The Importance of Jon Snow

[Schwarze Sonne]

In this rant, I'll be using R+L=J as if it is true (I believe it).

I think that the biggest mystery in the entire series is what's the deal with the prince that was Promised, the prophecy regarding it and why would people bother with him being born.

We have no idea what's the prophecy is about, although we can connect it with Azor Ahai and other legends, some other sources sound like they're telling different tales about the Long Night. Are they even connected? Why Maester Aemon connected it to Azor Ahai? Why the Aegon V and Jaehaerys II ordered Aerys to marry Rhaella? Why Daenys dreamt about it and why Aegon the Conqueror united Westeros with motto "the dragon has three heads"? I can understand Rhaegar's obsession as his birth is connected to the prophecy, but why is he so sure that his child would be the one instead? And again, why is it so important?

Rhaegar seems liek a smart and sensible person even if he's a bit obsessed. He shouldn't be stupid enough to cause all troubles for nothing if tPtwP is so important, something that made him feel like it's urgent to take those actions even if they'd lead to conflicts and sufferings like e.g. dragon dream about the coming doom.

I'd be upset if it'll end with different people contribute to end the Long Night, wth equally important roles to play. People have their role to play is what I can accept, but tPtwP should be the center of it all, and the most important that can't be missed, like Rand in WOT can't be missing in the Last Battle against the Shadow. After all the suffering THAT prophecy brought to everyone.

 

There are 3 major characters who seem to have a major role to play in The Long Night that were born as consequences of R+L=J.

Jon Snow - The direct product of R+L=J and unfortunately the cause of most of the conflicts and sufferings in this series. All the build-ups so far make him the hero, especially when he got away from his stupid actions.

Daenerys Stormborn - The product of Aerys the Mad and poor Rhaella. If Rhaegar never got together with Lyanna somehow, Aerys wouldn't have someone to burn and get aroused enough to have sex with Rhaella whom he normally avoided, thus no Daenerys born then. And if Rhaegar's plan to make use of the Council to dethrone Aerys succeeded, Aerys would never get laid with Rhaella ever because he'd be king no more, hence no authority to order Rhaella who would choose to distance herslef from him ASAP, thus no Daenerys. I think she'd become the antagonist with all the build-ups so far, especially the delusion about dragons plant no tree, and her self-righteous and unforgiving nature. I also doubt her dragons would fare well in freezing cold and blizzard when the history proved how weak they became during rain and storm.

The Stark children - No Ned + Cat but instead Brandon + Cat, another set will be born, but what if Brandon is infertile? No Stark children with warg and greenseer ability then! No Bran to visit Bloodraven and CotF in the cave. No reason whatsoever for Bloodraven to watch over Ned since child...

No Tyrion, that guy was already born. And I don't think he'll attribute positively to the realm before the Others invaded. He'd rather take his sweet revenge on the Lannisters and rest of the realm while comtemplating bullshit like this is how Tywin + Varys + LF would have done. Tyrion has already degenerated into someone far worse than those terrible three. And I am quite confident that Tyrion will become an enemy of the Starks like the foreshadowing with all the direwolves hating Tyrion for no apparent reason in book 1. I already have doubt about the effectiveness of dragons in extreme cold, I have even more doubt for a dwarf with no magic...

 

So what if Jon Snow's birth isn't matter at all? What if the Wall never fell in the end? What if the Others never reached south of the Wall? What if Daenerys' dragons won against the Others despite the freezing cold and snow storm, thus rendering Jon to be even less important? What if Jon Snow has to beg for support from others because he doesn't matter that much? Does Jon have to beg the Starks for Daenerys for support because he's so helpless? And most importantly, what if all these horrible things are the direct consequences of R+L=J and the Long Night is brought back because of it? The entire theme of the series would be about futility then! I'd burn all my books for that!

 

Thus, if Jon Snow, flawed as he is, becomes somewhat unimportant in the end and has to beg for everyone for support against the Others, wielding no special super-power like the only one to defeat the Others...

Why does Jon Snow have to be born?

What's the deal with all the build-ups?

What's the deal with all the sufferings caused by those build-ups?

What's the deal with everything I've read so far?

Damn prophecies! Damn magic! Damn warg! Damn CotF! Damn Bloodraven! Damn dragons! Damn the Blackwoods! Damn Westerosi! Damn everyone!

 

I know a lot of people in this forum are upset about Jon Snow being the hero, because it sounds boring.

But if he isn't one, then everything in the series would be quite meaningless. It'd end up with the prophecies and warnings are all bull, better to deny they ever exist at all and go with typical commonsense.

 

My theory is that the prince that was Promised is so important because only he can defeat the Others, no one else can do it, and if he failed everyone's doomed.

But the Long Night will come regardless of tPtwP's present, hence the NEED to make sure tPtwP is available at need.

tPtwP functions as human weapon, but also as leader.

Obsidian is not effective against the Others, unless tPtwP does something about them. Probably why the wildlings don't seem to know that Obsidian can kill the WW, since they do have it as weapons. Also why the WW Sam killed seemed to be too careless when Sam wielded it to kill him, if they normally posed a threat. Sam got obsidian cache from Jon. The WWs in the prologue of AGOT also acted cautiously around Waymar at first, until they decided he wasn't the one they were looking for.

The dragons are told in the books ASOIAF and TWOIAF that they seemed to all die during the Long Night except for the ones in Valyria. Could it be from extreme cold? Wouldn't that make the dragons useless?

 

Now, Jon's importance started to get on my nerve a bit. But I'll be even more pissed if they aren't so. Your opinions about the whole thing with R+L=J and all the sufferings in this series?

[CaptainJugular]

My biggest problem with the whole Azor Ahai thing is how much the fan base depends on it. It lends itself to endless theorizing, which is fun, but the savior idea is like the very antithesis of what George R.R. Martin's all about. Other than Mel, stories about Rhaegar, and Aemon's dying moments, there's never been any reason to believe one person is meant to save the world. It's too neat, too predictable, and too easy.

 

Don't get me wrong, Jon Snow is important. Rhaegar + Lyanna = Jon may very well be true, but I've never seen its implications as having anything to do with Jon waving a flaming sword and defeating evil ice demons. To me it's important because it's something for Jon to reconcile with. I don't think he will ever be considered a Targaryen, because if the Jon we know has to choose between some secret dragon prince heritage he doesn't know anything about, and his identity as a Stark, I think it's obvious which one he'd choose.

 

Basically, I think the main reason prophecies are there is because they motivate the characters. Whether the details of them come true doesn't matter, because the characters believe they'll come true. Rhaegar started a war, screwed up his plans to abdicate Aerys, and ended his dynasty because he was obsessed with that prophecy. It didn't have to be true. Remember, these are VERY superstitious people we're reading about. Again I think the change comes as the society as a whole starts to reform. My guess is that Jon brokers a peace with the Others, knowing they aren't mindless monsters, but another race of beings.

[DigUpHerBones]

i truly believe Lyanna told Ned to kill Jon at ToJ, that was the "promise".

Ned, obviously could not.

When sh*t starts to go wrong for House Stark, Ned often thinks of his failed promise...

not saying Jon is "good" or "bad", but his role as harbinger is undeniable...

 

[Curled Finger]

I think that the biggest mystery in the entire series is what's the deal with the prince that was Promised, the prophecy regarding it and why would people bother with him being born.

We have no idea what's the prophecy is about, although we can connect it with Azor Ahai and other legends, some other sources sound like they're telling different tales about the Long Night. Are they even connected? Why Maester Aemon connected it to Azor Ahai? Why the Aegon V and Jaehaerys II ordered Aerys to marry Rhaella? Why Daenys dreamt about it and why Aegon the Conqueror united Westeros with motto "the dragon has three heads"? 

Rhaegar seems liek a smart and sensible person even if he's a bit obsessed. He shouldn't be stupid enough to cause all troubles for nothing if tPtwP is so important, something that made him feel like it's urgent to take those actions even if they'd lead to conflicts and sufferings like e.g. dragon dream about the coming doom.

There are 3 major characters who seem to have a major role to play in The Long Night that were born as consequences of R+L=J.

Jon Snow - The direct product of R+L=J and unfortunately the cause of most of the conflicts and sufferings in this series. All the build-ups so far make him the hero, especially when he got away from his stupid actions.

Daenerys Stormborn - The product of Aerys the Mad and poor Rhaella. If Rhaegar never got together with Lyanna somehow, Aerys wouldn't have someone to burn and get aroused enough to have sex with Rhaella whom he normally avoided, thus no Daenerys born then. And if Rhaegar's plan to make use of the Council to dethrone Aerys succeeded, Aerys would never get laid with Rhaella ever because he'd be king no more, hence no authority to order Rhaella who would choose to distance herslef from him ASAP, thus no Daenerys. I think she'd become the antagonist with all the build-ups so far, especially the delusion about dragons plant no tree, and her self-righteous and unforgiving nature. I also doubt her dragons would fare well in freezing cold and blizzard when the history proved how weak they became during rain and storm.

The Stark children - No Ned + Cat but instead Brandon + Cat, another set will be born, but what if Brandon is infertile? No Stark children with warg and greenseer ability then! No Bran to visit Bloodraven and CotF in the cave. No reason whatsoever for Bloodraven to watch over Ned since child...

No Tyrion, that guy was already born. And I don't think he'll attribute positively to the realm before the Others invaded. He'd rather take his sweet revenge on the Lannisters and rest of the realm while comtemplating bullshit like this is how Tywin + Varys + LF would have done. Tyrion has already degenerated into someone far worse than those terrible three. And I am quite confident that Tyrion will become an enemy of the Starks like the foreshadowing with all the direwolves hating Tyrion for no apparent reason in book 1. I already have doubt about the effectiveness of dragons in extreme cold, I have even more doubt for a dwarf with no magic...

 

So what if Jon Snow's birth isn't matter at all? What if the Wall never fell in the end? What if the Others never reached south of the Wall? What if Daenerys' dragons won against the Others despite the freezing cold and snow storm, thus rendering Jon to be even less important? What if Jon Snow has to beg for support from others because he doesn't matter that much? Does Jon have to beg the Starks for Daenerys for support because he's so helpless? And most importantly, what if all these horrible things are the direct consequences of R+L=J and the Long Night is brought back because of it? The entire theme of the series would be about futility then! I'd burn all my books for that!

 

Thus, if Jon Snow, flawed as he is, becomes somewhat unimportant in the end and has to beg for everyone for support against the Others, wielding no special super-power like the only one to defeat the Others...

Why does Jon Snow have to be born?

What's the deal with all the build-ups?

What's the deal with all the sufferings caused by those build-ups?

What's the deal with everything I've read so far?

Damn prophecies! Damn magic! Damn warg! Damn CotF! Damn Bloodraven! Damn dragons! Damn the Blackwoods! Damn Westerosi! Damn everyone!

 

I know a lot of people in this forum are upset about Jon Snow being the hero, because it sounds boring.

But if he isn't one, then everything in the series would be quite meaningless. It'd end up with the prophecies and warnings are all bull, better to deny they ever exist at all and go with typical commonsense.

 

My theory is that the prince that was Promised is so important because only he can defeat the Others, no one else can do it, and if he failed everyone's doomed.

But the Long Night will come regardless of tPtwP's present, hence the NEED to make sure tPtwP is available at need.

tPtwP functions as human weapon, but also as leader.

Obsidian is not effective against the Others, unless tPtwP does something about them. Probably why the wildlings don't seem to know that Obsidian can kill the WW, since they do have it as weapons. Also why the WW Sam killed seemed to be too careless when Sam wielded it to kill him, if they normally posed a threat. Sam got obsidian cache from Jon. The WWs in the prologue of AGOT also acted cautiously around Waymar at first, until they decided he wasn't the one they were looking for.

The dragons are told in the books ASOIAF and TWOIAF that they seemed to all die during the Long Night except for the ones in Valyria. Could it be from extreme cold? Wouldn't that make the dragons useless?

 

Now, Jon's importance started to get on my nerve a bit. But I'll be even more pissed if they aren't so. Your opinions about the whole thing with R+L=J and all the sufferings in this series?

Wow that's a lot.   I've read several times that TPTWP and AA are the same, but suspect that's not the case.   I'll throw The Last Hero into the mix, too.   AA & TPTWP have different stories.  Admittedly we know little about TPTWP, but the AA story is so convoluted you have to peel and peel for the essence of it.   Look at simply Light Bringer and see how interpretive it is.   TLH, on the other hand, is a bit more of a tale.  If you've read AWOIAF you can add 10 more legendary heroes to the list.  This savior of the world is completely real world stuff.   Look at how many existing legitimate world religions have a flood that destroyed the world story.  Look at how many existing legitimate world religions offer up a savior.    This isn't a trope, this is how it really works.   

I think each seat of power has to establish itself above everyone else and attach themselves to a savior story.   No reason the First Men and Valyrians wouldn't do the same.   The Long Night seems really to have affected all Planetos.   Our story takes place at a time that all the gods feel the world needs to be saved.   Lucifer Means LIghtbringer has a series of essays detailing what he believes caused the Long Night and it's completely well argued with celestial bodies crashing into Planetos.  Perhaps these celestial bodies are controlled by the Others, perhaps not.   But knowing that Dawn is made of some collided meteor, I rather like this idea.   

I suspect there is some truth in all the savior stories and expect Jon, Bran and Dany to wear savior socks.   Tyrion will be instrumental in everything that comes down in a big way because he is the one who can think 2 steps ahead.   In not being magical he may end up being the one to run things in the end--I mean anything can happen right?  I expect Bran to play some huge role in all this too.  With the little bit we do know about them I think Dany fits more of the (birth) requirements of AA and it makes sense that Jon would at least fit the little we know of the role of TPTWP if for his heritage if nothing else.    He is Ice and Fire, God love him.   Though Bran may seem an unlikely Last Hero, let's not forget TLH had 12 companions and a dog to aid and assist in various tasks along the way.   I can come up with almost 20 likely hero companions in this story who could be useful to a broken boy on a quest.  And there are all those named Valyrian Swords...  If BR can get people to do what he wants and Bran doesn't even have to try to warg I think he could manage if not control 12 other heroes to whatever it is TLH ultimately does.   Perhaps it is all 3 tales, AA will need to defeat The Great Other, TLH will have to defeat whatever it is he has to defeat and TPTWP will broker peace and balance for all humanity--or something along those lines.   

[Darth Sidious]

i truly believe Lyanna told Ned to kill Jon at ToJ, that was the "promise".

Ned, obviously could not.

When sh*t starts to go wrong for House Stark, Ned often thinks of his failed promise...

not saying Jon is "good" or "bad", but his role as harbinger is undeniable...

 

This is not as strange as it may sound.  Jon's efforts to release Arya from her Bolton marriage was the snowball that destroyed the night watch.  If Lyanna saw the future and saw what Lord Commander Jon would do, it would be worth it to ask Ned to off the baby.

 

[Darth Sidious]

In this rant, I'll be using R+L=J as if it is true (I believe it).

I think that the biggest mystery in the entire series is what's the deal with the prince that was Promised, the prophecy regarding it and why would people bother with him being born.

We have no idea what's the prophecy is about, although we can connect it with Azor Ahai and other legends, some other sources sound like they're telling different tales about the Long Night. Are they even connected? Why Maester Aemon connected it to Azor Ahai? Why the Aegon V and Jaehaerys II ordered Aerys to marry Rhaella? Why Daenys dreamt about it and why Aegon the Conqueror united Westeros with motto "the dragon has three heads"? I can understand Rhaegar's obsession as his birth is connected to the prophecy, but why is he so sure that his child would be the one instead? And again, why is it so important?

Rhaegar seems liek a smart and sensible person even if he's a bit obsessed. He shouldn't be stupid enough to cause all troubles for nothing if tPtwP is so important, something that made him feel like it's urgent to take those actions even if they'd lead to conflicts and sufferings like e.g. dragon dream about the coming doom.

I'd be upset if it'll end with different people contribute to end the Long Night, wth equally important roles to play. People have their role to play is what I can accept, but tPtwP should be the center of it all, and the most important that can't be missed, like Rand in WOT can't be missing in the Last Battle against the Shadow. After all the suffering THAT prophecy brought to everyone.

 

There are 3 major characters who seem to have a major role to play in The Long Night that were born as consequences of R+L=J.

Jon Snow - The direct product of R+L=J and unfortunately the cause of most of the conflicts and sufferings in this series. All the build-ups so far make him the hero, especially when he got away from his stupid actions.

Daenerys Stormborn - The product of Aerys the Mad and poor Rhaella. If Rhaegar never got together with Lyanna somehow, Aerys wouldn't have someone to burn and get aroused enough to have sex with Rhaella whom he normally avoided, thus no Daenerys born then. And if Rhaegar's plan to make use of the Council to dethrone Aerys succeeded, Aerys would never get laid with Rhaella ever because he'd be king no more, hence no authority to order Rhaella who would choose to distance herslef from him ASAP, thus no Daenerys. I think she'd become the antagonist with all the build-ups so far, especially the delusion about dragons plant no tree, and her self-righteous and unforgiving nature. I also doubt her dragons would fare well in freezing cold and blizzard when the history proved how weak they became during rain and storm.

The Stark children - No Ned + Cat but instead Brandon + Cat, another set will be born, but what if Brandon is infertile? No Stark children with warg and greenseer ability then! No Bran to visit Bloodraven and CotF in the cave. No reason whatsoever for Bloodraven to watch over Ned since child...

No Tyrion, that guy was already born. And I don't think he'll attribute positively to the realm before the Others invaded. He'd rather take his sweet revenge on the Lannisters and rest of the realm while comtemplating bullshit like this is how Tywin + Varys + LF would have done. Tyrion has already degenerated into someone far worse than those terrible three. And I am quite confident that Tyrion will become an enemy of the Starks like the foreshadowing with all the direwolves hating Tyrion for no apparent reason in book 1. I already have doubt about the effectiveness of dragons in extreme cold, I have even more doubt for a dwarf with no magic...

 

So what if Jon Snow's birth isn't matter at all? What if the Wall never fell in the end? What if the Others never reached south of the Wall? What if Daenerys' dragons won against the Others despite the freezing cold and snow storm, thus rendering Jon to be even less important? What if Jon Snow has to beg for support from others because he doesn't matter that much? Does Jon have to beg the Starks for Daenerys for support because he's so helpless? And most importantly, what if all these horrible things are the direct consequences of R+L=J and the Long Night is brought back because of it? The entire theme of the series would be about futility then! I'd burn all my books for that!

 

Thus, if Jon Snow, flawed as he is, becomes somewhat unimportant in the end and has to beg for everyone for support against the Others, wielding no special super-power like the only one to defeat the Others...

Why does Jon Snow have to be born?

What's the deal with all the build-ups?

What's the deal with all the sufferings caused by those build-ups?

What's the deal with everything I've read so far?

Damn prophecies! Damn magic! Damn warg! Damn CotF! Damn Bloodraven! Damn dragons! Damn the Blackwoods! Damn Westerosi! Damn everyone!

 

I know a lot of people in this forum are upset about Jon Snow being the hero, because it sounds boring.

But if he isn't one, then everything in the series would be quite meaningless. It'd end up with the prophecies and warnings are all bull, better to deny they ever exist at all and go with typical commonsense.

 

My theory is that the prince that was Promised is so important because only he can defeat the Others, no one else can do it, and if he failed everyone's doomed.

But the Long Night will come regardless of tPtwP's present, hence the NEED to make sure tPtwP is available at need.

tPtwP functions as human weapon, but also as leader.

Obsidian is not effective against the Others, unless tPtwP does something about them. Probably why the wildlings don't seem to know that Obsidian can kill the WW, since they do have it as weapons. Also why the WW Sam killed seemed to be too careless when Sam wielded it to kill him, if they normally posed a threat. Sam got obsidian cache from Jon. The WWs in the prologue of AGOT also acted cautiously around Waymar at first, until they decided he wasn't the one they were looking for.

The dragons are told in the books ASOIAF and TWOIAF that they seemed to all die during the Long Night except for the ones in Valyria. Could it be from extreme cold? Wouldn't that make the dragons useless?

 

Now, Jon's importance started to get on my nerve a bit. But I'll be even more pissed if they aren't so. Your opinions about the whole thing with R+L=J and all the sufferings in this series?

Hi Sonne,

Free will is important to the story.  I don't believe the choices are already made, there's plenty of wiggle room there.  I like to compare Cersei, Robb, Dany, and Jon.  Look at the choices they've made and look at the results.  It's too late for Robb, his mistake was out of bounds of what could be salvaged.  It's not too late for Cersei.  She can still be an effective ruler despite the whole town seeing her naked.  There has to be a place liberal enough where a centerfold can win the votes right.  Dany chose to put aside her goals in order to help half a million human livestock in Slaver's Bay.  It wasn't the easy choice but you know, if you have the power, what better way to use it than to help out the abused and the disadvantaged.  Jon chose to forget the sins of the wildlings and brought them in.  Well and good, right up to his trouble with the Boltons.   It's the choices that people make and what they do with the resources and the abilities they have that determine their fate. 

[aryagonnakill#2]

In my opinion prophecies in ASOIAF are self fullfilling.  People will follow Jon because they believe he fullfills the prophecy, people will follow Jon and give him the proper sword because they think its him and he will act according because he thinks he's the guy, and in so doing he will become the guy.  We know for a fact that he's not the best warrior(Mance literally did not break a sweat), but he will fullfill the prophecy anyway because of other peoples actions.  Or he won't and Dany will fullfill them all.  1 or the other.

[RobOsevens]

I'd say Jon has already earned the respect of the wildlings who will follow him now and lords of the north will follow a stark as well even a bastard so Jon's potential rise to power and followers are all their regardless of prophecy.

He wasn't named LC of the watch because of prophecy his buddy Sam had to trick people into voting for him

[purple-eyes]

imho dany is just a biggest red herring for jon snow.

she looks like savior, she was called many times as saviors or "the one"

but unfortunately, she is not. 

Jon snow is. 

 

 

[John Suburbs]

OP, I don't know if I got the whole point of your post, but as for the idea that if all kinds of things didn't happen in the past, then the present would be entirely different -- that's kind of the way real life goes.

What if Kennedy had survived his assassination? What if Lincoln had? What if the South had prevailed? What if the Axis was victorious in WWI? Would we still have had the Nazis? What if your mother and father had missed each other by 30 seconds instead of encountering each other for the first time?

You can't explain is in real life, so there's no way to explain it in book. That way madness lies.

[sarah.jenice]

I suspect there is some truth in all the savior stories and expect Jon, Bran and Dany to wear savior socks.   

Thanks, Curled Finger! Now I know what I want for Christmas! Any idea where a girl can get a pair of savior socks? 

To chime in on the OP, I lean more toward thinking there will be more than one hero because, to me, that fits better with aSoIaF's multi-character narrative. I personally don't see this series as being the story of a single character's journey to becoming the undisputed champion of the world (as much as I <3 Jon Snow).

I love how many different interpretations on the various prophecies and theories about what they mean and how they will affect the story that you can find on this forum. I'm always seeing something I hadn't considered that makes me look at things in a new light.

 

[King Viserys Targaryen IV]

i truly believe Lyanna told Ned to kill Jon at ToJ, that was the "promise".

Ned, obviously could not.

When sh*t starts to go wrong for House Stark, Ned often thinks of his failed promise...

not saying Jon is "good" or "bad", but his role as harbinger is undeniable...

 

""I will," Ned promised her. That was his curse. Robert would swear undying love and forget them before evenfall, but Ned Stark kept his vows. He thought of the promises he made to Lyanna as she lay dying, and the price he'd paid to keep them."

 

Ned paid a price to keep his promise to Lyanna, he did not break it.

[Lady Fishbiscuit]

I believe R+L=J and I believe Jon will be key in defeating the others.  I don't get why some people have such an issue with it and, like the OP I'd be pissed off it it all wasn't all going somewhere and all of this just turned out to be padding! (Like Lost all over again!).  I agree, GRRM likes to surprise us, but I think it will be the nature of Jons importance that will be unusual (not the standard good guy on a white horse winning the battle and saving the day), rather than him turning out to be not important at all.

I also agree with Lord High Papal that choices are key.  Reagar's obsession with TPTWP prophecy led to the sequence of events that put a lot of people on their current paths, especially Jon.  He believed it so much, his actions made the prophecy happen.  Melisandre's obsession with AA prophecy may even further progress Jon along the hero path if she now decides AA is Jon and not Stannis.  It is everyone's choices now that will determine how it plays out.  Dany could stay in Essos or bring dragons to Westeros.  Tyrion could choose to give his support to Dany or Jon or (f)Aegon or someone else entirely.  Arya could kill them all. Who knows? I think some or all of the prophesies could be different versions of the same story.  TLH isn't a prophecy though, it's a legend, and I'm not sure if this will be replayed.  It might just give answers to how they (Bran?) can stop the next long night.

Totally disagree with the OP re: Tyrion, but it would be a dull old forum if we didn't have different views .  In the spirit of 'cripples, bastards and broken things', I believe it is the unlikely heroes who will play the biggest parts (bastard, cripple, dwarf, coward, orphan/girl, eunuch).

[The Commentator]

I'd say Jon has already earned the respect of the wildlings who will follow him now and lords of the north will follow a stark as well even a bastard so Jon's potential rise to power and followers are all their regardless of prophecy.

He wasn't named LC of the watch because of prophecy his buddy Sam had to trick people into voting for him

Problem is, he has disappointed them all.  He betrayed the watch.  I don't see how anybody will give Jon a second chance to fuckup.  I think his destiny lie elsewhere.  He might become the next Night's King and Arya his Night's Queen. 

[Minuteman]

All that we know of tptwp is that he/she is somehow supposed to save the world from the Others. I think that there is a bit of a twist to this. GRRM hasn't given us many clues though from his writing style I doubt that it is a straightforward as martial victory. Consider that there are three ways the world can be saved: (1) military victory, (2) negotiated peace, or (3) if tptwp is someone that the Others (or, imho, that single intelligence behind the White Walkers) recognize as one having dominion over them then that person could simply command them to stop. (1) seems too obvious, (2) is indecisive , so I am inclined toward (3). I'm leaning toward tptwp as not being anyone that we have yet seen because the prophecy seems to be as old as the Others themselves. I believe that tptwp is the "prince" that will succeed the Amethyst Empress/Bloodstone Prince to the Great Empire of the Dawn and this is known by the Others but has fallen into myth by short lived humans over thousands of years. The "dragon  waking from stone" was tptwp coming into the world as heralded by the red comet. So the "prince" is one who was promised to have dominion over all on Westeros: men, Children, Others, and all else. Rhaegar, I think, believed that tptwp would come from the union of Stark and Targ bloodlines which is why he took Lyanna and fathered Jon. But Rhaegar was simply wrong. Jon, by his dream, is the Lord of Winterfell, not the prince of the world. Dany is princess/queen and heir to the IT which didn't exist until long after the prophecy was made and even then can only realistically rule Wessos. I don't see as how either can realistically be tptwp.

[The Commentator]

All that we know of tptwp is that he/she is somehow supposed to save the world from the Others. I think that there is a bit of a twist to this. GRRM hasn't given us many clues though from his writing style I doubt that it is a straightforward as martial victory. Consider that there are three ways the world can be saved: (1) military victory, (2) negotiated peace, or (3) if tptwp is someone that the Others (or, imho, that single intelligence behind the White Walkers) recognize as one having dominion over them then that person could simply command them to stop. (1) seems too obvious, (2) is indecisive , so I am inclined toward (3). I'm leaning toward tptwp as not being anyone that we have yet seen because the prophecy seems to be as old as the Others themselves. I believe that tptwp is the "prince" that will succeed the Amethyst Empress/Bloodstone Prince to the Great Empire of the Dawn and this is known by the Others but has fallen into myth by short lived humans over thousands of years. The "dragon  waking from stone" was tptwp coming into the world as heralded by the red comet. So the "prince" is one who was promised to have dominion over all on Westeros: men, Children, Others, and all else. Rhaegar, I think, believed that tptwp would come from the union of Stark and Targ bloodlines which is why he took Lyanna and fathered Jon. But Rhaegar was simply wrong. Jon, by his dream, is the Lord of Winterfell, not the prince of the world. Dany is princess/queen and heir to the IT which didn't exist until long after the prophecy was made and even then can only realistically rule Wessos. I don't see as how either can realistically be tptwp.

First, we have to establish the existence of reincarnation.  The story has so far not made that conclusively clear.  Azor Ahai was just the guy that happened to lead the human warriors against the Others and their wights during the last long night.  History credits him because he was the leader at that time.  No doubt whoever is the leader this time will be remembered in the future as the hero.  Somebody will step up and take up the leadership role when war breaks out.  It doesn't have to be the reincarnation of Azor Ahai or the Prince that Was Promised.  For example, should the leadership fall on Tormund, he would forever be known as Tormund the Endowed, warrior of the light.  Future prophets would be guessing who currently among them is Tormund the Endowed reborn. And just for shits and giggles, every young man would be asked to drop his pants for evaluation.  All those meeting the criteria become candidates and each prophet would "see visions and portents" that say his guy is the chosen one and no other.

[Lord Lannister]

The purpose of Jon Snow is to put the readers to sleep thereby prolonging their reading experience so they take longer to start complaining when the next novel is coming out.

[Minuteman]

First, we have to establish the existence of reincarnation.  The story has so far not made that conclusively clear.  Azor Ahai was just the guy that happened to lead the human warriors against the Others and their wights during the last long night.  History credits him because he was the leader at that time.  No doubt whoever is the leader this time will be remembered in the future as the hero.  Somebody will step up and take up the leadership role when war breaks out.  It doesn't have to be the reincarnation of Azor Ahai or the Prince that Was Promised.  For example, should the leadership fall on Tormund, he would forever be known as Tormund the Endowed, warrior of the light.  Future prophets would be guessing who currently among them is Tormund the Endowed reborn. 

I don't think it's a reincarnation story. The only one who talks about AAr is Mel. Everyone else just knows the AA story. I think that AA, the NK/NQ, the Last Hero, the Bloodstone Prince/Amethyst Empress are simply deifferent versions of the same story passed down by different people. The ptwp was actually born long, long ago which is why he/she was waking from stone, much as Dany's petrified eggs. I think that the Bloodstone Prince is the father of those who sired sorcerer prince families of Old Valyria, of which the Targs were one. The Bloodstone Prince is aka R'hllor. The "blood of the dragon" is then the blood of the rulers of the GEotD so any offspring of the Amethyst Empress/Nights Queen would also be the blood of the dragon. The Starks are descended from the NQ/NK offspring through many, many generations much as the Targs are from R'hllor but with Targ incest the magic in their blood is stronger. I think that tptwp is the actual offspring of the Amethyst Empress and is the one promised to take the throne of the GEotD. So most definitely not a believer that aSoIaF is a reincarnation tale.

[El Guapo]

The purpose of Jon Snow is to put the readers to sleep thereby prolonging their reading experience so they take longer to start complaining when the next novel is coming out.

so true.

[Curled Finger]

Thanks, Curled Finger! Now I know what I want for Christmas! Any idea where a girl can get a pair of savior socks? 

To chime in on the OP, I lean more toward thinking there will be more than one hero because, to me, that fits better with aSoIaF's multi-character narrative. I personally don't see this series as being the story of a single character's journey to becoming the undisputed champion of the world (as much as I <3 Jon Snow).

I love how many different interpretations on the various prophecies and theories about what they mean and how they will affect the story that you can find on this forum. I'm always seeing something I hadn't considered that makes me look at things in a new light.

 

To be completely honest, I'd settle for a nice pair of leave me alone I'm reading The Winds of Winter socks.  Glad you got a kick out of it, only word that came to mind was boots and we know Dany doesn't wear boots, so I settled for something all three might wear.   

I thought forever that there had to be a single champion but the more I get into Bran--all ADWD really--the more clear it is becoming that there are many heroes and more than 1 savior in the story.  I dig the way this tale unfolds with each reread.