In Game of Thrones, Jon Snow must decide if Daenerys is a worthy queen

Spoilers to come for "Winterfell", episode 1 of Game of thrones, season 8.

In the first of Game of thrones& # 39; season 8, the public finally got the benefit of a secret that fans have been questioning for years, which was confirmed in season 7: Jon Snow is not illegitimate, he is the descendant of a Targaryen king and the true heir to the iron throne of Westeros. (That's if you disregard the taking of the throne by the Barathons and the subsequent rule of the Lannister.) Although last season, Sam and Bran explained the truth about Jon's parents, Jon told him – even had no idea and had inadvertently engaged in incest. while sleeping with Daenerys Targaryen, his aunt.

While it was extremely satisfying to hear Sam tell the truth to Jon about his legacy, Jon's immediate reaction to this truth raises some questions. His first reaction is to reject his right to govern, claiming that he gave up being king when he bent his knee. As a law-abiding citizen that he's always been, Jon considers it a betrayal to think otherwise.

Sam's answer to this is pretty epic: "It's the truth. You have given your crown to save your people. Will she do the same thing? This revelation comes just after Sam told Jon that Daenerys had executed Sam's father, Randyll Tarly, and his brother Dickon Tarly for not bending his knee. She missed the pity Jon has repeatedly shown in the past, when he was put in the position of deciding whether to execute people or spare them. And Jon apparently did not know that Daenerys was capable of such a ruthless.

Jon must now decide whether he should continue to obey Daenerys or announce his legacy and have him followed by his people as king and potential heir to the Iron Throne. Much of his decision can be summed up as whether he thinks Daenerys would be a worthy leader, and whether she would be selfless enough to sacrifice herself for her people or if she valued power above all else. In an eight-season show, Jon spent less than a full season with Daenerys and he misses many of his most dramatic and serious choices: murdering the Dothraki Khals, crucifying slavers and burning a witch for have betrayed. , Just to name a few.

So, what does Jon know about Daenerys? Before joining Dragonstone in Season 7, he went to Winterfell to discuss his plans. During this discussion, it is clear that Jon, like most Westeros, is well aware of the poor reputation shared by the Targaryen – especially Daenerys' father, Aerys II Targaryen, aka The Crazy King, who had almost burned the Seven Kingdoms before being arrested. . Yet when Jon meets Daenerys, he mostly sees the good in it, saying, "You could have taken King's Landing by storm … But you did not do it, which means to all of unless you are better than Cersei. The Jon Bar is preparing for Daenerys, considering the many cruel acts of Cersei throughout the show, including the blowing up of the Seven of Baelor in season 6, killing hundreds of people.

In season 7, the showrunners hinted that Jon might eventually need to challenge the character of Daenerys – and that she might be more bloodthirsty than he thought. She kills the Tarlys in Season 7, having them burned by Drogon, in a moving scene in which Tyrion begs her every step of the way to show her mercy. When she returns to Dragonstone, Jon remarks, "You have not been away for a long time." Daenerys said with an air of satisfaction, "I have fewer enemies today than I do." yesterday. "His words vaguely disturb Jon, but he does not. really knows what she means until Sam tells her in this episode.

Season 7 marked a testamentary test where Daenerys and Jon first approached without much confidence. They slowly grew to admire the courage and honor of each. But at this point in history, while sequences like their cascading interlude push the romance of their connection, there are still a lot of things they do not know and have not faced. Sam's latest revelations will certainly have a significant impact on Jon's decisions in the future. In some ways, it would be convenient for Jon to reject the Daenerys rule, given the pressure he is under from the lords of the North. They do not want her either, and their complicated stories with Stark House have left her alliances quite fragile without the question of an intruder who demands her enslavement. On the other hand, as he pointed out, he never wanted to be king of the north, let alone king of Westeros.

But he has also always shown that duty goes before his own desires. That's why he has to decide how to balance his duty to the Seven Kingdoms with the duty that he owes him, both as a loyal banerman and in love. This is also a question that deserves to be asked to the public: after all, we have seen Dany, would she be a wise, just and wise queen? Jon's initial response seems to be the best answer: at least she's better than Cersei. But now that Jon is ready to become a potential leader, Westeros may finally have a better candidate to consider.