According to the book timeline: Spoiler The series starts in 298 AC (After Conquest, when Aegon Targaryen conquered Westeros) and we're currently in 300 AC.
Very sensible and all, but he could probably manage it anyway, I'm thinking. The lords in the North are in a hard spot, so uniting with Stannis and a Stark would be tempting enough to overlook details like that.
I don't know, can a king let you out of the Night's Watch? If so, why hasn't Cersei brought back the old commander of the City Watch and just granted him pardon? The vow they take leaves no wiggle room. I don't know, maybe the show isn't going to make it as serious going forward as they made it seem from the beginning. I thought that was the whole point of the Ned Stark execution scene and the scene where Jon Snow ran away and his friends tracked him down. Even if a King COULD legally grant Jon Snow an out, he'd certainly lose his honor it would seem. Yeah I took that vow but when my family started to fall apart I backed out of it. Ned would be ashamed of him. Also, no need for Jon Snow to become Jon Stark. Bran and Rickon are still alive and so is Sansa. (Arya is, but she's in another country lol) Jon Snow doesn't need to be the Stark that reclaims the North. Once it becomes knowledge on the show that the two boys are alive, I expect the Northern lords to rally around the younger one. Isn't that where the wildling girl took Rickon? To the Umbers?
Remember, everybody thinks that Theon murdered Bran and Rickon. Stannis certainly doesn't know they're alive. And how are people going to find out. Bran's north of the wall and Rickon is God knows where. We haven't seen or heard from him in 2 years. And women can't be Kings or Lords (at least in most of Westeros). That's why Tommen is King instead of Myrcella being Queen, despite her being the older sibling.
I don't think the kings are supposed to be able to release people from their vows as the Watch was originally constructed. But what the rules say and what you can get away with are two different things. It's not like the Night's Watch is going to come grab the current Lord of Winterfell and behead him for desertion. They need the Lords' cooperation, especially Winterfell's. And if Stannis won the kingdom, they'd wouldn't want to be on his bad side either. I think the honor bit is the whole of it. The Starks all die of an excess of honor. Its credible that Jon would keep his vow even when he knows he could get away with breaking it because that seems to be the defining character of Ned, Robb, and him.
Agreed Remember the Deal that Tywin had in place with Jamey Being a member with the kings guard is similar to taking the black. Rocket River
So. How about that epic roast on Janos Slynt? Got burned so badly that they had to bring the bones to Khaleesi afterwards. I am so happy they brought back my favorite characters! Happy but cautious since this is GoT we are talking about.
Look, let's be clear. Jon Snow is a b*stard, something he was frequently mocked for as many bastards are. It was clearly something that haunted him. The Night's Watch is taken seriously by the Northern Lords. I struggle to believe that the Northern Lords would rally behind a b*stard legitimized by a Southern King that abandoned his vow to the Nightwatch. One of the big reasons the Northern lords loved the Starks is because of their honor. Ned was known for being honorable. It's fine to mock that as being the reason he died, but it's also not likely that the Northerners would just line up behind anyone with that name that seemed to lack that honor. On another note, I thought the letter sent from Mormont's house was awesome.
Just before Stannis offers to make Jon Snow Jon Stark, he hands him the letter. He said he asked House Mormont to swear allegiance to him and they sent the letter back that said something like "Bear Island knows no king but the King in the North whose name is Stark."
Their option is to follow a Legitimized b*stard of the man that killed their king. I think they would follow Jon Stark over Ramsey Bolton. Rocket River
True nobility isn't given to you, you bestow it on yourself by having a code and living by it. If you humble yourself for it, even better. Dubious 4/20 or it could have been Jeff Spicoli, I forget
i get the commitment part, but is the wall > the king? he can't give a command or order to release him of his vow? i'm also interested to see what jon does as leader now. speculation on the dragons/show Spoiler i think bran will eventually control them, he will play an integral role in daenerys ruling the 7 kingdoms, along with tyrion. stark blood has spread across the map and will restore the family name. happy ending after so much death
