Am I in a minority of one?

[anonnyscouse]

I actually believe Jon Snow is Ned Stark's bastard. If we compare him to his oldest son, it is mentioned many times how similar Robb is to Ned, and then consider their similar scenarios:

Ned was at Starfall (an enemy stronghold) probably recovering from injuries sustained at the Tower Of Joy (he needed Howland Reed to save his life).

Robb was at The Crag (an enemy stronghold) recovering from injuries sustained from a battle there.

Ned was grieving for his sister Lyanna.

Robb was grieving for his brothers Bran and Rickon.

This is where nothing else is known of Ned's time at Starfall so it is conjecture. But we know Robb was comforted by Jeyne and through his sense of honour Robb married Jeyne after taking her maidenhood. Ned couldn't marry Jon's mother as he was already married to Catelyn, he felt the most honourable thing he could do was bring up his bastard as his true-born son.

As for the promise to Lyanna I believe that Dany is the daughter of R+L, but that's a different topic.

[SacredOrderOfGreenMen]

Yes, you are alone.

[Fat Mac]

You're not quite alone. I believe R+L=J myself (though I'd prefer it not be true). There are some who don't believe it, but they're few and far between.

[Dya of Oldstones]

R+L=J It is known

Even from some of the haters.

[Hardtack]

You're not totally alone, but your beliefs are clearly a sign of intellectual deficiency, moral degeneracy, and mental instability. Anyone who isn't an idiot can tell that Jon is the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and destined to rule the Seven Kingdoms.

[Ramsay B.]

There's 14 total people who believe that...you are number 15.

[Julia Martell]

You're new here.... I bet we can convince you.

[JoeyBanana]

You're not totally alone, but your beliefs are clearly a sign of intellectual deficiency, moral degeneracy, and mental instability. Anyone who isn't an idiot can tell that Jon is the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and destined to rule the Seven Kingdoms.

You can also safely add impotency and complete lack of self-confidence to your diagnose without sounding ridiculous, why cross the line when you can take a dump on it, right?

[Dead Wolf]

No. There are people who believe Jon is Ned's son, and while I believe R+L=J is most likely true I believe Ashara being Jon's mother with Ned as the father is plausible

[Galaxian]

You're not totally alone, but your beliefs are clearly a sign of intellectual deficiency, moral degeneracy, and mental instability. Anyone who isn't an idiot can tell that Jon is the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and destined to rule the Seven Kingdoms.

It's comments like this that make me wish R+L=J ends up being false.

But yeah, evidence for it is very substantial.

[Rhaegal Targaryen]

Then why didn't Ned list Jon as his children in the cells?

[Hardtack]

It's comments like this that make me wish R+L=J ends up being false.

Me, too.

[Julia Martell]

OP: I assume you've read the summary that begins all 99(!) R+L=J threads.

It goes through the main evidences and most common objections quite well.

[Ferocious Veldt Roarer]

You're not totally alone, but your beliefs are clearly a sign of intellectual deficiency, moral degeneracy, and mental instability. Anyone who isn't an idiot can tell that Jon is the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and destined to rule the Seven Kingdoms.

Dude, there's a special font for sarcasm. See what happens when you don't use it? It isn't pretty.

[DamoDega]

I like the character and i will prefer if he end up be Ned's bastard, but R+L=J sound the way is going to be

[Lord Bowie]

Dude, there's a special font for sarcasm. See what happens when you don't use it? It isn't pretty.

I don't think the problem is about being sarcastic. It's just about being a douche.

[Hardtack]

Dude, there's a special font for sarcasm. See what happens when you don't use it? It isn't pretty.

Learning to detect textual sarcasm is a valuable skill for any forumgoer and I am merely contributing to their further education. And contributing to examples of Poe's Law, apparently.

I like the character and i will prefer if he end up be Ned's bastard, but R+L=J sound the way is going to be

The theory overemphasizes interpretation of ambiguous textual minutiae and underemphasizes or disregards other factors (e.g. thematic or narrative issues). Not to say it isn't plausible, but it's not the absolute certainty that some people have billed it as.

[Mokymok]

Well, I think the post is completely flawed. unlikely probability, timeline..

Why would Ned be resting from injuries (never mentioned) in Starfall. Robb was resting at the Crag because he took the castle.

You also say that Ned stayed 9 months on Starfall ?

[Bryden Tully]

Ned would have to be at Starfall for 9 months after RR

[anonnyscouse]

Well, I think the post is completely flawed. unlikely probability, timeline..

Why would Ned be resting from injuries (never mentioned) in Starfall. Robb was resting at the Crag because he took the castle.

You also say that Ned stayed 9 months on Starfall ?

If the timeline doesn't work why does everyone in Westeros believe Jon is Ned's bastard, as Wylla (the generally accepted mother in Westeros) and Ashara (the secretly believed by some in Winterfell) were both in Starfall, how can he not have stayed long enough to father a bastard if everyone in Westeros believes he did?

As for my theory that Ned was injured that comes from the fact he says Howland saved his life, unless Howland was a better fighter than Ned then I can assume that if Ned needed his life saving then he was losing to Dayne, which would suggest an injury.

If Jon is Lyanna's son then why does Ned move further from Jon everytime he remembers the promise? His strongest recollection of The Tower Of Joy is after failing to convince King Robert to spare Dany.

In fact if the promise to Lyanna was to protect Jon wouldn't he remember it less with Jon at the Wall and out of reach of most who would want to harm him? Also why was he reluctant to accept the deal to send him to the Wall if it would bring him close to Jon and allow him to fulfill his promise to Lyanna.