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We have seen Jon Snow through different seasons of Game of Thrones, leading different groups and bringing them together without violence (or at least tried to avoid when he could).

On the other hand Daenerys has always brought fear to her people while leading them (bend the knee or Dracarys). Moreover, Daenerys asked Jon not to reveal his true identity in S08E04. One could argue that if she really was a good ruler she would simply leave the claim to the Throne to the true heir.

Jon has been with Daenerys for long enough to know her perspective in a better way. Still, why does Jon blindly trust Daenerys?

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3 Answers 3

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"I'm not going to swear an oath I can't uphold. When enough people make false promises, words stop meaning anything. Then there are no more answers, only better and better lies."

Jon is a man of his word, even to the point of risking an entire expedition north to retrieve a wight (S7E7). He swore himself to Daenerys and it will take a lot (probably the murder of hundreds of thousands of civilians or something like that) for him to break that oath.

In addition to that, it was made clear in S8E4 that he considers himself indebted to her after she sacrificed her army and dragons for the Great War.

The combination of these two facts makes him following through on whatever she wants him to do reasonable.

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  • Is it really a "war" if its just one battle?
    – CpILL
    May 15, 2019 at 10:39
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    Also wouldn't call that blind trust rather than loyalty. He may not trust her to do always the right thing but he gave her his loyalty. May 15, 2019 at 10:57
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    @CpILL Well, if you count the previous carnage at Last Hearth, the breaching of the Wall at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, the Battle of Hardhome, and possibly other events, then it's more than one battle. Obviously the forces on the "living" side were different. Anyway Daenerys in S08E04 talked about "the Great War", so I think it's the proper name.
    – lukas84
    May 15, 2019 at 15:44
  • @Frank Hopkins Technically, you're correct. Blind trust isn't the same thing as loyalty, and it's obvious by his reactions and facial expressions that Jon Snow has his reservations about Dany. That being said, in practice the end results of blind trust and true loyalty are the same; following through with whatever it is she wants him to do. May 15, 2019 at 16:11
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    Great answer! John's trust in Dany is clearly eroding, but he is arguably the most honorable character on the show, and bound by his oath.
    – DukeZhou
    May 15, 2019 at 21:37
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They are falling apart.

And as far as she's concerned, by this point, Jon has betrayed her by telling people about his true identity, and also the fact he's unable to return her affections.

(Highlighting is mine)

But he is very loyal to his word and will face his mistakes if need be.

I'm not going to swear an oath I can't uphold. Talk about my father if you want, tell me that's the attitude that got him killed. But when enough people make false promises, words stop meaning anything. Then there are no more answers, only better and better lies.


Game Of Thrones, Season 7 Episode 7 (The Dragon and the Wolf)

Thus, we see that he is struggling with his choices but does not want to break a vow and thus follows his Queen (albeit rather blindly).

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Love has made this innocent man blind, just as Ygritte did to him.

  • For Ygritte: he was supposed to execute this female free folk, but he showed mercy to her after giving out his first night which led to his capture (although it turned out to be a lucky thing).

Regardless that he has grown up after so many big battles and important events, but he stays an innocent man who unconditionally tolerates his lovers. He is not a saint, he is a man loyal to his lovers just as a friend in our life. This is, in my opinion, why we like him.

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  • This is a fine answer, but it would be better if you gave some supporting details. Any examples that show how much Jon loves Daenerys? Or examples of mistakes he's made as a result? Maybe a similar example of him making a mistake because of his love for Ygritte?
    – LevenTrek
    May 16, 2019 at 11:13

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