I probably wouldn't have figured it out in five books if Sean hadn't told me after the first book. It's all in the background, and I was waiting for something explicit.

Textually, no - we've been told that Ned Stark is his father and that his mother's name was Willa (or something). It's just that many readers aren't buying it, and have formed our own ideas.

I think it will be, in the end. Papa Reed (Not Dead) was with Ned when he got to the Tower of Joy, so he can spill the beans, or his kids can, since I'd bet they know.

George, you are a tease.

Textually, no - we've been told that Ned Stark is his father and that his mother's name was Willa (or something).

Yep, and I took that as truth until I started seeing theories.

I think it will be, in the end.

Given the implications of it, I think it's going to have to come into play. I wonder if Bran's time-traveling tree adventures will be what gets the confirmation.

And since Bran is a magic tree now, he could probably find out on his own. Not sure how he'd tell anyone, though.

(If you haven't read book 5, don't highlight that.)

There are all sorts of things that are left to the readers to piece together (e.g. What happened to the Frey's who disappeared on the way to Winterfell in book 5* ) that it makes fan theories about other odd things (Why DID Tywin's corpse smell so damn bad?) seem plausible. My favorite crackpot theory is that Cersei and Jaime aren't Lannisters, as the king took certain "liberties" on their parents' wedding night.

* The "Rat Cook" (or whatever the story was) reference at the feast is a clue.

Ooh, I like that last one! That would explain their Targaryen-esque sibling relationship, for one.

And I deeply love the idea that Tyrion is Tywin's only kid. I suppose also that Jaime is both Kingslayer and Kinslayer. Okay, too, that NEITHER of Joffrey's sigils are accurate. That one makes me laugh.

Ha, Jessica, magic tree x-post.