Jon Snow

Name: Jon Snow Aliases: Lord Snow The Snow of Winterfell The crow-come-over The Bastard of Winterfell The Great Lord Snow The Black Bastard of the Wall Lord Crow Title: Lord Commander of the Night's Watch Allegiances: House Stark Night's Watch Culture: Northmen Born: 283 AC Father: Lord Eddard Stark Mothers: Wylla (supposedly) Ashara Dayne (rumored) Fisherman's daughter (rumored). Lover: Ygritte

Office: Leader of the Night's Watch Region: The Wall and the Gift Current: Holder Lord Jon Snow Created: During the Long Night Lord Commander of the Night's Watch is the title held by the most senior officer of the Night's Watch; his seat is at Castle Black. The plural form includes "Lords Commander",[1][2] "lords commander",[3] and "lord commanders".[4]

Some Free Folk refer to the Lords Commander as "Lord Crow", on account of their nickname for the members of the Watch. Election: When a Lord Commander dies, any sworn man of the Night's Watch can nominate himself or be nominated by his brothers for the position. All sworn brothers of the Night's Watch have a vote, but since it is impossible for everyone to attend, the garrison commanders of those not at Castle Black cast the vote for them. To win the election the candidates are required to receive two-thirds of the votes of the Sworn Brothers of the Night's Watch. If no candidate achieves that amount, the choosing is repeated on the next day, with no time limit set. Elections can last several days, and there was once a choosing that lasted near two years and seven hundred votes. Duties: The Lord Commander is the final authority of the Night's Watch and oversees the entire organization. He is assisted by the maester of Castle Black, the First Ranger, the Lord Steward, the First Builder, and other high officers under him. The Lord Commander serves until his death. The officer's chambers are in the top two floors of the Lord Commander's Tower. The Lord Commander's squires are traditionally promising youths of good birth who are being trained in command. The Lord Commander's steward is also his squire by custom.

Coat of arms: A running grey direwolf, on an ice-white field Seat: Winterfell (formerly) Head: Unknown; Bran Stark (de jure) Regions: North Riverlands (formerly) Titles: King of Winter/King in the North (formerly) Prince of Winterfell (formerly) Lord of Winterfell (formerly) Warden of the North (formerly) King of the Trident (formerly) Heirs: Rickon Stark (Bran's heir) Jon Snow[1] (per Robb Stark's will) Overlords: House Baratheon of King's Landing (AGOT) House Bolton (ADWD) Cadet branches: House Greystark (extinct) House Karstark Barrowton Starks (possibly)[2] White Harbor Starks (possibly)[2] Ancestral weapon Ice (destroyed) Founder: Brandon the Builder Founded: Age of Heroes

House Stark of Winterfell is one of the Great Houses of Westeros and the principal noble house of the north. In days of old they ruled as Kings of Winter, but since Aegon's Conquest they have been Wardens of the North and ruled as Lords of Winterfell. Their seat, Winterfell, is an ancient castle renowned for its strength.

Their sigil is a grey direwolf racing across a field of white. Their words are "Winter Is Coming", one of only a few house mottoes to be a warning rather than a boast.[3] Several of the POV characters of A Song of Ice and Fire are members of House Stark.

Aside from the Karstarks of Karhold, the Starks of Winterfell may have other, distant relatives in the north. White Harbor and Barrowton are considered to be likely options for offshoot branches.[2] Some younger Starks have also held vassal holdfasts for the Lords of Winterfell.

Traits The Starks have a reputation for long faces,[5][6] brown hair,[6] and grey eyes.[7][8] Some are known for melancholy[9] and iciness,[10] while others have a wildness sometimes called "wolf blood".[11][12][13]

In the current generation of Starks, several members (e.g., Arya and Bran Stark and Jon Snow) have the ability to enter the minds of their direwolf pets as wargs, giving them the ability to experience the senses of their direwolves[14] and to see through their eyes. The latter occurs most frequently when the children sleep,[15][16] although they are able to do it at will when awake, once they are more practiced.[17][16]

Customs House Stark traditionally buries deceased members of their family in the crypts below Winterfell.[18][19] The Kings of Winter and Lords of Winterfell are given a statue of their likeness, sitting by their tomb, whereas other family members normally do not get one.[20] Exceptions include Brandon and Lyanna Stark, who were given statues by their brother, Lord Eddard Stark,[20] and Artos Stark. The statues of the kings and lords have stone wolves by their feet[21][19] and have swords placed upon their lap,[19] which are said to keep the spirits of the dead at rest, locked within their tombs. House Stark traditionally follows the old gods.[23][24][25][26] Following the marriage of Eddard to Lady Catelyn Tully, a follower of the Faith of the Seven, a small sept was constructed at Winterfell.[27]

The Starks have traditionally been friends of the Night's Watch.[28][17][29][30] The four youngest men to have served as Lord Commander, including Osric Stark, were brothers, sons, or bastards of Kings in the North.[31]

The Starks hold the belief that there must always be a Stark in Winterfell.[32][33] When the head of the house is away, the Stark remaining in the castle to rule the north is referred to as "the Stark in Winterfell".

The known Starks during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:

{Eddard Stark}, also known as "Ned", middle son of Lord Rickard and Lady Lyarra Stark. Eddard rules as Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North until his execution in King's Landing, several months after taking office as Hand of the King. {Catelyn Tully}, Lord Eddard's wife. She is the mother of Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. She is killed during the Red Wedding, but is later resurrected by Beric Dondarrion. Now leading the brotherhood without banners and called "Lady Stoneheart". {Robb Stark}, Lord Eddard's eldest trueborn son and heir, also known as "the Young Wolf". He takes his father's position as Lord Stark and is later crowned King in the North and of the Trident by his bannermen, prior to his death in the Red Wedding. His direwolf is named Grey Wind and is killed along with him at the Twins. Jeyne Westerling, Robb's widow and queen. Sansa Stark, Eddard and Catelyn's elder daughter. Her direwolf is named Lady and is killed under Queen Cersei's orders in retribution for Arya's direwolf savaging her son Joffrey. She is currently hiding in the Vale of Arryn as Alayne Stone. Tyrion Lannister, Sansa's estranged husband. Arya Stark, Eddard and Catelyn's younger daughter. She is publicly known to have married Ramsay Bolton, but Ramsay has instead married Jeyne Poole, who was forced to pose as the Stark girl. Arya is instead in Braavos training with the Faceless Men. Her direwolf, Nymeria, leads a wolfpack roaming the riverlands. Brandon Stark, mostly known as "Bran", Eddard and Catelyn's second son. Bran becomes crippled and learns how to become a warg. He is believed to have been killed by Theon Greyjoy, but is actually beyond the Wall at the cave of the three-eyed crow. His direwolf is named Summer. Rickon Stark, Eddard and Catelyn's youngest child, only three years old when the series begins. He is also believed dead at the hands of Theon, though actually Rickon

Brandon the Builder, founder of House Stark and the first King of Winter. According to legend the builder of Winterfell,[27] the Wall,[40] Storm's End,[41][42] and the Hightower.[43] Brandon Stark, his son. According to some he was the one who was commissioned to build the Hightower by King Uthor of the High Tower instead of his father.[43] Brandon Stark, also known as Brandon the Breaker, who allied with Joramun to defeat the Night's King.

Traveling in the crypt of Winterfell in Chapter 66 of A Game of Thrones, Bran Stark sees the statues of Kings Jon, Rickard, Theon, Brandon the Shipwright, Brandon the Burner, Rodrik, and Torrhen.[20] It is unconfirmed if this is a chronological listing.

While leaving the crypt in Chapter 69 of A Clash of Kings, Bran sees the statues of Kings Torrhen, Edwyn, Theon, Brandon the Burner, Brandon the Shipwright, Jorah, Jonos, Brandon the Bad, Walton, Edderion, Eyron, Benjen the Sweet, Benjen the Bitter, and Edrick.[18] It is unconfirmed if this is a reverse chronological listing.

In Chapter 41 of A Dance with Dragons, Theon Greyjoy recalls the names of some statues in the crypt, mentioning Kings Edrick, Brandon the Shipwright, and Theon.

The Night's King, the thirteenth Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Although his name has been forgotten, some say he was the brother of the King in the North.[45] The four youngest Lords Commander, including Osric Stark.

Jon has the long face of the Starks. He has dark brown hair and grey eyes, so dark they almost seem black.[13] He is graceful and quick, and has a lean build.[13] Jon resembles his father, Lord Eddard Stark, and has more Stark-like features than any of his half-brothers.[9] Because he looks so much like a Stark, Tyrion Lannister notes that whoever Jon's mother was, she left little of herself in her son's appearance.[11] Out of all the Stark children, Arya Stark is said to resemble Jon the most, as Robb, Sansa, Bran and Rickon take after their Tully mother, Catelyn. Jon looks solemn and guarded,[11] and is considered sullen and quick to sense a slight.[19] Due to having been raised in a castle and trained by a master-at-arms, Jon is seen by some lower-born members of the Night's Watch as arrogant at first,[1] though this changes when they become more friendly towards one another, as Jon is reminded of his nonetheless privileged background and decides to pass on his knowledge to them. Jon is observant,[13][9] a trait he developed on account of being a bastard.[9] He is a capable horseback rider and is well practiced in fighting with a sword.[9] Jon has resented his bastard status most of the time.[9] He desires to be viewed as honorable,[20] and wants to prove he can be as good and true as his half-brother, Robb.[21] As a child, Jon dreamed he would one day lead men to glory, or even become a conqueror.[22] He feels strongly about not fathering a bastard himself.

George R. R. Martin has described Jon as "the brooding, Byronic, romantic hero whom all the girls love".[24]

While Lord Eddard openly acknowledged Jon as his son and allowed him to live at Winterfell with his half-siblings, Jon felt like an outsider nonetheless. While Jon has good relationships with his siblings, especially Robb, with whom he trained since they were children,[25] and Arya, whom he sees as somewhat of an outsider as well,[1] Eddard's wife Catelyn ensured that Jon was never truly one of them.[1][26] Catelyn was especially annoyed when Jon bested Robb in martial training or their studies.[25] Jon is not close to Theon Greyjoy, Eddard's ward.[19] Lord Stark refuses to speak of Jon's mother, and the boy grew up unaware of her identity, something which has wounded and haunted him.[9][27][28][29] When Jon dreams of her, he considers her to be beautiful, highborn, and kind.[27]

Raised at Winterfell as a descendant of the First Men, Jon keeps faith with the old gods,[26] and he feels no connection to the Seven.[12]

After joining the Night's Watch, Jon dresses in their official black garb.[1] While there are no indications in the books that Jon has adopted a personal coat of arms, Martin told the company Valyrian Steel, which makes replicas of Jon's sword, to use the reversed Stark colors on the plaque that goes with the sword.

Jon was born in 283 AC, near the end of Robert's Rebellion,[N 1] and he was named by Lord Eddard Stark.[32] One tale says Jon was named after Lord Jon Arryn,[33] Eddard's foster father.[34] The identity of Jon's mother is a mystery, and several suggestions have been made by those who know the Starks. Jon is unaware of his mother's identity[23][1] and Eddard refuses to speak of her.[1] When Eddard returned from the war, he brought the newborn Jon to Winterfell, insisting on raising him with the rest of his family. Jon and his wet nurse were installed in the castle before the arrival of Eddard's new wife, Catelyn Tully, and his young son and heir, Robb Stark, from Riverrun, which Catelyn did not take well. Lord Eddard was fiercely protective of Jon[35] and refused to send him away.[9] Jon was raised at Winterfell with his half-siblings. He was tutored by Maester Luwin,[36] including learning sums[25] and astronomy,[37] and was trained at arms by the master-at-arms, Ser Rodrik Cassel. Jon has trained at swordplay since he was old enough to walk, together with Robb,[25] whom he came to view as his "best friend, rival and constant companion,"[1] and later also with Theon Greyjoy,[38] after the latter came to Winterfell following the conclusion of Greyjoy's Rebellion. Jon learned how to swim in the great moat at Winterfell; he is considered a strong swimmer.

Jon grew close to his true-born siblings, especially Robb and Arya. Because they look alike, Arya briefly believed that she was bastard-born as well, but Jon reassured his half-sister this was not the case.[17] As a young child[N 2] Jon and Robb built a great mountain of snow on top of a gate, hoping to push it on someone passing by. They were discovered by Mance Rayder, a ranger from the Night's Watch who had accompanied Lord Commander Qorgyle to Winterfell. The ranger promised not to tell anyone, and Jon and Robb succeeded in their ploy, dumping the snow upon Fat Tom, who chased the boys around the yard afterwards, until all three were tired.[2] Since he was young, Jon's hero was King Daeron I Targaryen, the Young Dragon, who had conquered Dorne at the age of fourteen.[23][22] Jon and Robb would often play a game of sword-play, in which they would pretend to be great heroes (including Florian the Fool, Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, King Daeron the Young Dragon, and Ser Ryam Redwyne). Once, when Jon called out that he was "Lord of Winterfell," Robb informed him that was impossible due to his bastardy, which would become a sore memory for Jon.[25] Another time, Jon covered himself in flour and hid in one of the empty tombs in the crypt of Winterfell, and when Robb brought Sansa, Arya, and Bran down to the crypts, Jon jumped out of the tomb and moaned, pretending to be a ghost. Sansa screamed and ran back upstairs, Bran clung to Robb's leg and cried, and Arya punched Jon for scaring the baby with his prank; but Jon and Robb only laughed until the other two were laughing too.[41]

Lord Eddard had dreamed about raising new lords and settling them in the abandoned holdfasts in the New Gift, and Jon believes that if winter had come and gone more quickly, he might have been chosen to hold one of the settlements in his father's name.

Jon accompanies his father, Lord Eddard Stark, his brothers Robb and Bran, his father's ward Theon Greyjoy, and others from Winterfell to the execution of Gared, a deserter from the Night's Watch. On their way back to Winterfell, Jon and Robb race ahead and find a litter of direwolf pups. When Eddard states that killing the pups quickly would forestall a painful and slow death, Jon points out that there are five pups—one for each of Eddard's legitimate children—and the direwolf is the sigil of House Stark, indicating that they must be meant to have the wolves. The comparison only works out because Jon is not claiming a pup for himself, and Eddard gives in. As they leave, Jon discovers an albino pup, cast away from its litter.[13] He claims the pup for his own,[13] eventually naming it "Ghost."[23]

Because he is a bastard, Jon is not allowed sit with his siblings and the royal children during the feast welcoming King Robert I Baratheon and the royal family to the north, and instead sits with the squires, further down the room. At the feast, Jon speaks with his uncle, Benjen Stark, the First Ranger of the Night's Watch. When Benjen suggests that the Watch could use a man as observant as Jon, Jon quickly requests to accompany him to the Wall when he leaves, as even a bastard can rise to a position of honor there.[23] Benjen is hesitant about having Jon join at such a young age, resulting in an argument that causes Jon to storm out.[23] Outside, he runs into Tyrion Lannister, the youngest brother of Queen Cersei Lannister, who counsels him to "never forget what you are" and tells Jon to make it his strength instead.

Although hesitant about it at the feast, Benjen eventually approaches Luwin, telling the maester that Jon had expressed interest in joining the Night's Watch.[9] When Lord Eddard decides to accept the position as Hand of the King at King's Landing, his wife, Catelyn Stark, refuses to allow Jon to remain at Winterfell while Eddard is away. As Eddard feels he cannot take Jon south with him, Luwin suggests the Night's Watch for Jon, and Eddard eventually agrees. Catelyn is pleased, because as a member of the Watch Jon will never father children who might contest her grandchildren's inheritance of Winterfell. The decision for him to go to the Wall leaves Jon angry in the days before he is set to leave.[42] After Bran falls from the First Keep, the departure day is postponed, but a fortnight after Bran's accident Jon and Benjen are ready to leave Winterfell. Jon says his last goodbyes, first to the comatose Bran, then to Robb, and finally to Arya, to whom he gives a small, slender sword which they name Needle.[43] On his way to the Wall, Jon quickly becomes disillusioned with the Night's Watch, after meeting Yoren, a so-called wandering crow, and his new recruits.[11] During the journey, Jon befriends Tyrion Lannister, who had decided to travel further north to see the Wall for himself.

At Castle Black, Jon first remains aloof and distant, making no friends; he scorns his fellow recruits, who return the feeling, resenting him due to his attitude. Days after their arrival, Benjen leaves to lead a ranging, and while Jon requests to accompany him, Benjen refuses to allow it, leaving Jon angry. After a fight between Jon and several other recruits, Jon speaks with Donal Noye, the armorer at Castle Black, who points that Jon has been a bully to the other recruits. When a letter arrives from Winterfell informing Jon that Bran, though crippled, has awoken and will live, Jon is ecstatic, and when he returns to the Common Hall, he offers his fellow recruits advice on their swordplay.[1] Jon soon becomes a natural leader, mentor, and friend to most of his fellow trainees, earning him the enmity of the master-at-arms, Ser Alliser Thorne. When Samwell Tarly arrives at the Wall, Jon reaches out to him, and helps him to be accepted by the majority of the recruits, even threatening Rast with Ghost to prevent him from further bullying Sam.

As new recruits are about to arrive at Castle Black, eight recruits, including Jon, are chosen to take their vows. Sam is not chosen, and Jon realizes that it will only be a matter of time that Sam will be hurt or killed in training without his friends present to protect him. Jon visits Maester Aemon and asks if Aemon will persuade Jeor Mormont, the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, to take Sam from training and allow him to take his vows, pointing out that Sam, due to his ability to write, read, and do math, would make a good personal steward for Aemon.[36] This earns Jon the enmity of Chett, Aemon's steward.[45] Aemon promises to consider it.[36] Sam finds Jon the next day, informing him that he too is allowed to take his vows, and has been appointed Aemon's personal steward. Jon expects to be raised to the rangers, but is angered when Lord Commander Mormont appoints him as his personal steward instead. Sam points out to Jon that Mormont has given him the position in order to groom him for command, which quells his anger.

Jon and Sam decide to say their vows in front of the weirwood trees located north of the Wall. After they have said the words, Ghost returns with the severed hand of Jafer Flowers,[26] alerting the men of the corpses of Jafer and Othor. The two corpses are brought back to Castle Black, where Jon is informed of the death of King Robert and the arrest of his father, Eddard. Alliser mocks Jon and his father, calling him a "a traitor's bastard", and Jon attacks him with a dagger, but he is stopped by his friends. Jon is placed under arrest until the Watch officers can decide what to do with him, with Lord Commander Mormont expressing his disappointment. That night, the two bodies they had found north of the Wall rise from the dead. When one wight, Othor, attacks Lord Commander Mormont, Jon intervenes, saving Jeor's life,[46] though he seriously burns his hand in the process. In gratitude, Jeor gives Jon Longclaw, the Valyrian steel bastard sword of House Mormont, for which he has a white stone wolf head sculpted as the new pommel in honor of Jon.[47]

Though he is now a sworn brother of the Night's Watch, Jon becomes torn between the Watch and his former family when he learns from Sam that Robb has marched south with an army. Maester Aemon explains to Jon the difficulty of keeping true to the Night's Watch's vows at times. Among other examples, Aemon cites the deaths of most of his relatives at the end of Robert's Rebellion, causing Jon to realize Aemon is a Targaryen.[47] Nonetheless, after Eddard's execution, Jon tries to desert and join Robb's army, even though the penalty for deserting the Night's Watch is death. However, his new friends bring him back, and save him from this fate.[48]

The next day, Lord Commander Mormont chastises him for running, and Jon agrees to fully commit to the Watch. He accepts his place as Jeor's squire and prepares for the journey beyond the Wall which Mormont plans to lead.

Jon's old bedchamber at Winterfell is given to Big Walder and Little Walder Frey, the wards of Catelyn Stark.[49]

The Night's Watch prepares for the great ranging north to investigate the haunted forest, after the disappearances beyond the Wall of several rangers, including Benjen Stark. Jon brings his direwolf, Ghost. Jon fetches Samwell Tarly for Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, who has been waiting for maps of the lands further north. Jeor and Jon discuss his hand, which still troubles him, but is slowly getting better. They discuss Maester Aemon, and Jeor reveals that Aemon had once been offered the Iron Throne, but instead had decided to remain a maester, and the throne passed to his younger brother, Aegon V Targaryen. Jeor points out the similarities between Jon and Aemon in having a brother for king; Jon reassures the Lord Commander that, like Maester Aemon, he too will keep his vows. The ranging party passes through several wildling villages, including Whitetree, but find no hint of any wildling presence.[51] They then stop at Craster's Keep, where they learn that the normally anarchic wildlings are uniting under a Mance Rayder, the King-beyond-the-Wall. Though the youths are commanded not to speak to Craster's daughters, the pregnant Gilly approaches Jon after encouragement from Sam. She asks to join Jon when they leave Craster's Keep, but Jon refuses her, and later scolds Sam for ever having given her the idea.[52]

After reaching the Fist of the First Men, Ghost leads Jon to a mound where the direwolf digs up an old warhorn and a cache of dragonglass wrapped in an old cloak of the Night's Watch.[53] Jon distributes these items among his sworn brothers. After the arrival of Qhorin Halfhand with the men from the Shadow Tower, Jon is picked by Qhorin to accompany one of the three scouting parties into the mountains.[54] Jon grows a beard after leaving the Fist.

In the Skirling Pass, Qhorin's party comes across a group of wildling sentries, and Jon is one of those assigned to take them out. He kills one of the man, but discovers his second target is a woman. Jon instead decides to take prisoner the girl, who is called Ygritte. He reveals he is the bastard son of Eddard Stark, and during the night, Ygritte tells Jon the story of "Bael the Bard," a song which insinuates that, through Bael, the Starks too have wildling blood. Later, Qhorin orders Jon to kill her, but Jon secretly lets her go instead. Before she leaves, Ygritte informs Jon that Mance Rayder would accept him, if he wanted to join the free folk.[55] Jon tells Qhorin about this, who confirms that Mance would be willing, and tells Jon that Mance had been a man of the Night's Watch himself once. When he dreams that night, Jon sees through the eyes of Ghost, and witnesses thousands of wildlings, and giants and mammoths, before being attacked by an eagle. Jon informs the group, who recognize Jon for a warg. They later see the eagle, and when they find a wounded Ghost, Qhorin decides they return to the Fist of the First Men.

With the enemy following them, Qhorin orders Dalbridge to stay behind to defend the others,[57] while Ebben and Stonesnake are sent forth to reach the First is great haste, leaving only Qhorin and Jon. The Halfhand commands Jon to join the wildlings when they are discovered, and to do whatever they ask. When the wildling band led by Rattleshirt finds them, Jon yields, and the wildlings require him to kill Qhorin to proof his loyalty to them. With the help of Ghost, Jon kills Qhorin, and the wildlings agree to bring him to Mance Rayder.

Rattleshirt brings Jon to meet Mance Rayder. Telling Mance that he had been poorly treated at Winterfell because he is a bastard, Jon convinces the King-Beyond-the-Wall that his desertion from the Night's Watch is sincere. During their conversation, Jon learns Mance's plans to invade the Seven Kingdoms.[2] While traveling to the Fist of the First Men, Jon's clean-shaven face is scratched by Orell's eagle. Jon and the free folk see the aftermath of the fight at the Fist.[59]

Mance has Jon and Ygritte join Styr and Jarl for their mission south of the Wall.[3] Jon falls in love with Ygritte,[37] breaking his vow of chastity by sharing a tent[3] and sleeping together in a cave near Greyguard.[37] Jarl falls to his death when Styr's party climbs the Wall,[60] and the survivors descend at Greyguard and enter the Gift.[39]

Jon hesitates between betraying Ygritte or leaving the Night's Watch, eventually realizing that he must escape and warn Castle Black of the upcoming attack. When Jon refuses Styr's orders to kill an old man at abandoned Queenscrown, Ygritte kills the man instead. The wildlings are then attacked by the direwolf Summer, unaware that it is due to the efforts of Jon's half-brother Bran Stark, who is hidden in the village's tower. Jon manages to escape in the confusion on a horse, but not before taking an arrow in the leg.[39]

Meanwhile, Robb Stark, the King in the North, marches from Riverrun to the Twins for the wedding of Lord Edmure Tully to Roslin Frey. Robb believes his siblings Bran, Rickon, and Arya Stark are dead, and he does not want Winterfell and the north to fall into House Lannister's hands following Tyrion Lannister's marriage to Sansa Stark. Against the objections of his mother, Catelyn Stark, Robb legitimizes Jon as his heir, according to a semi-canon source.[61] Robb's decision is witnessed at Hag's Mire by Catelyn, Edmure, Galbart Glover, Lord Jason Mallister, Lady Maege Mormont, and Lord Jon Umber.[62] Robb and Catelyn are then betrayed by Lords Walder Frey and Roose Bolton in the Red Wedding. Edric Dayne, Lord of Starfall and a member of the brotherhood without banners, tells Arya that he is Jon's milk brother, as they shared the same wet nurse, Wylla, a servant at Starfall. Edric tells Arya that Wylla is Jon's mother.[64]

A barely-conscious Jon warns Mole's Town and Castle Black of the planned attack, and is tended to by Maester Aemon. Grenn and the maester gently break the news to Jon that Bran and Rickon have allegedly died at the command of Theon Greyjoy.[65] After Jon recuperates, he helps Donal Noye in the defense of Castle Black against Styr's raiders. All of the raiders are killed, including Ygritte, who dies in a grief-stricken Jon's arms after having been shot with an arrow by another Night's Watch brother.

When Mance attacks, Donal has Jon command from atop the Wall while the blacksmith descends to defend the gate. After Donal is killed by Mag Mar Tun Doh Weg, Jon reluctantly takes command of the Wall's defenses, after prompting from Master Aemon. Jon successfully holds the Wall against overwhelming odds for several days.[67]

Upon the arrival of Ser Alliser Thorne and Lord Janos Slynt at Castle Black, Jon is arrested for his earlier defection and thrown in an ice cell, where he is threatened with execution for his desertion and the murder of Qhorin Halfhand.[15] After Aemon vouches for Jon's honor and capability during the wildling attack, Alliser and Janos realize they cannot have Jon hanged due to his popularity on the Wall. They therefore force him to make an assassination attempt on Mance during a parley, hoping he will be killed there instead. During the negotiations, Mance states that he has the Horn of Winter, which he claims will cause the Wall to collapse. He reveals that he only had the wildlings attack the Wall not to conquer, but to escape the Others. The King-Beyond-the-Wall then offers Jon the Horn of Winter if the Night's Watch allows the wildlings to safely pass through to south of the Wall, but Mance states that they will not yield to the lords or their laws. Before Jon can attack Mance or destroy the Horn, however, the knights of Stannis Baratheon and rangers of Cotter Pyke appear. During the battle beneath the Wall, Jon guards Mance's tent while Val helps her sister Dalla give birth.

Jon's defense of the Wall earns him popular support and his release from imprisonment. Jon meets with Stannis, who tells him that if he recognizes Stannis as king, he will legitimize Eddard Stark's son and make him Jon Stark, Lord of Winterfell, and marry him to Val in order to gain support of the north and the free folk.[68] Jon is overwhelmed by feelings of guilt and grief for his dead siblings, admitting to himself that becoming Lord of Winterfell was something he always desired, and that he was always envious of Robb Stark for his legitimate birthright.[68] When Jon suddenly experiences Ghost's hunger, he is joyous to realize his direwolf has returned from beyond the Wall. Jon realizes that if he bends the knee to Stannis he would then have to allow Melisandre, Stannis's red priestess, to burn the heart tree in the godswood of Winterfell. Meanwhile, due to the efforts of Samwell Tarly, an unknowing Jon has been offered as a compromise candidate between rival factions for the post of Lord Commander of the Night's Watch,[69] as Jeor Mormont had been slain in the mutiny at Craster's Keep.[70] After Jon refuses Stannis's offer, he learns he has been elected the 998th Lord Commander in a landslide vote, to his own disbelief.

Jon takes up residence in Donal Noye's old quarters, and he institutes mandatory archery practice for all black brothers at Castle Black.[4] Fearing that Melisandre might burn Maester Aemon and the infant of the captured Mance Rayder for their royal blood, Jon secretly swaps Mance's son with Gilly's son. Jon sends Samwell Tarly to the Citadel to train as Castle Black's next maester, sending Aemon, Gilly, Mance's child, and Dareon with Sam.[4][71]

In King's Landing, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister is outraged to learn of Jon's appointment as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, as he is Eddard Stark's son. The small council agrees that Jon must be removed from command, as he has given Stannis Baratheon shelter. Grand Maester Pycelle suggests informing the Watch that the crown will send no more men to the Wall until Jon is removed. Cersei is delighted with Qyburn's suggestion to send a hundred recruits with secret orders to remove Jon.[72] She plots to send Ser Osney Kettleblack to carry out the plan,[72][73][74] but both Osney and Cersei are imprisoned by the Faith of the Seven before these plans can come to fruition.[74]

When Ser Jaime Lannister offers that Ser Brynden Tully join the Night's Watch to end the siege of Riverrun, Brynden refuses, citing the distrust of his niece Catelyn for Jon.

Lord Godric Borrell tells Lord Davos Seaworth that according to tales of the Vale, Jon's mother was a fisherman's daughter who had helped Lord Eddard Stark reach the Three Sisters during Robert's Rebellion.[33] Arya Stark overhears people speaking of Jon at Ragman's Harbor in Braavos.[5]

Jon cedes the Nightfort to King Stannis Baratheon, whose men also occupy Castle Black. Jon is continually harassed by the queen's men, such as Ser Godry Farring[76] and Ser Clayton Suggs.[77] Advising Jon to keep Ghost close, the red priestess Melisandre warns Jon against "daggers in the dark."[76]

Jon rebukes all demands from Stannis to settle his men within the Gift, claiming that the land and the other unoccupied castles along the Wall belong to the Night's Watch. Jon remembers the parting words of Maester Aemon to "kill the boy and let the man be born," the same advice Aemon had given when his younger brother ascended the Iron Throne as Aegon V Targaryen.[71] Jon reads part of the book left for him by Aemon, the Jade Compendium.[78]

Jon orders Janos Slynt, who had participated in the beheading of Lord Eddard,[79] to garrison the abandoned Greyguard, but Janos refuses. After Janos continues to refuse the Lord Commander, Jon orders him hanged for his insubordination. Jon then recalls the laws of the First Men and his father, however, and instead beheads Janos himself, using Longclaw to carry out the sentence. This increases Stannis's respect for Jon and cements his new position.[71] Jon sends his friends from Castle Black, ordering Grenn and Pypar to Eastwatch and Halder and Todder to the Shadow Tower.[78]

Stannis refuses Jon's request to spare the captive Mance. As Melisandre burns the King-Beyond-the-Wall, Jon has his men kill Mance with arrows to end his suffering.[78] Stannis orders the captive Rattleshirt to serve Jon.[77] When Stannis plans to attack the Dreadfort, Jon convinces him to instead seek the help of the northern mountain clans.

Stannis marches west and is able to secure the allegiance of the clans, greatly augmenting his own strength. Jon delivers supplies to the free folk at Mole's Town,[81] and sends ranging parties north of the Wall.[82] Rattleshirt defeats Jon in a sparring match.[82] When news arrives that Ramsay Bolton is to marry Jon's half-sister, Arya Stark, Melisandre informs Jon she has had a vision of a girl on a dying horse making for Castle Black.[82] Melisandre reveals that she had changed the appearances of Mance and Rattleshirt with a glamor, so that Stannis actually executed Rattleshirt and that Mance has been serving Jon. Mance is sent to secretly rescue Arya,[83] although the conspirators do not know that Ramsay's bride at Winterfell is actually Jeyne Poole.[38] After the fight by Deepwood Motte, Stannis begins his march on Winterfell. In the weirwood grove in the haunted forest, Jon finds a small group of wildlings and the giant Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun.[22] In order to learn more about wights, Jon consigns the corpses of dead wildlings in Castle Black's ice cells, hoping they will rise but be safely imprisoned.[22][85] Jon displeases his fellow officers by sending the wildling Val to treat with Tormund Giantsbane, and by intending to garrison abandoned castles with wildlings. They also object to Jon naming Satin as his steward and squire. Jon sends his friend Eddison Tollett to Long Barrow.[85] After Stannis's wife, Queen Selyse Baratheon, arrives at Castle Black from Eastwatch, Jon negotiates with Tycho Nestoris, an envoy of the Iron Bank of Braavos. Jon agrees to a loan so the Watch can purchase food and supplies and hire ships.[86]

When a wearied girl arrives at Castle Black, Jon is surprised to learn it is not his sister Arya, but instead Alys Karstark, who is fleeing a forced marriage to Cregan Karstark. Her uncle only desires her because she is heir to Karhold.[86] When Cregan arrives with reinforcements to claim Alys, Jon has them thrown in an ice cell.

Jon arranges a marriage between Alys and Sigorn, establishing House Thenn.[87] Jon orders Cotter Pyke to rescue wildlings at Hardhome.[87] Alys informs Jon that Arnolf Karstark plans to betray Stannis, so Jon has Clydas send a raven to Deepwood Motte in an attempt to warn the king. Jon treats with Tormund when Val brings the wildling leader to Castle Black. The Lord Commander tries to convince Torghen Flint and Brandon Norrey of the necessity of allowing Tormund's wildlings to pass through the Wall.[88] Tormund leads over three thousand wildlings south.[89]

Jon intends to rescue Cotter at Hardhome, but he is interrupted by a taunting letter from Ramsay which claims that Stannis has been defeated and Mance captured. Jon relinquishes command of the ranging, and announces his intention to ride south against House Bolton. He does not order the Night's Watch to fight with him, but asks both wildlings and black brothers alike to join him of their own volition. Most wildlings in the Shieldhall agree to support him, but Jon's decision causes great discontent within the Watch's upper leadership. In the confusion resulting from Wun Wun's killing of Ser Patrek of King's Mountain, Jon is attacked in the mutiny at Castle Black. While stabbing the Lord Commander, Bowen Marsh and Wick Wittlestick state "for the Watch."

Jon's parentage remains a topic of discussion among readers of the series, as his mother remains unidentified. On several occasions, the topic is brought to the reader's attention in text, although several characters provide different possibilities. Lord Eddard Stark's wife, Catelyn Tully, heard from her maids the tales Eddard's soldiers had told about Ashara Dayne, though Eddard refused to confirm this when she confronted him, and he silenced the stories about Ashara at Winterfell.[9] Years later, Sansa Stark heard rumors saying that Jon's mother had been a common woman.[14] Cersei Lannister mentions Ashara as Jon's potential mother as well, as well as "some Dornish peasant."[91] Eddard seems to have told King Robert I Baratheon that Jon's mother was a woman named Wylla, though Robert has never seen her.[92] Meanwhile, Lord Edric Dayne believes his wet nurse, Wylla, to have been Jon's mother.[64] According to Lord Godric Borrell, the daughter of the fisherman who brought Eddard from the Fingers across the Bite to the Three Sisters at the beginning of Robert's Rebellion gave birth to Eddard's bastard son, and according to Godric, it had been she who gave Jon his name, in honor of Jon Arryn.[33]

Fans of the series have speculated about his parentage for many years, with numerous theories having been developed during that time.

Jon Snow is most commonly typed as ISFP (Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving). This suggests Jon Snow is Aesthetic soul, Silent observer, Authentically themselves and Sensory genius. See other ISFP characters who share these traits.

As an ISFP, Jon Snow likely relies on cognitive functions like Introverted Feeling (Fi) and Extraverted Sensing (Se). This unique combination of cognitive functions influences how Jon Snow processes information, makes decisions, and interacts with the world. These traits might manifest in Jon Snow's approach to problem-solving, communication style, and personal relationships.

Jon Snow is most commonly typed as 4w5 (The Individualist, The Romantic) in the Enneagram system. This suggests Jon Snow is creative, expressive, and self-aware, and is often introspective and seek to find their unique identity. These traits shape Jon Snow's worldview and behavioral patterns, influencing how they navigate challenges, connect with others, and pursue their goals. Understanding these traits provides insight into Jon Snow's motivations, strengths, and potential growth areas.

The Basic Fear of Jon Snow is being without a unique identity or significance, which drives them to avoid certain situations or behaviors that trigger this fear. Conversely, their Core Desire is to find themselves and be recognized for their uniqueness, guiding their aspirations and actions in pursuit of fulfillment. This dynamic between fear and desire often shapes Jon Snow's life choices and personal development journey.

Jon Snow is the bastard son of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell. He has five half-siblings: Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon Stark. Unaware of the identity of his mother, Jon was raised at Winterfell. At the age of fourteen, he joins the Night's Watch, where he earns the nickname Lord Snow. Jon is one of the major POV characters in A Song of Ice and Fire.

ISFPs are known as "The Artist" or "The Adventurer" and are characterized by their introverted, sensing, feeling, and perceiving traits. They are often quiet, reserved, perceptive, and sympathetic, with a strong sense of personal values and a desire for autonomy. ISFPs value freedom and dislike being tied down by strict routines, preferring to live in the present and make decisions based on their values and emotions. Key ISFP Traits: Quiet and Reserved: ISFPs are generally not outgoing and prefer to observe before engaging. Perceptive and Sympathetic: They are sensitive to the needs and emotions of others. Strong Values: ISFPs have a clear sense of what is important to them and are not easily swayed by others' opinions. Value Freedom and Autonomy: They dislike being controlled and prefer to have the freedom to follow their own path. Present-Oriented: ISFPs tend to live in the moment and are less concerned with planning for the future. Emotion-Driven: They make decisions based on what feels right and aligns with their values. Adaptable and Flexible: ISFPs can adjust to new situations and circumstances with ease. Creative and Artistic: They often have a natural talent for art, music, or other creative pursuits. Non-Judgmental: ISFPs are generally open-minded and appreciate diversity. Cooperative and Loyal: They are supportive of others and are committed to their relationships. Potential Strengths: Strong sense of personal values: ISFPs are driven by their own internal compass and are not easily swayed by external pressures. Excellent observers: They are attentive to details and can pick up on subtle cues that others might miss. Creative and artistic: ISFPs often have a natural talent for art, music, or other creative endeavors. Adaptable and flexible: They can adjust to new situations and circumstances with ease. Cooperative and loyal: They are supportive of others and are committed to their relationships.

Eneagram Type 4w5 individuals, often called "The Free Spirit," blend the passionate and creative nature of Type 4 with the intellectual and reserved nature of Type 5. This combination leads to a personality that is creative, introspective, and seeks to understand the world deeply. They may appear withdrawn and self-absorbed, but are actually striving to make a unique impact and find personal significance. Key characteristics of 4w5: Creative and Intellectual: They possess a strong desire to understand the world and often express themselves through creative outlets. Reserved and Introspective: They may appear withdrawn, preferring to spend time reflecting on their inner world. Seek Personal Impact: They strive to make a meaningful contribution to the world and find a sense of identity. Fear of Insignificance: They have a deep-seated fear of being overlooked or of lacking knowledge or significance. May Appear Self-Absorbed: Due to their introspective nature, they may appear overly focused on themselves. In essence, 4w5 individuals are deeply curious and creative, but also tend to withdraw and focus on their own unique perspective. They are driven by a need to find meaning and purpose in the world, often through artistic or intellectual pursuits.