TIMES Jon Snow’s Enlightening Dragon Encounter

The King of the North isn’t the first character to successfully charm a dragon

It was recently established that Jon Snow possesses Targaryen blood, which shocked viewers everywhere. His actual father, Rhaegar Targaryen, impregnated Lyanna Stark, who died during child birth. Gilly actually may have revealed that the two were married, which would make Jon Snow the rightful heir to the Seven Kingdoms. Twitter had a field day with this scene, especially considering how Gilly was interrupted by a man when revealing some of the most crucial information that this show has ever provided. So while this may have been the most apparent and discussed reveal in Episode 5, another scene alluded to an even greater mind fuck.

Early in the episode Daenerys Targaryen returned from the complete ass-kicking she laid on the cowardly and incompetent Lannister army, with the help of her terrifying (yet somewhat endearing) dragon, Drogon. Drogon intimidatingly flew up to Jon Snow, revealing his monstrous sets of piercingly sharp teeth. Despite clearly being afraid, Jon slowly reached his bare hand out towards the dragon’s face, eventually making contact against its coarse, scaled skin. Surprisingly, Drogon abandoned his aggressive demeanor, calming to a point that resembled a dog being pet by its owner.

This scene stuck out to many, especially considering the fact that Jon Snow was revealed to be a Targaryen at the end of the sixth season. Dragons are perceived as incredibly intelligent beasts, even smarter than most humans, which makes one question: are they able to sense Targaryen blood in an individual? Daenerys’ three dragons obey her commands and are able to clearly decipher when to remain calm around allies and when to attack an enemy. However, the dragons have only been up close and personal with two characters other than Daenerys: Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister.

In Episode 2 of Season 6, Tyrion decided to free two of the confined dragons from their chains. Daenerys was absent following an epic battle, and two of her dragons were starving themselves, so in an effort to save them the youngest Lannister chose to relinquish their shackles.

He slowly (and skeptically) approached them with a torch in his hands, the single source of light in an otherwise pitch black dungeon. While the two dragons were out sight at first, they gradually began to lurk out of the darkness, illuminating their faces with enraged fires kindling in the back of their throats. Similar to the manner in which Drogon approached Jon, these two dragons displayed their vast array of sword-sized teeth.

Yet Tyrion remained calm in spite of this hostile situation, as he began telling a story to the two dragons. He detailed a birthday during his childhood in which he asked for a dragon from his father, causing his entire family to burst out into ridiculing laughter. His father arrogantly informed him that dragons had been extinct for centuries, yet Tyrion ultimately got the last laugh, as he affectionately put his hand on the dragon saying, “But here you are.”

When Tyrion gently touched the dragon it completely transformed into a calmer, kinder creature. After he had released one dragon from its chains, the next eagerly positioned its neck out towards Tyrion, emulating the behavior of a pet craving its owners care. For most human beings in this fictional universe, coming into contact with a dragon would mean imminent death, yet Jon and Tyrion were actually able to calm the dragons down when initiating physical contact. So when considering these encounters and Jon’s Targaryen ancestry, it isn’t out of the question to suspect Tyrion of possessing the same blood.

One reason why is due to the Mad King’s infatuation with Tyrion’s mother, Joanna Lannister. The two of them likely had an affair, which could mean that Tywin Lannister is not the actual father of Tyrion. This would make sense due to Tywin’s hatred for Tyrion, who not only killed his mother during childbirth, but may have been the illegitimate son of his wife’s lover.

Another factor to consider is the importance that family banners and storytelling symbols have played in the Game of Thrones series. The Stark’s banner is the dire wolf, an animal that the family possesses a magical connection with. The Bolton’s banner is a flayed man, which was a torture technique that Ramsay utilized to insert fear into his enemies’ minds. And the Targaryen’s banner is a three-headed dragon, which could mean a multitude of things.

First off, it makes complete sense that a dragon would be on their banner, considering the innate connection that the family has had with the beasts for centuries. Yet the three headed aspect of the banner is important to consider as well, especially since symbolism is so essential to the GoT storytelling experience.

Could it mean that the Iron Throne is destined to be controlled by three Targaryens? Multiple fan theories believe this to be true, which is supported by the fact that Rhaegar Targaryen was obsessed with fulfilling prophecies. At this point it is clear that two of those dragon heads are Daenrys and Jon Snow, yet no third Targaryen has even been revealed to be alive.

Prophecy has come up quite a bit throughout this series, which is natural considering every elite families’ egotistical belief that they are entitled to ruling over the Seven Kingdoms. And while Jon Snow’s riveting encounter with Drogon may have ignited excitement within a fanbase that recently discovered he was a Targaryen, it is crucial to not forget the first individual who placed hands upon one of the dragons: Tyrion Lannister (or maybe not Lannister?).

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