Game of Thrones: Was Daenerys right in asking Jon to keep his secret?

Daenerys asked for the impossible in Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4. Was it the right thing to do or all for the wrong reasons?

Caution: There are spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4 in this post.

During Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4, Daenerys had a request for Jon. She wanted him to keep his secret from his family. While there was a good reason behind it for his part, it was clearly mostly for her. Was it the wrong thing to ask?

Clearly, it was an impossible ask for Jon. There was no way that he could keep a secret like this from his family. The family he had grown up with believing to be his siblings were actually his cousins. He needed to set the record straight, especially when it came to Arya saying how Jon is her brother – not half or illegitimate.

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It was clear that Daenerys asked Jon the impossible because of her own claim to the throne. She’s been after the Iron Throne for so long that it was going to be hard for her to accept that there’s someone with a better claim. Of course, she was going to ask him to continue bending the knee and not let anyone know the truth.

However, there was a reason for Jon’s sake too. He’s always made it clear that he doesn’t care about the Iron Throne. He doesn’t want it – he’s not a fan of leadership. He never really wanted to be the head of the Night’s Watch but was thrown into the position. If word spread of his legitimate claim to the Iron Throne, there were going to be people siding with him.

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Game of Thrones Season 8 — photo: Helen Sloan/HBO — Acquired via HBO Media Relations Site /

Whether Jon wants the Iron Throne or not, people are going to expect him to take up the crown. He is a good leader for the most part, after all. He’s calm and collected, constantly thinking of what really needs to be the top concerns. He’ll sacrifice to make sure the people are looked after and he can often keep his emotions in check.

Personally, part of me thinks Dany was thinking about Jon. She knew that he would be put forward for something he didn’t want. However, it was clearly all for her and that made it the wrong ask. A good leader would put the people first.

My big question was why she wouldn’t even consider marrying him. As Varys and Tyrion discussed, Targaryens have married cousins and siblings before. Why would nephew and aunt be any different? However, it suggests that she doesn’t want to even consider sharing power. This is something she wants for herself and it’s likely to be her downfall.

Next. 7 biggest WTF moments from Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4. dark

What did you think about Dany’s impossible ask? Was Jon right telling his sisters/cousins in the end? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Continue watching Game of Thrones Season 8 on Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.

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