‘Game Of Thrones’ Sleuths Think They Solved Who’s Playing Jon Snow’s Father

[Potential spoilers for Game of Thrones season seven]

With only nine episodes left to go in the series (!), there are few discussed-but-still unseen characters left on Game of Thrones. (I’m still upset Strong Belwas was never introduced, but I’m trying to move past that.) But there is one prince who was promised who isn’t The Prince That Was Promised. He had a major impact on past events, and could dictate the future, too.

Before meeting Daenerys, having cave sex with Ygritte, or even joining the Night’s Watch, Jon Snow was a baby born to Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen in the ironically named Tower of Joy. That’s also where Lyanna died giving birth to the future King of the North, who was passed along to her brother, Eddard, and raised in Winterfell. We saw Lyanna and young Ned in the season six finale, and we know that she told him to keep Jon’s identity a secret (or her betrothed, Robert Baratheon, would have the child killed), but Rhaegar wasn’t present in the scene. (He may have already been slain by Robert at the Battle of the Trident, although the timeline’s a little fuzzy.)

Rhaegar’s legacy lives on, though, through not only his sister Daenerys but also his secret Targaryen son, who recently joined forces… and might soon join something(s) else (wink). This could prove to be awkward, which is why some eagle-eyed Game of Thrones viewers believe Rhaegar will appear on the show this season, and that they know who’s playing this important character.

I think a Welsh actor named Wilf Scolding was cast as Rhaegar for season seven. Last year in late September, [Lyanna Stark] actress Aisling Franciosi started following him on Twitter. He followed her back, and he also started following the Game of Thrones Twitter account and [Davos Seaworth actor] Liam Cunningham. (Via)

Scolding certainly looks the part of a Targaryen.

Additionally, as reported by NME, “It is significant that he has only followed Aisling, as it’s likely that Rhaegar will show up in a small wedding scene where few other actors were present.” That’s an important detail, because if Rhaegar and Lyanna were, indeed, married, that would mean a) he didn’t abduct her, as many believe, and b) Jon isn’t a bastard, and as a Stark-Targaryen, he would have a stronger claim to the Iron Throne than Daenerys.

Of course, this could end up being a whole lot of nothing, and Rhaeger may never appear on the show (although I bet he does; there’s way too much Bran being a weirdo for there not to be more flashbacks — and, again, Jon’s lineage will be brought up again). But you have to admit one thing: if anyone should be on Game of Thrones, it’s some dude named WILF SCOLDING.