Perhaps Rhaegar married Lyanna

[Voltron]

Perhaps Robert convinced himself and mostly everyone that Lyanna was kidnapped because the truth that she freely ran away with Rhaegar and therefore rejected him is too embarrassing for his ego.

 

[KevTravels]

Perhaps Robert convinced himself and mostly everyone that Lyanna was kidnapped because the truth that she freely ran away with Rhaegar and therefore rejected him is too embarrassing for his ego.

during such a period, they took their betrothals serious. probably thought Lyanna was his to command the moment they were suppose to marry.

 

[KevTravels]

It's theorised that Benjen outright knew with absolute certainty that Lyanna willingly ran off with Rhaegar, and the fact that he didn't tell his father or Brandon was a contributing factor to the guilt that lead to him joining the Night's Watch in the first place.

for such a theory, why wouldn't he have told them?

thousands died because no 1 bothered to mention those 2 were in love

 

[Roose Bolton]

for such a theory, why wouldn't he have told them?

thousands died because no 1 bothered to mention those 2 were in love

He was a child at the time of Robert's Rebellion and it wasn't like there was a great amount of time between Lyanna's disappearance and Brandon losing his **** and trying to fight the Targaryens in KL. It's more than likely that things got out of hand before Ben could really say anything, and once Brandon was captured by Aerys the truth likely wouldn't have made any difference.

 

[Havok83]

He was a child at the time of Robert's Rebellion and it wasn't like there was a great amount of time between Lyanna's disappearance and Brandon losing his **** and trying to fight the Targaryens in KL. It's more than likely that things got out of hand before Ben could really say anything, and once Brandon was captured by Aerys the truth likely wouldn't have made any difference.

If he was a kid, then how would he even know they were in love and that she ran off willingly with Rhaegar?

 

[Roose Bolton]

He may have seen them together in the Godswood at Harrenhal, or she may have outright told him that she had feelings for Rhaegar. Benjen was her little brother and there are flashbacks within the books that show that they were very close, it's mentioned that he even teased her at one point for having a crush on Rhaegar after they all heard the crown prince sing.

 

[BullMcGiveny]

Brandon rode to KL to fight Rhaegar so I wouldn't pin the war on Robert like some (and Bran) seemed to.

I don't remember each account so please correct me if am wrong but a lot of those who implied Rhaegar didn't rape Lyanna seem to generally have a rose tinted view of Rhaegar. It sounded less like everyone knew and more, everyone is biased.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Brandon rode to KL to fight Rhaegar so I wouldn't pin the war on Robert like some (and Bran) seemed to.

I don't remember each account so please correct me if am wrong but a lot of those who implied Rhaegar didn't rape Lyanna seem to generally have a rose tinted view of Rhaegar. It sounded less like everyone knew and more, everyone is biased.

You mean like Ned? That is the thing, everyone liked Rhaegar outside of a select few, like Robert.

 

[BullMcGiveny]

Ned is different, he was with Leanna in the end and found out what was what.

 

[TheFuture]

You mean like Ned? That is the thing, everyone liked Rhaegar outside of a select few, like Robert.

I think Robert did like Rhaegar if I remember correctly. But once he got that idea in his head about kidnapping Lyanna it was game over.

But as I said previously, he was allowed to get that idea in his and run with it. While there would have been war probably either way, had an R&L been honest from the beginning they have been able to save some lives. As Jon says lies breed more lies and the truth gets lost.

It's just a ****** situation that no one comes out of untainted from other than Ella. I would say Jon as well only for the fact that he has spent most of his life tainted due to the actions of others.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Ned is different, he was with Leanna in the end and found out what was what.

But who spits on Rhaegar's name then? That is my point.

I think Robert did like Rhaegar if I remember correctly. But once he got that idea in his head about kidnapping Lyanna it was game over.

But as I said previously, he was allowed to get that idea in his and run with it. While there would have been war probably either way, had an R&L been honest from the beginning they have been able to save some lives. As Jon says lies breed more lies and the truth gets lost.

It's just a ****** situation that no one comes out of untainted from other than Ella. I would say Jon as well only for the fact that he has spent most of his life tainted due to the actions of others.

You are definitely right. I am talking post-war.

I don't think Rhaegar and Lyanna could be honest. There were too many moving parts, too many people who wouldn't want it, for them to do that. They wouldn't have let them be together, and she would have run off with him anyways. And the big problem was the hotheads in the families. Well the hotheads and the crazies.

 

[Roose Bolton]

The only characters in the "present" who express any kind of negative sentiment towards Rhaegar are the Martells (more specifically Oberyn) and Robert. Oberyn because of Elia, and Robert because of...Robert.

That said, the war isn't necessarily about Robert losing his betrothed, more than it was about the fact that Aerys murdered the Warden of the North and his heir and asked Jon Arryn to do the same to Ned and Robert. Aerys basically said "**** you all, I'm breaking the agreement between King and Lord and will kill whichever of you I like." Rhaegar's actions were just further salt in the wound, giving the lords of Westeros the impression that the Targaryens were openly antagonising them.

 

[Ms. Marvel]

Aerys would have been deposed anyway. Although he didn't know it at the time.

 

[BullMcGiveny]

But who spits on Rhaegar's name then? That is my point.

Brandon Stark.

If the rebellion was caused by a 'lie', it was one believed by Brandon, not Robert.
Other than Brandon, sure, no one I can remember. Probably some of the newer generation only.

At the same point, though, who is singing Rhaegar's praises? His former friends, like Grif, Selmy, and Jamie.

Just my two cents, but I don't think there is a blanket account of what people on the whole think of Rhaegar and Lyanna. We don't know what, say, Blackfish and Bronze Yohn think, or at least I don't remember.

We just get a the accounts of a few individuals, each with their own stakes coloring their perspective. Likewise, that's why Oberyn is one of the few to disparage Rhaegar aside from Robert.

 

[Brother Jack]

Doesn't Howland Reed know the truth about Rhaegar and Lyanna? Bran said that he was only one who knew, but I find it hard to believe. And if Jon's real parentage and rightful claim to the throne is going to be legitimized he would need more than the word of a weird kid and the maester of the High Septum's journal.

 

[Voltron]

during such a period, they took their betrothals serious. probably thought Lyanna was his to command the moment they were suppose to marry.

True. I think Robert didn't know Lyanna at all.

 

[Voltron]

Doesn't Howland Reed know the truth about Rhaegar and Lyanna? Bran said that he was only one who knew, but I find it hard to believe. And if Jon's real parentage and rightful claim to the throne is going to be legitimized he would need more than the word of a weird kid and the maester of the High Septum's journal.

It was shown that Jon had a connection with Drogon so maybe he is resistant to fire like Dany too. I say he walks into a fire pit to show that he is a Targaryen and/or ride Rhaegal t:.

 

[Roose Bolton]

Well he did burn his hand in the first season

 

[Voltron]

I don't remember Jon burning his hand (goes off to watch season 1 again).

 

[DawnWarrior]

Going by the show's logic (which is slightly different in the books), it's clearly more than just Dany's Targaryan heritage that makes her immune to fire. It seems to be played more like a latent-X-gene thing, like it's rare even among the dragon kids. Viserys sure didn't have it, and he definitely has the same parents as her. Maybe Rhaegar had it, who knows.

Question: Now that Jon's parentage and relationship to Dany is officially established, how are the Stark sibs related to Dany? How do you phrase that? Like "first niece/nephew once-removed" or something?

 

[Havok83]

Question: Now that Jon's parentage and relationship to Dany is officially established, how are the Stark sibs related to Dany? How do you phrase that? Like "first niece/nephew once-removed" or something?

They're not

 

[Roose Bolton]

I don't remember Jon burning his hand (goes off to watch season 1 again).

When the Wight attacked Mormont, Jon grabbed a lantern to throw it at he beastie, only to burn his hand as well.

 

[DawnWarrior]

They're not

Sure they are, by marriage. Their aunt married her brother.

 

[Roose Bolton]

It doesn't work like that in Westeros. Actual blood ties are the only thing that really count in that society.

 

[DawnWarrior]

It doesn't work like that in Westeros. Actual blood ties are the only thing that really count in that society.

I figured. Just wondering how it would be phrased nowadays.

EDIT: You know what? Never mind. A little research is telling me that "by marriage" doesn't actually count as "related" in this century either. Thought it would for some reason. So I'll just stick with "cousins by marriage" and go back to working on my fanfics or something. Don't mind me.