LEG #6 (Strictly IO) - Page 116

The theory comes from all those times Maester Aemon (ne Targaryen) got his Yoda on and gifted Jon with a dose of his age-old wisdom. The first time happens in Season 1, when Ned Stark gets Joffrey's version of the royal treatment and Snow is all set to ride to King's Landing to avenge his alleged father. But Maester Aemon explains to Jon what happens when one renounces their duty,

"Love is the death of duty. If the day should ever come when your lord father was forced to choose between honor on the one hand and those he loves on the other, what would he do?... What is honor compared to a woman's love? And what is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms? Or a brother's smile?"

During this talk, Aemon reveals that he is a Targaryen, and we assume he's talking about himself and the things he's missed out on by joining the Watch: woman's love, a newborn son, smiling brothers, helping his family out when they were desperately in need. But all of these things also apply to Ned Stark's decision to take in Jon Snow: it's dishonorable to father a bas***d, but he pretended to protect his sister, "a woman's love" could be Lyanna's love, "the feel of a newborn son" could be the feel of Lyanna's son in Ned's arms, and "a brother's smile" could be the brotherhood bond of the Stark family.

It wouldn't be the only time Aemon's pep talks turned semi-prophetic. Right before Jon makes the decision to rescue the Wildlings " which would inevitably lead to his death " he went to Aemon, who says to him, "kill the boy, Jon Snow, and let the man be born." Uh, so Aemon basically prophesied Snow's death and resurrection? Pretty impressive, and he didn't even need the Lord of Light's help to do it.