

Will Bran Discover R+L=J On 'Game Of Thrones'? It Makes Sense

by Megan Walsh

One of the most popular Game of Thrones fan theories concerns the parentage of Jon Snow. As far as Jon knows, he's the son of Ned Stark and an unknown woman. However, certain clues have led fans to speculate that Jon is actually the child of Ned's sister Lyanna and Rhaegar Targaryen, the prince who ran off with her many years ago. Finding that out would change everything for Jon; it would give him a sense of identity and history that he always lacked, as well as allow him to become a major player in the fight for the throne. The problem is that pretty much everyone who knew the truth is long dead, so how would Jon ever discover it? The answer may lie with one of the youngest Starks, Bran, thanks to his psychic abilities. Will Bran discover R+L=J on Game of Thrones?

There has been some indication that Bran will have something to do with revealing Jon's true parentage. He is returning in Season 6 after a year long absence during which he honed his psychic skills, which include warging (seeing through and controlling the minds of animals) and visions. Actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright has also had some hint-heavy things to say about it.

The actor told Entertainment Weekly that, "Previously Bran’s seen tiny glimpses of future or past but never has he been very much in control in the situation. Now we’re given looks into very important events in the past, present and future of this world and Bran is beginning to piece them together like a detective, almost as if he’s watching the show." That seems like a confirmation that Bran is going to be discovering some big information using his powers.

There is also the description for Season 6 episode three, "Oathbreaker," which contains the line, "Bran meets the past." That definitely makes it sound like Bran is going to uncover something big from the old days that will have a huge impact on the current storylines.

Then again, with all the dark secrets running around Westeros, who's to say that the one Bran stumbles upon will be the one fans are most eager to hear? A new location might be a major clue. The R+L=J theory rests heavily on a memory Ned Stark has in the books of going to rescue his sister from the Tower of Joy, where she had been holed up with Rhaegar for nearly a year (say, nine months or so). She's dying when Ned finds her, in a "bed of blood," and she makes him promise her something. It's all immensely painful for Ned, and he never reveals just what that promise is. The new location looks an awful lot like it could be the Tower of Joy, and casting notices point towards a young Ned being cast, as well as the knights who were with him.

Nothing is confirmed, but the puzzle pieces all seem to fit together. There is no one living who could reveal the truth to Jon (provided he comes back to life, that is) but the flashback is near definite, and Bran has the ability to visit the past. Combined with Hempstead-Wright's statement about important events, it sure makes it sound like Bran is going to be the one to uncover this mystery.