Fan Theory Corner: The Northern Fool Fallacy and Jon Snow’s Motivations in season 7

Will the North reject Jon as their leader, and does he recognize this as a possibility?

Jon’s claim to the Iron Throne is legitimate, if unknown. However, his position as the chosen ruler of the North is uncertain. He recognizes this, and realizes that bending the knee to Daenerys will further imperil his position with his own people:

"JON: “My people won’t accept a Southern ruler. Not after everything they’ve suffered.” DAENERYS: “They will if their king does. They chose you to lead them. They chose you to protect them.”"

But would they accept Daenerys just because Jon tells them they must, or would they simply unname Jon as their king? Indeed, Jon has already replaced the title of “King in the North” with “Warden of the North” in exchange for Daenerys’ help in the war. But if the Northerners choose to oust Jon as their sovereign, his title won’t make much difference.

After the wight hunt, Jon tells Daenerys that the North “will come to see you for what you are,” a vague assurance if ever there was one. Jon knows the Northern lords, and has become familiar with their opinions. Let’s sample some:

• (re: Robb) “…takin’ up with a foreign whore, gettin’ himself and all that followed him killed.” — Lord Robett Glover, season 6
• “You have to be smarter than Father. You need to be smarter than Robb.” — Sansa Stark, season 7
• “A Targaryen cannot be trusted.” — Lord Yohn Royce of the Vale, season 7
• “We called your brother King, and then he rode South and lost his kingdom.” — Lord Glover, season 7
• “The North remembers.”

Jon knows that the Northerners will take issue with his actions. Depending on how much Sansa has been communicating with him (we know Sansa hadn’t heard from Jon “in weeks” by the finale, but there may have been letters going the other way), he might even know that the lords are losing faith in him, and that some even openly asked Sansa to take his place in “Eastwatch.” In Jon’s absence, can Sansa rally the Northern lords against the White Walkers in spite of what they will perceive as Jon’s betrayal?

"JON: “And how should I be smarter? By listening to you?” SANSA: “Would that be so terrible?”"

After this exchange in the season 7 premiere, Jon seeks out Sansa’s counsel when the note from Tyrion arrives in “Stormborn,” and later grants her control over Winterfell while he’s away. “Until I return, the North is yours.” But will it continue to be hers, even after Jon’s return? She could have taken control in his absence, but instead she defended Jon title to his fickle bannermen, so it seems that the pair will continue to work together, whatever their frustrations. The lone wolf dies but the pack survives, after all.

On the whole, Jon and Sansa have been working together to reclaim, rebuild, and preserve Winterfell and the North. In fact, during the lead-up to season 7, when HBO rounded up a list of the 12 most important moments from seasons 1-6, it included the scene between Jon and Sansa on the ramparts of Winterfell in “The Winds of Winter.” In that scene, Jon told Sansa that they need to trust each other. “We have so many enemies now.” He couldn’t have known it at the time, but Daenerys Targaryen has proven herself to be a threat to Northern independence, and as such, the North itself. Will she become one of those enemies?

We’ll have to wait until season 8 premieres to see if any of this speculation is borne out, but it gives us things to ponder in the months ahead:

• Will Jon be forced to abdicate his seat of power in the North?
• How will Daenerys react to the news that Jon has a claim to the Iron Throne that rivals her own?
• Will Sansa, Bran, and Arya be able to convince their bannermen to keep faith with Jon?
• Has Jon been playing a political game all along, and how will things play out once the Targaryen forces arrive at Winterfell?
• How will the reveal of Jon’s true parentage affect his relationships and alliances, and what will it mean for the wars to come?

And, just because it’s been too long without him… Can we get any confirmation that Ghost will at least make a cameo in the finale season?

Special thanks to the Tumblr users linked within, who allowed me to include their fantastic metas, speculations, and analyses for further reading.

Next: Who’s going to die in Game of Thrones season 8? Odds on every character

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*For further analysis of Jon Snow’s character development in season 7, head here.

**For a closer reading of Jon’s dialogue, head here.

*** Read more speculation on Jon’s stance on his dealings with Daenerys here.

† Check out this post for a visual representation of Jon’s responses to his own untruths.

†† Read more on Cersei’s perception of Jon’s character here.