These Clues Show Dany & Jon Are Related On 'GoT'

By now, it's safe to assume that we've all heard the infamous R + L = J theory from Game of Thrones, right? The theory that Jon Snow is not, in fact, Ned Stark's bastard, but a (potentially legitimate) son of Lyanna Stark and heir apparent Rhaegar Targaryen? It's a well thought-out theory that even George R. R. Martin has hinted is true (sidebar: Sean Bean definitely thinks it's true). It's been circulating for almost a decade now (Game of Thrones was first published in 1996, after all), and much of Season 5 seemed to confirm its impending canonization. Suffice it to say, the theory has a lot going for it, and expounding off of it and building on it can actually take you into some pretty interesting territory — after all, one of the most thought-provoking aspects of the R + L = J theory is that it means fan favorites Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen are related. (If it turns out being true, she would be his aunt.)

That in and of itself has some interesting implications — if Jon turns out to be the legitimate son of good old R and L, it means that his claim to the Iron Throne is actually stronger than Dany's. Too bad they can't share it. (Come on, we've all fantasized about Dany and Jon holding the Iron Throne together with Drogon and Ghost respectively at their sides, right?)

Any way you slice it, the mere idea that two of our favorite Westerosi are related is fascinating. So, what clues has the show provided to support it? Are there any visual cues out there that Dany and Jon are related?

Well, first off, there's Jon's highly-analyzed death scene to go off of: Many believe that Jon's grim pool of blood actually held some clues — after all, if you look closely, it kinda-sorta resembles the shape of a dragon wing. Take a look:

Sure it could just be your run of the mill, back stabbing-induced blood pool, but it might also be a sign that Jon's got the literal blood of the dragon. And, that's not our only clue, either — if you watch the clip of his death very, very carefully, you can detect a very slight shift in eye color. It's tough to say definitively just what the change is — in fact, it could even just be the light — but many believe that Jon's eyes are going from Stark brown to Targaryen purple, thus signifying the death of bastard Jon Snow, and the subsequent rebirth of legitimate Jon Targaryen.

What do you think? Purple eyes or nah? Well, if the rehashing of Jon Snow's mutinous stabbing hasn't quite convinced you yet, there's also Daenerys' visions from the House of the Undying to go off of. In the books, she actually has a vision of a blue rose growing out of a frozen wall, a sight that most believe to be a signifier for Jon — after all, he just happened to be Lord Commander of a literal giant frozen wall, and the blue roses in A Song of Ice and Fire generally symbolize his could-be mother, Lyanna (since she was rather memorably crowned Queen of Love and Beauty by Rhaegar Targaryen with a garland of blue roses). That fact, taken together with the fact that Dany's vision also prophesized three dragon riders, seems to imply that their fates are at least somehow intertwined. Now, it's worth pointing out that the show has no blue rose — but it does show Daenerys the Wall, which works equally well as a Jon Snow-signifier.

What do you think? Are Jon and Daenerys related? I'm willing to bet that Season 6 will finally make it canon, especially if all of those Tower of Joy casting rumors turn out to be true (fingers crossed!).

Image: Game of Thrones/HBO