How It All Goes Down
Jon 8
- Back on the Wall, Jon gets a present: for burning his hand while destroying the wight, he gets Jeor's ancestral blade, which is made of Valyrian steel (check out our discussion of "Setting" for more on Valyrian steel).
- (Also, Jeor sent Allister Thorne to the south to show off the wight's not-quite-dead hand.)
- All of Jon's friends are excited by this sword – named Longclaw – but Jon can't quite get into the celebrations: he's heard about Robb's army. Jon still feels like Robb is his brother: he should do something for him.
- Maester Aemon talks to Jon about how the Night's Watch is neutral and protects the whole realm; and when that doesn't move him (who wouldn't be moved by thrilling tales of neutrality?), Aemon tells Jon his own story: he's actually Aemon Targaryen, but he put his family aside when he joined the Night's Watch.