Few characters in Game of Thrones have captured the imagination of fans like Jon Snow. Introduced as the bastard son of the honourable Ned Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Jon evokes unconditional love. He is the hero we all look up to. Jon is brave, honourable, compassionate, loyal, observant and a born leader — qualities that endear him to not only his Stark siblings (Robb, Arya, Bran, Sansa and Rickon), uncle Benjen and Ned, but also to those on the Night’s Watch.

A constant reminder of Ned’s infidelity to Catelyn Stark, Lady of Winterfell, she makes him feel unwanted; one of the reasons why he chooses the Night’s Watch. But his inherent goodness and skills make him triumph at the Watch as well and lead to his rise up the ranks to become the Lord Commander.

Despite the rejection he has faced early in life, Jon is giving by nature — we see how he protects his friend Samwell Tarly, volunteers to join the scouting party going beyond the Wall to investigative disappearance of Benjen. We see him fight and kill a White Walker and understand the plight of the Wildlings. He actually allows them to pass through the Wall; something unheard of. Jon is also unconventional and independent; he breaks the vow of celibacy when he falls in love with the Wildling girl, the fiery Ygritte.

Jon Snow with Ygritte.

Jon is perhaps the only one in Westeros among all the powerful people fighting for the Iron Throne who knows the real battle is between the living and the dead. Of course, no one is listening; beginning with his fellow warriors at the Night’s Watch, some of whom conspire and kill him.

Jon is, of course, too important to die and is brought back to life. Once back, his only mission is to convince all the fractious clans of Westeros to unite and fight the one true enemy — the Night King and his White Walkers. His quest takes him South to meet Daenerys Targaryen, to not only ask her to join him in his fight against the White Walkers, but also to mine a substance called obsidian, which is present in large quantities below the ancient castle, Dragonstone. Obsidian (a form of volcanic glass), popularly called Dragonglass in Game of Thrones, is the only known thing, along with Valyrian steel, that can destroy the White Walkers.

Jon Snow with Daenerys Targaryen.

At the end of season seven, fans were also treated to two startling developments — one was the budding romance between Jon and Daenerys, and Jon’s true parentage. He is the child of Ned’s sister Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, the brother of Daenerys. He continues to ‘know nothing’.

Convinced that he needs Cersei Lannister on his side too, Jon goes beyond the wall again to capture a wight and present it in front of Cersei in King’s Landing. The mission, dangerous as it is, ends badly; Daenerys loses one of her beloved dragons and Jon almost gets killed.

Jon Snow kills a White Walker

Battle of Bastards

The Frozen Lake Battle

Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen

Jon and Ygritte

Big secret about Jon Snow

Jon Snow: The King in the North

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First Published: Mar 27, 2019 17:10 IST