At the climax of the episode, the show revealed a twist twenty years in the making: Jon Snow is not Ned Stark’s bastard, but the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.

The former name ought not to be unrecognisable even to casual show watchers. Bran Stark’s season six plot has traversed time to show us the history of the siblings Stark, pulling us back to the days when Eddard roamed Winterfell alongside his elder brother Brandon and younger sister Lyanna. Were it not for these flashbacks, Lyanna could have easily been lost in the shuffle of present day characters; her most notable mention can be found in season one, as Cersei speaks her name with utter loathing. Lyanna’s named continued to be dropped sporadically at best, but still without a face to place alongside it. The flashbacks established her as an important character, preparing the viewer for her pivotal appearance at the Tower of Joy.

The day after the finale, the internet was rife with the Great Snow Debate. How incredible was it that Jon was the son of Lyanna Stark and the Mad King Aerys Targaryen? But no - surely Jon was the result of the incestuous union between Ned and Lyanna, in the vein of dynamic duo Jaime and Cersei? Or was Jon actually Robert’s son all along, making him the true Baratheon heir? It is a lively debate that continues to this day, despite its existence being entirely unwarranted and unnecessary.

Throughout A Song of Ice and Fire, the powerful character of Rhaegar Targaryen makes itself known. His personality shines through the words of others as Jaime, Ned, Barristan, Robert, Littlefinger, and Cersei, among others, share their memories of him. His sole physical appearance is that of a vision to sister Daenerys in the House of the Undying, and yet he feels as present as any main player.

This is one of the virtues of the written word, where narration and dialogue intermingle and no conversation can be lost to an accent or background noise. Although Rhaegar has received a namedrop or two over the television show’s six year run, he does not stand out as a particularly fascinating individual. Even the memory of his father the Mad King proved to be more relevant when Cersei used his abandoned wildfire catches to annihilate her enemies.

While it is not stated unequivocally in Bran’s flashback, Rhaegar is indeed the father of Jon Snow. In addition to GoT’s brief descriptions of Lyanna’s kidnapping and rape at his hands, the novels delve into the interactions between the pair, giving rise to a prominent theory that the incident was less an abduction and more an elopement. Speculation aside, Rhaegar’s unquestionable status as Jon Snow’s parent makes him one of the most significant characters in both novels and show. And yet, the majority of show watchers do not even know his name.