Game Of Thrones Season 6 Finale Reveals Jon Snow's Mother

06/26/2016 10:23 pm EDT

Tonight's Season 6 finale of Game of Thrones, "The Winds of Winter," confirmed one of the most widely talked about fan theories surrounding George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. And…that's pretty much all we can say without getting into spoiler territory, so…

SPOILERS FOR THE GAME OF THRONES SEASON 6 FINALE EPISODE "THE WINDS OF WINTER' FOLLOW

In the Season 6 finale, Bran Stark returned to the vision of the Raid on the Tower of Joy that he first visited in the episode titled "Oathbreaker." In that previous scene, Ned Stark and his allies arrived at the Tower, which was guarded by three members of Aerys Targaryen's Kingsguard. The fierce battle ended with Howland Reed, Meera's father, Stabbing Ser Arthur Dayne in the back to save Ned Stark's life, and Ned finishing the job by killing Dayne.

In the finale's vision, Ned finds his sister Lyanna inside the Tower. Lyanna is bleeding to death and makes Ned promise to protect her newborn child. As Ned stares at the baby, the picture fades to Jon Snow's face, implying they are one and the same.

This confirms that Jon Snow, long believed to be Ned Stark's bastard, is actually the child of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, thus confirming the popular and longstanding "R+L=J" fan theory. The theory posits that Lyanna died in childbirth and that she may not have even been kidnapped, acknowledging the possibility that she and Rhaegar Targaryen fell in love and ran away together, though the episode stops short of confirming that part of the theory.

This reveal is also significant because it means that Jon Snow is of Targaryen blood and the nephew of Daenerys Targaryen. That could mean he is in line to inherit the Iron Throne, and also makes him a candidate to fulfill the prophecy of "The Prince who was Promised." This could be just what is needed to unite Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen' to fight against the White Walkers, who are now marching south towards Westeros.

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