I finished re-watching the whole series of Game of Thrones (as a distraction from the wait of season 8), and found a lot of evidence that Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen were on similar character arcs that were always leading toward each other. And not just that, but that maybe they are actually each a part of the Azor Ahai prophecy. This strictly show related. However, the show-runners of Game of Thrones have been told the ending of the series from the man himself, GRRM. So could this possibly be how the book is going to end???? Probably not, but you never know. These are also not my personal opinions. May include spelling and grammar mistakes. I'm not perfect, and some events may be slightly out of order. This was mainly for fun so read for enjoyment. I've broken down the evidence by season so (WARNING HEAVY SPOILERS FOR SEASONS 1-7):
Season 1:
Before the series begins:
- Prince/Princess who was promised prophecy (PWWP).
- 1/2. Born amongst salt and smoke. This applies to Daenerys (Dany), as she was born on Dragonstone, a smoky island off the coast of King's Landing that was the original seat of Aegon the Conqueror and House Targaryen.
- 2/2. Born in sand amongst a bleeding star. This applies to Jon, as we find out in the finale of Season 6 that he was born in the desert region of Westeros called Dorne, while Sir Arthur Dayne's sword Dawn (forged from a falling star) sat beside him freshly covered in blood.
- Had mother's who died during childbirth.
- Rhaella Targaryen died giving birth to Dany.
- Lyanna Stark died giving birth to Jon.
- Were hidden at birth and raised in secret.
- Dany was moved from place to place as a child, along with her older brother Viserys, in order to avoid assassins sent by King Robert Baratheon.
- Jon was raised as the son of Ned Stark, in order to keep the secret that his parents are really Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.
- Can trace their lineage to the Mad king.
- Dany is his daughter.
- Jon is his grandson.
Series begins:
- Leave their homes and join a new group.
- Dany (begrudgingly) agrees to marry Khal Drogo, the head of a very large Dothraki khalasar, and to join the Dothraki as the khalasar's version of a queen.
- Jon leaves his Stark home of Winterfell, and decides to join the Night's Watch, a group that defends the Wall from any threats beyond it.
- Begin to thrive in their new groups.
- Dany forms a real love and partnership with Drogo, learns the Dothraki language, controls some of their customs and adopts their policies, gains confidence in her role, and grows stronger, even standing up to her abusive brother.
- Jon proves that he is much more skilled than any other new recruit, begins training the new recruits, and is named the steward to the Lord Commander himself, Jeor Mormont. This sets up Jon to be a strong candidate for the next Lord Commander.
- Form a valuable friendship.
- Dany with Ser Jorah Mormont as a sell-sword/bodyguard from Westeros.
- Jon with Samwell Tarly, a smart but naive recruit and Jon's first friend in the Night's Watch.
- Survive a near-death experience.
- Dany is almost poisoned by a wine merchant, but is luckily saved by Ser Jorah.
- Jon stops a white that attacks him and his direwolf Ghost inside a Night's Watch tower. This marks the first appearance of a white inside the Wall.
- Say goodbye to two people close to them.
- Dany loses Viserys and Khal Drogo. After multiple offenses to both Dany and the Dothraki, Khal Drogo pours molten gold onto the head of her brother Viserys, killing him instantly. Then, Drogo suffers from an infected cut and the blood-magic of a scorned witch, which leads to his death.
- Jon receives news that Ned Stark, his "father", has been beheaded in King's Landing. Then, his "uncle" who is also in the Night's Watch, Benjen Stark, goes missing during a ranging mission. Benjen is presumed dead, and is not seen again until the end of Season 7 as a half-white.
- In the Season 1 finale, Dany manages to hatch three baby dragons from petrified eggs, by climbing into Drogo's funeral pyre. Creatures who were thought to have been extinct for over one-hundred years.
- Jon, receives a Valyrian steel sword from Jeor Mormont after saving his life from the white. Valyrian steel is the strongest and lightest steel in the world, and only a few swords remain in the Seven-Kingdoms.
- Start journeys of Fire and Ice.
- Dany, after hatching her dragons, takes her remaining khalasar into the hot, desert terrain, to find a place to keep them safe and plan her next move towards retaking her home and all of Westeros.
- Jon, and his fellow Night's Watch members start a journey to the icy, cold, deep-north, in order to find out what has been happening beyond the wall. Rumors swirl of white-walker sightings, and of the largest wild-ling army to ever exist.
Season 2:
- Trekking through a wasteland.
- Season 2 begins with Dany, and her weather-torn group, looking for shelter from the fierce heat and fire of the Red Waste.
- Jon, and his weather-torn group, are looking for reports of the largest wildling army to ever exist. As well as suitable shelter to escape the fierce ice and cold.
- Dany begins to come into her own as leader of her khalasar. The shy girl from the first season is almost gone.
- Jon also begins to come into his own as a Night's Watch member. He's volunteering for duties, teaching new recruits, and no longer carrying a chip on his shoulder.
- When Dany makes it to the end of the Red Waste, she is invited into a city called Qarth. Within Qarth thirteen members make up a council that together rule the city. One member is man known as Xaro Xhoan Daxos, or the Spice King. Daxos proposes marriage to Dany many times, and every time he is rejected.
- While Jon is on a scouting mission, he comes across a few wild-lings. One is a female named Ygritte, who Jon takes captive. While captive, Ygritte makes many sexual advances toward Jon, and every time she is rejected.
- While a guest within Qarth, warlocks use magic and betrayal to steal Dany's dragons and lure her into their tower of a hideout. Once within the tower and past her visions (will discuss next), she is put into chains by the warlocks. She manages to escape by having her three dragons burn the warlock in front of her.
- While Jon has Ygritte captive, she manages to escape, lure Jon into an ambush, and take him as her prisoner.
- Gain knowledge from enemies.
- When Dany first enters the warlocks' tower, she begins to have visions. One is of King's Landing , only it's ruined and covered in snowy ash. (Possibly foreshadowing the series finale?????) After Dany escapes the visions and is put into chains, the warlocks' explain to tell her that her dragons are the source of the warlock's restored magic. Meaning it's possible her dragons brought magic back into the world.
- Jon and his group come to a house known as Craster's Keep, belonging to a man known for housing the Night's Watch north of the Wall. Jon comes to find out that Craster marries all his daughter's, they have his children, and the cycle repeats. If that wasn't bad enough, he then finds out Craster has been giving all of his son's to the White-Walkers (WW), as a sacrifice so they would leave him in peace.
- Make a bold decision and head into the unknown.
- After getting revenge on those within Qarth who plotted to steal her dragons and potentially harm her, Dany decides to take the now deceased Spice King's ships deeper into Essos towards Astapor and Slaver's Bay. This decision is bold because Dany doesn't know much about Essos and it's lands, and also it's the opposite direction of Westeros and the Iron Throne, Dany's ultimate goal.
- Now that Jon is a wild-ling captive, he makes the choice to go undercover and infiltrate the supposed "largest wild-ling army ever", by killing a fellow Night's Watchmen, Qhorin Half-Hand (Qhorin's idea). By doing so, the wild-lings believe he is a true deserter of the Night's Watch, keeping his cover for now.
Season 3:
- Pretend to be naive and but up a powerful bluff.
- Once is Astapor, Dany meets a slaver who frequently insults her in Valyrian. Little does he know Valyrian is Dany's native tongue, and Dany uses this to her advantage. Dany strikes up a bargain with the slaver: one dragon for eight-thousand Unsullied soldiers. Some of the fiercest warriors in the world. Dany is told by many not to make the deal, as a dragon is too powerful, but she is confident in her decision. When the time comes to make the deal, Dany commands one of her dragons to kill the slave-master, and takes the Unsullied for her own.
- Meanwhile in the deep North, Jon is under watch by the wild-lings, as few truly believe he has left the Night's Watch. His bluff is working, for now.
- Overcome a large obstacle.
- After Astapor, Dany sets her sights on the city of Yunkai. The Yunkai send sell-swords named the Second Sons to fight Dany's army, and one in particular named Daario Naharis to kill Dany. Daario decides to instead join Dany, and with his help, Dany's army conquers Yunkai.
- As a wild-ling, Jon and a small group are tasked with climbing the Wall itself. After almost falling on the way up, Jon survives the climb, largely with the help of Ygritte.
- Dany feels an initial attraction to Daario, and although they don't officially hook-up until Season 4, they form a "friends-with-benefits" relationship. Her first since the death of Drogo at the end of Season 1.
- After the thrill of conquering the Wall, Jon and Ygritte start an intimate relationship, but this one becomes serious. They form a relationship based on real love.
- Begin to become true leaders.
- Dany has now conquered and liberated two cities. She has three dragons, an army, and thousands of former slaves following her. The freed slaves have even taken to calling her "mhysa", which means Mother. She is becoming a queen.
- After escaping the wild-ling camp, and taking multiple arrows from Ygritte and his way out, Jon makes it back to the Wall and Castle Black. The first time in two seasons. He is now battle-tested, knows the wild-lings, and is ready to become a leader when his men need him most.
Season 4:
- Fight for a moral high-ground.
- Dany has now conquered two cities in Slaver's Bay, and makes her way towards a third, the city of Meereen. After approaching the city, and having Daario Naharis defeat Meereen's champion outside the city gates, Dany launches the collars of all the slaves she has already freed into the city. This sends a message that she is done with slavery, and anyone who joins her will never again be put into chains.
- Now that Jon has returned to The Wall, he is immediately faced with a problem. While Jon was undercover with the wild-lings, the Night's Watch party he began with were attacked by whites. The surviving men went to Craster's Keep, and while there, led a mutiny that resulted in Craster's death. As well as the death of their own Lord Commander, Jeor Mormont. Jon volunteers to take down the mutiny on the moral obligation to get revenge for his Lord Commander, but also because Jon grossly exaggerated the numbers of the Night's Watch. If the wild-lings make it to Crater's Keep and find out the real numbers, the wild-lings would attack the Wall and easily take it.
- Answer injustice with justice.
- Dany dispatches her Unsullied to infiltrate Meereen, start a slave revolt, and then open the city gates for the rest of her army. The plan works, and the city is hers. She then has 163 Great Masters killed, in response to the 163 children that were killed and strung-up along the path from Yunkai to Meereen.
- As mentioned above, Jon is on the way to put down the mutiny at Craster's. And as much as this was done to make sure the Night's Watch members there don't tell any wild-lings their true numbers, this was also done to get justice for Jeor. Jeor made Jon his steward, gifted him a Valyrian steel sword, mentored him like a father, and helped him grow into a man and a leader. Jon wants to avenge Jeor, and get some kind of justice against his fellow Night's Watch members that killed their own leader.
- Forced to cage their beasts.
- While in Meereen, a shepherd brings Dany the bones of his daughter, who was accidentally killed by her largest Dragon, Drogon. In response, Dany agrees to cage her dragons under the Great Pyramid of Meereen. She isn't able to catch Drogon, so only her other two dragons, Rhaegal and Viserion, are successfully caged.
- While putting down the mutiny at Craster's Keep, Jon reunites with his direwolf Ghost, who he had not seen since being capture by wild-lings in Season 2. But once he returns to Castle Black, he is ordered by Alliser Thorne, a high-raking member of the Watch that also hates Jon, to cage Ghost. Or risk it becoming food for the men.
Season 5:
- Meereen is growing chaotic. Former slaves and masters are constantly fighting, and a secret organization known as the Sons of the Harpy are killing Unsullied soldiers. One such Harpy is found, and Dany at first wants the man executed. Her adviser, Ser Barristan Selmy, argues the man should have a trial. He then warns her of how her father, the Mad-King, acted. He went for execution over trial, and soon lost himself inside his own murderous desires.
- After the remaining wild-ling army was smashed by Lord Stannis Baratheon, the younger brother of former King Robert and technically the true king of Westeros , Stannis takes refuge at Castle Black. While there he makes Jon an offer, join him and rise as Jon Stark, Lord of Winterfell. After some consideration, Jon declines, stating he made a vow to the Night's Watch.
- In order to keep the piece in Meereen, Dany agrees to marry a noble from one of the city's most well-known houses, Hizdahr zo Loraq. Through this marriage, she is officially the Queen of Meereen, to those who already saw her this way and to the nobles who refused her claim.
- At Castle Black, it's now time to elect a new Lord Commander. At first, Alliser Thorne is the clear favorite and seems to have the election locked up. But then Samwell Tarly gives a passionate speech for Jon, and it's enough to sway his fellow men, leading Jon to become the 998th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
- Working with different groups isn't easy.
- Meereen is still at odds. Former slaves hate former masters, and vice versa. One slave murders the man that Dany wanted to put on trial. To try and fix the situation, Dany has that slave publicly executed. The other former slaves immediately turn on her, and any masters preset. Neither group is any happier, and worst now Dany has lost members from the one group that was originally with her.
- Things at Castle Black aren't going so well. Lord Stannis expects his troops taken care of, and is even trying to recruit wild-lings to his cause, a move that upsets the Night's Watch. The Night's Watch want revenge against any remaining wild-lings. The wild-lings that survived want revenge against the Night's Watch. And members of the Night's Watch are growing uneasy with: their new Lord Commander, lack of men and supplies, and wild-lings and Stannis' men always around them. This comes to a blow when Janos Slynt, the man responsible for betraying New Stark back in Season 1, publicly refuses the orders given by Jon. Jon responds by publicly executing Slynt, a move that pleases some and angers others.
- As mentioned above, Dany marries a noblemen in order to better unite Meereen. And she also agrees to re-open the fighting pits to freedman only, something she has constantly been against. This move is a way of showing the masters she can respect their old traditions. And during her fist visit to a fighting pit practice exhibition, she is given a gift, Tyrion Lannister. All Dany knows of house Lannister is that they played a role in casting out her family, so naturally Tyrion is first seen as an enemy. But after some discussion, Dany agrees to allow Tyrion to counsel her. His knowledge of ruling and of Westeros are of great value.
- Jon must also work with his enemies. The Wall needs more men, and one of Jon's duties is to ask the lords of Westeros to send anyone they can spare. This includes Roose Bolton, the current warden of the North who betrayed the Starks and stole Winterfell. At first Jon refuses to send a letter to Roose, but is reminded the Night's Watch remains neutral. So he reluctantly asks. His next move is even bolder, he plans to allow the wild-lings to pass through the Wall and settle in the North as subjects of the Seven Kingdoms, or even let them join the Watch. Jon's idea is met with harsh criticism, but he points out that every single wildling left on the north side of the Wall will be killed, then resurrected, and then added to the White Walkers ever-growing army. Jon then leads a rescue mission to a place beyond-the-wall called Hardhome, in order to save wild-lings who were separated during Stannis' attack. The mission is a success, however; bringing even more wild-lings into Castle Black does not go over well with many of the Night's Watch.
- Consequences of one's actions.
- Dany is in attendance at the official opening of the fighting pits. Lately things in Meereen have cooled down, and everyone has relaxed their guard. Suddenly, Sons of the Harpy reveal themselves on every level of the arena and begin slaughtering both masters and freedmen alike – Hizdahr included. The new found peace was simply a distraction for this main attack. Dany and her companions are pushed toward the center of the pit, and just when they look to be in trouble, Drogon swoops down, defends Dany, and then leaves with her to an unknown location. Her city is at war again, this time without its queen.
- The night Jon returns from Hardhome, his squire Olly comes and tells him one of the wild-lings knows of the whereabouts of his uncle Benjen Stark, who has been missing since Season 1. Jon goes down and follows Thorne to a gathering of his Watch brothers, only to find a sign marked "Traitor". Thorne, Olly, and other members of the Night's Watch begin to stab Jon, each saying "For the Watch". Jon siding with the wild-lings may have been the right decision, but men who have fought them all their lives did not seen it this way. Jon collapses and seemingly dies from his wounds, bleeding out onto the cold snow.
Season 6:
- Both are reborn, new, and improved?
- After Drogon takes Dany away from Meereen, she is met by a massive Dothraki khalasar. She is taken prisoner, but once it's discovered she was married to a Khal, she is told she must join the Dosh Khalleen. A group of all the wives of fallen Khals. This doesn't sit well with Dany. All the Khals from across the land are gathered in their city Vaes Dothrak, and are deciding if Dany is allowed to join the Khalleen. Dany has another idea. She traps the Khals inside their meeting hut, sets the place on fire killing them all, and emerges reborn from fire once again as Daenerys Targaryen, the Unburnt.
- Jon was last seen bleeding out from his wounds delivered by his fellow Night's Watch members. The worst happens, and Jon dies. But Ser Davos isn't giving up. He enlists the help of the Red Witch Melisandre, to see if she can resurrect him. She is reluctant, but tries anyways. She preforms her spell, and it looks like it failed. But as everyone is leaving, Jon Snow opens his eyes, alive once again. His death also allows him to leave the Night's Watch, as his vows end now that he has died.
- As mentioned above, Dany kills all the former Khals. They took her prisoner, insulted her, would have raped her, abused her, and would have made her remain a Dosh Khalleen. Her revenge was swift and powerful.
- A newly resurrected Jon has to take care of some unfinished business. The Night's Watchmen who killed him had all been captured, and were to face justice. Jon offers Thorne, Olly, and two other men a chance for any last words, and then has all four publicly hung. Revenge is his, even if it isn't so sweet.
- Once Dany burns all the Khals, she asks all the Dothraki to join her and her cause. They all agree, and suddenly Dany has a much larger force.
- Now that Jon is no longer apart of the Night's Watch, he isn't sure what to do. That changes when his "sister", Sansa Stark, arrives at Castle Black. She informs him that she ran from Winterfell, where she was married to the abusive Ramsay Bolton, and that his forces are looking for her. They eventually devise a plan to take back Winterfell, and defeat the Boltons. To do so, Jon and his allies ask any northern lords who haven't joined the Boltons to fight with him, as well as the wild-lings. Some agree, and an army is formed, but one smaller than they need.
- While Dany has been gone, Tyrion has ruled Meereen in her place. He's a good ruler, but not as threatening as "the mother of dragons". So finally, all the slavers from Slaver's Bay begin an assault on Meereen. Just then, Dany and Drogon arrive and ready for battle. With a newly freed Rhaegal and Viserion, Dany and her three dragons begin burning the Slaver's fleet. They quickly begin retreating, but a message must be sent, so Dany has 2/3 of the former high-masters executed, and tells the third to spread the tale of what happened here. Of what happened when slavery tried to return to Meereen.
- Jon, and his out-numbered men, get ready to battle the Bolton's army for control of the North. They have a plan to make up for their lack of men, but that goes away once Ramsay releases Jon's youngest "brother" Rickon and has him run across the battlefield, while he shoots arrows at him. Jon makes it feet away from Rickon, right before an arrow hits and kills him. Enraged, Jon attacks the whole army, and his men follow. The battle is fierce, but it seems Ramsay has led Jon into a trap. Right when hope is lost, Sansa comes in with the Knights of the Vale and smash Ramsay's forces. Jon follows a fleeing Ramsay to Winterfell, and proceeds to beat the living crap out of Ramsay. The battle is won, and once again Starks rule Winterfell.
- Begin a new chapter, stronger than ever.
- Now that the slavers have been put down, ships and soldiers are plentiful, and the dragons are battle-ready, Dany is ready to set sail for Westeros. She has three dragons, and Unsullied army, a Dothraki horde, and alliances with both House Tyrell and Martell, two old and respected houses in Westeros. A new chapter begins, one that finally has Dany in Westeros!
- With the battle won the North is safe, and a Stark once again holds the North and Winterfell. Now they must figure out what's next. A lot of powerful, northern houses have been hurt in the constant warfare, and someone needs to lead. Lyanna Mormont, the new leader of House Mormont, stands and makes a case for Jon Snow. Although he's a Snow, he's still a Stark, and for the most part a Stark has always ruled the North. This fact, and Jon's proven merit, sway the other lords in attendance, and soon chants of "the White Wolf" and "King of the North" are shouted by almost everyone. Jon hesitantly, accepts the honor, out of duty and not for personal glory. A new chapter begins, and from a bastard to King of the North!
Season 7:
- Now in Westeros, Dany plans to fight for the Iron Throne, and the Lannisters are her target. With all her strength at the ready, she and her advisers plan for war.
- Now as King of the North, Jon has more responsibility than ever. But the biggest threat is still that beyond the Wall, the WWs. Jon begins planning his tactics, one of which is convincing those in Westeros that the threat is even real.
- End of similarities, because the meeting is here!
- Dany is advised to invite Jon to Dragonstone, as he is gaining quite a reputation.
- Jon agrees and he and Davos make the journey.
- Jon arrives, and Fire and Ice are officially united!!!!!!!!!!
- Instantly the contrasts in styles are on full display. Dany is aggressive and more power-hungry (fire), while Jon is relaxed and focused on the bigger threat (ice).
Over the course of the rest of the season, their bond grows stronger. And finally, in the season finale, they hook up for the first time. This sets the stage for a wedding, and maybe even a child in Season 8.
That's all! A lot of info, but after seeing all their similarities it seems very much like Dany and Jon are the embodiment of Fire and Ice. I'm not sure how the book with deal with the Azor Ahai prophecy, but it seems like the show is simplifying it, and making Dany and Jon each a half of the prophecy. It works, and who knows this could all be right, or completely wrong. Just my interpretation of the material. Thanks for the read!