#tltwp meta

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

Sansa Stark is in love with Jon - Where does Jon stand?

It’s probably been long enough not to tag spoilers, but I’ll put this under the cut.

[under the cut]

Let’s get this outta the way - holy crap is Sansa Stark in love with Jon.

They also make this BEFORE Sansa even finds out about R+L=J.

The biggest hurdle for “Jonsa”, at least when it comes to the GA accepting the idea, has always been “but they see each other as siblings!” and as a close second “Sansa doesn’t want to be with anyone after what she’s been through”...and this episode emphatically put that to rest.

Perhaps just as importantly, we need to have an idea of what’s in Jon’s head - as his POV has remained frustratingly obscured by the show. All we’re left to do is interpret his actions. Words are wind, as they say, so seeing past his words and focusing on his behavior is the best way to get to the core of Jon’s current struggles. 

First, the framing, again, told a very specific story.

Jon as the public head of the house. Speaking for them all.

You have Jon burning the body of Lyanna Mormont...the girl who died very much having lost respect for Jon because he gave up his crown. Then Jon shoots a look right at Dany. It’s...very negative as far as Jon having any type of love for Dany. She was the first one to pledge for him to fight the Boltons. She was the first one to proclaim that he should be king. Do you think he forgets that? No. What was Lyanna’s (LYANNA) favorite saying? The North Remembers. 

The feast scene continued this Jon-Sansa-Dany framing as it opened with a clear image of Jon stuck in the middle between Sansa and Dany. Are Jon’s feelings also “torn” between these two women?

What can we tell about Jon’s POV?

Meanwhile, Gendry is observing Jon awkwardly looking over to Dany...he clearly senses something is amiss. Then his attention shifts to wondering where Arya might be. It’s subtle but it’s later confirmed by Tyrion and Davos that all is not well between Jon and Dany. 

We also get a really subtle confirmation that Jon and Davos have NOT told Dany about who Gendry is...as evidenced by the momentary panic they both display when Dany announces that she knows who Gendry is and she’s going to reward him with Storm’s End. We find out later she wanted Jon to remain “Ned’s bastard” and I 100% believe she intended to legitimize him and name him the Lord of WF to usurp Sansa’s authority.

So Dany is specifically wedging herself between Jon and Sansa. She doesn’t do this unless she views Sansa as a threat when it comes to Jon. She doesn’t view Sansa as a threat if she can’t tell that Jon has a different vibe with Sansa. It’s a heavy clue, already, that Jon IS clearly having trouble keeping himself reserved.

Sansa’s look after Gendry is legitimized also tells the story that she knows what Dany just did and what she may be planning to do next.

Then we have the rather adorable little moment when Tormund is encouraging Jon to drink and they just HAD to slip in the subtle little, “go on, I believe in you” from Sansa. Again, on its own, it doesn’t really mean anything. But taken in the context of the rest of the interactions we see - Jon is ONLY at ease when Dany is not in the frame. Sansa being mildly flirtatious. Then giving Jon GIGANTIC heart eyes. Followed by her noticing that Jon is looking at Dany and Sansa stands up to leave. I mean...

These aren’t the behaviors of siblings. They removed Arya from the scene and it makes it even more obviously non-sibling in it’s framing. Sansa is very clearly pining for Jon and still very much bothered by Dany’s presence. The fact Jon turns around immediately after Sansa leaves to look for her is even more indication that, yeah, he has to keep up appearances with Dany, but his heart and attention lie completely elsewhere.

We’re then shown Jon having the love of the people in the Hall. Dany is shown having her Viserys-esque realization that she will never have the love of the people that Jon possesses. Varys takes keen interest in Dany’s internal meltdown, too.

Then, humorously but intentionally, we see Tormund lamenting that Brienne was taken from him by Jaime...and it’s a funny juxtaposition but it’s framed in crazy similar manner but infused with humor.

Sansa politely shuts Sansan down forever next, which was pretty great.

Also, she shuts down the notion from the Hound AND from some people in the GA that she made some mistake by leaving with Hound at Blackwater after the asshole talks about Sansa being raped by Ramsay. Beautiful. Also, fuck you, Hound.

I’ll skip ahead to what’s likely the most talked about scene: Jon and Dany in chambers. Jon is pretty clearly depressed when Dany walks in. He’s also drunk. Dany very clearly is not. Jon opens up talking about Jorah, and Dany talks about loving him and not being able to love him back like the way she loves Jon. Does Jon say “I love you?” when it’s teed up? No. He kisses her. Then - he freezes up and stops undressing her. 

So...why did they stop? Are they uncomfortable about being related? No...Dany says what makes her unhappy IS HOW BELOVED JON IS BY HIS PEOPLE. (well, SHOULD be his people). Dany realizes that Jon will ALWAYS be more loved on “this side of the sea” than she will. And THAT’S what she can’t stomach. It’s her articulating that she cannot allow his claim to the Throne to become public BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THEY PREFER JON. That’s not love. That’s not even like. That’s pure pure envy and resentment. 

Breakdown how she says things, “what happens when they press YOUR claim and take what’s MINE.” Damn. Talk about twisted entitlement. This isn’t about being kept from Jon for her. It’s about Jon exceeding her. She absolutely will not have that. 

Jon knows this fear of hers. And so he goes absolutely desperation mode by bending a knee and saying he’ll refuse the crown. And then Dany does something that Jon finally...FINALLY...cannot accept. She tries to put rules on how he can behave with his family. She wants him (IMO) to stay Ned’s bastard and then be legitimized and take WF from Sansa. She puts an ultimatum on Jon - and Jon defies her. 

I’ve seen it posited that Jon won’t want the Throne so much that he would keep it a secret forever. Aaaaaaaaaaaand that got exploded. Telling Sansa (and Arya but Dany very clearly emphasizes that Sansa is the one she fears) is more important to Jon than maintaining his relationship with Dany. Bada-bing. Bada-boom.

I strongly feel that Jon sees no way out of his relationship with Dany and that he’s resigned to living out his days with her in the south...being miserable. But it’s the price to pay to keep his people protected. He still believes he can’t defeat her. It’s all about safety. This is why he tries to make Sansa and Arya promise not to tell anyone. It’s explosive information. It’s dangerous. But - he prioritizes telling them over keeping it within. He makes the choice that Ned never could. This, I believe, shows that his family is the only

Dany’s monologue is pretty amazing: she’s talking about Jon’s claim and what it WILL DO TO PEOPLE (herself). No matter how many times he bends the knee. No matter how many times he swears he doesn’t want it, he will always be a threat to her if his claim is known. 

Dany then INCREDIBLY says Sansa is not the girl Jon grew up with...not after the things that have happened to her. Ugh.

1) How fucking dare her?

2) How fucking dare her?

3) She doesn’t know who Sansa is or was in any capacity.

4) Jon hardly knew her when they were growing up.

5) She’s implying that Sansa’s traumas have made her a terrible person; meanwhile just last season Dany told Jon that her own traumas are exactly what gave her the resolve to rule Westeros.

6) Maybe she’s right - Sansa has also far exceeded Dany. That’s why Dany can’t have Sansa knowing about Jon’s identity.

7) Still, how fucking dare her.

And NOW I’m seeing why Dany is so obsessed with taking the Iron Throne immediately.

She needs the Iron Throne very very badly. It’s highlighted in her next war council scene. [talking about Cersei] “No matter how many lords are lined up against her, as long as she sits on the Iron Throne, she can call herself the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.”

Why might this not be just about Cersei? Because Dany just told Jon how he will always be more loved than Dany. She’s seen the loyalty shown to both Sansa AND Jon over herself. She knows Sansa is intelligent and worthy as a politician and schemer. She starts a race to the Throne because she has to get there before Jon or Sansa do. 

This shows that Dany does NOT trust Jon anymore. She sees him primarily as a threat - but she understands she has leverage over him in the form of the threat of dragonfire. 

So Jon is a subdued threat, in her mind. Sansa is the one she can’t rein in. This is why, IMO, she legitimized Gendry and very likely had the same plans for Jon and WF to undermine Sansa’s authority. She’s trying to play the Game of Thrones with Jon. That’s not love either, that’s greed and that’s fear. 

Jon has ALWAYS tried to preserve lives. He endorses a blockade. He’s trying not to anger Dany. He’s JUST heard how much Dany fears Sansa’s political influence. Jon is afraid for Sansa - which is why he goes hard in the war council to try to defuse Dany’s anger. 

Then a HUGE fucking line from Dany’s mouth:

“The longer I leave my enemies alone; the stronger they become.”

She doesn’t want to press the attack because of Cersei. She wants to press the attack because she’s sensing she’s losing power to Jon and Sansa. Look at how the damn camera focuses in on Sansa’s face as she says this. It’s not even about Cersei. It’s about keeping the Starks from gaining too much influence before she can take the Throne. She’s a runaway train and Jon is trying to delay her as much as he can because he KNOWS what she can do if the dragons are focused on Winterfell. 

Jon’s desperately trying to get Sansa to see what he’s saying: “we’re gonna honor our promises to the queen of the seven kingdoms”. He’s not saying this because he believes it. Right after this he tells them he has the better claim to the Throne!!!! He’s saying this out of fear. Jon is still afraid. Because now there isn’t even a NK to distract Dany. 

Jon’s behavior shows fear but it’s very very very plain that when push comes to shove, he chooses Sansa and Arya. He defies Dany’s demand by telling them about his identity. And he knows Dany is scared that Sansa will maneuver to make Jon the king. I completely believe he knows this himself. And he tells them anyway. It’s obviously already happening - with Sansa telling Tyrion - but I think the larger point is that Jon knows that it’s basically inevitable. Dany said if he tells anyone, it will tear them apart. He tells them anyway. 

That’s where Jon’s mind is at. He pushed this along with Dany as long as he could. Now it’s reached a breaking point. And it totally involves Sansa. He chose his duty to Sansa over Dany’s begging. 

It’s frustrating not to hear Jon say these things. But remember that words are wind. Actions define who people are. And Jon chose Sansa. 

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

Why Jon Snow’s Climax Shouldn’t Involve a Battle

How should Jon Snow’s story end? What are we supposed to think about his character this season? Does he deserve to end up on the Throne, perhaps married to Sansa Stark?

To understand my view on Jon’s story and why I don’t hold anything against him so far in Season 8...I think we need to go back to the root of his story. 

Generally speaking, it helps me to analyze a character by asking myself “what’s the ONE THING they want more than anything else?” I’ve come to one big over-arching conclusion: Jon Snow just wants to be loved and “belong” in the context of a family.

That might seem simple but it’s so deeply relatable and complex that I can’t help but feel like it’s been layered many times over within his story.

I’ve written before how Jon Snow shares a ton of similarities to Superman/Clark Kent. A hidden prince from a lost civilization. Raised as a son by a morally upstanding man (the Catelyn issues are a twist on Jon’s upbringing). Confronted by the “last of his kind” and forced to choose between the world he grew up in or the world where he biologically came from. Both Superman and Jon deeply desire to “belong” and it’s something that works in any literary tale.

Superman has every power you can imagine but the second a person feels alone and isolated, they become instantly relatable and sympathetic. 

In a lot of ways, Jon Snow is the same way. He left Winterfell because he just never truly felt he “belonged” though he ached to every day. He joined a sacred order who, no matter their pasts, become his new “family”. Certainly appealing to someone like Jon. He wants to be a Stark, but that seems impossible. So he will remove himself from that environment. 

His most meaningful relationships are formed upon the realization that these different people he meets at the Wall really CAN be like family to him. Sam, Grenn, Pyp, Edd, etc. They all hold a special place in his heart. And yet...Winterfell still calls to him. 

He nearly abandons the Watch on more than one occasion when he gets word of the goings on in the south. And yet he works. And works. And he makes friends of wildlings. He betrays them. He fights them. He makes friends of them again after his brothers elevate him to command.

Then his brothers kill him.

And it’s such a big moment. Jon has only ever wanted to belong to a family. To have true “brothers” and to be accepted. He thought he had that in the Watch. He treated them as a real family. As if he could trust that, even if they disagree, they’re all in it together. 

The place Jon forced himself to go because he never felt he could belong in Winterfell has now rejected him. We saw how rejected he felt. It was about more than being betrayed, it was that he was betrayed by the people he viewed as his FAMILY.

Jon was fully ready to give up. There was seemingly no place for him. Then Sansa road through the gates at Castle Black and put Jon, as Kit Harington puts it, back into a state of action. She reignites him. And he feels that maybe, just maybe, his place is to safeguard Sansa. Maybe he’ll feel he CAN belong, given that purpose. 

They go on to win back Winterfell, together. And yet Jon is thrust into the position as the figurehead of the North when he’s named king. So Jon is meant to rule the place in which he left in the first place because he never really felt like he belonged. Being king doesn’t feel earned to Jon. It’s easy to read in his demeanor. He is good at ruling. He likes helping people. 

But there’s always this same cloud hanging over his reign. 

Worse, in Jon’s mind, is that everyone trusts him for a job that he doesn’t feel he deserves and he doesn’t feel like he’s particularly skilled in performing. He has the trust of all these lords and ladies. He has Sansa’s trust even though he has lingering guilt over the fallout after BotB. And the worst thing imaginable happens; he makes the decision to leave again, this time to try to save the North - and he feels he must betray their trust by surrendering his crown to Daenerys Targaryen.

Jon’s NEVER felt like be belonged in WF. He’s never felt like he deserved to be king. He feels he betrayed their trust. He knows why he did what he did, but it still cuts him every single time he’s reminded of what he did. 

And then Jon is hit with the single hardest thing he’s ever had to deal with: he learns the very essence of his being has always fundamentally been a lie. The one thing Jon has ever held onto about himself..the one thing that ever made him see SOME value in himself was the belief that his father was Eddard Stark. 

Now, that’s gone. Jon, who’s NEVER felt value in himself, who’s NEVER felt like he belonged even as Ned’s son, is plunged into a brand new pit of self-doubt and sense of longing. As Ned’s son? Sure, he could serve some type of role in Winterfell and feel good about it. He could protect Sansa, and then later Bran and Arya. He was forced into a situation where he feels he betrayed them. And now his own identity feels like a betrayal. 

Jon Snow in Episode 4 is in the darkest, deepest state that we’ve ever seen him. He doesn’t feel like he deserves to stay in Winterfell. He doesn’t feel he even deserves to have Ghost. Afterall, the dire wolves were for Ned’s children. Ghost’s physical appearance in Episode 4 is Jon’s inward appearance. He’s mangled. Beaten. Mostly destroyed. 

This is why his status as the “heir” isn’t really changing his course. He has fear of Daenerys and what she might do to his family and that has prevented him from processing one of the most traumatic things an individual can possibly be forced to suffer. 

On top of that, the only way his new “family” will accept him is by REJECTING THAT HE IS A MEMBER OF HER FAMILY. It’s perhaps the most psychologically damaging thing I can imagine. Jon feels lost that he’s not who he thought he was...and the only way he can continue to exist is to lie to himself and the world and pretend it’s still the truth and it’s all because the person who represents his new family is actively preventing him from belonging.

So Jon is aloof. He’s emotionally volatile. He’s clearly depressed. He’s anxious about anyone contesting Daenerys even though he now knows she’s rejecting his Truth. Jon’s given up on belonging. 

It might not be well-liked by some in the fandom...but...

Jon needs rescued

He’s in physical danger, of course. But he’s faced that a million times over. That’s not what is crushing Jon’s spirit. It’s his own self-hatred. 

Depression is beating Jon Snow in Season 8.

This is a fairly profound arc, IMO. It’s subverting expectations, too. Because Jon’s issues aren’t so different from the Hound’s. He’s not that different from Jaime. But Jon’s identity crisis is different because he always WANTED to belong to House Stark contra Jaime or the Hound. Either would likely be relieved to learn they aren’t trueborn sons of their houses. 

Jon is devastated, though. His entire essence was ripped away and now the family he learned he COULD belong to has rejected the very idea that he can ever publicly be acknowledged as a member. 

He’s in a clear spiral. He’s distancing from Sansa and Arya because he feels like he could never deserve the trust they’ve already given him. Their love and support aren’t being accepted - but it’s not because he doesn’t want it, it’s because he hates himself. How could he feel differently? Given his story. There’s a self-hate that CAN’T be resolved (in his mind). He sees no escape. He’s dutiful. He wants to protect the people he loves. And Jon DOES love. But he feels so unworthy of it that he thinks the only option is to disappear and be forgotten by them. 

So why should his climax not involve batte?

Because, in his heart, Jon Snow isn’t just about fighting. He doesn’t enjoy it. He doesn’t want it. Jon wants peace. Jon wants to be loved. Jon wants to feel like belongs. Jon wants to be HOME.

The fact that he still wants what he wanted at the start but he’s constantly sacrificed his own wants for the good of the people he loves makes me confident that the only suitable climax for Jon is a confirmation and realization that he is loved and he belongs. And he needs that as a part of accepting who he really is. Dany can NEVER provide him what he NEEDS because she wants to force him to hide it. The ONLY scenario I see that can fit Jon Snow’s character is being “saved” by Sansa Stark.

And no, I don’t think this has anything to do with the trope of “woman saves man” shit where he’s otherwise destructive and unkind. Jon deserves the love that Sansa would give him. He deserves the home that they could build. He deserves to have the truth of his origins accepted. He deserves to be a Stark, but not based on a lie. He doesn’t see any of this, though. And that’s the great sorrow of his portrayal thus far. I think it’s incredibly accurate and moving, but Jon Snow doesn’t see his own value. He knows Sansa and Arya and Bran and his friends care for him - but he can’t see himself being worthy of it. 

That’s why Sansa working so hard to validate Jon. To crown him. To make him a Stark...it will mean EVERYTHING to Jon. He’s already given more than any reasonable person could be asked to give. He’s accepted that he must, for the protection of his family, go south and just try to keep people alive. He’s given up what he wants. His whole arc since he left for Dragonstone last season has led to him giving up on happiness. Nothing makes this more obvious than the moment Sam and Gilly tell him that they plan to name their baby “Jon” if he’s a boy and all Jon can say in return is that he hopes they have a girl. He can’t imagine a worse fate for their child than to be like him. 

Jon needs saved. Not from physical danger. He needs saved from his demons. He needs home. He needs love. He needs a family. He needs to belong. And most of all, he needs to know that he deserves all of it. 

Jon IS emotionally stunted right now. He IS emotionally closed off. But I’m starting to see that it’s not just poor writing. It’s a function of his state of mind more than anything. His attempted goodbyes tell me as much. Given the chance for positive emotional interactions, Jon chose self-hate. And it made me ache inside.

At the root of it, this is why I can’t see any other end for his character. I truly see Jon’s emotional catharsis as a climactic moment for the series. Much like Frodo turning and smiling to his friends as he prepares to leave Middle Earth was the *actual* climax of the LOTR movies. But here, it’s not Jon finding relief in LEAVING but in STAYING. 

As a Stark. With love, and children, and a home. Even if that home doesn’t end up being Winterfell. And I really truly believe that all of the choices Jon has made this season - including all the things we’d WISH he could say but hasn’t - will culminate in Sansa proving to Jon that he is the man that she knows he is. 

Jon needs his pack.

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

Episode 1 Should Have Been Titled “The Truth”

Simply put...there was major indications that we are getting dark!Dany, Jonsa, and political!Jon in this last season. The major signs and subtle nuances were extremely consistent. The only real complaints I’ve seen is the “flavor” of some of Jon’s actions in episode 1. It’s an understandable criticism but I really think we were fed quite well for a premiere and a TON of plot boxes were checked off and done so quickly enough that the “there’s no enough time!” argument against the Big 3 is really starting to ring hollow.

I think I’ll work largely going theory by theory here and showing what makes them all even more likely than ever.

Big 3 Jonsa Fan Theories

1.) dark!Dany

If you don’t know already...the dark!Dany theory is the idea that Daenerys Targaryen’s arc has been tell the story of an emerging antagonist - principally with Jon Snow as her main political foe. 

This is probably the easiest of the Big 3 to identify in Winterfell. Right off the bat, we get a glimpse. The Northerners don’t approve of Dany, very clearly. She gets satisfaction when her dragons flyover and terrify the bejeebers out of the commoners. 

Charming.

We move on to the terrifically uncomfortable first meeting with Sansa...and we all know how this went.

I think EC did a really good job conveying the air of superiority and her dissatisfaction with Sansa’s response.

Dany doesn’t have much a poker face. And it’s shown to be contentious for good reason.

This is the first time she’s ever been to WF and she expects to be called “My Queen” like everybody is Jorah Mormont. That’s just not how it works. The first town hall meeting with the North goes even worse than the initial greeting.

“What exactly do dragons eat anyway?” “Whatever they want.”

Bingo bango. If EVER you needed a money quote point to Dany both 1) being oblivious to what it means to be a good politician; and 2) being an entitled ruler who believes the rules don’t apply to her...this is it.

And it mirrors what we’ve seen before with regard to the dragons.

Ring a bell?

Then we get maybe the darkest Dany moment of the episode. Well...at least one of the top 10 darkest Dany moments of the episode.

“If she can’t respect me...”

Then what, Dany?

Her subtle head shake before she says it conveys a “don’t you get it, Jon?” She follows it up with a very intentional narrowing of her eyes...she’s letting Jon fill in the blanks of what she means here. It’s impossible to ignore the implications. 

Notice that Jon doesn’t look too thrilled and gets yet more confirmation that he is walking a very, very fine line.

Next, we get the culmination of a lot of offseason speculation that, as a Jonsa/dark!Dany/political!Jon believer...was told was NEVER going to become an issue: the burning of Randyll and Dickon Tarly.

Let’s recap...

Wonderful advice. Then..

We know how this turned out. And we were shown pretty emphatically that, yes, burning a father and son alive when they are prisoners of war is going to be viewed negatively by a family member of that father and son and it’s probably going to have an effect on how a region feels about you when your father started a war by deciding to burn a father and son alive (or burning a father and strangling a son, as in the books). 

So she bumps into Sam. Because Sam’s connection to Jorah does, again, matter. Sam happens to mention he belongs to House Tarly...and Dany’s demeanor gets noticeably stiffer and more steely. 

Let’s unpack this. 

Randyll Tarly wasn’t executed for being a bad father. He wasn’t executed as a form of justice for “betraying” House Tyrell. He was executed specifically because he would not bend the knee. Bending the knee would have allowed Randyll Tarly to have the exact same lifestyle he’d had before he’d bent the knee. So, again, this was not an act of justice. It was an act of dominance. Unequivocally. 

Then...she reveals that Dickon Tarly was executed likewise for:

...standing by his dad. Please, if you have belief in Daenerys as a hero at this point, consider the extraordinary meaning of her words here. 

The Loot Train Battle was a temporary triumph and a long term disaster for Dany. There’s not enough food to eat and she executed the members of maybe the greatest non-great house (in stature) in Westeros, people that could have at the very least been valuable hostages. And it’s hurting her now even double because the surviving son of the man she executed is best friends with the man she wants to romance and who holds her only chance for political cohesiveness in her newly “acquired” kingdom. What a complete and total disaster for her. Rightfully so.

2.) political!Jon

I’m going to say that political!Jon is probably the hardest of the Big 3 to identify in the episode...but then again it was hard to identify last season too. The difference is that I’ve actually been seeing much more popular speculation that Jon isn’t necessarily as blind and foolish as he might be leading on. 

First, let me remind everyone of what I think is basically the central thesis of political!Jon:

political!Jon is the theory that Jon’s main objective for the entirety of the time after he left Winterfell was centered on obtaining Daenerys as an ally so that her resources could be redirected to the Army of the Dead. This objective was the primary reason for every significant action he took in Season 7, culminating in Jon determining that he must bend the knee in order to get Daenerys’ help in the North.

What I’m seeing from Jon, maybe more than I even anticipated from Season 7 is that his actions are also colored by a distinct emotion that seems to be increasing as the “game” goes on: fear.

Yes, Jon is afraid of what Dany might be capable of doing. To his war efforts. To his home. To his loved ones. So now, I’m practically ready to amend my central thesis of political!Jon to read:

political!Jon is the theory that Jon’s main objective for the entirety of the time after he left Winterfell was centered on obtaining Daenerys as an ally so that her resources could be redirected to the Army of the Dead. This objective was the primary reason for every significant action he took in Season 7, culminating in Jon determining that he must bend the knee in order to get Daenerys’ help in the North - and an increasing realization that, at all costs, Jon must never appear to be a threat to Daenerys’ quest for power else he and his loved ones would become her enemy and he is not powerful enough to stop her.

It’s startling in a way. He truly is Torrhen Stark in this scenario. Think back to what Jon’s seen:

A terrifying first meeting where he’s told that by calling himself a king, he’s in open rebellion against Daenerys...

And asserted her belief that she is entitled to his home...

She leveraged his fear of destruction to demand that he bend the knee...

He watched her berate her Hand for the crime of not wanting his family dead quite enough for her liking...

He had to talk her out of using her dragons on King’s Landing...

He knows how she views her “children” as her source of “specialness” and that she craves being viewed as special...

Because she told him exactly that...

And he knows that even after SEEING the Night King, she gave him no indication that she was willing to halt her war efforts in the south to help save the world unless Cersei agreed. (she also stupidly believed Cersei)

So we get to the first town hall meeting...and Jon drops this incredible truth bomb...

Act surprised if you want...but he’s only confirming what he’s said the whole damn time...

He declared in front of EVERYBODY that he could not protect the North while holding onto his crown. He doesn’t care about Dany getting her chair. He doesn’t care about her war against Cersei. BUT because of who Dany revealed herself to be throughout the Season 7 (very powerful and very volatile) Jon’s learned that being her enemy is an untenable position. 

Follow this thought process if you’re still skeptical:

Did Jon believe his crown was important?

Yes, he refused to give it up during the season because of exactly that. It does matter.

Why would he change his mind then?

Theory 1: His relationship with Dany has shown him that titles don’t matter. Ok, well that’s hogwash because now Dany is threatening Sansa for not respecting her enough...and Jon himself was threatened in Season 7 for not bowing to her and calling her Queen.

or

Theory 2: Jon is intimately aware of how important titles are to Daenerys. And that’s exactly why he has to make her believe he could never be threat to her. He knows the things she’s said; the things she’s threatened. He knows how her priorities...else the Dragonpit summit wouldn’t have been necessary to get Dany’s agreement to help in the North. Jon is terrified of the idea of becoming her enemy because he knows how incapable Dany is at seeing things any way other than black and white.

Considering Jon explicitly states that having the crown prevents him protecting the North...I know which theory I find more plausible. You can make up your own mind on that.

This explains Jon’s behavior, I think, better than any other idea. Jon fears Dany. He fears that speaking out against Dany exposes people he cares about. He needs them to realize that this is a dangerous situation. And I think they get that - but I’m not quite sure yet that they understand the amount of destruction that Dany has openly threatened to exact on her enemies. 

Sansa is more outspoken now and more confident. When Jon jokes with Arya about Sansa thinking she’s smarter than everyone, he very obviously remembers back when Sansa said that Dany would try to force his political submission before he left for Dragonstone. And that’s exactly what happened. He told Tyrion that Sansa is smart. It’s not a secret that he knows Sansa is smart. But, in my opinion, his fear is centered on Sansa being outspoken to the point where she enrages Dany and puts herself at risk...which is EXACTLY what happened...

This is precisely what Jon fears. 

“I’ll protect you, I promise” and

“I had a choice: keep my crown or protect the North.”

His submission is his way of preserving lives. 

What’s the best indication that Jon fears Dany? It’s the R+L=J reveal.

So Jon’s finding this out for the first time...his initial reaction is disgust. It took Jon 16 seconds to say “I’m so sorry”. He was at a loss for words. And then Jon has to deflect, deflect, deflect. 

His next words? Do they address the problem? Or do they display the heart of Jon’s problem? The latter.

This is a big nothing from Jon. The reality is that this war has put Jon in an absolutely terrible situation and he hates it. But what “war”? Hasn’t he pledged himself in TWO wars?

Why would defeating the NK be in any way connected to Dany killing the Tarlys in the other war? The answer? Jon’s only doing what he’s doing and not openly confronting the realities of who Dany is because he absolutely believes that he MUST delay addressing this situation because raising issues with Dany when the war with the NK is so near creates havoc that Jon can’t even comprehend.

He’s terrified of addressing what’s happened to Sam’s family and he’s probably not even sure what to do next. 

To Sam’s credit, he cuts right through the bullshit and presses Jon on the “rightness” of Dany’s actions: “would you have done it?”

I’m not going to go into some silly discussion about “well gosh, hanging Olly is exactly the same as executing the Tarlys”. They’re not the same, but it doesn’t really matter because according to the writers - executing prisoners of war for not bending the knee is very very bad and significantly different than hanging someone who stabbed you in the chest. And we all know Jon Snow wouldn’t execute someone for the simple crime of not bending the knee and recognizing him as a monarch. Every single shallow thing Jon says back is countered immediately by Sam because we know that Sam’s right.

“I wasn’t a king” “But you were. You’ve always been.” “I gave up my crown, Sam...”

JON WALKS AWAY AFTER TELLING SAM HE GAVE UP HIS CROWN.

He’s visibly upset about it. Sam tells him that Dany executed his family...and Jon feels powerless to do anything about it. He tries to walk away when telling Sam he gave up his crown.

Ok, so, if titles don’t matter, then why does having a crown or not having a crown determine whether Jon can say whether he would or wouldn’t have made the same choice Dany made? Jon is saying it’s his not his place to say because he doesn’t have a crown anymore - just after saying that titles and crowns don’t matter.

They do matter. And Jon knows this. But he can’t say it. Not yet.

The last bit of powerful political!Jon evidence is in Jon’s reaction to being told he’s the rightful heir. That, in Sam’s opinion, Jon should be the King and Dany should not by Queen. (gonna go ahead and say this means Sam’s not going to be in favor of Jon-Dany marriage...)

Jon’s first thoughts are to step towards Sam and express anger that Ned lied all those years. Then Sam explains that Ned did it to protect him. And that Jon is the TRUE King. And this is where Jon’s episode-long poker face starts to really fall apart. Jon’s backing away. Stunned. Not totally unexpected...but it’s his first words that REALLY paint the picture.

He’s immediately terrified of the talk of succession. If Jon is SO SURE that titles don’t matter. If he’s SO SURE that she’s a good queen. If he’s SO SURE that “it doesn’t matter” - why are these his thoughts. Why is he panicked? Why is he unable to make eye contact? He learns that his birth wasn’t anything like he thought and his first real words about it jump to what it means for him politically.

Sam says what he thinks: she shouldn’t be the Queen. And this evokes terror in Jon’s mind...

It’s treason. His birth status would be viewed as treason. If Dany is a just queen. If she believes in the rule of law. Then Jon SHOULD be the King and Dany should not be the Queen. it’s the line of succession. But...again...titles DO matter. They matter to Daenerys above all. Jon has spent the entire time since he bent the knee trying to craft an image of himself as a total non-threat. 

He had made the best decision for the safety of his people.

“When you play the Game of Thrones; you win or you die.”

Jon had very intentionally played the Game of Thrones by not playing the game of thrones. It was the only way for him to survive. Now, The Truth of his birth throws his entire plan out the window. He’s scared. He’s backing away. He’s panicking. Because he knows what it means. He realized at some point that when it comes to Daenerys Stormborn or House Targaryen, you bend the knee and live or you do not, and you die. 

Daenerys essentially uses “you win or you die” as her motto. Jon chose the option that Mance refused. He bent the knee. He became Torrhen Stark. Except now imagine he is exactly the threat to Dany’s reign that he tried so tirelessly to avoid. 

It’s so clear in Jon’s reactions that he’s afraid. It’s so clear in what he said that he came to view his crown as a threat to the safety of his people BECAUSE titles matter so deeply to Dany. RLJ just exposed ALL of that because his reaction is utter terror.

I can’t even get to the Jonsa stuff because this got so long...but I’m going to end with the central question of the episode and one that Jon doesn’t answer, mostly because of the terrible implications of the question itself.

No. She wouldn’t. And he’s known it all along. And The Truth of that is what scares him most of all.

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

The Answer To Varys’ Riddle (Episode 2 Quick Thoughts)

“In a room sit three great men, a king, a priest, and a rich man with his gold. Between them stands a sellsword, a little man of common birth and no great mind. Each of the great ones bids him slay the other two. ‘Do it,’ says the king, ‘for I am your lawful ruler.’ ‘Do it,’ says the priest, ‘for I command you in the name of the gods.’ ‘Do it,’ says the rich man, ‘and all this gold shall be yours.’ So tell me – who lives and who dies?”

(I think I have a handle on the “point” of these first two episodes)

[also tagging spoilers]

The scenario was inverted tonight with Jaime. A man without a “home” now that he’s left Casterly Rock. A man guilty of many crimes. But a man wanting to do the right thing (as far as he can understand it).

Three influential individuals sit in relative judgment. 

Jon Snow, Sansa Stark, Daenerys Targaryen.

Two of the three vote for mercy. One votes for vengeance but “accepts” the counsel of the other two. And therein lies the "conflict”.

Jon and Sansa have the power now.

And they’ve each done it their own way. Together? The puzzle fits almost impossibly to perfection.

Sansa’s role in the first two episodes places her in direct conflict with Dany. A power struggle? Not really. Sansa outright asked Dany what she planned to do with the North after the war. Dany’s look gave her that answer before they were interrupted. 

They’ve very clearly shown Sansa to be influential, well-liked, intelligent, brave, and respected. Dany sees a rival where before she WANTED to see an underling.

Dany has seen Jaime talk about Sansa’s mother and his oath, Brienne vouch for Jaime which swayed Sansa, Theon clearly loyal to Sansa and the Starks, not to mention her tension with Sansa being EXPLICITLY centered on “Jon.”

Jon’s role is the quintessential “front man” that people want to follow even if he’s reluctant to acknowledge it himself. Dany saw how badly the people of the North wanted Jon to be their king. But her central issue with Jon didn’t come to the surface until episode 2. She (in some clever writing) tells the audience what people like me have been saying since Season 7: Jon completely changed Dany’s plans and it’s completely to the benefit of his interests...“who’s the one being manipulated?”

It’s SO SIMILAR to Tyrion musing “I suppose he looks at you longingly because hoping for a military alliance.” Folks, it’s right there to see. 

The key scene for this is the war council. Jon dismisses the meeting. Even Dany’s team starts to leave but stops, remembering that she’s supposed to be the one in charge. But they’re gravitating to Jon. There’s actual visual evidence of this. That moment was relatively small, but it was totally a “there’s a new sheriff in town”-type moment. 

So Dany hasn’t even had an ACTUAL cold moment with anyone EXCEPT Jon and Sansa.

Whether Jon and Sansa shared more info in the “do you lover her?” scene...they’ve each come to symbolize two very distinct threats to Daenerys...threats to the two things she cares about the most when it comes to her pursuit of the Throne: loyalty of her followers and her the validity of her claim.

It’s two aspects of the same conflict. The political (Jon) the personal (Sansa). Seems flipped, right? It’s not. Jon has the loyalties of every relevant voice in Winterfell...and Sansa has their affections. 

They love her...they follow him. 

The absolute money line to the episode...the KEY LINE...is by Tyrion:

“How many of us fought the Starks as enemies not long ago? And yet here we are...together...ready to die for Winterfell.”

That’s every bit of what you need to know about WHY the Starks will win the Game of Thrones.

Closing the episode as Jon breaks the news to Dany about his identity...Dany first realizes with shock that Jon has a claim to the Throne.

Then the war horns...

Talk about foreshadowing.

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

Let’s Visit the Updated Political Situation

So I wrote this meta after season 7 about how Jonsa makes so much more political sense than Jon with Daenerys, especially in light of R+L=J.

Jon is not the King in the North. Marriage alone doesn’t give Dany control of the North. It runs through Sansa Stark.

This is subject to change depending on if certain characters bite it in the upcoming battle, obviously, but let’s assess the situation.

The Players on the Board

Sansa has openly asked Dany what about the North after the war. She has openly told Dany she does not want the North to be under Dany’s authority. I suspect she wants Jon re-installed as KitN and for Dany to leave them alone...but...at the very least she doesn’t see the North as part of Dany’s realm.

Theon has returned to fight specifically for the Starks and asked for Lady Sansa’s blessing to fight for Winterfell. He promised to defend Bran as penance for his earlier sins. Yara knows he’s going to fight specifically for the Starks. As of now, Yara is lying low on the Iron Islands. It’s debatable whether she would prefer the Starks or Dany but she knows what’s driving Theon. Hard to think that won’t influence her loyalties but I’ll grant you that she could remains on Dany’s side. (It’s really easy to stay on Dany’s side if you’re hundreds of miles away and Dany isn’t spending a second thinking about you)

Samwell Tarly, the only surviving member of either House Tyrell or House Tarly, has openly declared that Jon should be King and Daenerys should not be Queen.

Yohn Royce, acting on behalf of the Vale, is pretty unquestionably completely loyal to Sansa Stark. 

Gendry has initiated in a romantic relationship with Arya Stark. He’s the only remaining Baratheon but since Storm’s End hasn’t been featured, it’s hard to say for sure whether his being legitimized would have a place in the story. Either way, his ties to House Stark are there. Jon and Arya are now also BOTH aware that Gendry is Robert’s son...something that I think we should be concerned about given how Dany reacted to learning that Jon’s claim is superior to hers.

Tyrion is on the outs with Dany. I think most expect his allegiances to switch before the end. Hard to believe he’ll end up on Dany’s side in the long run. Dany advocated for the execution of Jaime Lannister and it was Sansa’s influence (after Brienne vouched for Jaime) and Jon’s agreement with Sansa that Jaime should be spared that saved Jaime’s life from Dany. Not to mention Bran choosing not to tell everyone that Jaime pushed him from the tower. Jaime owes his life to Brienne, Bran, Sansa, and Jon. 

Dany’s own team

Now this one surprises even me. There’s a subconscious gravity to Jon as the Commander. Dany’s own people are feeling it as evidenced in the conclusion of the war council...

They start to leave when Jon tells them to get some rest...and then remember they’re not supposed to leave until Dany dismisses them. 

It’s an echo of the earlier trial scene where a large portion of the crowd waits to stand until Sansa stands, including Jon. And they both leave for Dany “dismisses” them. 

There are very strong visual indications that Jon and Sansa are accumulating power through gaining the loyalties of the other important political players...not by cutting heads off or burning people alive.

The Game of Thrones matters. And it matters because the realm needs people like Jon and Sansa making intelligent and wise decisions...and thus far Season 8 has really confirmed those themes.

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

Jon is Playing the Great Game. And the Great Game is Terrifying.

So Some Episode 1 thoughts. Will put it under the cut for those that haven’t gotten a chance to watch yet.

Jon’s behavior is basically the the central focus of episode 1. His choices are under the microscope, yes, but his reasoning is REALLY what we’re left to wonder about.

The North is very unwelcoming to Daenerys and company - something Jon knew and warned her would be the case. Yet she STILL seems very displeased...and also was irritatingly smug about her dragons terrifying the commoners at the start of the episode.

The “public forum” really illustrates a lot of this balancing act Jon has to manage. Ned Umber has absolutely no idea how to address Jon and Dany in particular. When Maester Walken calls Jon “Your Grace”, it triggers the heart of the discussion. Jon keeps saying titles are unimportant. Does he actually think they’re unimportant. Well, he made it abundantly clear to everyone that Sansa is the Lady of Winterfell...because she deserved it. 

Jon’s saying titles are unimportant because he’s still trying to get the Queen of Titles to understand. There’s a subtext to when Ned Umber tries very hard to get the titles right, apologizes to Dany for not asking the “Queen” first, and Jon right after that saying that the titles don’t matter. If they DIDN’T matter, then he wouldn’t be pushing so hard for them to accept Dany as the Queen. What Jon’s saying is that HIS title doesn’t matter if keeping that title threatens his family.

Jon being King is dangerous at this point. And he circles back to needing allies over and over again.

Here’s the key line:

“I had a choice: Keep my crown or protect the North.”

That’s the beginning and the end of it, basically.

Why would keeping his crown prevent him from protecting the North? Well, the NK doesn’t care about crowns and titles. This is ENTIRELY centered around Dany. There’s no question anymore that Jon believes that Dany would still help him if he kept his crown. It’s INDISPUTABLE.

So Jon’s stuck. He’s stuck trying to get everyone to comply. It’s a desperate situation for him. The stakes are incredibly high. And the conclusion of that scene sums it up entirely.

“What do dragons eat anyway?” “Whatever the want.”

That’s the entire mindset that Jon fears.

Dany just doesn’t care what anyone thinks if she wants something. It echoes what Jon heard Jorah say on the way to the Dragonpit in last season’s finale.

The scene that evoked the most anger about with Jonsa/political!Jon/dark!Dany believers: Jon’s conversation with Arya. 

Listen, Jon’s playing a dangerous game. And not everything he says is going to be the “right” thing. But there are some interesting notes for Jon making the quip about Sansa.

1) Jon knows Sansa is very smart;

2) Jon’s brain still goes to jello when he’s around Sansa;

3) His relationship dynamic with Sansa still confuses him;

4) He still has his inferiority complex;

5) This is the biggest one: it’s totally a parallel to being at Craster’s Keep with Jeor Mormont. Jon mouths off to Craster. It throws the whole mission into jeopardy. Jeor apologizes profusely to Craster. He takes Jon outside and berates him for it. Everything is about the bigger picture right now.

Would I have preferred if Jon’s POV was shown more clearly? Sure. But we had Arya defending Sansa. Sansa asking Jon if he loves her (which goes unanswered). But, hey, D&D amirite?

The last thing I think that really ties Jon’s emotional state all up is this: As soon as Sam tells Jon he is the heir ahead of Dany...HE’S TERRIFIED. BECAUSE IT MEANS TREASON. 

IT’S ‘TREASON’ TO HAVE A CLAIM AHEAD OF HER!? IT’S ‘TREASON’ TO BE BORN AS HE WAS?

Why would Jon think this? Because he knows exactly who Daenerys Targaryen is...and he’s terrified of what it would mean for himself and for his family.

This whole entire episode is Jon trying to hold together this really uneasy alliance...and Dany growing increasingly irritated with every encounter she has with the Northerners. Then he hears something that could blow the whole thing up and it very clearly scares him. 

Lastly, yeesh there was really ominous stuff here. At the end of that comically weird dragon riding scene - we get Drogon staring down Jon. It was...very interesting.

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

We Really Need to Talk About the Forehead Kiss Scene

Consider this another iteration of the Sansa and Jon “Would that be so terrible?” scene that I covered a little while back.

For a lot of people that believe that Jonsa will happen, the scene on the battlements in “The Winds of Winter”, the finale episode of the sixth season of Game of Thrones, is the starting point of that belief.

It’s unusually sweet, as Jon and Sansa scenes tend to be. It’s almost semi-unnecessary to the plot. It’s the last we see of Jon before it’s revealed that he is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, making this decidedly un-sibling like interaction with Sansa a bit less suspicious except upon rewatch. (Sidenote, imagine if this scene took place after we learned about R+L=J...)

But a lot of Jonsa skeptics (I’ll call them that though there are obviously varying degrees of this such as “venomous”) seem unable to understand why this particular scene feels so different from just about every single other scene on the show. To me, there are multiple factors that make this particular scene unique from any other on the show.

It’s an almost perfect example of a “romance setup” from multiple angles.

1.) It didn’t really advance the “plot”

For some reason, this scene was included among the 10 most crucial scenes of the series by HBO pre-season 7 buuuuut not a lot happened at face value.

Jon had just banished Melissandre for burning someone alive (inquisitive emoji) and was watching her leave on the battlements. He’s approached by Sansa. She says she’s sorry. He credits her for winning the battle. They say they need to trust each other. They leave. So why is a “recap of events” considered a crucial scene? Why was it on the show at all? Viewers wanted to know what Jon was going to do about Sansa arriving with the KotV and if they were going to have a conflict about it. Except that part took about 5 seconds. And the opposite happened. 

Similar to the Littlefinger choke scene in season 7, this didn’t really directly affect the actions of the characters in any way. Even if a scene doesn’t advance “plot”, it’s meant to advance the “story”. What happens here between Jon and Sansa? It revealed something between the two of them that wasn’t revealed simply through the dialogue. It’s inclusion in the show at all should leave you wondering about its purpose, but the added layers of the length, framing, and use of reaction shots should make it fairly obvious that it’s a romantic scene.

2.) Both characters are pleasantly surprised by each other’s tenderness towards the other

I think to really grasp this scene, you have to get inside the heads of each character.

Normally, any surprise in Game of Thrones is a bad thing. The strange quality of the battlements scene is that it’s an inversion of the normal routine. We need to take a step back and evaluate the psychology of Jon and Sansa as they’re entering.

Jon has just banished the person who resurrected him. He’s just won a battle that he knows he should have lost. He’s clearly been quite introspective about Sansa and what she meant and her importance in winning the battle since he’s already preparing her chambers. Somehow, the tent scene is magnified in its intensity because this scene is its exact opposite and it’s where we last left off with Jon and Sansa.

Sansa pleaded with Jon to listen to her.

To be fair to Jon, it’s hard to understand what Sansa is saying but instead of trying to understand her more, he allows them to be dead locked and unable to finish their thoughts.

and it ends with Jon’s sad resignation that he desperately wants to win but he’s not sure if he can.

So this was the last time they spoke privately before the battle. Jon feels guilt for failing to listen. Sansa feels guilt for calling in Littlefinger, an option neither she nor Jon would have wanted.

Then - their relationship suddenly became stronger because of the weakness they revealed to each other. Instead of punishing each other, they forgive each other. Instead of gloating, Sansa reaches out and expresses to Jon that she never wanted it that way. Instead of holding it against Sansa, Jon reaches back and validates her importance in multiple ways.

The most rewarding part is how they each give wonderful gestures to each other in turn without being prompted.

He’s publicly affirmed her place as the Lady of Wintefell...

She objects but only because she thinks he should be seen as the head of the family...

Sansa tells him he should take it. Jon responds with a sad smile and says he’s not a Stark. And then Sansa gives Jon the most gentle but meaningful affirmation that he’s ever gotten on the show...

“You are to me.”

(I decided halfway through this to leave the text off the gifs because I want the focus on the micro expressions of the actors because...damn...)

What else could anyone say to Jon that would mean more to him at this point? His entire life has been marked by his non-Starkness. Sansa is working to undo the biggest source of his sadness without his ever asking for it.

Jon’s gift to Sansa is recognition and it comes in two parts;

1) “You’re the Lady of Winterfell.” He was right there as Lyanna Mormont referred to her as a Lannister and a Bolton. He was right there as Lord Glover looked right into her eyes and told her that House Stark is dead. No. Jon is determined that those statements are to be corrected.

2) “We’re standing here because of you.” He’s not just “gifting” her the position and the lord’s chamber. She’s earned it in his eyes. Her place is meant to be elevated above his at this point. This is before he was crowned as king. He was content for her to be in charge until he was thrust into the position of command.

So what does Sansa do? He’s just basically said “you were right” and she has a chance to respond. Does she gloat? Does she say “well yes I suppose I am the last remaining Stark (that we know of) and so I should rule our house...I also command the loyalty of the Vale”? None of that, she apologizes to him. She’s still expecting his anger and disappointment and feels she deserves it.

And it makes sense. Leave aside that it was absolutely necessary for Sansa to bring in the KotV and ask yourself “when was the last time Sansa was ever actually rewarded or treated gently by someone she thought she wronged?” She’s existed in a constant state of punishment since Littlefinger betrayed Ned in the throne room in season 1. Misery is her expectation. Her expression as Jon approaches confirms this exactly.

Part is her actual guilt, and I’m sure part of it is an expectation based on her experiences...and to her pretty obvious surprise, Jon does the exact opposite.

HA. You’ll have to wait for the kiss gifs because I want to change gears now.

The entire last section was explaining why this scene was so unexpected given the context of the setup. Both characters had reasons to treat the other harshly. Jon for his stubbornness. Sansa for not telling Jon about the Vale. All the components were there to reinforce an ongoing feud between the two. These were the factors commonly cited by those oh-so-brilliant Starkbowl predictions leading up to season 7. 

Yet despite that tension, we didn’t get a shouting match and glares and future plotting. We got a moment of clarity for once...and a whole new set of questions about these two. The beauty of their quiet moment together was in its simplicity - but also in the way that the writers indicated that there was so much more going on than we could have ever known.

Yet all of this information is packed into a scene that’s so quiet and slow. It’s in the romantic pacing.

3.) The Pacing

Jon and Sansa have had always had a distinct strangeness to their scenes in that they’re almost all completely different from any other. Their reunion was a moment of triumph for any Stark fans as they were the first two reunited since the pilot episode. Their fireside chat started incredibly sweet and ended with the heightened stakes of Sansa attempting to convince Jon to re-take Winterfell. The Pink Letter scene is the realization that their little oasis was about to meet the realities of a harsh world that still viewed both of them as threats. 

The cloak scene where Sansa gifts Jon a Stark cloak after Jon takes keen interest in Sansa’s new dress is another moment where each took the initiative to validate the other without any prompting. 

They argued twice, while at the encampment and in the tent before the battle, but each scene was unique as Sansa indirectly criticized Jon’s decisions to follow Davos considering Stannis’ ultimate failure, and Jon mostly tried to tune Sansa’s arguments out - while the tent scene is where those complaints came into a direct collision. 

Then they met on the battlements and it was equally emotional but in a total reverse of tone. 

Simply put, this scene was about “Jon & Sansa” as an entity and not about “Jon” having a talk with “Sansa”. It’s all in the pacing and it’s all in the framing.

We already know the setup. Now comes the payoff. Jon has already told Sansa they need to trust each other. That would be the “plot” purpose of the scene. As far as things happening that affect the story directly, it could have ended right there. “It’s ok Sansa. We’re a team now.” Or, alternatively, Jon could have kissed Sansa’s forehead and THEN said they need to trust each other and the tone could be viewed entirely differently. Instead, the show disposed of the “textual” purpose of the scene and continued right through with the “subtext” (which also continued into season 7) which is: what exactly is the nature of Jon and Sansa’s relationship?

It’s not just the forehead kiss. It’s not just the romantic back drop. It’s not just the setup. It’s not just the micro expression of the actors. It’s not just that the whole scene is relatively unnecessary. It’s all of that mixed together.

This is where the pacing comes into play. Let’s recap the scene to this point...

Sansa gets about 13 seconds of an entrance before Jon tells her he’s having the lord’s chamber prepared for her.

Sansa waits 3 seconds before answering “mother and father’s room?”

Jon waits about 3 seconds before he says he’s not a Stark.

Sansa answers “you are to me” almost immediately.

Jon has roughly a 5 second reaction shot. 

There’s about a 5 second pause after Jon gives Sansa credit for winning the battle before Sansa starts apologizing.

Sansa says sorry and Jon waits about 6 seconds before he even starts walking over to her.

There’s about 3 seconds between Jon saying they have enemies and him reaching up to kiss her.

Jon gets roughly 3 seconds to kiss Sansa and about 4 seconds of gazing at her (and her gazing at him). They make this moment last.

Then they transition into a micro expression that juuuuust says everything.

The second Jon closes his lips, he looks down and abruptly starts to walk away. But his mood has immediately turned almost melancholy or sort of a confusion. It’s not normal to kiss someone tenderly and then just turn around and leave. Even if it were entirely platonic. There’s something left unsaid...especially since the camera focuses on the post-kiss for almost 6 seconds altogether before Jon starts to leave. Viewers aren’t the only ones left a bit bewildered. 

Sansa’s reaction tells the same story.

She stands in the same position, almost frozen. She’s internally probably as confused as Jon. She came to Jon to apologize (remember, she approached him) - which I’m assuming she would have been dreading. She got her apology, and he delivered his form of “there’s nothing to forgive” which would normally signal that her part here is over. Yet he initiates physical affection for her when positive physical affection is something that’s a very complicated subject for her.

And it stuns her. As he begins to leave, we see her expressing that she doesn’t want the moment to end.

It’s ridiculously beautiful. Sansa finding a reason for Jon to get one last look, right after he had turned away in sort of Byronic melancholy, only to have her call him back again is extremely romantic given what we know about both of these characters.

The immediacy of Jon’s response in turning back towards her and the utter-seriousness of his look again makes the end of this scene a twist of its own. 

“Winter is here.” That phrase is of course a play off of “Winter is coming” the words of House Stark and the ominous warning of fear and looming destruction echoed throughout the entirety of the series. Those words should mean “fear”; real “fear”. (also take note of her deliberately deep breath as her eyes scan Jon again..)

And how do they react to this potentially terrifying threat? By being adorable again!?!?

Well of course they do. Because winter is here and they are home. Think about this. Being together (moments after entering a scene which they both began reluctantly) is enough to make them smile sweetly as they acknowledge the coming storm.

And the end really cements Jon’s view of Sansa as a noble lady.

And the pure joy Sansa feels as the scene concludes.

To wrap up...the scene didn’t have to happen in the first place. The setup made you wonder if there was going to be fracture. It was tender. It was warm. It’s pacing made you sit and take notice. It didn’t waste any time - it took its time.

We were meant to see not just the displays of forgiveness and validation by Jon and Sansa towards each other. We were meant to see them expecting the worst and getting something beautiful instead. We were meant to see them wrestling with the confusion of where the scene was heading. We were meant to see them completely comfortable in each other’s presence in this very moment - and we were meant to see a very subtle but also very unsubtle indication that the direction of their relationship is causing (and must cause) them inner conflict before it can truly provide them fulfillment. 

They weren’t a royal couple in this scene but I’m fully confident that after the finale season has concluded, this scene will be the one everyone can point to and say “this is where Jon and Sansa ending as king and queen truly became possible.”

[thelawyerthatwaspromised]

But What Does Cersei Want? [some spoiler content]

I have some tinfoil-y finale season speculation based on SOME unconfirmed spoilers but I’ll tag spoilers anyway...but the gist of this is:

What does Cersei want and why might that matter immensely?

Ok here’s the summary before I get to every detail...because I doubt every detail comes to fruition exactly anyway. The overall idea is more important.

I think Cersei will cooperate with Tyrion in a kidnapping plot against Sansa to 1) secure the North through marriage between Sansa and Tyrion; and 2) secure Cersei’s claim to the Throne through a forced marriage between herself and Jon.

Admittedly that’s kinda wild. Here’s a rundown on why I think this could really actually happen. Some of this is based on spoiler content, MUCH on the foreshadowing in the series:

1) Cersei has a loose grip on power;

2) Cersei wants to fulfill Tywin’s mission of a Lannister dynasty;

3) Tyrion wants power and a stable position of power;

4) The Sansa/Tyrion marriage was referenced in a strange way;

5) Tyrion is on the outs with Daenerys so his influence is waning;

6) RLJ super duper matters;

7) There’s a [LEAK ALERT] rumor that Bronn has been sent to kill Tyrion;

8) There have been rumors for more than a year of a Sansa kidnapping;

9) There’s a strong rumor of Tyrion on trial in one of the last episodes;

10) There’s the Tyrion “love triangle” from the OG outline;

11) It explicitly places Sansa as the YMBQ

Ok I have to stop. There are so many reasons. Here’s what I think happens (Any part of this based on a spoiler is marked [SPOILER] because it’s just not yet determined to be true or not but it fits with the theory so well):

Dany’s Fragmented Alliance

Just how badly things go for Dany in the North is yet to be determined however the early outlook is, at best, cloudy with a chance of meatballs. We already have seen her relationship with Tyrion deteriorate to the point where one of the most common predictions is that Tyrion will almost certainly betray Dany in some way. 

This isn’t unique to the Dany/Tyrion dynamic, though. Multiple parties are shown to be combative with Dany early in the season according to [SPOILERS]. Assuming that there’s fragmented relations between Tyrion and Dany, it’s highly plausible that Tyrion will see his position of authority severely hampered by the darneded Northern Fool Jon Snow.

Tyrion maybe looking for greener pastures.

Meanwhile Back at Cersei Headquarters

[SPOILERS] It’s rumored that Bronn is sent by Cersei to kill both Tyrion and Jaime. Pretty much makes sense. Plausible enough that I have no real reason to doubt that it very much could be true. In fact it would be kind of weird if Cersei WEREN’T trying to do this.

Assume, also, that Cersei is very interested in a face to face meeting with Sansa Stark...whom she still believes had a part in killing Joffrey. There’s a revenge factor for Cersei when it comes to Sansa that just really isn’t there for for anyone other than Tyrion and MAYBE Jaime.

Cersei may want Tyrion dead and Sansa brought back to her or dead as well.

The “Twist”

Assuming Bronn is sent to kill Tyrion and successfully infiltrates wherever Tyrion happens to be located...what do you think Tyrion would do?

Bargain. Plead. Negotiate.

It’s what he does. It’s what he always does. Think back to how Bronn came into his service in the first place. Think back to how Tyrion acquired the Hill Tribesmen when they wanted to kill Tyrion. He always has a plan (based on his name) to get himself out of trouble. 

Even if his show counterpart is more angelic than his book version, this is something that’s consistent with the portrayal of Tyrion. He doesn’t use a sword, he uses his mind.

So how can Tyrion talk Bronn out of killing him when refusal could have big consequences for Bronn? By dangling something that would improve Bronn’s station AND something that Cersei would very likely be interested: control of the North. Through Sansa. His “wife”.

Tyrion reasons with Bronn. “Don’t kill me. Because I can make your situation much better. How would you like to be the man to offer Cersei something she covets: the North.”

The Logistics

Tyrion will have been up there at least long enough to see Sansa’s importance. She’s always been referred to as the “key to the North”, after all. But now he gets to see her really proving it. The Lords of the North showed quite a bit of loyalty to Sansa in S7 so the audience already has knowledge of their faith in the Lady of Winterfell. Tyrion sees this and might recall to himself the fact that his marriage to Sansa wasn’t ever quite “resolved”. In fact, her marital status has been quite the subject of conversation from multiple parties the last few seasons. So this fits her storyline pretty logically.

So Tyrion, facing the prospects of death, offers Bronn a plan to take Sansa and himself back to Cersei. Tyrion gets to stay alive and keep his head. Bronn gets to deliver two traitors “to Cersei’s door” (ala the Dragonpit entry conversation). 

Tyrion gets a twisted revenge on Catelyn Stark for his kidnapping/arrest in Season 1 at the Inn at the Crossroads. Tyrion has something to offer Cersei: spare my life, renew my marriage with Sansa, you will gain the North.

Bam.

Is that it? No...there’s more.

R+L=J

So who here thinks RLJ is kept secret from the world for S8? Those few of you in the back can see yourselves out. The new is going to spread. And I think Tyrion will know it.

So imagine. You’re Tyrion. You have this great proposal for Cersei that would keep you alive because it would benefit Cersei (which is the only reason Cersei would do anything). You’re in a good situation now. You also have another bit of info that would probably interest the current Queen of Westeros: the beloved half-brother-turned-cousin of Sansa Stark is ACTUALLY the heir to Rhaegar Targaryen...none other than Jon Snow.

Now flip to Cersei’s perspective. Cersei wants power and longevity. She wants to have a Tywin-like impact. She has Tyrion and Sansa to secure the North. What other leverage could she gain? Control of the line of succession for herself. She could get Jon Snow.

If we assume Jon very much cares for Sansa...we have a scenario where Cersei can threaten something very dear to Jon’s heart unless he cooperates. Jon becomes a target to Dany (because his claim exceeds hers) and an object of desire for Cersei (because Cersei’s claim is strengthened by ‘acquiring’ Jon’s AND she could be in possession of Sansa - a very good reason for Jon to comply).

So Cersei tosses this proposal at Jon:

- Lay down your arms - Accept Tyrion’s marriage to Sansa - Accept me as your Queen and marry me;

- or-

- I will kill Sansa.

Now, THAT is leverage. It would guarantee a mini-Lannister dynasty. It would cause the North, the Vale, and very likely the Riverlands to yield.

Why wouldn’t they just toss Sansa aside and allow maybe Arya or Bran to takeover once again? BECAUSE THE STARKS ARE A PACK.

None of Jon, Arya, or Bran would ever allow for Sansa to be disregarded. It goes against the whole narrative of the family. It goes against Robb’s response to Ned’s imprisonment and execution. It goes against Jon and Sansa’s mission to reclaim Winterfell and their unsuccessful effort to save Rickon.

The Lone Wolf Dies But the Pack Survives.

Except it’s used against them here...for a time. 

What Does This Look Like in the End?

Full disclosure, I don’t have it worked out exactly how they overcome this very tough situation. Maybe I’ll add a part two before the season starts. But I think this has a very strong possibility of happening.

Here’s what I think would eventually happen:

1) Jon and his allies foil the plan;

2) Jon and Sansa rule Westeros;

3) Tyrion is put on trial for his role

4) KL ends up getting blown up by Dany so they don’t even rule from KL in the end

But Why Does This Work Symbolically?

There are SO many plot threads this ties together:

1) Tywin held a grudge for Aerys’ refusal to accept his idea for a Cersei/Rhaegar betrothal;

2) Tyrion is a villain in the OG outline and involved in a deadly feud with Jon over his Stark sister-turned-not sister;

3) Sansa would actually BE the YMBQ if a temporary betrothal to Cersei were accepted by Jon only to be foiled later and result in a Jon/Sansa marriage;

4) Tyrion offered Bronn lands and titles in the North before his trial by combat but Bronn turned it down because Tyrion didn’t know where Sansa was;

5) Jon riding to KL to stop Sansa from being married to a Lannister would show him saving her from a marriage in a way that Robb was unable to do for Sansa;

6) Jon going with a plan would show him learning from the mistakes of his REAL father and brother;

7) It fits Tyrion wanting the North and having a reasonable-ish reason for staking his claim to the North (”Cersei would have killed us both otherwise!”) but finally paying for all he’s done........like murdering Shae in cold blood.

8) It illustrates the importance of Sansa as the Key to the North.

9) Sansa in the books always longed for her hero to ride to save her from the tower. Here she’s grown and become wiser and yet women in Westeros really STILL are vulnerable...and Sansa would get to learn first hand that someone does exist who will put her first and do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

I could go into the million reasons why this works with regard to the dynamics between Jon and Daenerys but I feel like I need to get the basis of this theory out first and then maybe I can expand upon it. 

Honestly, I got so excited about the possibilities of this theory that my first post hear is probably sloppy and a little disjointed, and in dire need of refinement but I had to get it out there.

Don’t be surprised if I come out with additions in the near future.