‘Game of Thrones’: Jon Snow gave his life, and deserves the throne

It’s been Jon Snow’s throne to take from the beginning.

When “Game of Thrones” viewers first heard the term “Snow” and its coarse meaning — “bastard” — in the north, many were swayed to his side. In Season 1 they saw his love for his purported siblings, the lack of love from his purported stepmother, his prowess with a sword and how he adopted the runt of a direwolf litter, the albino Ghost, who grew into a fierce fighter. It all seemed pre-ordained.

Until it wasn’t.

“Thrones” creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss had to throw viewers off the trail. For those who hadn’t read the novels, it was easy to choose the good-hearted son of the good-hearted Ned Stark. Once the patriarch was beheaded, viewers waited for the return of the prodigal son — who’d endured challenges from the Night’s Watch commanders and his fellow Watch brothers, only to rise to the station of Night’s Watch commander. Surely he was coming for them all, destined to rule having endured hardships and acquiring leadership qualities all while maintaining his easy-on-the-eyes naiveté.

Then he was stabbed in the gut by men sworn to serve him. Repeatedly. Finally, he was stabbed in the heart by a child who once admired him and then left to lie bleeding in the snow on the cold ground of Castle Black.

“Game of Thrones” had struck again. No one was safe. Our watch had ended too.

Until it hadn’t.

Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was resurrected by a magic we still aren’t too sure about. The Lord of Light saw fit to give him life again, and so should we all. His destiny was back on track.

After the grueling Battle of the Bastards, Jon was made King in the North by his countrymen. In meeting wannabe queen Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), Sir Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) made it clear why Jon Snow is the best candidate to be ruler of the seven kingdoms in an epic speech that silenced everyone, including the Breaker of Chains.

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“He was named King in the North not because of his birthright. He has no birthright; he’s a damn bastard. All those hard sons of bitches chose him as their leader because they believe in him. All those things you don’t believe in, he faced those things. He fought those things for the good of his people. He risked his life for the people. He took a knife in the heart for the people. He gave his own.” The speech was not meant to push him as ruler of the seven kingdoms, but we didn’t need to hear the rest to know that it will not be the last crown Jon Snow wears.

In his time as King in the North, we’ve seen how much he is willing to sacrifice for his people. We’ve also seen, even before he has, that due to his parentage being Stark and Targaryen, he not only isn’t a bastard, he has a unique bloodline that would give him dominion over the north and the south.

And he can touch dragons too.

Daenerys Targaryen has a powerful claim on the throne. Cersei Lannister has run the kingdom and been preparing for it her whole life. The Night King could take it all by force. But Jon Snow has all of the prerequisites to not only be king, but be loved as the ruler of the seven kingdoms.

If you don’t have that love, you won’t have the throne long anyway.

jevon.phillips@latimes.com

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