With the reveal at the tail-end of Game of Thrones season 7 that Jon Snow and Daenerys were more than just romantically linked, and were in fact aunt and nephew, Game of Thrones season 8 took on a whole new complexion. It also gave a fresh meaning to the term rocking the boat; Jon and Dany seemed to be heading for one helluva collision. Now, showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff have stoked those fires by hinting that the (former) bastard child will see Jon Snow’s final six episodes – or fewer – focus on his reaction when he finds out the news. Because, yes, it’s now officially a case of when and not if.
Speaking to TV Guide (via TV Insider), Weiss lays out the reasonings for why an inevitable showdown is so tantalising between the pair: “From a dramatic standpoint, it makes things interesting, because the story is no longer about who Jon’s parents are. It’s about what happens when Jon finds out.”
If that sounds ominous enough already, Kit Harington is keen to add to the overwhelming sense of dread you’re probably already feeling knowing two beloved characters might be going head-to-head, saying, “Jon is someone who plays by the book. He cannot lie. Finding out about Dany would be very hard for him.”
Of course, there’s the small matter of Dany, the White Walkers, and the remaining members of the Lannister clan standing in his way. And if that sounds like a lot then, fear not, David Benioff has no plans to shirk away from the grand scale of Game of Thrones’ final episodes, teasing that “The scope of this [final] season definitely exceeds anything we’ve attempted before.”
That doubles on what we already know: Peter Dinklage has said The Battle of the Bastards will be made to look like a theme park in Game of Thrones season 8 – but Jon and Dany’s potential rivalry might end up having the final say on who takes the Iron Throne.
