Should Ned have let Jon go to the Wall?

[Aemond's Eye]

Ned didn't want him to go - he had hoped for Jon to assist Robb when the latter became the acting Lord of Winterfell in Ned's absence. Given Cat's understandable reaction, Ned had few options. He couldn't take him South due to the politics of bringing a bastard to court, especially one who wouldn't be knighted - not to mention the danger Jon would be in if R+L=J is true. He couldn't marry him matrilineally, nor would a morganatic marriage have suited - descendants of Jon could still be used as pawns if Jon's heritage was discovered.

Really, Ned was between a rock and a hard place with Jon. It seems like he'd not thought about Jon's future beyond his boyhood, and if Rhaegar was Jon's father then any sort of marriage is risky. Only the Night's Watch, Citadel or Kingsguard provided some form of safety, and only the former was plausible.

[The Gallows Knight]

Sending Jon on a Essos tour to let him see the world, maybe even outfitting him and some companions to serve comfortable in a free company even would have been the more fatherly thing to do. It would have gotten him out of Cat's hair and let him see and experience the world and letting him live his life before he then got to consider pledging himself to a monochromatic wardrobe.

[Sweetgirl205]

Assume that Jon really is Ned's bastard from Wylla, or someone else. In that case, then the only way for Jon to really have a place in the world is to join the Night's Watch.

Now assume that R+L=J is true. In this case, it was a terrible thing for Ned to do without at least giving Jon the truth. I really thing Ned let Jon go to keep him safe. He assumed that he would see Jon again and be able to tell him the truth. However, in that case, Ned was being terribly unfair. He should have at least sent Jon a message before he took his vows. Then, Jon could decide to chase his potential claims or go ahead and take vows. That way, Jon could retain his honor like Ned did. Like I said several times though, Ned was honorable, not smart.

[Makk]

The real issue is Jon was slightly too young at the time. Personally I think Ned should have tried to convince him to wait a couple of years and then if he still wanted to join he would go with Neds blessing. Of course Ned would have intended to tell him then. The problem was that there was no real place for him to go when Ned got called south. Because of this, Ned could have told Catelyn the truth about his parents at this time, and let Jon stay at Winterfell.

I guess the other way to look at it would just be let him go to the wall if that was what he wanted. The fact he was a Targaryen is ultimately immaterial. As far as Ned was aware, there was no chance in Jon ever using that knowledge to achieve anything positive. He was Jon Snow, always would be Jon Snow, and should make life choices in accordance with that.

[Daedric Justice]

He only offered to tell him who his mother was when Ned knew Jon would be taking the black and no longer have a claim.

____________________

I think people read too much into these oaths.

Robb wanted Jon as his heir knowing full well he was a member of the NW. He obviously didn't see it as a biggie.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

BTW, Ned was also sending him under the protection of Benjen. Jon was just being passed from one uncle to another. There is no way Ned could have imagined Ben would ended up lost and Jon would be on his own. Had Benjen remained at the Wall, things would be different for anyone, specially for Jon. Personally, I think Benjen would make a good parent figure for him and Ned probably thought the same.

[BRANDON GREYSTARK]

THE CURSE OF THE WOLF'S BLOOD

Whether you agree or disagree with Ned's decision , Ned should not had made this choice while his blood was up and especially not around Catelyn . I think it is very honorable that Jon join the Night's Watch but he has a good brain , he could have joined the maesters .

[Aemond's Eye]

How would being a maester be any better for him? The end is the same - he can't marry, sire trurborn children, or hold land nor title. Jon "could have" also converted to The Seven and tried to become a knight of the Kingsguard - about as likely as him being a maester. One is unlikely as Jon is a man of action, not a man of words; the other is unlikely as Jon isn't a worshipper of The Seven and being around Robert Baratheon could be dangerous for him.

Jon would ne'er want to be a maester anyway. In The Night's Watch he could still rise to an honourable position and carve out a reputation and name for himself - that's what he wants.

If Ned could have found a place for Jon in Winterfell he would have. He did not want him to join The Night's Watch. Ned's dilemma there is that to ensure Jon's protection he must be Jon Snow, the bastard of Winterfell. Any marriage - matrilineal or morganatic included - present danger should Jon's real parentage be discovered. The Wall essentially protects Jon, though Ned still feels guilty.

[Bironic]

How would being a maester be any better for him? The end is the same - he can't marry, sire trurborn children, or hold land nor title. Jon "could have" also converted to The Seven and tried to become a knight of the Kingsguard - about as likely as him being a maester. One is unlikely as Jon is a man of action, not a man of words; the other is unlikely as Jon isn't a worshipper of The Seven and being around Robert Baratheon could be dangerous for him.

Jon would ne'er want to be a maester anyway. In The Night's Watch he could still rise to an honourable position and carve out a reputation and name for himself - that's what he wants.

If Ned could have found a place for Jon in Winterfell he would have. He did not want him to join The Night's Watch. Ned's dilemma there is that to ensure Jon's protection he must be Jon Snow, the bastard of Winterfell. Any marriage - matrilineal or morganatic included - present danger should Jon's real parentage be discovered. The Wall essentially protects Jon, though Ned still feels guilty.

Perhaps Ned made more than one promise to Lyanna. Perhaps he promised her that he will tell Jon about his parents. And because he never did, he feels so guilty.

[Aemond's Eye]

Perhaps, though I imagine his promise was to raise him in Winterfell and to keep him safe. She may have asked Ned to raise him as his own son, or he may have done that as it was the only way to ensure Jon's safety without coming to blows with Robert. But even if she made Ned promise to raise him as his own, he seems the type of guy that would feel guilty not telling Jon irregardless.

[Bironic]

Perhaps, though I imagine his promise was to raise him in Winterfell and to keep him safe. She may have asked Ned to raise him as his own son, or he may have done that as it was the only way to ensure Jon's safety without coming to blows with Robert. But even if she made Ned promise to raise him as his own, he seems the type of guy that would feel guilty not telling Jon irregardle

I agree, Ned was this sort of guy.

[Dormund of Ruddy Hall]

Ned believed that serving in the Night's Watchi is a great honor. He also believed Jon would be safer there, away from the politics of the realm and, especially, from Robert. I think he intended to tell Jon about his heritage, but not until he was a sworn brother of the Night's Watch. This is a means to keep him safe and fulfll his promise to Lyanna.

[David Selig]

How would being a maester be any better for him? The end is the same - he can't marry, sire trurborn children, or hold land nor title.

Well, he wouldn't live in a frozen hellhole at the end of the world and most of his co-workers and people around him wouldn't be murderers and rapists, Pretty big improvement if you ask me.

[Makk]

He only offered to tell him who his mother was when Ned knew Jon would be taking the black and no longer have a claim.

You are speaking about the show only right? As far as I recall Ned never offered to tell Jon about his mother in the books?

[Julia H.]

Ned didn't regard Jon as a secret heir to the throne and he didn't bring him up to be a future king. To him, Jon was his sister's son. I don't think Ned ever imagined that telling Jon the true story of his birth would somehow change the boy's options in life. For all intents and purposes, Jon was to remain Jon Snow - a Stark by loyalties and upbringing - at least as far as Ned was concerned.

Choosing the NW was still considered an honourable option for a young man - Ned's own brother had joined, too. I don't think the NW was necessarily Ned's plan for Jon all along though. Jon probably could have become a bannerman or advisor or master-at-arms for Robb... although it's a good point that a married Targaryen-descendant with children of his own could be seen as more of a danger than a celibate black brother, whose only family was the NW. But Jon did not want to live his life as Robb Stark's bastard brother. Robb was his best friend and rival and constant companion - I think Jon wanted to be his equal and perhaps he also wanted to escape the futile and guilty desire to own Winterfell and to be acknowledged as Eddard Stark's true son.

At least partly due to the circumstances, Ned allowed him to go - but (in principle) Jon was free to change his mind before taking the vow.

[Marcel]

Ned didn't regard Jon as a secret heir to the throne and he didn't bring him up to be a future king. To him, Jon was his sister's son. I don't think Ned ever imagined that telling Jon the true story of his birth would somehow change the boy's options in life. For all intents and purposes, Jon was to remain Jon Snow - a Stark by loyalties and upbringing - at least as far as Ned was concerned.

Choosing the NW was still considered an honourable option for a young man - Ned's own brother had joined, too. I don't think the NW was necessarily Ned's plan for Jon all along though. Jon probably could have become a bannerman or advisor or master-at-arms for Robb... although it's a good point that a married Targaryen-descendant with children of his own could be seen as more of a danger than a celibate black brother, whose only family was the NW. But Jon did not want to live his life as Robb Stark's bastard brother. Robb was his best friend and rival and constant companion - I think Jon wanted to be his equal and perhaps he also wanted to escape the futile and guilty desire to own Winterfell and to be acknowledged as Eddard Stark's true son.

At least partly due to the circumstances, Ned allowed him to go - but (in principle) Jon was free to change his mind before taking the vow.

I agree with this.

Benjen decision to join the Night's Watch probably occurred after it became clear that the continuity of Starks was assured - after all Ned and Cat had five children. I believe that after Robb was born, Benjen felt less pressured to get married and have children. Probably he decided to enlist shortly after the birth of Bran, or even after Sansa's birth. He probably didn't have much else to aspire to, and I see Jon in a similar situation. Probably that would be Rickon's fate too.

Let's assume that Ned tell the truth Jon, how it would impact his decision? Jon could not draw any benefit from his ancestry because Ned would never support any attempt to claim the throne. Moreover, as far as Ned knows, Jon is still a bastard, just not his bastard. But Ned should have said that the wall was crap. Or Luwin could have advised Ned to send Jon to Oldtown to become a maester, but he liked Bran more. At least OldTown is warmer...

[Julia H.]

True, Oldtown is warmer... :)

But Jon seems to prefer a physically more active life than the life of a maester.

"You'd be surprised. This vault is a treasure, Jon."

"If you say, so." Jon was doubtful. Treasure meant gold, silver, and jewels, not dust, spiders, and rotting leather.

This is Sam and Jon in the library of Castle Black, where Jon is all excited about the ranging and totally uninterested in the treasures of the library.

[Aemond's Eye]

Well, he wouldn't live in a frozen hellhole at the end of the world and most of his co-workers and people around him wouldn't be murderers and rapists, Pretty big improvement if you ask me.

He could end up serving as a maester to someone like Walder Frey or Tywin Lannister. Maesters don't get to choose the keep that they're assigned to.

Jon's a man of action, not an academic. He's not suited to being a maester.

[Tiggy4Real]

While I don't think Jon would have ever been interested in being a maester, I do think he had other options. Ned never let Jon be fostered out because he wanted his blood with him, but that doesn't mean that no one else in the North would have taken him. Someone brought up the idea that Jon would have died in the Red Wedding with Robb, but Jon would have more than likely been asked to stay in Winterfell as Bran's steward or have been sent back to reclaim it from Theon.

Jon was waffling about his place in Winterfell before he knew his father was going to be Hand; he never even thinks of all of the options open to him. And he does leave the Night's Watch, TWICE. I believe the first time was before he made his vows (I could be wrong). Both times he was talked out of leaving or guilt-tripped into staying.

Personally, I think Jon could have gone elsewhere and done other things. The Night's Watch just happened to be the one he pushed for while Ned was scrambling to find somewhere else for Jon to go. Honestly, Jon's choices should have been something Ned was getting ready for the minute he knew Robert was coming.

I also agree with the poster who thought Ned should have been building up the North economically. Unfortunately, Ned was not raised to play the Game of Thrones. He didn't spend his time around his father, and he apparently forgot whatever Jon Arryn taught him (if he taught him anything about being a Lord Paramount).

There's a lot that could be said about Ned's and Jon's choices, but we have to remember that these decisions are ultimately based on what the author wants for the plot to go forward. I could direct you to some great fanfics that have both Ned and Jon do entirely different things (but Robb continues to die), but ultimately their just fan fiction. And we're just fans waiting for a new book.

TL;DNR: Ned should have had other options ready, Robert's offer through him off base, and Jon took that moment of upheaval to press that Night's Watch option that he was grossly misinformed (or willingly deafened) about. Ultimately, what GRRM says goes.

[SerBert]

Why didn't he send him to Howland Reed? Surely that guy was the safest place for Jon?