R + L = J Was Essentially Confirmed
After one of the worst kept secrets in the world, a load of contextual clues in the lead up to this episode, and the increased importance of Jon Snow as a character, the finale finally gave us the confirmation to the R + L = J theory that fans have been waiting for. In the second half of the Tower of Joy flashback, we learn that Lyanna Stark was not dying of an inflicted wound, but of the difficulties following child birth. The birth that, we now can finally confirm, was of Jon Snow. The producers played around with the editing and Lyanna’s whispering to Ned to get around blatantly stating the obvious, but it’s safe to say that Cersei and Dany aren’t the only ones with solid claims to the throne.
What does this mean for season 7?
Jon Snow, now declared “King in the North” by his supporters, will likely hear this news from Bran, the only one who knows Jon’s true origin, as he ventures past the Wall and back to Winterfell. And after that, we could be in store for a three-way clash between Jon, Dany, and Cersei for the Iron Throne, if the White Walkers don’t kill everyone and everything first.
