Warning: This article contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 7.
The confirmation of R+L=J—that Jon Snow is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark—is the mother of all reveals, and as a recent fan video demonstrates, it’s also a vastly constructed and satisfying Game of Thrones arc seven seasons in the works.
Previous videos, such as the one from YouTube user Ollervo100 right after season 6, have compiled the many, many scenes that talk about Rhaegar and Lyanna or hint at Jon’s lineage. But the video put together by TheGaroStudios not only includes the bombshell revealed in “The Dragon and the Wolf” but weaves all of the threads into a massively compelling narrative. Jon has managed to emulate both of his fathers—Ned and Rhaegar—while forging a path of his own. While it wasn’t as apparent to fans all the way back in season 1, it is now: Jon is one of the main heroes of this story.
Game of Thrones may have had its pacing issues in the past season, but R+L=J is a great example of what happens when the story’s biggest slowburn finally pays off.
H/T io9
