Why is Jeor Mormont on the Wall?

[The Undefeated Gaul]

A possible heirloom for LC of the watch?

[The Dragon has three heads]

How can there be a watch after they kill two of their own commanders inside 3 months.

It's a broken sword in desperate need of re forging.

[The Undefeated Gaul]

Yeah good point. ^

[Arland]

It is an interesting question about different views about the watch up north and in the south. For Northmen being in the watch should be much less of a problem then for somebody from the south. They are used to the cold, they have relatives close by, they (and their relatives) are much more appreciative of watch task. For northmen, people of night watch are real heroes since they protect them every day from wildlings, while southerns think it is all about "grumpkins and snarkes".

Being a person of nightwatch for somebody from the north is not that bad - he has a roof over his head, a food in his belly, good warm clothes, basic medical care, probably some kind of payment (they had to pay with something in Moles town), and they were doing an important job. They also had a good opportunity for advancement - NW seems to be much more meritocratic then rest of the kingdom. The only problematic bit, would be taking no wives part, but that is what Moles town is for.

[Summer is Ending]

I think that Jeor was imagining a situation where one day Jon would be Lord Commander and then he would hand Longclaw down to a worthy young squire.

I can't see the sword going back to the Mormonts at this stage, Jeor remodelled the hilt from a bear to a wolf, so it is Jon's now, though I would like to see it go to Alysane's young son one day. I definitely don't think Jorah deserves it back.

That's what I was thinking as well. To me it's clear he doesn't expect the sword to come back to his family. I would also consider this some fairly exceptional times. Other men may had saved the Bear's life before but I'm betting Jon is the first to save him from the enemy that the NW was created to protect against in the first place. An enemy that has been gone so long they've completely forgotten them other than as stories. And now the Others have come back at the Watch's weakest hour. You don't send away one of your best weapons you have, you wish you had more.

Also Lord Mormont wasn't like Benjen in seeing his family.

My own blood kin … my sister Maege rules Bear Island now, since my son’s dishonor. I have nieces I have never seen.”

This is base speculation but I wonder if Lord Mormont weren't a bit touched.

“You must make them understand. I tell you, my lord, the darkness is coming. There are wild things in the woods, direwolves and mammoths and snow bears the size of aurochs, and I have seen darker shapes in my dreams.”

“The cold winds are rising. Mormont feared as much. Benjen Stark felt it as well. Dead men walk and the trees have eyes again. Why should we balk at wargs and giants?”

Perhaps Lord Mormont had more of a reason to join the NW than simply honoring it. Something I'm not too sure goes on that much even in the North. We see quite the surplus of noble males in families like the Umbers, the Karstarks and other Northern families yet we don't see any of them in the NW. However they are honoring the Watch it's certainly not with their sons anymore. Umber would even rather send a son to the Citadel than see him take the black.

[Lord Flashheart]

LC mormont gave longclaw to jon because his raven told him he is AA.

[hughie]

It would be interesting to know what proportion of the Watch were volunteers as opposed to conscripts or condemned criminals.

I knew an accountant who joined the French Foreign Legion. He hadn't done anything wrong, just wanted a change from his dull, predictable life.

[Bushido]

I've always imagined he took responsability for Jorah's doing.

[Alex Swann]

I've always wondered if Jorah redeems himself - wil Jon give it back to him?

Or what will Jorah think when he see's Jon with it.

I've always thought that Jorah will get back to Dany - they will both meet Jon. And Jon having Jorah's sword will either be a very good thing (he then knows his dad liked him) or a bad thing. Either way a good scene.

[Aegon IV]

Maege is a Mormont. Jeor is a Mormont. They are siblings. If Maege brought Longclaw to Jeor, there is no reason to believe she intended it to be given away from the family. Jeor is the one who gave away a sword that had been in the family for 500 years.

The Kingsguards are brothers and some Kingsguards have carried their family swords. The swords don't get passed on to their KG brothers. They are returned to the family.

The difference between the Kingsguard and Night's Watch is the Kingsguard still belong to a House, the Night's Watch do not. This is why Dawn was taken back to Starfall after the Dayne in the KG died wielding it.

How can there be a watch after they kill two of their own commanders inside 3 months.

It's a broken sword in desperate need of re forging.

I'm pretty sure it was much longer than 3 months. Twice in a relatively short time frame for sure.

[Nudu]

His island was as cold as the Wall and he said: "Oh why do i sit here?"

[Nudu]

The difference between the Kingsguard and Night's Watch is the Kingsguard still belong to a House, the Night's Watch do not. This is why Dawn was taken back to Starfall after the Dayne in the KG died wielding.

No they don't leave their houses. Maesters leave their surnames.

[Lady of Long Lake]

I think Jeor left Bear Island to get away from the ladies in Mormont Hall. It sounds like their log home is akin to the Indian's long-hall type of home. Jeor told Jon (or Tyrion) that he couldn't bear to be in the same room as Maege so there's some kind of strife between those two. Then Jorah's wife was probably crying and complaining constantly and that would have annoyed Jeor too, living in the same home as them.

I think he went to the Wall for some peace and quiet:)

[Bushido]

No they don't leave their houses. Maesters leave their surnames.

Yes,they do. Think of Benjen's and Jon's' words,the shields room.

[Summer is Ending]

Yes,they do. Think of Benjen's and Jon's' words,the shields room.

Then as now, when a knight took the black, tradition decreed that he set aside his former arms and take up the plain black shield of the brotherhood. The shields thus discarded would hang in the Shieldhall.

Arms, not names. Stark, Marsh, Thorne, Mormont. Nobody gives up their surname on the Wall.

[Ser Pollo Loco]

I've always wondered if Jorah redeems himself - wil Jon give it back to him?

Or what will Jorah think when he see's Jon with it.

I've always thought that Jorah will get back to Dany - they will both meet Jon. And Jon having Jorah's sword will either be a very good thing (he then knows his dad liked him) or a bad thing. Either way a good scene.

Bad thing probably, the only way i see jorah getting it back are if Jon has another varlyian sword and 1) Jon marries Dany and it's basically a gift for her or 2) Jorah joins the night's watch

[Jem]

Then as now, when a knight took the black, tradition decreed that he set aside his former arms and take up the plain black shield of the brotherhood. The shields thus discarded would hang in the Shieldhall.

Arms, not names. Stark, Marsh, Thorne, Mormont. Nobody gives up their surname on the Wall.

No but they do essentially give up their houses, which it think was the original proposition. They can't inherit from their family, they can't support their family in any conflict, their first and only allegiance is to the NW and not their birth family - that sort of thing.

[tinyskeeveuk]

Jorah isn't seeing that sword again (at least not to have).... the handle has been replaced as a wolf and he's in exhile. Unless something miraculous happens like Jon is killed by wights and the handle is melted....

[naik2902]

i think ned told benjen. he is afterall human. and i dont think no person can keep the secret for so long. he might have shared atleast with his younger brother.

may be later benjen told about jons parents to mormont and aemon. we wuld have found out if GRRM had given mormont or aemons POV.

i doubt the scene where raven utters "king, king" repeatedly and the way mormont eyes never left from jon snow.

it makes little sense why he wuld give valyrian steel sword to jon and changed pommel made up of wolf. coz both maestor aemon and mormont believed about PTWP and the prophecy. all which rhaegar kept sharing with aemon about PTWP. And one day both of them got info from benjen about jons parents . and later the incident when jon saved his life from dead made him believe more stronger that jon must be the one and there hope since aegon and rhaenys were dead.

[GallowsKnight]

i think ned told benjen. he is afterall human. and i dont think no person can keep the secret for so long. he might have shared atleast with his younger brother.

may be later benjen told about jons parents to mormont and aemon. we wuld have found out if GRRM had given mormont or aemons POV.

i doubt the scene where raven utters "king, king" repeatedly and the way mormont eyes never left from jon snow.

it makes little sense why he wuld give valyrian steel sword to jon and changed pommel made up of wolf. coz both maestor aemon and mormont believed about PTWP and the prophecy. all which rhaegar kept sharing with aemon about PTWP. And one day both of them got info from benjen about jons parents . and later the incident when jon saved his life from dead made him believe more stronger that jon must be the one and there hope since aegon and rhaenys were dead.

Or Jon could have saved Jeor from the sworn enemy of the Night's Watch that hasn't been seen in thousands of years and renders the entire Game of Thrones pointless.