Jon Snow finally learned during the first episode of Game Of Thrones season eight that he is in fact not the bastard he thought he was his whole life, but instead Aegon Targaryen, son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.
This new information puts Jon first in line for the Iron Throne and also means he’s a natural dragon rider. Something the Song Of Fire And Ice books make clear is that dragons bond for life and once they’ve bonded the dragon won’t allow anyone else to ride it while its rider lives.
So, when Jon rode Rhaegal, did the dragon and rider bond?
Well, a deleted scene from the episode seems to suggest they did. After the ride, Jon tells Daenerys, “You’ve completely ruined horses for me.” But then in a behind-the-scenes video, there was an omitted line of dialogue hinting at the bond between Jon and Rhaegal.
“It almost seemed like he knew where I wanted to go,” he tells her.
Skip to the 12-minute mark for the scene:
It would make sense if Jon bonded with the dragon named after his father, but it’s unclear how Daenerys would feel if this were to happen as she’s already lost one of her dragons to the Night King.
Jon’s ability to ride the dragon could also be used as proof of his Targeryen heritage as show runner David Benioff has previously said “only Targeryens” can ride dragons during an Inside the Episode segment following the premiere.
If Jon and Rhaegal have bonded, will the dragon obey Daenerys anymore? And if Jon and Daenerys have a falling out over Jon being first in line for the throne, will the dragon go with him or her?
Also, what will Daenerys’ reaction be when she finds out she’s been banging her nephew?
So. Many. Questions.