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In Game of Thrones Melisandre needs the King's blood for her magic. Can that be the reason for her interest in Jon Snow?

He may be a bastard, but Jon Snow (despite of the famous R + L = J theory) is a son of Eddard Stark as per current plot/storyline. So Jon shares blood with Robb stark, who was King in the North. Does that mean she can have the motives of using his blood for magic? Or it's just my imagination?

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    It's worth noting that even if R+L=J, then Jon still shares blood with Robb stark, just less. May 17, 2015 at 2:50
  • @MooingDuck But in that case he would be the grandson of a king and the son of a crown prince, and would have more royal blood that way than from his Stark side. Dec 4, 2015 at 23:20

4 Answers 4

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Not a bad supposition

She wants him bad
In the books Melisandre is very interested in Jon Snow, believing that there is some power in him:

[from A Dance With Dragons]

“You think so?” She knelt and scratched Ghost behind his ear. “Your Wall is a queer place, but there is power here, if you will use it. Power in you, and in this beast. You resist it, and that is your mistake. Embrace it. Use it.”
I am not a wolf, he thought. “And how would I do that?”
-A Song of Ice and Fire: Book 5 - A Dance With Dragons, Chapter 29 (Jon VI).

She does not explain exactly where she believes his source of 'power' to be from, but she definitely feels it. Jon though, immediately assumes that it's because she thinks he's a "Wolf" (Starks are often referred to as "Wolves").

She's also interested in Mance Rayder and his son with Dalla, for the same "King's Blood" reasons; but that's a different point.

If you believe that King's Blood is what carries power, then theoretically; Yes.

Bastard or not
This is why Melisandre was interested in Gendry (or Edric Storm in the books). Even though Gendry is a 'bastard', she still believes that the Blood (and power which comes with it) of the King runs in him.

Stark contrast
You see, historically, the Starks were Kings In The North, it wouldn't have mattered per se that Jon is Robb's brother, it matters that Jon is of Stark descent; so Yes Jon has the blood of Kings running through him as he is A Stark.

Whether R+L=J, or not; since L is in fact a Stark.

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    Season 5 trailer also she seems to be interested in him. Anyways now, tv series is turning tottally different from books.
    – Panther
    Apr 21, 2015 at 3:56
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Aside from Kings Blood, and all of the theories surrounding that. I think Melisandre also recognizes that Jon is a warg. This I think is what she was getting at when she said:

"..Power in you, and in this beast. You resist it, and that is your mistake. Embrace it. Use it.”
- A Dance With Dragons


From A Clash of Kings:

A shrill scream split the air. He glimpsed blue-grey pinions spread wide, shutting out the sun ...
"Ghost!" Jon shouted, sitting up. He could still feel the talons, the pain.


And here's what GRRM says about this matter. Sourced from So Spoke Martin:

Are all the Stark children wargs / skinchangers with their wolves?

To a greater or lesser degree, yes, but the amount of control varies widely.

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The difference I would make between the interest she had with Edric Storm and Jon Snow is that Edric was Baratheon, the same blood as her "true King", that is Stannis. This "King of the North" is not recognized by anyone else than the Northerners when they rose up against King's Landing. I think that more than the blood, it is his potential

as Lord Commander of the Night's Watch

that interests her and Stannis, as he has significant power.

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    I'd agree except for her interest in the kings blood of another 'pretender king' Mance rayder. And stannis is more interested in jons potential to raise the north as a stark then his status as LC.
    – kuhl
    Apr 21, 2015 at 12:32
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Jon has targ blood and stark blood ,he has more kings blood in him than anyone ever her power would be off the charts

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    This is still speculation and it doesn't answer the question.
    – JS Lavertu
    Jun 23, 2016 at 14:18
  • now effectively verified within the TV narrative - but still doesn't answer the question.
    – N. Presley
    Dec 9, 2017 at 8:05

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