Tyrion's Season 1 Advice to Jon Could Reveal the 'Game of Thrones' Finale
Jon Snow has come a long way since Season 1 of Game of Thrones. Beginning the series as Ned Stark’s supposed bastard son and ending Season 8 as Aegon Targaryen, potential king of Westeros, is definitely an upgrade. But will Jon Snow claim the throne in Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 6? One key line of dialogue between Jon and Tyrion back in Season 1 may hold the answer.
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Now that Daenerys Targaryen has burned King’s Landing to ashes and become the Mad Queen, Jon has a decision to make. Does he kill Dany and lay claim to the throne or stay loyal to his queen?
Either way, he has yet to fully claim or reveal his true identity, though Varys likely made sure the secret would get out. Tyrion Lannister, however, probably knows with whom he stands, and his first moment with Jon in Season 1, Episode 1 (recently resurfaced on Reddit) may have set the stage for Jon’s final actions.
Tyrion knows better than anybody what it’s like to be a family outcast, and back in Season 1, he could relate to Jon because of it. Heading into the series finale, Tyrion’s guiding words may be foreshadowing Jon’s public acknowledgement of his identity and ascension to the throne.
Here are his exact words from Season 1, Episode 1, “Winter Is Coming”:
“Let me give you some advice, bastard. Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.”
Because of the way Westeros treats bastard children (plus some non-subtle resentment from Catelyn Stark), Jon’s always felt out of place as a Stark. Despite having grown up with a loving family, the mark of being a bastard weighed heavily. So even after finding out he was a legitimate Targaryen heir with a rightful claim to the throne, Jon was still reluctant to take on that identity. It’s why he remained loyal to Daenerys, promising he wouldn’t take what was rightfully hers.
Jon may have brushed off Tyrion’s advice the first time, but headed into the series finale, he would be wise to take those words at face value. Claiming his identity in front of everyone and wearing it “like armor” would certainly give him an edge.
The people of Winterfell already love Jon and stand behind him, but would they still support him if they found out he was actually a Targaryen and not a true Northerner? Remember, Jon still has Stark blood thanks to his mother, Lyanna (Ned’s sister). If he owns up to who he truly is and honors it, “it can never be used against” him.
Jon Snow could finally claim his true identity and the throne in the series finale.
The Season 1 moment could also foreshadow Tyrion’s place at Jon’s side. He’s still loyal to Daenerys in theory, but after surviving the King’s Landing massacre and witnessing the Mother of Dragons’ horrifying actions firsthand, Tyrion may decide to pledge his loyalty to the “King in the North” instead. Jon being proud of and claiming his rightful identity would bring that particular conversation full circle and put a nice capstone on his Game of Thrones journey — even if Jon is still the most boring option for who should take the Iron Throne.
The Game of Thrones series finale airs Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. Eastern on HBO.
