R + L = Lightbringer -- Updated with Part II

[Mithras]

Part II is an awesome lot of work. It will take time to digest the whole of it.

Red Wanderer

I think Red Wanderer is not a star. Planet means wanderer in Greek because the planets wander the sky unlike the stars which seem to rotate the earth relatively fixed to each other. I think Red Wanderer is the equivalent of Mars in Planetos.

I think wildlings calling Thief (best time to steal a woman) to what the Andals say the Smith is very interesting. In Greek Mythology, Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty) was the wife of Hephaistos (the Smith). However, Aphrodite committed adultery with Ares (Roman Mars, god of war). Ares practically stole Aphrodite.

This parallel works for Rhaegar-Lyannna-Robert too. Rhaegar being Ares and stealing Lyanna (the queen of love and beauty) from her bethrothed Robert (who plays the role of Hephaistos with his hammer).

Ares-Rhaegar may have further interesting parallels. Although Ares was the god of war, he was unpredictable and unrealiable, mostly on the losing side. Athene was always victorious. In fact, Homer liked to make mockery of Ares because he was destructive and battle-thirsty, which both Homer and his gods despised. Regarding the war and destruction caused by Rhaegar's actions, this is very Ares-like.

Mithras and Hand-shaking

When I read Mithras and hand shaking, I immediately recalled this scene on the Wall.

“You’re asking a lame man to teach a cripple how to dance,” Tyrion said. “However sincere the lesson, the result is likely to be grotesque. Still, I know what it is to love a brother, Lord Snow. I will give Bran whatever small help is in my power.”

“Thank you, my lord of Lannister.” He pulled off his glove and offered his bare hand. “Friend.”

Tyrion found himself oddly touched. “Most of my kin are bastards,” he said with a wry smile, “but you’re the first I’ve had to friend.” He pulled a glove off with his teeth and clasped Snow by the hand, flesh against flesh. The boy’s grip was firm and strong.

If Jon has the Hand of Justice, did he tie Tyrion to bring justice to Jaime and Cersei, who unjustly crippled Bran?

Jon and Corn King

Jon Snow - Corn King - John Barleycorn: Jon has a ranger called Tom Barleycorn. He takes Tom as an escort in taking the new recruits to the sacred weirwood grove where they find Wun Wun and his folk. That was an interesting journey with interesting types of people.

Bull slaying

“That is the house of the Great Shepherd. Three-headed Trios has that tower with three turrets. The first head devours the dying, and the reborn emerge from the third. I don’t know what the middle head’s supposed to do. Those are the Stones of the Silent God, and there the entrance to the Patternmaker’s Maze. Only those who learn to walk it properly will ever find their way to wisdom, the priests of the Pattern say. Beyond it, by the canal, that’s the temple of Aquan the Red Bull. Every thirteenth day, his priests slit the throat of a pure white calf, and offer bowls of blood to beggars.”

This recitation of some temples in Braavos by Sailor's Wife is completely out of the picture. GRRM put them for a purpose. White Calf sacrificed for the Red Bull foreshadows Barristan's eventual death by Victarion. But Mithras and bull slaying connection is new to me.

Moon and Andromeda

GRRM associated Val with the moon heavily in ADwD. As for the Andromeda, I think Shireen is a likely candidate. Jon may save her from burning and break her chains, even marry her eventually. That makes him both Aegon the Conqueror and Orys Baratheon. Orys married the daughter of the last Storm King who is Stannis in this case.

Robert and Poseidon

I think Robert is also partly Poseidon. Poseidon, with his famous weapon Trident, always symbolized the inexplicable (I mean it has no reasoning) force of nature. For example his son Polyphemos (the Cyclops) was guilty of breaking the guest right, yet Poseidon unleashed his wrath upon Odysseus beyond reason. I think that resembles Robert's absurd hatred against Rhaegar. Robert with his mighty warhammer killed Rhaegar in the Battle of the Trident.

Sword that Slays the Season

Bran asked Septon Chayle about the comet while they were sorting through some scrolls snatched from the library fire. “It is the sword that slays the season,” he replied, and soon after the white raven came from Oldtown bringing word of autumn, so doubtless he was right.

This comet was like a catalyst for many important events. Septon Chayle was also the keeper of Winterfell's library. I think his account for the sword that slays the season and end of the longest known summer is very interesting.

Kraken, Lion, Sun's Son

I think this regrouping fits well with my theory that Victarion will bond with Rhaegal and Tyrion will bond with Viserion. Fire Eater proposed that Jon will eventually get Drogon. I think the first two (Victarion and Tyrion) will break because they are not the true Lightbringer. Sun's son and mummer's dragon also pairs well as Rhaegar's true and false sons.

Close Cousins

I have a theory that Blackfyre and Dark Sister will cease to be the traditional Targaryen swords. Jon will get Oathkeeper (will rework its hilt but keep its name just like Longclaw) and Jon's close cousin Arya will get Oathkeeper's close cousin Widow's Wail. Blackfyre and Dark Sister may have been melted to form the new Ice and be given to Rickon.

“Rickon will ask when I’m coming home. Try to explain where I’ve gone, if you can. Tell him he can have all my things while I’m away, he’ll like that.”

Rickon likes to get Jon's old things. Blackfyre and Dark Sister can be Jon's old things.

[Frey family reunion]

This is interesting. I wonder if the Lion/split doesn't maybe refer to Tyrion and Jaime somehow.

It also just occurred to me that Dany was born on Dragonstone. So we have that connection as well. I wonder if Dany's arc may be following the Persian Mithra.

Also, don't forget, Tyrion has a distinctive facial scar of his own. Hmmmm, Jon has the facial scar and the burned hand. Victarion has the burned hand, while Tyrion has the facial scar.

[HtheHound]

First of all, slow clap my friend, this is the most brilliant Jon analysis I have read so far!

In reference to "Mithras sees all" I would like to add this about Ghost from Bran I, A Game of Thrones:

"His eyes were as red as the blood of the ragged man who had died that morning. Bran thought it curious that this pup alone would have opened his eyes while the others were still blind."

[Frey family reunion]

This is seriously the closest that this board has come to providing a solution to the larger overriding mysteries. If only we can get Schmendrick (Zoroastrianism), Black Crow (Celtic mythology), and Lady Gwynhyfvar (Arthurian myths) together in one room (re: thread) we may be close to figuring this series out. Seriously, Schmendrick you've just joined my Mt. Rushmore of the three most interesting posters on this board. Now if only we could get one more head on the mountain (probably in Norse mythology) or one more head of the dragon if you would prefer, we'd really be cooking.

[my other dog is a wolf]

I have really enjoyed reading your analysis - very well done.

Interestingly, I just finished B. Cornwell's 'The Winter King' - first book in his Arthur trilogy - and was so struck by some of the thematic similarities (Arthur is the bastard son of Uther Pendragon, etc) that I had to check to see that aGoT and tWK were published within months of each other. The Mithras cult is also featured in tWK, so the connections in the aSoIaF series are quite intriguing.

Thanks for the thought provoking work!

[Lady of Dragonstone]

This clasping business is pretty interesting. Indeed, Jon "clasps" hands with several people, though the word is otherwise scarcely used in this manner throughout the series. And the way you're describing this AAr/LB partnership, I can't help but think of the king/Hand working relationship. Since, you know, there are lots and lots of hints that Jon was born a king, and/or will end up as one. In other words, a king needs a Hand and so does a sword; the king is a sword. In fact, I'd venture to guess that is exactly why GRRM created the office of Hand of the King and named it the way he did.

Speaking of the Jon + hand references, it's worth a quick mention that he was mentored by Qhorin Halfhand. Also, one can speculate as to the meaning of Jon's burnt hand. Perhaps it's a nod to his mad grandfather Aerys, who burnt one of his own Hands.

Maybe also worth mentioning is that Stannis was upset Robert didn't choose him to be Hand. Which is interesting when viewed through the lens of your analysis, where Hand of the King = Azor Ahai reborn. I'm not sure exactly how to read it, but there could well be some irony there.

Lastly, getting back to Jon grasping hands. I noticed that after clasping Tormund's hand Jon immediately thinks of the NW vow. And we all know how that goes. :)

- ADwD, Jon XI

ETA: According to this theory, Jaime stands out to me as a potential AAr candidate. Either that, or maybe he's being set up as a red herring.

Aside from some Jaime-Last Hero connections I noticed a while back, Jaime says that he had wanted to be Ser Arthur Dayne, who wielded a pretty special sword called Dawn.

- AFfC, Cersei VIII

- AGoT, Bran IV (Old Nan's Last Hero story)

Very nice, J. Stargaryen.... your posts never disappoint!

This is one of the best, most analytical and well thought out theories I've ever read about ASOIAF online. So many kudos to the OP for putting in the time and effort and sharing this with us all. Previously, I'd thought AA was Jon, but then was stumped by what is Lightbringer? Reworking the facts backwards to analyze what is Lightbringer, and thusly what or who is AA, seems like a new and fresh approach. And there are so many details. Some I had picked up on, some I had missed, but I am so glad they are all brought together cohesively in one place now.

I really like the connection you drew to Mithraic theory. I've read a bit about it, but I never connected Mithraic mythology to ASOIAF before. I also really loved the bits about the Burning of the Gods and Ygritte's names for the stars; things I had never even thought about, but am now wholly convinced you've got the right of it. I'm unsure about the connections to Quaithe's prophecy for now, and I am still clueless about where Dany will fit in with all of this, besides providing the dragons.

" I like the idea that "true dragon" status can pass from one Targaryen to another upon the death of a "true dragon."

I have often thought the same thing after reading the D&E stories. Dragons are not pack animals by nature, unless mating I believe that they prefer to be alone or with their human. However, there always seems like in every instance we've seen, there's always one or two "true dragons" in every generation or so of Targaryens. Is this a trend, a coincidence, or what? If Faegon is the mummer's dragon, and Jon and Dany are left, who is the true dragon, or is there one?

On discussing "the dragon has three heads," there are, as discussed here, a multitude of "threes" that could fit, but my mind makes leaps to connect all the information we're presented into one. I'm not even sure where I am going with this, but I find it interesting that:

The dragon has three heads.

There are three dragons.

There are three Targaryen offspring (Jon, Dany, fAegon) surviving. Aerys and Rhaella had three children, as did Rhaegar.

There are three "corn king" types of figures mentioned in the books: the Last Hero, AA, and TPTWP.

You had discussed upthread about the dragons being hinted at and foreshadowed as Lightbringer throughout the story, and I agree with you. Previously I had thought that the dragons are Lightbringer, and that's been my sort-of headcanon for awhile. But if the dragon = Lightbringer and the dragon has three heads are those three heads, naturally, the LH, AA, and PTWP? and our three dragon riders as well?

Just some random thoughts to chew over... at any rate, thank you for the awesome read. Can't wait for Part III.

[Mithras]

More Greek Mythology

Jon definitely has some Perseus in him. At the same time, he has serious amount of Theseus, which brings the Minotaur into the picture. It may also give us Medea as Mel. Ariadne as Val and Dionysus as Tormund. I am too lazy to write all of them ( :P) but on the parallel between Tormund and the outsider god of wine Dionysus, I can give this:

“Well spoken, crow. Now bring out the mead! Make them yours and get them drunk, that’s how it’s done. We’ll make a wildling o’ you yet, boy. Har!”

“I will send for ale. You must excuse me. I’ll leave you to get them drunk.”

“Har! A task I’m well suited for, crow. On your way!”

[Frey family reunion]

More Greek Mythology

Jon definitely has some Perseus in him. At the same time, he has serious amount of Theseus, which brings the Minotaur into the picture. It may also give us Medea as Mel. Ariadne as Val and Dionysus as Tormund. I am too lazy to write all of them ( :P) but on the parallel between Tormund and the outsider god of wine Dionysus, I can give this:

“Well spoken, crow. Now bring out the mead! Make them yours and get them drunk, that’s how it’s done. We’ll make a wildling o’ you yet, boy. Har!”

“I will send for ale. You must excuse me. I’ll leave you to get them drunk.”

“Har! A task I’m well suited for, crow. On your way!”

I've meant to write a thread for a while now about how Gerold Dayne may be GRRM's minotaur with Balon Swann about to serve the role as Theseus (with black and white swans instead of black and white sails) being led by Obara in place of Ariadne (ironically instead of Arianne the prince's daughter) to High Hermitage in place of the Labyrinth. It's a tad involved to put in this thread, but it has to do with Queen Rhaella, Gerold Hightower (the White Bull), the similarities in appearance between Alerie Hightower and Darkstar ect. Interestingly enough the only time GRRM has used the term Labyrinth in his series is in describing Oldtown.

In regards to the Perseus myths, Daemon Blackfyre's origin is also awfully similar to Perseus with Daena in place of Danae, Baelor the blessed in place of Acrisius, and Aegon IV in place of Zeus (both guys did have a ton of bastards, didn't they?). Of course Daemon Blackfyre is also the bastard son of a Targaryen Prince and strongly associated with a sword.

Finally, Daenerys' tale of using her dragons to obtain her army of unsullied seems a bit similar to Cadmus tale of sowing the ground with the teeth of a dragon he slayed where up came a group of soldiers. Ultimately Cadmus and his wife Harmonia are turned into a dragons themselves. Theseus is also credited with sowing dragons teeth as well I beleive.

ETA: Hmm, it just occurred to me that the tale of Cadmus is also pretty similar to the tale of Bloodraven killing Blackfyre and his children at the Redgrass fields. Where he "sowed" the field with his arrows or his "Raven's teeth". In the Cadmus tale, he was married to Harmonia who was in possession of a cursed necklace given to her by Hephasteus. (possibly our Shiera Seastar?). And interestingly enough in the Cadmus tales he and Harmonia are also credited with having a youngest child Illyrius. Hmmmm.

[Lady of Dragonstone]

ETA: Hmm, it just occurred to me that the tale of Cadmus is also pretty similar to the tale of Bloodraven killing Blackfyre and his children at the Redgrass fields. Where he "sowed" the field with his arrows or his "Raven's teeth". In the Cadmus tale, he was married to Harmonia who was in possession of a cursed necklace given to her by Hephasteus. (possibly our Shiera Seastar?). And interestingly enough in the Cadmus tales he and Harmonia are also credited with having a youngest child Illyrius. Hmmmm.

:eek: :bowdown:

Nice find, FFR. Hope to see that thread soon!!

[Rooseman]

Fantastic, simply fantastic.

I have one thing to add. The last quote you mentioned:

“Magnificent.” Even in hands as unskilled as Tyrion’s, the blade felt alive. “I have never felt better balance.”

If that red part doesn't tie in with the Jon symbolism, I don't know what does... :)

[J. Stargaryen]

Here:

Else, The more I think of it, the more I find the comparison of Lyanna and Rhaegar to the Moon and the Sun absolutely spot on. Lyanna is very much a Diana / Artemis, the Greek Huntress divinity, also associated with the moon and birthing.

As for Rhaegar = the Sun, his name evokes Râ, the Egyptian sun divinity, and his image of a beautiful and seducing bard with a harp reminds me of Apollo, often associated with a Lyre (at small harp)... and the sun in Greek mythology. Of note, Apollo is the twin brother of Diana/Artemis and is in love with her - he kills Orion, Artemis' best friend, by jealousy.

Last, I also think we should not read too much in resemblances with existing Myths. After all, all mankind mythologies are based on men's realities and specifically on their inner nature. As GRRM put it, aSoIaF is a story about the 'choices of the human heart', so it should be no surprise the characters act like myths - not always intentionally IMO.

Tyrion is saying that he knows Jon has dreamed of having his own dragon before. The way it's written is a wink and nod to the readers though, that Jon's secret is about his identity -- bastard.

[Jô Maltese]

(...) If only we can get Schmendrick (Zoroastrianism), Black Crow (Celtic mythology), and Lady Gwynhyfvar (Arthurian myths) together in one room (re: thread) we may be close to figuring this series out. Seriously, Schmendrick you've just joined my Mt. Rushmore of the three most interesting posters on this board. (...).

And Tze. And Butterbumps! And J. Stargaryen (obviously for his/her input to this thread). And a few others like Mr Pepper or Fire Eater or Lamprey / Paper Waver or of course Apple Martini. And many others whom I forgot their avatar.

[Jô Maltese]

Tyrion is saying that he knows Jon has dreamed of having his own dragon before. The way it's written is a wink and nod to the readers though, that Jon's secret is about his identity -- bastard.

Jon's bastardy is no secret... His non-bastardy is. So Tyrion knowing Jon's 'Dragon dreams' secret is exactly the opposite: he knows about Jon's Targaryen identity.

[J. Stargaryen]

Jon's bastardy is no secret... His non-bastardy is. So Tyrion knowing Jon's 'Dragon dreams' secret is exactly the opposite: he knows about Jon's Targaryen identity.

What I meant about the wording is that it's a wink and to the readers that Jon really isn't a bastard. I don't think Tyrion has pieced together Jon's true identity. Is there any evidence of that in the series?

Thanks for putting me (a him) in that group. Good company. :)

[Frey family reunion]

And Tze. And Butterbumps! And J. Stargaryen (obviously for his/her input to this thread). And a few others like Mr Pepper or Fire Eater or Lamprey / Paper Waver or of course Apple Martini. And many others whom I forgot their avatar.

All excellent posters (especially J Stargaryen of whom I'm on the same wavelength on many issues, which in my opinion makes him an excellent poster). I singled the three out that I did because of the depth of information they supplied on those respective topics. This board still needs someone who has read the Prose Edda, I've tried but it's hard to sludge through. (I found the Thor comic books much more accessible :dunce: )

[Ghost's Shadow]

Tyrion says he dreams about hurting his family, and says to Jon surely he must think the same way because he's a bastard and likely not well-treated by the resident Lady. Jon says no.

[Onna Lewyys]

I absolutely love all the stuff about Mithra(s) as the god of oaths and "The Mediator" and handshakes and the cultists being marked on their hands. All very very very Jon Snow, brilliant. And the Mithraic cultist ranks are very interesting too. Granted, it's not a crown, but Jon did already refuse being Lord of Winterfell when Stannis offered it to him. So that could possibly fit in there.

The "myriad eyes/ten thousand eyes" part, though, makes me think more obviously of Bloodraven ("a thousand eyes and one"). I do think that Bloodraven is playing/going to play a significant role in what's happening at the Wall (Melisandre sees him & Bran in her fires, and there's the theory that Bloodraven has been warging Mormont's raven). And there's a chapter in ACOK where Jon has a (wolf) dream where he sees Bran bonded to a weirwood tree (as Bloodraven is teaching Bran to do now) and Bran tells Jon to open his third eye. I'm not sure how to relate it to the rest of the theory, but it's just something that struck me.

As for the Corn King/feeding the hungry bit ("Corn. King. Snow, Jon Snow, Jon Snow" gave me chills when I read it in the book), there are also the chapters where he visits the food stores and where he literally hands out food to the free folk. That's obviously very important to his narrative.

More excellent Jon/sword connections too. I didn't even realize that he misquoted his own vow at that one point! And the Valyrian steel swords matching his description! I agree that Jon bonding with a dragon as the ultimate embodiment of LB makes perfect sense. It does seem that Targaryen blood plays a role in the bonding, as Brown Ben Plumm has Targaryen blood and Dany's dragons really like him. And I've long thought the "wake dragons from stone" part of the AA prophecy will have to do with Jon discovering his Targaryen heritage.

Like some others, though, I'm iffy about Jon as "the sun's son." I do see all the Lyanna/moon connections, but not so much Rhaegar/sun (at least not in the text itself). And I don't understand why all of Quaithe's other nicknames would be obvious (kraken, lion, griffin, etc.) but not that one.

[Frey family reunion]

The killing of the white bull causes the seasons to begin to turn and day and night to cycle. An echo of this can be found in Lightbringer’s prophesied use by a hero to end the Long Winter (aka the Long Night) and usher in the spring season. The bull/moon transformation provides a direct link to Lyanna, which I’ll discuss in the next section.

At one point during their initiation into the Mithraic mystery cult, initiates were drenched in (or possibly dabbed on the forehead with) a bull’s blood (sometimes referred to as a Mithraic baptism). The meaning of this act is open to speculation. Roman mystery cults, by their very nature, guarded their rituals and secrets jealously, and early Christians made a habit of seeking out and destroying any written records of the “competition.” One popular take is that initiates were ritualistically reenacting Mithras’ sacrifice, thus slaying their own baser natures and being “reborn.” In other words, they were “kill[ing] the bull boy and let[ting] the man be born.” ADwD, Jon II.

Sounds a little like something Sam tells Jon in AGOT:

"One time," Sam confided, his voice droppng from a whisper, "two men came to the castle, warlocks from Qarth with white skin and blue lips. they slaughtered a bull aurochs and made me bathe in the hot blood, but it didn't make me brave as they'd promised. I got sick and retched. Father had them scourged."

[Jô Maltese]

What I meant about the wording is that it's a wink and to the readers that Jon really isn't a bastard. I don't think Tyrion has pieced together Jon's true identity. Is there any evidence of that in the series?

Thanks for putting me (a him) in that group. Good company. :)

You are welcome, I always like reading your posts, even if I do not always agree. You are obviously a literacy scholar - which I am not, and your expertise as such often helps me to confirm, deny, or more often than not, redirect my gut 'reader' understanding.

As for the wink that Jon is not a bastard, my understanding is exactly that: Tyrion winks at the readers to say 'Jon is NOT a bastard' and for me this already implies he suspects (granted: he does not necessarily know for sure) Jon's parentage. Also, what strikes me about Tyrion after three readings of the series is not so much his knowledge about dragons but his knowledge about Targaryens history. Not much evidence in the series, granted, apart maybe from his non-acknowledging (POV-wise) of Dany or Aegon as legitimate Heirs for the Iron Throne.

[the conquoring bastard25]

Okay I'm going to try and not be long winded.

I think that most of what the OP has put forth is very credible and along the lines of what I was thinking myself without away to put it into a frame of thought. Most of the quotes used were ones that I myself have stopped and paused at and spent time pondering and my subconscious has always working one in the back of my mind.

The first thing is the Perseus analogy he's the son of the lord of the sky. Yet on an off note Jon's scared of heights. Could be a nod to Jon being afraid of his own nature. The fact the Rheagar was born under circumstances that were trying to birth a dragon and those eggs were tampered in the blood a 2 kings(Eggs first and then Duncan so that both can die kings.) Yet when Perseus kills Medusa her 2 children burst forth one which was a winged horse or in Jon's case a winged dragon. Which brings me to one of my other points. Which so happened to be the last of the dragons that the Targ family had. You don't have 3 eggs just disappear if your not going to do something. Something with one of the of eggs possibly being Rheagal's egg which so happens to be a red egg with golden swirls and black flitting through it. An actual red dragon would be inside, just like on the Targ banners being born at castle black during the long night. A red dragon on a black field. Where as Dany's black dragon born on the borders of the red waste would be just like the Blackfyre banners a black dragon on a red field.

Dany is too on the nose as AA. She was literally born during a storm that set the Targ fleet aflame, amidst smoke and salt, dragonstone being a volcano and it's fires are always smoking and the island is in the middle of the narrow sea. Then there is the whole she's set up with Drogo which is a black dragon with streaks of red (dragon colors) but he's also been linked to being balerion of old but he will have a new name for a new life. Dany being possibly set up to marry a blackfyre pretender. Who happens to lead the GC and wields darksister. It's not happenstance the Longclaw and Blackfrye are both described as a having silver inlaid and are bastard swords. While Darksister is slimmer and inlaid with Gold. Jon just so happens to get a bastard sword that a fire melted the silver off of? Come on and give GRRM a little more credit. Dany being herald as Mysra is almost like Rheayns Targ and being called the realms delight. She too loved poetry and music, and fancied herself to be a warrior and well as know how that ended. The queen who never was went into her final battle armed in bronze plated mail. While similarly Dany after her sacking of I think either Astopor or Yunkai she's given a suit of bronze mail and thinks that if she were to ride into battle she would rather be armed in steels she may be a young girl but even young girls know that. That's the parallel. One was the queen that never was and the other is the daughter of the Mad King come home to gladden the hearts of all true men. (Something like that from Selmy Barristan.) Where as Jon's oaths make him the defender of the realm. Yet like the master that wrote the TPATQ love and hate are two sides of the coin. Right now Dany is at high summer with the common man and that of the slaves who shackles that she broke. But soon that love can turn to hate. Dany broke their chains with no plans of what to do with them once they were free. Where as on the other hand Jon does have a plan in place for the wildlings that he has let into the realm. They are to defend the realm against dead men and the others. They will be feed by the toll that was collected as they came through the wall. When in reality when the choice is starve or borrow best borrow(the loan from the iron bank.) The wildlings aren't following Jon because they love him they are following him because when the choice is death or befriending the enemy best befriend the enemy.

Then there is something else that is curious about Jon and his warging ablilities. When he's letting the wildlings in through the wall he receives a necklaces of bear paws, a unicorn helm, a sealskin hat and something else that's related to an animial. Unicorns in the book are goats with a horn, the unicorn helm could also be liked to a crown or symbol of leadership for those that warg into unicorns, while the bear necklace is a like symbol of those that warg bears and the same could be said about the seal hat. The wildlings or the wargs realize that he has the strength to be a leader of the Wargs. It will be intesting to see what the lords of Shagkosi are going to make of that helm when they see it. The same could be said about the family of seal wargs on the iron island. The Mormonts as the only family on the Westerosi side of the wall that are said to warg bears, and there is that niche in the cave that Bran's in that has a bear's head in it.

So with that in mind I would like to draw your attention to what dany thinks about no man riding two different dragons. I think that Jon is going to hatch is own dragon or dragons what will make is dragons different is that his might be ice dragons because they were hatched and grew up in the icy cold north. Then not to mention that like on dragonstone there are deposits of dragonglass to be found north of the wall, my thinking in the mountains north of the gorge. So Jon has hatched his dragon and they have a bond. Then Dany shows up in an attempt of him to stop her he wargs her dragon. Eventually leading to them forming a bond as well. That would make Jon the song of fire and ice, the father of the ice dragons and the rider of the warged Drogon.

If you don't like that then let's look at Oathkeeper and Widow's Wail. One is longer and thicker than the other but the aren't twin blades but close cousins. Jon and Aegon are going to be thought be brothers but in reality Aegon is a cousin being a the son of house Blackfyre through his mother and a bright flame through his father(being the son of one of Aerion bright flame's bastard from Lys) Both Jon and Aegon are described Bran says that his bastard brother is graceful and quick, while also we get the impression that jon is going to have to grow into Longclaw's length that's why it's strapped to his back he not a tall man or having reached his true height. Also I'm left with the impression that Jon is lithe (slender). Aegon on the other hand is gawky and also described as lithe but he hasn't grown into his full height either. Yet from the way that him and Duck were fighting i'm left with the feeling that he's slightly heavier in the chest than Jon because the sword that will become Widow's wail is 3 inches thicker and an inch longer than the other blade. Aegon is going to be taller and slightly bigger than his "little" brother. What's also telling is the names of the blades. Widow's wail and Oathkeeper. One implies injustice, destruction and all kinds of grief to follow. Right now Aegon if he doesn't already have Dark Sister then when he takes KL he very well could take Widow's wail and because he's a pretender to the throne he leave a wail of widows in his wake. While Jon who by the OP's theory is a Hand at Justice it only stands to reason that he would wield Oathkeeper. He's all about oaths. His oath the realm(night watchs vows), protecting the realms of men. Not being sure if he still or ever served the Iron Throne. Jon is the type of ruler in my mind that can look at the picture and can see the broad strokes that make up the tapestry while at the same time can upon closer inspection can see the minute strokes the give the picture depth. For example with the Karstark even though it's part of the reason that Robb lost his head is because he put to death Rickard Karstark because he killed the lannister boys that were hostage. Jon put that aside and helped his kith. By doing so the marriage was a good first step, and if Jon takes the throne now by law the Thenns have become his subject and as they know how to kneel...

Both Aegon and Jon in there own way have received the same type of training, both trained at arms, both have walked among the under privilege and common man. Both seemed to be learned men. Where Aegon seems to have a gentler and easier nature. More of the airs that make men more willing to follow personality. He has a charisma. The same could be said about Rheagar. He was well like and respected by the high lords and commons both. Men seem ready to follow where he leads. His best friends in the world one helps raise his dead son and the other dies protecting his other son. Ned stark holds no grudges against the man that helped get his brother and father executed and leads to him having to raise his bastard. Even though it's not every man that can raise a kings bastard. (Theon when he's on his way to the Iron Islands).

Where as Jon has a more prickly and distrustfulness by nature. He's a closed book unless he wants you to know what he's thinking. Men follow Jon because they appreciate his strength. That he's smart and capable. Yet he does inspire loyality. The mens voices could be heard ringing off the walls of the shieldshall after he read the letter(even those men that were in a black cloak)which is why jon says that he would never ask his brothers to betray their oaths but is there any man there that would ride with him? Then there is when he's feeding the wildlings and he makes the speech that they have to pick. Admittily 63 out 1000 isn't a lot but its a good start. Inconstrast we see that the GC after Aegon says that he is the only dragon that they need so look to him, they liked it and thought that it was a bold stroke but they would rather die in Westeros then live outcasts.

These two men are being set up to be the same side of the same coin. Both claim to be Rheagars. Both are intelligent, both are attractive, one being fair like the sun and the other dark and having gathered a rather sinister reputation(the black bastard on the Wall)I don't think that men call him this out of affection. Both men are warriors and both have been shaped to rule. Where Aegon has been taught that the only way that he is going to get what is his is by the sword. Jon is coming to learn that War shouldn't be waged without good cause and it isn't a game to be played at whim. They are the light and dark sides of Rheagar's personality. The easy way that Aegon wins mens hearts (GC)verses the practical and methodical way the Jon gather's the minds and spirits of men(feeding the wildings and when they are coming through the wall. the white witch kisses his hand which is a way of paying respect to royalty without bowing or kneeling or denoting one of higher statues.)Rheagar's one time friend Jon leads his battle at he bells in his name because of the love he bears his prince. Where as the Martells stay true because in the mind he leaves Lyanna in their terriorty as a hostage because he realizes the place that he has left his wife and children in. This is a practical way of insuring loyalty. The martells love their sister where as Rheagar loves Lyanna Stark an eye for an eye type thing. Both men are set up as being scholars Aegon is trained in history and language and states craft, war craft and probably poetry and litature. Jon while he had a master we don't see him studing languages but he's not ignorant of the histories of the realm. He's courtly and intelligent to be able to teat with the iron bank and get a loan. Aemon tells Jon that knowledge in the right hands can be as dangerous as a sword arm yourself well before you ride out into battle. Rheagar before he became a warrior has armed himself in knowledge that pointed to that he was suppose to be a warrior. If not for what ever it was that he read he was a scholar. Yet knowledge in the wrong hands can be just a dangerous as that of a sword. Aegon armed with certain knowledge maybe could be the death of him. Not saying that it could happen that way but well he's impulsive and doesn't listen sometimes to his betters. Where Jon is methodical and patient. Look at him and Robb riding through the snow after finding the wolves. Robb is enjoying the race laughing and what not. While Jon just bends he head and sets his course to win. It's Jon's though out arguments that allow the Stark children to keep the wolves and Robb is only echoing his bastard brother's words. In this instant Jon is showing himself to be more level headed at 14 then most grown damn men in this story. It's Rhegar's single mindness and recklessness that leads to RR. Where as we all so see that he can be patient and sly. He has his other friend on the kingsguard to have his brother hold a tourney at Harrenhal where he was setting it up to meet as many high lords, heirs and spares as he could. One side of the Rhegar coin is Aegon inheriting some of his father's better qualities but also falling pray to the downsides of those qualities. While Jon has those same positive qualities but because Jon is more pragmatic he doesn't fall prey to their traps.