About R+L=J and a different point of view

[Ygrain]

On 1/28/2019 at 8:42 PM, Bael's Bastard said:

snip

Thanks for the quotes, I'll put them down for future use.

[SFDanny]

On 1/28/2019 at 11:42 AM, Bael's Bastard said:

Nonsense.

GRRM explicitly stated that Brandon died before he had sons, offering up this information without even being asked:

There seem to be Lannisters and Freys under every rock, while the Starks are very scarce. Does Ned not have any distant relatives who could reclaim Winterfell?

... It's true that in recent times, the Starks have become quite scarce. There's not many of them in the present generatons. Some may say it's because Ned's siblings died. Brandon died before he had sons, and Lyanna is also dead, and Benjen joined the Night's Watch which means he doesn't have descendants either. It might also have to do with their father, Rickard, who was an only son and I'd have to go back to my notes to see why he was the only child -- and really, I'm speaking from memory, so that may not be quite right. At home I have my notecards, my family trees where I keep this information, because unlike some other people I can't remember everything.

- SSM: July 28, 2012

https://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Asshai.com_Interview_in_Barcelona/

And lest anyone attempt to twist GRRM's words to leave room that Brandon could have fathered sons that weren't born until after he died, he elaborated, in the same interview, that while Brandon could have left behind some bastards, "what's absolutely clear is that he had no legitimate children":

In A Dance with Dragons, we learn more about Brandon Stark and his interest in women, similar to Robert's. Did Brandon have any bastards as well?

It'd be an exaggeration to say that Brandon died before he could have children. It's established in the books that he was no virgin. He could very well have left behind some little Snows in the various places he visited. But what's absolutely clear is that he had no legitimate children.

- SSM: July 28, 2012

https://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Asshai.com_Interview_in_Barcelona/

So GRRM went out of his way to tell us (without being asked) that Brandon fathered no sons, or legitimate children of any gender, and that "Benjen joined the Night's Watch which means he doesn't have descendants either."

But when it comes to Lyanna, he simply states "and Lyanna is also dead." A great opportunity to rule out that she had descendants, or at least legitimate descendants, but he didn't take it, despite the Rhaegar + Lyanna = Jon theory being nearly fifteen years old at the time.

Which conveniently leaves open the possibility that Brandon fathered a stillborn bastard daughter with Ashara during the tourney at Harrenhal.