How did you figure out R+L=J?

[Raving Stark the Mad]

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble about how "obvious" it was, but I'm pretty sure I read about it on a blog after reading AGoT. Unlike most theories however, I was immediately sold. Everything fit and some subsequent clues seem to reinforce it.

[R.O.Edwards]

I always knew Jon had different parentage to what he was told

and I had several ideas including R+L=J

but it wasn't until I read these boards that I was convinced

for me it was the bed of blood, the promise, the kingsguard, and the blue flowers

[Anythingatall]

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble about how "obvious" it was, but I'm pretty sure I read about it on a blog after reading AGoT. Unlike most theories however, I was immediately sold. Everything fit and some subsequent clues seem to reinforce it.

I think it's really obvious if you have an interest in Jons Mother. I am basing the "obviousness" on the fact that I am the worst person at figuring stuff out.

[Arya Targaryen]

I worked it out from the show, after ep.2. (I watched S1 before reading the books)

The clue that got me thinking was how Robert described Lyanna having been raped by Rhaegar a 100 times, so I started to think whether there was enough time for a baby. And in Ep2. Ned told Jon that he is of his blood, so I realised that it must be Jon. However, I was not sure if the timelines fit, so I asked a friend who has read the books and he told me that this is a very popular theory. After that, I found this forum. :)

[Viking]

First read I didn't know who, but realized that parentage was a significant plot point. I knew that one parent was a northerner due to the description.

Read the wiki and it made sense.

First re-read with R+L=J in mind and I was fully convinced.

[yomi]

Well, I watched the first season of the show before starting to read the books, so I hadn't the urge to read hurriedly in order to find out what would happen next, because I assumed that the big events would be mostly like in the show (which for the first season is a mostly correct assumption as it turned out). Thus I took the time to read the book carefully und pay attention on the details.

So there where questions: Why did Ned's sister die? What did Ned promise her? Honourable Ned fathered a bastard? Why does Ned make such a huge secret about who the bastard's mother is (IIRC he only tell Robert that it was Wylla in the TV show, not in the books)?

And Lyanna dieing of childbirth and Jon being Lyanna's son by Rhaegar and Ned promising he would protect the boy/raise him as his own son seemed the most likely explanation to all this questions.

Of cause I didn't have all the well founded arguments that have accumulated in the many, many R+L=J threads, and I didn't consider that Rhaegar might have married Lyanna.

[Hangover of the Morning]

When reading AGoT, I had a strong feeling that Lyanna went willingly with Rhaegar, because Ned never seem to hold any grudge against the guy. I was also quite sure that she died giving birth. Why else would she die of fever and in a bed of blood. Even with that info, I still didn't put 2 and 2 together and didn't suspect that the child could be Jon.

After finishing AGoT, I stumbled onto R+L=J somewhat accidentally via a friend of mine. I was blown-away but also immediately sold. It made absolute sense and I felt like an idiot for not figuring it out myself.

[HosteenOsteen]

You know, I don;t really remember, and I wish I did. I watched season one of the TV series then read the books...certainly by the time I read ACOK I knew.....I think it was prob. the way the TV show juxtaposed so much of Jon with os much talk of Rhaegar, whether by Robert, Jorah, etc. Also once Rhaego, Dany's son, was dead, there had to be another continuation of Rhaegar around....ergo Jon..I think this is how I figured it out.

[Attitude]

Here on the forums.

Never did a reread tbh, and I've read it in my native language (Dutch). I also started reading when the 5th book was out.

The things was; I was pretty sure that something was up with Jon's parentage, but I never came even close to R+L. I was at some point thinking it wasn;t Ned's kid, but I wasn't really thinking about it. When I came to this forum I noticed how hyped it was (it was already figured out for most of the people here..) And as I started discussing and talking, it came to me that it all made a lot of sense. The little feeling that something was wrong grew and I felt that all the arguments felt in place.

For me the only question that remains is: What will it mean for Jon. (because, IMO, he will defenitly not die).

[DireGhost]

I started reading aGoT last year on a deployment (had never seen an episode or read any details) and I thought while reading that book it was obvious Lyanna was Jon's mother. I didn't think about Rhaegar though until I found this forum.

[sj4iy]

The TOJ dream in AGOT. Everything just clicked at that point.

[Pem123]

That was easy.

Lyanna cried when Rhaegar sing a song

Lyanna ask Eddard to promise her something that he never mentioned again

Eddard never reveal Jon mother

Howland Reed the only one watching the whole thing and now his kid is helping Bran

GRRM said Howland Reed will eventually come up.

three kings guard guarding them.

Jon is at the wall fighting the others, he was clearly the prince that was promised, otherwise why would he be in the wall.

[Ibbison from Ibben]

I spent a lot of time on my first read through of aGoT rechecking Ned's flashback scenes. The key one for me was where Lyanna tells Ned she doesn't want to marry Robert. That turned the kidnap/rape story into an elopement, and R+L=J followed automatically for me.

[ssls6]

I was researching Jon mother when I saw the connection made by someone else. It felt right.

[Grail King]

I sensed it as I read the books and Ned saying to Jon about having his blood if not his name, the robert not changing his ways when Ned kept thinking of Lyanna and the tourney at Harrenhal and the TOJ episode, Cat asking him and Ned asking her where she heard the talk from, had to be a big promise for Ned to feel stained on his honor.

[Erudain]

Truly? internet and I'm not ashamed of it.

Started reading ASoIaF in 2005, I was working all winter at a ski resort thousands of miles away from home, no TV, no internet, nothing.....so a guy in that town book store recomends me GoT cause it was "kinda like LotR" (yeah, I know...no comments).
So I read the first 3 books in those months, got hooked up with the story, the question of who was Jon mother was always in my head, I was sure Ned was his dad but I didn't trust the Wylla/Ashara stories, so I expected a 3rd one to be his mother.

When the ski season was over, got back home, started my PC, googled "Jon Snow mother".....first result....R+L=J...... :eek: ......no way... :bs: ......and the more I kept reading and re-reading the books I wanted to :bang: for not figuring out....

[Ello Stark]

I have first seen season 1 and 2 before I read the books. And I can clearly remember how a friend of mine and me were discussion Ned Stark's moral while watching season 1, I said to my friend that I can't believe that this man was ever cheating on his wife. For this did not fit at all and I highly doubted the fatherhood of Jon Snow. And then there was this scene in season 1 in which Ned Stark is nearly crying as he tells Jon that they will soon talk about Jon’s mother. I was confused and was thinking “why the hell should Ned nearly cry when he talks about Jon’s mother”. I concluded that the mother was probably no whore, but someone important. I then started reading the books, and started to understand more of the back story. I realized the “promise me” thing, and was then 100% sure that Jon Snow’s father is not Ned. Then, I simply googled it and came here :cool4:

Oh and additionally, I spread the word and talked to other people who read the book even before the Tv show started and none of them actually got it. Some started a re-read because of it and there are still many people I know who have read the novels – all of them before the Tv show – who don’t believe in R+L and just are making fun of me and say that I am totally wrong.

[Woofless]

The first time I came across the blood together with the promise me.

It actually seemed very obvious at the time. Or I should say it seemed obvious to me that she had died in childbirth and that consequently Rhaegar would be the father.

The promise me sealed it.

And no, this is not hindsight being 20/20.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

I googled "who is jon's mother theories".

[Mal Malenkirk]

On my second re-read, when Robert and Ned discuss Lyanna in the crypt. It just got me thinking and led to a 'duh!' moment.