Jon Snow



Jon Snow is a major character in Game of Thrones. He is played by Kit Harington and debuts in the first episode of the series.

Jon Snow is the 17-year-old bastard son of Lord Eddard Stark. The identity of his mother is the subject of much speculation amongst the people of Winterfell. He was brought home to Winterfell by Eddard Stark and raised as his son, trained with weapons and armor. Eddard's wife, Catelyn, was deeply unhappy with this arrangement and it remains the largest source of dissent between them. Amongst his half-siblings Jon is closest to Robb, Bran and Arya.

Eddard once told King Robert Baratheon that Jon Snow's mother is a serving girl named Wylla, but he refused to divulge any more information about her.

Winter is Coming
Whilst he is well-treated by his father and half-siblings, Jon is unhappy at the cold treatment of his stepmother at Winterfell. Though, bound by the same honor as his father, he seeks to keep her unkind conduct to himself, probably to spare his family's feelings. Inspired by his uncle Benjen's example, he decides to join the Night's Watch and seek honor on the Wall. Jon has a young direwolf named Ghost.

The Kingsroad
Before their parting, Eddard Stark promises to tell Jon about his mother the next time they meet. Later, King Robert asks Eddard about Jon's mother, Wylla, but Eddard refuses to talk about her.

Jon travels to the Wall alongside Tyrion Lannister, who tries to open his eyes to the truth: that the Night's Watch is not an honorable institution of noble knights sworn to defend the realm, but a dumping ground for wastrels, rapists and unwanted sons.

Lord Snow
Arriving at Castle Black, Jon uses his superior training to quickly dominate the other recruits, but finds that this breeds resentment amongst them. At Tyrion's urging, he helps them learn to fight more effectively, and is able to win over Pypar and Grenn as friends.

Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things
Jon Snow befriends Samwell Tarly on his arrival and helps defend him from the cruelty of Ser Alliser Thorne, the knight in charge of training, even using Ghost to intimidate Rast into not hurting him during training. Thorne angrily tells Jon that going easy on Sam won't help him, and will risk him getting killed in the next winter.

You Win or You Die
After a lot of training, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont deems the new recruits ready to join the Watch formally. However, Jon is assigned to the stewards rather than the rangers, apparently due to his ongoing feud with Ser Alliser Thorne. Samwell suggests a different explanation: because Mormont has asked for Jon as his personal steward, he may be planning to groom Jon for command. Jon is also concerned when his uncle Benjen's horse returns to Castle Black, but with no trace of his uncle.

Later, Jon and Samwell say their oath to the Watch before a heart tree in the Haunted Forest. Suddenly, Ghost appears, having found a severed hand in the forest.

The Pointy End
At Castle Black, news arrives of Eddard's arrest and imprisonment. Jon Snow is unable to do anything about it, to his frustration. Alliser Thorne taunts Jon, who threatens him with a knife and is confined to quarters for his trouble. Meanwhile, the bodies of several men from Benjen Stark's patrol have been found, but there is no sign of Benjen himself. Samwell Tarly notes that the bodies do not smell like they've been dead for weeks. Later, at night, one of the bodies animates as a wight and attacks the Lord Commander, but Jon Snow destroys it with fire.

Baelor
At Castle Black, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont gives Jon Snow a Valyrian steel sword, Longclaw, in thanks for saving his life. Mormont also reinstates Jon to his former position and tells him he has dispatched Ser Alliser Thorne to King's Landing to lay the hand of the wight they found at the feet of the King and ask for aid. Mormont explains to Jon that Longclaw was meant for his own son, Ser Jorah Mormont, but he disgraced himself and fled in exile to Essos. Sam tells Jon about Robb leading an army to war. Jon ponders that he should be with him, but Maester Aemon tells him their duty to the Night's Watch comes first. To Jon's surprise, Aemon reveals that his full name is Aemon Targaryen, the son of a king, brother to another, the uncle of the Mad King. Aemon had to stand aside and do nothing whilst his entire family was butchered or exiled during Robert's Rebellion. It is not an easy life they have chosen.

In the books
In the books Jon is 14 years old when the action begins and feels somewhat alienated from his family, with only Robb, Arya and to a lesser extent Eddard making any attempt to make him feel welcome. A visit by his uncle Benjen makes Jon realize that his future may lay outside Winterfell's walls.