re: Is it Possible Maester Aemon knew who Jon's real Mother was? (Spoilers maybe)

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b) relates to him because he knows Jon always wanted to join the watch

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If this were the case, he wouldn't have told Jon what he said about "if he knew what he was giving up". Jon had nothing and stood to get nothing. Ned had 5 kids that would get everything before him. Joining the Night's Watch was his way of standing for something.

That may be the commonality between the two. Benjen has nothing to stand for as Ned has the castle and many kids to take over.

Just a thought.

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I think a dying mother is going to ask anyone who is there to promise to protect their child. I don't think this was some big moral dilemma for Ned either. He knew he had to protect and care for Jon, which is why he brought him to Winterfel and raised him among his own children. He could have given him the real bastard treatment and it woudl have been just as effective, but you can tell he actually loves his nephew. He isn't just humoring him because of a promise.

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Well, I think Lyanna knew Ned would raise him or try to at least, but Lyanna was rightfully worried that Ned might have told Robert about it. I think Ned saw the absolute best in Robert and refused to see the bad side of him. I think Lyanna has always seen Robert for who he truly was: a drunk, vengeful, violent, sex addicted, stupid boar. Lyanna knew that Robert would have baby Jon killed, despite Ned vowing to send him to the Night's Watch.

Ned I think would have weighed through the options, but there was one event that made Ned finally realize and come to terms with who Robert really was: Dragonspawn. Robert saying that did make Ned realize that he would kill Jon, and promised to keep him safe from Robert at all costs.

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It's possible but I think that was around the same time that he had the mountain go after Rhaegar's children with Ellaria.

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That was like a month before the events of the Tower of Joy, if not earlier than that.

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So maybe his attention was elsewhere. He also failed to see that his own two children were fricking and had children of their own. He was shortsighted sometimes.

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Tywin didn't see things he didn't want to see. That was his biggest flaw. But he sure as hell was looking for the three Kingsguards, one of which was the Sword of the Morning, who if they got away could lead to the end of his House. If they went with Viserys, it's feasible that they could have convinced some of the Free Cities and mercenary companies to join them, and they wouldn't have much of an issue convincing the Reach (especially with Hightower) and Dorne to join the fray again. I think those were the three most pressing people for Tywin to find in order to secure his house's future. When Ned Stark just happened to find and kill them with a small party, Tywin certainly should have taken notice.

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Also, I don't think that he would've done it because him and Ned were on the same side. I think he'd have killed Rhaegar no doubt but he would've spared Lyanna and Jon. Tywin could keep a secret too.

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No way. I don't think Tywin would risk the son of Rhaegar taking up arms against his own house and the small folk at large join him. He would have sent an assassin or a Faceless Man in the night to kill him.

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There's a part of me that thinks maybe Robert would've spared him. It's incredibly far fetched I know. But he loved Lyanna immensely and would've done whatever it took to keep her happy. Actually, now that I say that, it sounds stupid. Jon was a direct contradiction to his throne.

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The Dragonspawn quote as well as his actions towards hiring an assassin to kill Dany shows that he would do that regardless. I don't think Robert ever truly loved Lyanna and just looked at her as a piece of property and a connection to Ned. He hated Rhaegar for stealing her more than he loved Lyanna herself.

Damn it, I miss Barristan Selmy!

I woudl say Tywin is relatively cynical. So someone who pretends to be super honorable like Ned falling short and having a bastard fits his world view.

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His reputation was generosity and forgiveness. His reign was a peaceful one...the way he handled Balon Greyjoy is a good example.

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Robert was a man of passion and had an immense need to be liked by everyone. That is all Ned saw of him until that moment. Lyanna I think could see below the surface of Robert's affable nature for the man he was truly capable of being. I don't think that Robert was evil, but he is a very violent boar of a man.

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Robert never sent Ned to the Tower of Joy. Ned wasn't taking Robert's commands for a good while until he returned to King's Landing after Lyanna's death. He went to lift the siege of Storm's End on his own accord, and he somehow found out about the Tower of Joy on his own. I suspect Ashara Dayne is the one who tipped Ned off in order for her brother to be spared. Unfortunately Arthur Dayne wasn't taking any chances with Jon and was killed.

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Regardless of whether Robert sent him or not, He was in King's Landing after the sacking and saw what happened toe Ellia and Rhaegar's kids, and Robert's reaction. I think he woudl have had a decent idea what Robert would do to Rhaegar's bastard rape kid.

Also i believe it was the Robert's refusal to punish the Lannister's for the murder of the Targaryen children that caused a riff in them anyway. (This is form the History and Lore DVD content, so I am not sure if its book Cannon)

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It's possible that Robert would've killed Jon. But I think the only two people Robert really loved in the world were Ned and Jon Arryn. So it's also possible that Ned and Jon could have convinced him to spare Jon as long as the secret never got out and Jon had to take the black upon getting of an age. Would've been an EXTREMELY hard sell though and one I don't think Robert would've bought.

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I don't think Robert would have bought what they had to say. He'd think he was a rape baby that would be as evil as Ramsay Bolton and command Jaime to kill the child. He'd be thinking he was doing Ned a favor regardless. If there was one thing Robert had a passion for over everything, it was his hatred of Rhaegar. I think that would eclipse his love for Ned and Jon.

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I am somewhat convinced he woudl tell Benjen, because he would feel like Benjen should know what really happened to his sister, and he could trust him because he is a Stark.

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But this is honorable to a fault Ned Stark though. I mean, he didn't tell his wife YEARS after the fact. In fact, Ned's demeanor when questioned by Catelyn leads to her being scared of him for the first time.

I don't think Ned would have told Benjen for fear of breaking his vow to Lyanna. I think Benjen just felt a similarity with Jon Snow.

I mean, Benjen lost his father and oldest brother after his sister was "kidnapped." Then Ned went to war and Benjen was the Stark in Winterfell. But then Ned came back with Jon Snow and with Catelyn and legitimate heir Robb on his heels. He knew he would likely never be Lord Stark. Jon Snow has the same inability to ever become Lord Stark. It would naturally lead to some sympathy with Jon's plight.