Can Jon become King of the Seven Kingdoms?

[TallTyrion]

He said no to Winterfell, I'm having trouble imagining him saying yes to the 7K.

The stabbing may change his perspective a bit

[sj4iy]

He said no to Winterfell, I'm having trouble imagining him saying yes to the 7K.

The situation will be different and he will be needed much more as a leader of the Westeros than as the leader of the Night's Watch (if it even exists by then). There would be nothing left for him at the Wall to do, and he would see it as his duty to help the 7 kingdoms. I doubt there would be any 'conditions' such as 'marry the woman I tell you!' and 'rip up the trees of the Gods of you and your forefathers!'. He may not even have to worry about breaking his oath by then because it may not even be valid.

That's how I see his personality, anyway.

[TallTyrion]

He said no to Winterfell, I'm having trouble imagining him saying yes to the 7K.

The major factor in him turning down Winterfell was Stannis' religious fanaticism. It wasn't just become Jon Stark and rule the North, it was become Jon Stark and forsake the Gods of your father. Melisandre would have burned Wintefell's Godswood and Jon couldn't abide that.

[sifth]

The Nights Watch betrayed Jon, I'd say his business with them is finished.

[RumHam]

To say the Targaryen Dynasty is over is not exactly accurate. Robert made his claim based on descending from Aegon V through his grandmother Rhaelle. He cemented his claim by killing everyone ahead of him, apart from Daenerys and Viserys.

I know people say this is just a cover but it must have some legitimacy since Robert had the weakest host of all the rebel lords in the rebellion and was least qualified to rule yet he ended up being King

I really don't think that's accurate. Yes he took the throne because he "had the better claim" and his relation to them might have played a role. Still it clearly wasn't a claim to be the rightful continuation of the Targaryen line. Mostly because Viserys was still alive. It was a claim based on conquest. He killed Rhaegar at the Trident and effectively won the war. He may not have had the largest army or been best suited to rule, but it's likely that just due to his personality he became the face of the rebellion. I can see why everyone would think he'd be the obvious choice when the other options were the heirless old man Jon Arryn and Ned Stark.

[TallTyrion]

I really don't think that's accurate. Yes he took the throne because he "had the better claim" and his relation to them might have played a role. Still it clearly wasn't a claim to be the rightful continuation of the Targaryen line. Mostly because Viserys was still alive. It was a claim based on conquest. He killed Rhaegar at the Trident and effectively won the war. He may not have had the largest army or been best suited to rule, but it's likely that just due to his personality he became the face of the rebellion. I can see why everyone would think he'd be the obvious choice when the other options were the heirless old man Jon Arryn and Ned Stark.

No question there.

My point was that Targaryen descent is still viewed in Westeros as something of value from a propaganda perspective. My post was meant as a response to the OP stating that Jon's Targaryen heritage is irrelevant since the Baratheons have taken over. Robert did base his claim on his Grandmother it doesn't make him correct or the proper heir but he's still using Targaryen blood as a basis for his claim. Had Rhaegar been killed by Ned or a random archer Robert was still going to be crowned.

[Light a wight tonight]

"The Hound is dead. Sandor Clegane is at peace."

"Lord Commander Jon Snow is dead. "Jonerys" Targaryen is eligible to take the Iron Throne." Just glamour one of those frozen corpses to look like Jon and cremate it to make it official and swear in Lord Commander 999 (or whatever).

By the time the Winter Apocalypse is over nobody will be worrying too hard about rules and oaths.

[natty bumppo]

If Jon is the one who saves their sorry asses from extinction by the Others then sure as hell he can be king. That war will hit Westeros really hard. Whatever obstacles there are now will be gone by the time ist over.

[Winds of Winter blow cold]

He can take it by conquest.

[mb2518]

I think Jon will be the king beyond the wall at the end. A big part of his identity has been wanting to belong. He never felt he really belonged with the Starks. We know he won't cheat Brandon/Rickon out of their claim to Winterfell, so this rules him out being KITN.

GRRM said that the person who sits on the IT at the end will be a surprise. I doubt that is going to be the closest thing the series has to a main character. It also practically rules out Dany. It will either be a Baratheon or a new royal family will be chosen.

[Free Northman Reborn]

He will be declared Daenreys' heir and become king that way.

[IceFire125]

He can take it by conquest.

That's the last thing Jon will do. Westeros needs to be saved, not conquered. When the Others march their armies south, it's just gonna be a matter of time. Before the Great Council choose Jon to be the King in the end, he must fulfill his oath (even if it's no longer valid--the wall/NW no longer exists), to protect the realm of men, he is the shield in the (long) night, because there won't be a wall to protect the 7 kingdoms.

Now, whether he is/will be Azor Ahai Reborn, TPTWP, a Dragonlord or a combination of the 3, is of course, GRRM's call as the story moves forward; there are so many worded clues there for him to piece them together.

[KINGpanther]

Jon is a main character but him sitting the IT would be a big surprise. Unless your a hardcore R+L=J fan, Jon as King is outta left field. I still can't see it though unless post stabbed Jon becomes power hungry.

[Mithras]

I think how Jon will be the king will be similar to how he became the LC. Sam will play game of thrones behind the doors. Perhaps he will be the one to call for a Great council. Just like Aemon was the kingmaker of Egg, Sam will be the kingmaker of Jon.

[gvewolf243]

There are a lot of foreshadowing for that, though i think if Jon accepts the throne, it'll be out of duty or smh.

[Michael Herman]

Jon will probably end up as KitN or Lord of Winterfell (or at least lord protector of Winterfell or something along those lines). He's not left the north since he was brought there as an infant (as far as we know) and since his father, brother, uncle, and grandfather all died in the south he'd be pretty stupid to try to conquer it, the southern lords don't know him or care for him, and though he would certainly try his best he would be no better at ruling 7 kingdoms or at court intrigue than his father (Ned, not Rhaegar I'll refer to Ned as his father as he sees Ned as his father and probably will continue to do so even if he knows the truth). He doesn't have the Targ look, no one knows who he is other than a very minor reclusive lord no one will trust, and he also lacks dragons or an army.

However, as heartless as he is I don't think Martin is going to have no house Stark at the end of aDoS, Bran is crippled and cannot further the Stark line unless he is healed, even if he is, he is beyond the wall and learning to become a greenseer. Rickon is wild, unruly and is far to young to actually rule the north, plus he is now being raised by a wildling and the Skagosi, his poor temperament suggests a poor lord in the making. I can't see Sansa or Arya leading house Stark in their own right, especially when Robb has a will stating Jon is his heir, this leaves Jon Snow.

There is the GNC theory which suggests the northmen plan to restore house Stark, I think this is at least somewhat true and that Jon will likely end up ruling Winterfell, in what form I do not know.

The only way I can see Jon ruling is if he marries Dany (not fond of the idea, but I won't judge it before it's written) and ends up being prince consort or something.

[David Selig]

If his plotline is at least somewhat plausible written, no. But then a lot of the plotline so far has been very implausible in Jon's favour, so who knows...

Jon is a main character but him sitting the IT would be a big surprise. Unless your a hardcore R+L=J fan, Jon as King is outta left field. I still can't see it though unless post stabbed Jon becomes power hungry.

Any experienced reader of epic fantasy can spot Jon being a major candidate for the throne a mile away. He's a textbook version of the main character in fantasy who end up as king "against all odds"

[Kaguya]

Yes. Poor Stannis

[Kyll.Ing.]

King of the Seven Kingdoms? Hardly. One kingdom, though? Maybe.

Dorne has been wanting to declare independence since they were conquered, basically. It's not like prince Doran - or whoever succeeds him - would give up that dream because some northern bastard burned up a bunch of frozen corpses several thousand kilometres away.

The Iron Islands also seek independence. Without heavy subsidies from the mainland, they have nothing to live off but their own way. Unless the central government is particularly interested in upholding a population on the islands, they will have to do for themselves. Besides, they don't trust mainlanders.

The Vale is isolationist. They've got food and shelter for themselves, and mountains and walls to keep out others who might want to take it away from them.

The North basically declared independence already, and they were poorly integrated in the Seven Kingdoms from the start.

That leaves, if I'm not mistaken, the Reach, the Stormlands and the Westerlands. Neither seem to be too fond of the two others at the moment.

In short, the Seven Kingdoms still very much identify themselves as seven kingdoms. All that holds them together, is the Iron Throne in King's Landing... and everybody seem to be constantly fighting over it. The Throne, the city and the authority that keeps the realm together are all artificial constructs, brought by the Targaryens from across the sea. There have been thousand of years of independence, seven true kingdoms, and 300 years of central government, united under a foreign, half-mad and now near-extinct dynasty. They created the union, and I think they will end up destroying it too. Aerys II had wildfire hidden all around King's Landing, and only some of it have been removed (what was found during Tyrion's preparations for the Battle of Blackwater). Wildfire is, as we've heard, ridiculously unstable, and that only gets worse over time. I think the series will end with King's Landing burning down, the Iron Throne melting away, and the seven kingdoms becoming seven kingdoms once again. The capital city created by the Targaryens will fall to ruin, as will the big united country they created. Tradition trumping over progress, leaving only ruins and their legends. Martin appear to be fond of those - Westeros has Castamere, Summerhall and Harrenhal, and Essos has countless others all over the place.

(Hmm... maybe this is worth its own thread?)

So... Jon probably won't get to sit on the fancy sword chair. He might not even get to rule anywhere at all; just because he can stave off the Others doesn't mean the entire realm will bow down to him, and it doesn't mean he'll want to pursue a career in politics. I think he'll get to do something really significant, he will realize who he really is, but I don't think he'll have ambitions to rule over all the seven kingdoms.

[King Aegon The Conqueror]

King of the Seven Kingdoms? Hardly. One kingdom, though? Maybe.

Dorne has been wanting to declare independence since they were conquered, basically. It's not like prince Doran - or whoever succeeds him - would give up that dream because some northern bastard burned up a bunch of frozen corpses several thousand kilometres away.

The Iron Islands also seek independence. Without heavy subsidies from the mainland, they have nothing to live off but their own way. Unless the central government is particularly interested in upholding a population on the islands, they will have to do for themselves. Besides, they don't trust mainlanders.

The Vale is isolationist. They've got food and shelter for themselves, and mountains and walls to keep out others who might want to take it away from them.

The North basically declared independence already, and they were poorly integrated in the Seven Kingdoms from the start.

That leaves, if I'm not mistaken, the Reach, the Stormlands and the Westerlands. Neither seem to be too fond of the two others at the moment.

In short, the Seven Kingdoms still very much identify themselves as seven kingdoms. All that holds them together, is the Iron Throne in King's Landing... and everybody seem to be constantly fighting over it. The Throne, the city and the authority that keeps the realm together are all artificial constructs, brought by the Targaryens from across the sea. There have been thousand of years of independence, seven true kingdoms, and 300 years of central government, united under a foreign, half-mad and now near-extinct dynasty. They created the union, and I think they will end up destroying it too. Aerys II had wildfire hidden all around King's Landing, and only some of it have been removed (what was found during Tyrion's preparations for the Battle of Blackwater). Wildfire is, as we've heard, ridiculously unstable, and that only gets worse over time. I think the series will end with King's Landing burning down, the Iron Throne melting away, and the seven kingdoms becoming seven kingdoms once again. The capital city created by the Targaryens will fall to ruin, as will the big united country they created. Tradition trumping over progress, leaving only ruins and their legends. Martin appear to be fond of those - Westeros has Castamere, Summerhall and Harrenhal, and Essos has countless others all over the place.

(Hmm... maybe this is worth its own thread?)

So... Jon probably won't get to sit on the fancy sword chair. He might not even get to rule anywhere at all; just because he can stave off the Others doesn't mean the entire realm will bow down to him, and it doesn't mean he'll want to pursue a career in politics. I think he'll get to do something really significant, he will realize who he really is, but I don't think he'll have ambitions to rule over all the seven kingdoms.

Like other posters have pointed out that GRRM has said the person to sit on the Iron Throne will be a surprise. So we know the Iron Throne remains. We just don't know about King's Landing.