Here's the Case For Jon Snow & Daenerys Targaryen's Marriage on 'Game of Thrones' 

Here's the Case For Jon Snow & Daenerys Targaryen's Marriage on 'Game of Thrones'

What? Don't aunts and nephews get hitched where you come from?

returns July 16 and fans are rightfully excited. The HBO series is nearing its end and fan speculation ranges far and wide about how things will conclude.

isn\'t just another show. It inhabits a world much bigger than TV, created in the mind of George R.R. Martin, whose novels are steeped in mythos. The history of

is vast and seemingly endless. It\'s also full of prophecy. If the past is prologue then the future of

There are 13 episodes left in the series. Winter is here. War is here. Jon Snow leads the North, Cersei Lannister leads the East, and Daenerys Targaryen is about to land in Westeros with a bigger army than anyone\'s in the Known World. Anyone living that is.

Beyond the Wall, the White Walkers and the Army of the Dead are led by the Night King. They\'ve awakened again after being defeated a thousand years ago during the War for the Dawn. The Northern army knows the White Walkers well and King Snow will undoubtedly spend the beginning of season seven warning others about the threat and consolidating the armies of the living. 

Cersei is beyond convincing and will have to be dealt with. Daenerys, however, is another story. The Mother of Dragons has a plan to take the Iron Throne, yes, but she\'s also unaware of the looming threat in the North. Look for Jon to treat with her early in season seven and form an alliance. Dragons and dragonglass are key to defeating the White Walkers, which means Daenerys is key. 

Daenerys is also Jon\'s aunt. The season six finale confirmed the long-held fan theory that Jon is a Targaryen, the son of Dany\'s brother Rhaegar and his (kind of) secret love Lyanna Stark, Ned Stark\'s sister. The thing is, neither Jon or Daenerys know this fact. Only Bran Stark knows the truth (and probably Littlefinger) so Jon and Dany will likely meet one another without realizing they\'re related.  

This ignorance will be a key to their relationship. I\'m expecting Jon and Dany to fall in love during the course of season seven thinking they\'re from separate families while sharing similar goals. The aunt and nephew thing would only screw things up for them at first. Yes, Targaryens have a history of inbreeding to keep their bloodlines pure, but I\'m guessing Dany wouldn\'t see that as a turn on. Plus, where\'s the fun in some arranged marriage?

Jon and Dany need to fall in love on their own terms first. THEN, they\'ll discover the truth about Jon\'s lineage and the other pieces will fall into place. What other pieces? Here\'s the case for a union between Jon and Daenerys:

1. The Pact of Ice and Fire - During the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons, Rhaenyra Targaryen battled her half-brother, Aegon II, for the Iron Throne after the death of their father, Viserys I. The war would see the deaths of thousands and nearly wipe out every dragon from existence. Sides were chosen and House Stark chose Rhaenyra\'s side. Their allegiance was confirmed by the Pact of Ice and Fire—Rhaenyra promised the Starks that a Targaryen princess would marry into their house in exchange for the Northern army\'s support. However the pact was never fulfilled. Rhaenyra would die at the war\'s end and the promise slipped away. But the North remembers—the Targaryens still owe the Starks a royal marriage.

2. The Targaryen Bloodline - As mentioned above, the Targaryens have a long history of inter-marriage and inbreeding to keep their bloodlines pure. And, while I don\'t think this is a reason for Jon and Dany to get together, I do see it as a convenient excuse to KEEP them together if they fall in love and find out Jon is a Targaryen after the fact.

3. "The Song of Ice and Fire" - While the "Song" is prophesied to belong to the Prince That Was Promised, it\'s also the collective name of Martin\'s book series. Why would he name it that? Could the "Song" in the title also refer to the marriage of the Houses of Stark (ice) and Targaryen (fire)? It seems to fit nicely. Jon and Daenerys (and Tyrion) are the main characters of the story so it\'s only fitting they end up together.

4. Politics - Daenerys leaves her paramour, Daario Naharis, back in Essos knowing she\'ll have to marry once she takes the Iron Throne to cement allegiances and, most importantly, carry on the Targaryen line. Who\'s her equal in Westeros? There are only two men who also claim kingships and control large armies: Jon Snow and Euron Greyjoy. You think Euron has a shot? Daenerys will likely see Jon as a prospective partner before they even meet.

5. Dragonriders - The Targaryens didn\'t just send dragons into battle, they trained them and rode them. Kings and queens raised the largest dragons in history and Daenerys currently has three dragons under her wing. She\'ll ride Drogon in the Great War to come, but she\'ll need two others to mount Rhaegal and Viserion. I delved into this matter in more detail last year, but Jon is the prime candidate to ride Rhaegal, the dragon named after his father. Riders must have Targaryen blood and Jon qualifies. It would also enhance his worthiness to marry Daenerys.

to concede that it makes sense for the two main characters to get together at the end of the series, the union has to make sense within the established world. A Stark/Targaryen wedding hits those notes and sets things up for those two Houses to rule Westeros in the future.

What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts on a Daenerys and Jon Snow marriage.

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I'm a Senior Associate Editor at Zimbio. I specialize in film, Game of Thrones, Netflix and the novels of Susan Sontag. Follow me: Google

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