'Game of Thrones' Writer Breaks Down Jon Snow's Big Reveal to Daenerys Targaryen

The second episode of the final season of Game of Thrones included what may be the culmination of one of its longest-running plot threads, one that throws a wrinkle into the alliance at Winterfell on the eve of the battle against the Night King's army.

At the end of last season, Bran Stark and Samwell Tarly confirmed that Jon Snow is the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. Jon' true name is Aegon Targaryen and he has a claim to the Iron Throne. In the final season premiere, Sam revealed this truth to Jon. Jon put off revealing it to Daenerys Targaryen for as long he could, but the truth came out while the two of them looked at Lyanna statue in the crypts of Winterfell.

Bryan Cogman wrote last night's episode, his eleventh for the HBO series. He spoke to Entertainment Weekly about crafting that moment for Jon and Dany, and how it reveals the characters' differing priorities.

"Jon is avoiding Dany the whole episode because this bombshell has been dropped on him and he can't even process how to be in the same room with her," Cogman says. "She senses a strange tension and can't understand why. What really upsets Jon is that he's a blood relative to the woman he's in love with. In the crypt, Jon is taken aback when essentially the first thing she says is acknowledging that he has a claim to the Iron Throne. And Jon's immediate concern is the fact that that's her immediate concern. [Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke] play it beautifully. It's a very difficult scene to pull off; so much has to go on behind the eyes. But then the horn blasts and the Army of the Dead are at the gates."

It makes sense that Dany would be more concerned about the line of succession than that she's been sleeping with her nephew. Incest isn't uncommon in Targaryen nobles and may be responsible for the madness that overtook Dany's father. But her whole life has been dedicated to taking back the Iron Throne, and now Jon may be an obstacle to that. Still, even if Jon sits on the Iron Throne, that would still mean the restoration of House Targaryen's rule. How Dany handles this may reveal whether her quest has been about restoring her house or something more personal.

What did you think of last night's episode of Game of Thrones? Let us know in the comments. Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

-----

Have you subscribed to ComicBook Nation, the official Podcast of ComicBook.com, yet? Check it out by clicking here or listen below.

In this latest episode, we break down the trailers for Dark Phoenix and Child's Play, talk Halo casting, and so much more! Make sure to subscribe now and never miss an episode!