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Jon is a average sword fighter at best.. The Joe Flacco of sword fighting


Stannis th3 Mannis

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Jon did say he was better than Robb. I will agree the Halfhand probably let him win, but he is also good enough to fight his way out of the Thenns. He cut down a few there, if memory serves.


"He cut down the first manas he turned toward the wolf, shoved past a second, slashed at a third... A hand closed round his ankle, and he hacked down and saw Bodger's face dissolve in a welter of blood." So he cut sown at least two warriors there. He also beat Iron Emmett, who was considered one of the best warriors at Eastwatch. And Mance was no slouch himself, especially since Jon had just fought three boys himself and Mance was fresh.


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The quote where Jon says he was a better sword than Robb came in aGoT, when he was talking to Benjen at the feast in Winterfell. Don't have the book with me, or I would give the actual quote.


That being said, when people list Jon as one of the best swordsmen in the realm, I get confused. I am sure he is good, and he should get better with time, but he is not a prodigy like Jaime was.


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Maybe I'm mistaken on that point but I thought it was said rob was better than jon at everything.... I do t dislike jon I wish he was better he's got a awsome e sword I wish he was up there with jamie and oberyn

That was in the show; not the books. In the books Jon says "I'm better with a sword than Robb".

Jon has also:

1. Fought a wight

2. Fought the Wildlings (killing the sentry Orell, fighting his way out of the Thenns, fighting them at Castle Black)

3. Fought everyone at Castle Black

4. Trained others at swordplay since he arrived

5. Fought anyone who would challenge him

6. Stood his ground against Mance

Jon takes his training very seriously, and puts a lot of effort into it:

Grenn agreed. “His duties don’t keep him from the yard. More days than not, he’s out there fighting someone.”

That was true, Sam had to admit. Once, when Jon came to consult with Maester Aemon, Sam had asked him why he spent so much time at swordplay. “The Old Bear never trained much when he was Lord Commander,” he had pointed out. In answer, Jon had pressed Longclaw into Sam’s hand. He let him feel the lightness, the balance, had him turn the blade so that ripples gleamed in the smoke-dark metal. “Valyrian steel,” he said, “spell-forged and razor-sharp, nigh on indestructible. A swordsman should be as good as his sword, Sam. Longclaw is Valyrian steel, but I’m not. The Halfhand could have killed me as easy as you swat a bug.”

Jon is a talented swordsman, even if he isn't the best in the story. He will likely never reach the same status as a fight as Selmy, Jaime or Arthur Dayne...but he was above 'average' when he arrived at Castle Black. And he's only improved since.

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Mance is a badass and probably a better fighter than most men south of the wall. How do you think he won the respect of all the Wildlings?

Yeah, Jon had to beat the best fights of most of the villages to become KBtW. And Jon didn't beat him...but he didn't fare badly against him, either.

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Has anyone claimed that he is a great swordsman? Do people generally do that? He is a capable fighter with a sword, possibly good but probably not great. GRRM writes realistically enough that all prominent "warrior type" male characters don't have to be exceptional fighters. GRRM has specifically said in a SSM that Eddard was not a great swordsman, he was average. I think Jon is good enough, but he is a leader first and a fighter second.


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Jon is average for a noble man.

I disagree.

But this is a useless argument because he's not in a position to fight other noblemen for comparison, so people will keep bringing up comparisons with noblemen...and the only other noble outside of the Night's Watch that we can compare him to is Robb, since he says "I'm a better sword than Robb".

But a man who can fight and beat almost everyone of note in the NW is above average.

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