Like the season 6 finale before it, the season 7 finale of Game of Thrones filled the audience in on a key bit of information regarding the parentage of Jon Snow. After such a monumental reveal, Entertainment Weekly spoke to two of the show’s biggest stars about what it means for their characters. SPOILERS from the season 7 finale follow.
As we watched Daenerys and Jon Snow consummate their relationship in “The Dragon and the Wolf,” it was confirmed that Jon Snow was not a bastard son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, but rather a legitimate son named Aegon.
That reveal could have staggering consequences for Jon and Dany’s newfound relationship, not the least of which is that it means that Dany and Jon are aunt and nephew. How will Daenerys react when and if she finds out? Emilia Clarke summed it up: “Ewwwww!” So far, Daenerys has avoided her family’s incestuous tendencies. “And then I walked back into it.”
This revelation has political implications, too. Dany has long labored under the belief that she was the last living Targaryen, and therefore had a right to rule the Seven Kingdoms. But as Rhaegar’s son, Jon technically comes before her in the line of succession. “I’ve worked so hard, I don’t want to share that throne,” Clarke said. “No. The throne’s big enough for one dragon bum, and that’s mine. That’s it!”
Harington was sunnier. “I said to Emilia it’s going to be a really cool scene when they find out.” Discussing season 7, Harington said he focused on making the romance believable.
Usually you go into a movie and meet [your costar] for the first time and you develop that chemistry over that time,. But if you’ve known somebody for seven years and shared this incredible journey in your own lives together … we’re both kind of freaking out about it. I would be like, ‘What’s the sexual tension in this scene?’ and she’s like, ‘Stop talking about sexual tension!’ It’s a unique experience to be in as an actor and you know the world is watching.
Clarke echoed Harington’s feelings. “Yeah [I would say], ‘Would you just stop? Just give me some sexy eyes, don’t keep talking about sexual chemistry all the time.’” Ultimately, Clarke was happy with the Jon-and-Dany love scene. “I love that when we get to the saucy stuff it’s a beautiful acceptance of a wordless … yep.”
Still, there could be trouble for the two Targaryens down the road. “It could be them walking off into the sunset,” Harington said. “It could be them killing each other.”
We certainly hope its the former. If only we were going to find out next week.
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