Jon Snow learns the truth about himself during the Game of Thrones S8 premiere

Winter has arrived and Game of Thrones is back. And with winter’s arrival comes big news for characters, especially Jon Snow.

Game of Thrones is back after more than a year and a half, and the season 8 premiere did not disappoint. From family reunions to secrets being revealed, the final season is here to slay. However, one of the biggest moments in the episode came when Jon Snow finally learned the truth about who he is. And it was a doozy of a reveal (at least for him).

During a conversation between Jon and Sam, the former King of the North learned that Ned Stark is not his real father. Instead, his mother was Lyanna, Ned’s sister, while his father was none other than Rhaegar Targaryen (yes that Targaryen). This means that now he knows he is no bastard, but rather a true king.

That’s right. Jon Snow is the rightful king of the Seven Kingdoms. But, that’s not all, it also means that Daenerys is actually his aunt.

And let’s not forget he not only bent the knee to her, but he also slept with her. Awk-ward.

The big problem we’ll see develop likely next Sunday with episode 2 is whether or not Jon will accept this new truth. We can’t say that we blame him for having trouble understanding all of this.

After all, his entire life he has been Ned Stark’s son. And the last thing he would ever expect his for his honorable father to have lied to him. But, as Sam pointed out, Ned promised that he would always protect and care for Jon Snow as his own. And that is exactly what he did, because if the truth had been revealed, it may have meant his death.

Even if Jon Snow does believe that he is the true king, the question is what does this mean for not only his own future, but also his relationship with Daenerys. If Jon wants to maintain his own honor, that’ll mean coming clean to her about what he’s learned. And right after that, there’s the whole issue of who is going to get to sit on the Iron Throne. Even though Jon Snow may be the true king of the Seven Kingdoms, Daenerys has been named queen for so long now and proven herself over and over again.

Moving forward, will Jon Snow accept his royal fate? Honestly, this might be one of the greatest questions of the final season, because he’s made it clear over and over that did not want to be the King of the North. Plus, he willingly walked away from the title, even if it was a way to save his people.

Then there is the question of what happens with Jon and Daenerys. Can they move forward romantically once they both know that they are in fact related? It would not be the first time that an incestuous relationship happened on this show but we know these two to be far better people than Cersei and Jaime. We’ll have to wait and see how this news changes the dynamic between them.

Finally, Jon Snow’s relationship with his fellow Starks is up in the air. While he is still family, thanks to Lyanna being Ned’s sister, he can no longer claim to be a Stark brother. Will he tell Arya and Sansa and Bran (even though Bran already knows) and how will he break the news?

There are just so many variables to this reveal and it will have a lasting impact on all of the people in Jon Snow’s life, and even far beyond that.

We will have to wait to find out if all of our questions are answered, and how they make this work. Episode 2 of Game of Thrones airs April 21, and perhaps we will learn then how Jon Snow handles this unexpected news.