George R.R. Martin Just Debunked the Game of Thrones Theory About Jeor Mormont’s Real Identity
At a George R.R. Martin event, a Game of Thrones fan lobbed a wild Jeor Mormont theory that turned a routine meet-and-greet into a moment Reddit can’t stop talking about.
Picture this: you finally get a chance to ask George R.R. Martin one question, and you swing for the weirdest possible fence. That is exactly what one Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire fan did, and the answer was short, dry, and very George.
On Reddit, user u/oligneisti shared a face-to-face moment with GRRM where they floated a theory that Jeor Mormont — the Old Bear, former Lord of Bear Island turned Lord Commander of the Night's Watch — is secretly Targaryen royalty. Specifically, Maegor Brightflame, son of Prince Aerion Brightflame. Yes, that Maegor. The fan had a list of reasons. Martin did not need one.
'No, I don't think so.'
That was his answer. Not coy. Not a wink. Just a clean swing of the Valyrian steel.
The deep-cut Mormont angle
I get why this theory exists. House Mormont is a smaller family in the books, so a lot of readers gloss over them. Jeor is a compelling blank space: he gives his lordship to his son, Ser Jorah, heads to the Wall, and eventually gets elected Lord Commander. We know he abdicated even before Robert's Rebellion, which leaves a lot of room for, well, imagination.
The more grounded version of the theory goes like this: maybe Jeor fought for the Targaryens during the rebellion, and when Robert Baratheon took the throne, the honorable move was to take the black. It fits a certain kind of Westerosi logic. And with The Winds of Winter still on the horizon, Martin absolutely has space to fill in more of Jeor's backstory if he wants. Could he write it so Jeor is Maegor Brightflame? In the purest, anything-is-possible sense, sure. But given GRRM's on-the-record response above, that does not sound like the plan.
Why GRRM answers the way he answers
There is another layer here that longtime readers will recognize. In a talk at The Wheeler Centre, Martin explained he avoids online forums because he does not want to accidentally absorb fan ideas or discover that someone has guessed a twist. If that happens, he worries he might feel pressured to change course. So when he hears a theory in public, even if it brushes close to something real, he is not going to confirm it. He is definitely not going to spoil it.
So, was that brisk 'No, I don't think so' a flat denial, or just GRRM refusing to open any doors? Honestly, probably both. Either way, it tells us nothing definitive beyond: do not expect Jeor to unmask as a secret Targaryen anytime soon.
Until The Winds of Winter finally lands, the theory mill will keep grinding and Martin will keep his distance from it. Nature is healing.
- Show: Game of Thrones
- Showrunners: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
- Based on: George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire
- Release dates: April 17, 2011 - May 19, 2019
- Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
- Where to watch: HBO Max
Wild theory or not, I love a good Jeor rabbit hole. Drop your take: secret Targ or just a very tired, very honorable Old Bear?