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Old 06-01-2012, 12:06 PM   #353
El Capitano Gatisto
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SPOILER: show
Of course it matters that he is a bastard. Aegon takes precedence because he is trueborn, Dany would also be ahead of Jon if such a scenario is true. The importance of Gendry was as evidence that Robert's actual offspring have his features and that the Lannister offspring are undeniably Lannisters. It's actually a flakey sort of evidence but it works in the logic of the story. The reason Robert's bastards are being murdered is not because they have any claim to the throne whatsoever, it's because they are evidence of Cersei and Jaime's incest. Cersei is only afraid of being usurped by a younger, more beautiful queen, who she believes to be Margary Tyrell but is more likely to be Dany.

Stannis retained one of Robert's bastards so he could either present him as evidence or burn him for having King's blood, however, Stannis is next in line and after Stannis is his daughter, now that Renly is dead. A bastard has no claim to his father's inheritance unless he is legitimised by Royal decree, as Bolton's bastard is. He is literally the only bastard in the book who stands to inherit his father's power and is raised to lordship. Jon Snow is offered the chance by Stannis but refuses it.

The reason Ned may keep Jon's mother's identity a secret is possibly because he is Rhaegar and Lyanna's bastard for the reasons I discussed above (and you've strangely taken as an argument against the theory), however, equally it could be to protect the name of Ashara Dayne (not a wildling, not sure where you've conjured that one up from as I never mentioned it) and over Ned's shame at her killing herself when he left. Equally taking Jon Snow under his care would be a sense of responsibility for the boy following his mother's death.
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