There's no good way to react to the news that you've been fucking your aunt. That kind of Lannister love isn't what Jon Snow was after with Daenerys Targaryen when they finally met in Game of Thrones Season 7. There's also the big picture wrinkle that Jon being the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark -- born Aegon Targaryen -- means he has a better claim to the Iron Throne than his lady love. When Season 8 finally arrives in April, it should bring the truth to both Jon and Dany. Kit Harington warned that Jon isn't the type to play coy with his reaction:
Jon is someone who plays by the book. He cannot lie. Finding out about Dany would be very hard for him.
Yeah, it's going to be hard for both Jon and Dany. From Jon's point-of-view, as Kit Harington teased to TV Insider, it changes his entire story. He's always been "the bastard." Catelyn Stark treated him with disdain because he was always presented as the result of Ned Stark's affair. He never really knew his mother. But it turns out his mother was Ned Stark's sister Lyanna. Ned will always be his father -- the way all parents who adopt and raise children are their parents -- but Ned is technically Jon's biological uncle. And Dany, as Rhaegar's younger sister, is Jon's aunt.
Since the now deceased Rhaegar and Lyanna apparently got married before Jon was born, that means he has the best legitimate claim to the Iron Throne.
So at this point, TV viewers are caught up on Jon's true parentage and claim, and so are Bran and Sam. Now it's down to telling the main players, as co-showrunner D.B. Weiss noted:
From a dramatic standpoint, it makes things interesting, because the story is no longer about who Jon's parents are. It's about what happens when Jon finds out.
Jon's biological claim may not matter in the grand scheme of Game of Thrones, since bloodlines have been tossed aside of late in favor of whoever is willing to just take the Iron Throne. Cersei Lannister has the throne right now, despite no claim other than being the wife of the late King Robert Baratheon, and mother of two previous kings (who were both born from incest with her twin brother).
Besides, Jon Snow -- despite being elected ruler everywhere he goes -- has never had the ambition to rule. He just wanted to be First Ranger, like his Uncle Benjen. Plus, he already bent the knee to Dany and pledged his loyalty to her. They both believe she is the last Targaryen, with that claim to the throne. She has always seen Robert Baratheon as "the usurper." So how will the news that Jon has a stronger claim affect Dany? Not well, Emilia Clarke previews:
Daenerys's lifelong dream has been to avenge her family and claim her rightful seat on the Iron Throne. She truly loves Jon. Were she to find out about his title, it would cut deep.
Were she to find out? That may just be Emilia Clarke hedging her words, not wanting to confirm that Dany finds out the news, rather than a suggestion that she never learns. Can you imagine? She deserves the truth. So does Jon. It should be on its way to them in Season 8.
We know Jon heads back to Winterfell in Game of Thrones Season 8, since the first new footage of the season showed Jon hug Sansa Stark, as Sansa looked warily at someone off-screen. That someone may be Daenerys Targaryen, going to Winterfell with Jon. It could be an awkward Stark-Targaryen meeting, made still more awkward once Jon gets the Targaryen update from Sam and Bran. Then it's just a matter of what Jon does with that information. Based on Kit Harington's tease, he'll probably be open with Dany. But we'll see.
Will they tell everyone else? Will people switch loyalties from Dany to Jon? Will it not matter at all, since the real focus is on fighting the White Walkers to save humanity? It's unlikely that Dany would suddenly turn on Jon and start fighting him. They are more likely to stay strong together against both the dead army and the threats from Cersei Lannister and Euron Greyjoy.
That said, the surprise news that she's been making love to her nephew -- who also has a better claim -- may press pause on the sexy time for a minute.
Game of Thrones Season 8 is the final season, and it only has six episodes. They are all expected to be supersized, though, and they'll premiere in April on HBO. Here's what else we know about the final season at this point. And here's what else fans can look forward to watching in 2019.
