Entertainment

Let's Be Real, Jon Snow Can't Stay Dead

by Maitri Suhas

As much as Game Of Thrones wants us to believe Jon Snow is going to stay dead, the evidence is stacked against them — at this point, a popular theory is that Jon Show will eventually be resurrected during Season 6 of GoT, and there's no avoiding that many people believe that. I mean, yes, Jon Snow is dead now — but that doesn't mean he will stay dead. I don't blame the show's writers, producers, and cast for the secrecy surrounding Jon's fate, though; it's kind of cute they think so naïvely that anyone would believe that Jon Snow will stay dead through all of Game Of Thrones Season 6, which premieres on April 24.

With all the official trailers and teasers focusing on the bloodied Lord Commander, it seems impossible that the only part Harington played in Season 6 is as a dead body. Game Of Thrones has one of the greatest props department on earth — they could certainly rig up a convincing Jon Snow wax figure if they wanted to, I'm sure. There are a lot of other reasons Jon Snow probably won't stay dead even though everyone affiliated with the show is insisting he will, and here are just a few:

1. He Has Unfinished Business With The White Walkers

Specifically, with the Night's King, who we have seen featured in the Season 6 teasers released for GoT. There are shots of the horrific white walkers, and one of the Night's King, who could be Jon Snow's ancient ancestor — legend goes that he was once the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch before he fell in love with a White Walker, and he could be coming back for his kin.

2. There Have Been Too Many Shots Of His Dead Body

As I remarked when the last teaser dropped, usually parading a corpse that much means there is much more to the story. There's Davos unsheathing his sword over Snow's body, possibly to steal it from Castle Black; Ghost guarding his dead master; someone closing Jon's eyes. Even the very first poster was a huge photo of Jon's bloodied face. It's clear that they want us to believe he is dead, and he isn't coming back, but doesn't that seem to just confirm the opposite?

3. Kit Harington Has Lied About Jon Before

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I mean, I get that Game Of Thrones has a lot of secrets he has to keep and that's why his hair is so big, but it's worth remembering every time Kit Harington says Jon Snow is dead and never coming back: He has lied before. One damning example: ahead of Season 2, in which Jon meets and falls in love with the Wilding Ygritte, Harington insisted that Jon would be alone forever, and there wouldn't be love. Sure enough: There was love!

5. Melisandre Is Likely Connected To Jon

At the end of Season 5, Melisandre fled to Castle Black after she convinced Stannis to sacrifice his daughter, Shireen, to the Lord of Light and seriously botched it. Melisandre rides to Castle Black, though she does not yet know about the mutiny that resulted in Jon's death. It's not exactly clear how Melisandre and Jon will be connected in Season 6, but the Red Woman will definitely be a key character. One popular theory is that the Red Woman has her eyes set on Jon to fulfill the Azor Ahai prophecy, since Stannis is most obviously not the chosen one.

5. Davos Could Hold The Key Clues About Jon Snow's Fate

In the trailers and teasers for Season 6, Ser Davos Seaworth has come to the forefront. In one trailer we saw him at Castle Black, unsheathing his sword over the body of Jon Snow. Why? Is he planning to take the body? Whatever it is, it's clear that Ser Davos and Jon Snow have a connection. Not to mention, actor Liam Cunningham who plays Ser Davos is subject of the legend stating that, years ago, he met with author George R.R. Martin who revealed to him a huge secret. Could it have been about Jon Snow's resurrection?

6. This Season Will Return To The Starks

It's clear that Season 6 will go back to the family it started with: the Starks of Winterfell. From Arya getting her last chance at mercy in the Hall of Faces to Sansa Stark determined to avenge her family to Bran writhing in the Raven's cave having a vision to... well, a lot of dead Jon Snow. I have to wonder if all of the Stark children's paths will cross again in some way in Season 6, which is also very clearly about the past, present and future colliding in a violent way. The shot of Bran coming face-to-face with the Night's King is also a clue that Bran and Jon's storylines could converge in Season 6.

7. Jon Snow Is The Center Of Everything

Let's admit it: the lonely Lord Commander, a bastard and a man of the Night's Watch, has become the key to Game Of Thrones. It does not seem a coincidence that Jon Snow's death came right when winter arrived after the Battle of Hardhome — one of the only good men left in Westeros, he was surely the hope to bring peace to Westeros.

But Jon can't possibly be dead, even if it's just for the sake of storytelling. There are too many questions that need to be answered: is he a dragon, the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen? Will he be resurrected? Who will resurrect him? Will he face off again with the Night's King? There are so many storylines, Jon Snow is clearly the most central character on the show.

8. Jon Snow Was Spotted On Set

Kit Harington has a lot of nerve continuing to spin his web of lies about "just playing a corpse" in Season 6. Back in September, Kit Harington was spotted filming actual scenes by a member of the fansite Watchers On The Wall. Seen in Northern Ireland, Harington was one set with Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon), and Littlefinger (Aiden Gillen). Also, Harington was not dressed in the black of the Night’s Watch, but in armor of a Northern bannerman.

9. The Battle Of The Bastards

This is one you might have missed. In the Season 6 trailer that aired during March Madness, there is a scene with Ramsay Bolton leading men into battle, and that battle could definitely be the Battle Of The Bastards. Of course, Ramsay Bolton is one bastard, but "bastards" is plural... and the other bastard is Jon Snow. The Battle has not happened yet in the book series, but it was teased at the end of George R. R. Martin's last completed book, A Dance With Dragons. Jon Snow was preparing to storm Ramsay Snow, thinking he was keeping Arya Stark captive. It's unclear who Ramsay is facing off with in the North in the trailer, but he is at Winterfell, and Jon Snow is right up the road...

10. That Poster

It was the first Game Of Thrones Season 6 teaser all the way back in November, but it's unforgettable. The image of Jon Snow's downcast, bloodied face frames the entire season in his image.

11. Bran Stark

It's impossible to believe that Bran Stark and Jon Snow's fates aren't connected. Besides the fact that Season 6 has to answer questions about Jon Snow's history, it also needs to answer and reveal what happened at the Tower of Joy. Possibly instrumental to this isBran, who has been off-screen for a whole season. In Season 6, he's sback with his knowledge and greensight — and from the trailers, one of the first his visions on screen is his haunting face-to-face with the Night's King. I'm thinking this will inevitably lead him to Jon Snow.

Need more proof? There's plenty.

Images: HBO (8)