#robb's will

Indeed, that is a possibility, a much better one. I definitely was very influenced by the show.

That said, do you think Jon will stay in the NW after he recovers then? And if he is to leave, will he do so only when Robb's will is made public? And if Rickon is found alive before this, will it change anything, will the northern support him over Rickon?

Hi there!!

(Just giving my personal opinion in these asks. Everyone is entitled to their own take, obviously.)

I think that the concept of "Jon died, his oath is fulfilled" will play a role in Jon leaving the Watch. Either at his own instigation or, almost more likely, that of others in the Watch who are either uncomfortable with his presence or understand that without the mandate of political neutrality Jon could achieve significant things to prepare the North for the ice threat.

The guy has to get out of there to become a proper political player, and the stabbing and seeming death are just the kind of thing GRRM would have needed for this purpose. It may well be the only reason he wrote it.

Robb's will can only accomplish his release (and only dubiously and not without offering the 100 men Robb speculated about!) if Jon accepted his legitimization (something he already rejected from Stannis). It is essentially oathbreaking for the sake of a crown that should belong to one of his siblings (in Jon's eyes), if he has any hope of them living. (Winterfell belongs to my sister Sansa?) It's dishonorable. It's also a lot less dramatic and poignant than an "I hold your oath fulfilled" death loophole that Jon might not even have asked for and consider an unfair punishment.

Being essentially kicked out also leaves Jon unmoored and in need of readjusting (drama!) whereas accepting the Northern crown (in theory) and going off to fight Ramsay over it already fills him with purpose, but with one that is a lot less engaging than him fighting for his living family and his home.

Rickon would be a great candidate to motivate him, or more likely Sansa, who is bound to head North very soon, or both.

As GRRM states:

Q: I have a question, since Robb actually  legitimized Jon and named him his heir for Winterfell and the North  before the Red Wedding (granted no one knows about this and is still  alive or free, the Greatjon knows as does Edmure, but I dont see them  getting out of the Twins any time soon and Catelyn would probably die  before telling anyone) does this make Jon’s rejection of Stannis’ offer  moot? A: Edmure and the Greatjon are prisoners, true… but you are forgetting  the envoys that Robb sent to Howland Reed… Galbart Glover, Maege  Mormont, Jason Mallister… they are all alive and free. As to what is and is not moot… the key point is, only a king can legitimize a bastard……

"Precedent," she said bitterly. "Yes, Aegon the Fourth legitimized all his bastards on his deathbed. And how much pain, grief, war, and murder grew from that? I know you trust Jon. But can you trust his sons? Or their sons? The Blackfyre pretenders troubled the Targaryens for five generations, until Barristan the Bold slew the last of them on the Stepstones. If you make Jon legitimate, there is no way to turn him bastard again. Should he wed and breed, any sons you may have by Jeyne will never be safe." - Catelyn, ASoS

Robb stood, and as quick as that, her fate was settled. He picked up a sheet of parchment. "One more matter. Lord Balon has left chaos in his wake, we hope. I would not do the same. Yet I have no son as yet, my brothers Bran and Rickon are dead, and my sister is wed to a Lannister. I've thought long and hard about who might follow me. I command you now as my true and loyal lords to fix your seals to this document as witnesses to my decision." A king indeed, Catelyn thought, defeated. She could only hope that the trap he'd planned for Moat Cailin worked as well as the one in which he'd just caught her. - Catelyn, ASoS

So it is done. King in the North Robb Stark has already legitimized Jon Snow as Jon Stark. Edmure Tully, GreatJon Umber, Maege Mormont, Galbart Glover and Jason Mallister all now know that Jon Snow is Jon Stark.

They just have not managed to either get word to him (Edmure and the GreatJon being prisoners) or for reasons unknown - most probably because of the Boltons squatting in Winterfell with Northmen as Lannister hostages and Stannis engaged in a campaign in the North - have just not informed Jon about this.

This right here is strong foreshadowing for Jon Stark as King in the North through Robb's Will:

Stannis read from the letter. "Bear Island knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is STARK. A girl of ten, you say, and she presumes to scold her lawful king." - Jon I, ADwD

At this point it's clearly implied that Lyanna Mormont has heard from her mother. Maege Mormont - who is witness to Robb's last will and decree which names Jon Stark as KITN - is last seen heading to the Neck with her daughters.

Catelyn wondered if Lady Maege had reached the Neck as yet. She had taken her other daughters with her, but as one of Robb’s battle companions Dacey had chosen to remain by his side. - Catelyn, ACoK

In ADwD, Alysane mentions that two of her sisters are with their mother. Which makes it clear that she has heard from Maege.

"Sisters," Alysane Mormont replied, gruff as ever. "Five, we were. All girls. Lyanna is back on Bear Island. Lyra and Jory are with our mother. Dacey was murdered." "The Red Wedding." - The King's Prize, ADwD

Which then implies that Lyanna Mormont has heard from her mother and her declaration is for Jon Stark.

Now of course they could be talking about Rickon Stark, if Maege and Galbart Glover managed to communicate with Robett Glover and Manderly has let them know that Rickon is still alive. However, keeping in mind that Galbart Glover was also witness to King Robb's last decree which legitimizes Jon Snow as Jon Stark, it's very possible this is about Jon Stark as well.

The next paragraph just hits us over the head with foreshadowing that more or less confirms that this is about Jon Stark.

Maege Mormont had ridden south with Robb, Jon knew. Her eldest daughter had joined the Young Wolf's host as well. Even if both of them had died, however, Lady Maege had other daughters, some with children of their own. Had they gone with Robb as well? Surely Lady Maege would have left at least one of the older girls behind as castellan. He did not understand why Lyanna should be writing Stannis, and could not help but wonder if the girl's answer might have been different if the letter had been sealed with a direwolf instead of a crowned stag, and signed by Jon Stark, Lord of Winterfell. It is too late for such misgivings. You made your choice. - Jon I, ADwD

Yes Jon, the answer would have been different because Lyanna straight out just declared for YOU! He just doesn't know it yet.

Jon took a knee. The king frowned at him, and rattled the parchment angrily. Rise. Tell me, who is Lyanna Mormont? One of Lady Maeges daughters, Sire. The youngest. She was named for my lord fathers sister.

You mean as Robb's heir, if the will is brought into play? I agree.

Well, he didn't disinherit her. He placed Jon ahead of her in the line of succession in order to foil the Lannister plan of claiming Winterfell through her.

Ultimately, I think this move would hurt Sansa far less than the knowledge that he could have traded for her but chose not to. Though I doubt GRRM will take the time to explore that. Sansa connects no personal ambition to her claim, though she grows to connect it to her sense of home and belonging and return.

Jon took those vows. He chose them. He chose them over following Robb, ultimately, even if it took some prodding from his new "brothers". He chose them because he found a higher purpose there. The vow specifically prohibits the wearing of crowns. The vows are for life. We are introduced to House Stark with a man being killed for desertion, for breaking these vows, a lowborn ranger with no convenient family connections to save him.

There is not enough attention being paid to the absolute audacity on display here.

Robb has zero respect for the choice Jon made, for the Watch in general. Regardless of whether this corresponds with a secret desire in Jon, with a longing for legitimacy, with a Watch that is inherently flawed - Jon is as much of a convenient commodity for Robb in this moment as Sansa is an inconvenience to be discarded. Robb is... just abjectly obliterating the meaning of an institution tied to House Stark for millenia. Because it's politically convenient.

As in, Jon will learn about who his parents really are as Jon Stark, the KITN. And then the angst for him will be about who he is - Stark or Targaryen and not bastard or legitimate.

Jon Snow goes from Ned's bastard at Winterfell to the Lord Commander's steward at the Night's Watch to undercover agent with the Freefolk to defending the Wall in battle to being elected Lord Commander of the NW to most probably Jon Stark, Lord of Winterfell and King in the North as per Robb's decree.

He goes from one of the lowest positions to one of the highest. From the illegitimate bastard who didn't even have a home (Catelyn wants him gone as soon as Ned leaves for KL) to Lord of Winterfell and KITN.

I can see him thinking that he has reached that pinnacle - KITN - when he hears about his parentage. Which then throws everything into confusion again making him feel like his life has been based on a lie.

And if he then does embrace his Targaryen side/heritage/father it would be because he wants to and not because of the angst/issues around bastardy or the chance that he could indeed be legitimate.

ADwD Jon Snow has already made peace with his bastardy, shrugging off insults and ignoring the bigots and Robb's decree legitimizing him will be the final piece in resolving that inner pain and angst - particularly when the memory that pains him the most is Robb telling him that he can never be Lord of Winterfell on account of his bastardy.

So that when Jon finally learns the truth, it will center on and revolve around people, around Lyanna, Rhaegar and Ned. About being Targaryen. About having Targaryen family in Dany and being Arya's cousin. And not center around his bastardy.

I feel like we are going to see, in order:

Jon Snow → Jon Stark → Jon Targaryen → Jon Snow

is the idea that he never spoke to jeyne westerling about it. even though that's HER child whose future could potentially be impacted. like on one hand, i get it - jeyne westerling was back at riverrun. even if he had been thinking about it back at the castle, it's likely that he didn't want to tell her because he didn't want her to get upset over him dying.

Jeyne indicates that Robb doesn't really share his thoughts with her, in any case. Jeyne is so worried she goes to Catelyn for advice, after all. (And is told to just accept it all and provide emotional support when called upon...) I doubt this got better.

Jeyne is under so much pressure to perform well as a wife, to compensate for Robb's misstep in marrying her, I doubt she would have felt that it was her place to voice criticism or fears if she had any. Her children are an expected contribution to secure Robb's rule and the future of the North. The only valuable contribution she can make, in most people's eyes. No one cares for her political opinions. Or any opinions, really.

Stannis and his supporters constantly call Ramsay "Snow" because they don't recognise Tommen or his legitimisation. No monarch of the Seven Kings could recognise Robb's legitimation of Jon because that would be equivalent to recognising independence of The North.

What could happen is Northern lords recognise it and the Iron Throne issue their own legitimisation as a compromise so they could keep the North on side by being seen as respecting the Lord of Winterfell's last wish, while avoiding the sticky question of his right to legitimise bastards.