The Seed is Strong

[Santa]

Why the fuck didnt he just say that joffrey is no baratheon......

I mean how came he up with this nonsense instead of just speaking the truth

[Ser Duncan of Flea Bottom]

you know what, in my anti R+L=J crusade I've never considered this

maybe it's the most important clue that could prove the authenticity of the theory

...and could also prove that Jon Conn's Aegon is not Rhaegar's son (because he hasn't got Dornish features)

Aegon has Targaryen features, so he's still Rhaegar's son, Rhaenys was more dornish and Aegon was more valyrian

it doesn't change anything

[EricEmpire94]

There's a lot of focus on Gendry for him to be just some plot tool to prove illegitimacy. He's the only bastard that repeatedly comes up, so I assume he'll be some useful tool sometime soon, against the Others or something. Edric, Mya and Rose really have no foreseeable use AT ALL.

[Winds of Winter blow cold]

Jon's mother is a Stark, Lyanna

his father is Raeghar, but he didn't receive the Targaryen features (phisicaly)

As we remember, Rhaenys had more Dornish features than Targ.

so, it's a bit odd, others houses seems not to be so dominant, in terms of genetic

just Baratheons seems to have strong seeds, maybe the Tullys too

Not his face, but his build is "lean" like a Targ.

[PaJaDa]

Perhaps "The seed is strong." refers to the Targaryen seed. If R+L=J is true then maybe Jon Arryn knows. He could also somehow know that Aegon is alive. If other theories about who is actually a Targaryen turn out to be true then it is also possible that Jon Arryn knew about them as well.

Considering how important of a character Jon Arryn is the reader sure doesn't know a whole lot about him. I'm thinking that he must have known something that we don't know yet. He's too important to the plot, he did in a way start Robert's rebellion.

[iolahardy]

Maybe he had discovered about Aegon? Yes, many believe he isnt the real deal........but what if he is truly what he claims to be? Or it could be Jon (if the R+L = J theory is correct)

I have forgotten, but who said Jon died saying 'The seed is strong?' Was it Lysa? Then it could very well be Baelish's work to start off the 'Joffrey isnt a Baratheon' fiasco. Maybe Jon never said that. LF asked Lysa to slip it in with her many other lies to get Ned started on finding the truth about Joff's parentage

[EstEst]

The choice of words is strange indeed. To me, it looks more like Jon guessed that he was murdered, and figured out who did it, and mused about the similarity of that person to his/her parents.

In other words, could he be saying that about his presumed murderer?

1) Cersei? Jon could think that Cersei was who ordered his death, and referred to Tywin's cruelty (or Aerys', if someone is ready to think that Cersei could be Targaryen).

2) say, Littlefinger? Perhaps Jon knew his father, that father had murderous attitude, and Jon found this same attitude in LF too?

3) Lysa? She would be the last to be suspected, but Jon knew her better than we do. Could that be a referral to some secret of her secret parentage?

Sorry for crackpots, but those words kind of reek of the hint of secret parentage. Or something secret anyway.

[Tony Stark of Winterfell]

Like (R+L=J) except a different R.

I thought this when I watched the 1st season of the tv show, as tv jon snow has black hair. then after reading the books my opinion changed.

[Devaki Khanna]

"The seed is strong" refers to the Baratheon trait of black hair that's always passed down genetically, So Jon Arryn was trying to tell Robert that his children weren't really his children (If I remember correctly, Robert was with him when he said this)

Black hair and blue eyes.

[SummerSphinx]

Perhaps "The seed is strong." refers to the Targaryen seed. If R+L=J is true then maybe Jon Arryn knows. He could also somehow know that Aegon is alive. If other theories about who is actually a Targaryen turn out to be true then it is also possible that Jon Arryn knew about them as well.

Since Robert Baratheon had a Targaryen grandmother, all of Robert's bastards have some T blood. Ned was led to believe that Jon A was primarily interested in whether Circei's children were Robert's. This may have been his primary purpose, and it may have been the reason why he said "the seed is strong." Or not. If he really said it and Littlefinger didn't make it up.

It's a weird thing to say. Is it simply the embellishment of a novel? Or the effect of the poison? Was it a message in code--something that his intended audience would understand, but innocuous enough that it would be repeated by Lysa and others?

Maybe LF wanted Ned to get distracted by Lannisters, pry, and get himself killed.

But what other reasons could Jon and Stannis have for seeking out the bastards?

[Crowfood's Daughter]

A mans last words should not be taken with a grain of salt especially not from a great man like The Hand of The King, Lord Jon Arryn. Gendry was not the only bastard, Edric Storm is a spitting image of his father as well, and im sure their were many more bastards who looked like Robert more than a Lannister. Did Jon really die thinking about Gendry? He was def not talking about Robert, but...

Grumpkin, I think I have this answered for you. It's a long read BUT think it answers your question. The seed is strong/Lucamore the Lusty

[Liz Stark-Targaryen]

My question is on how these bastard children will affect the future books. Will they become gameplayers or just pawns. 5 books in and we just see Gendry fighting for a band of vigilantes, Edric shipped off to I forgot where, and Mya just being a lowly servng girl in the Vale.

There's a lot of focus on Gendry for him to be just some plot tool to prove illegitimacy. He's the only bastard that repeatedly comes up, so I assume he'll be some useful tool sometime soon, against the Others or something. Edric, Mya and Rose really have no foreseeable use AT ALL.

He's the smith that we know best... of course, there's Mikken, Tobho Mott, and the guy at the Wall, but we know an awful lot about Gendry, from three different POVs. Jon Arryn, Varys, Ned and Stannis were aware that he was Robert's natural son. He's one of Arya's closest companions for two books. And then we have him startling Brienne with his resemblance to Renly in AFFC.

I think it's pretty clear that he's going to forge something of importance in the WftD. Valyrian blood may be needed to forge Valyrian steel. Don't think the text makes the case that he's going to sit the IT, be the next Lord of Storm's End, or marry Arya... but what it seems to be showing is that this kid is a talented young blacksmith with special blood. Think he's going to come in handy very soon.