GAME OF THRONES: Is SPOILER Really Dead?
Last night's season 5 finale of Game Of Thrones was a predictably bloody affair, and we once again said goodbye to a much-loved main character... or did we? Let's compare and contrast the fate of SPOILER in the books and the show, and see there's the possibility of a return...
The closing moments of last night's Game Of Thrones season finale saw the ever honourable Jon Snow cut down by some of his own men, with young Olly delivering what appeared to be a killing strike. In George R.R. Martin's most recent novel, "A Dance With Dragons", this happens in much the same way but things are left more ambiguous in regards to Jon's ultimate fate.
The character is a skinchanger like his brother Bran, and it's implied that before his death he "wargs" into his Direwolf, Ghost. Fans may have been hoping to see Jon's eyes go white just before we faded to black last night, but alas it wasn't to be.
So, he's really dead then? That's what the showrunners and actor Kit Harrington would have us believe anyway. The latter spoke with EW about it, and insists that all the talk of an extended season 6 contract is irrelevant: he's not coming back.
"This is my understanding of it. I had a sit-down with Dan and David, we did the Tony Soprano walk [letting an actor know they’re being whacked]. And they said, “Look, you’re gone, it’s done.” And as far as the salary thing goes, that angered me when that story came out. I don’t know where it came from, but it was inaccurate in many ways. It’s going to put questions into your head and into fans’ heads that things are not what they are. Quite honestly, I have never been told the future of things in this show, but this is the one time I have. They sat me down and said, “This is how it is.” If anything in the future is not like that, then I don’t know about it – it’s only in David and Dan and George’s heads. But I’ve been told I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m not coming back next season. So that’s all I can tell you, really."
Producer Dan Weiss is no more optimistic about the chances of Jon's survival.
"Dead is dead. […] We would hope that after seeing the scene and the way it’s shot that the answer to that will be unambiguous in the minds of the people watching it. It should be pretty clear what happens in by the time you’re done seeing that scene. It’s not an, ‘Oh what just happened scene?’"
The thing is, we know that in the books AND on the show, dead isn't necessarily dead at all. We've seen Thoros of Myr use his power to resurrect Beric Dondarrion, and it so happens that another R'hllor worshipper made her way to Castle Black just before Jon was attacked. Yes, the other popular fan theory is that Melisandre will recognize Jon as the true reincarnation of Azor Ahai (the legendary warrior she initially believed Stannis to be) and bring him back to life.
Martin himself has hinted that it's not the end for Snow in the books, so it'd be odd for HBO to kill off such a beloved character for good when his literary counterpart is expected to return. Odd, but not unheard of - remember Lady Stoneheart?
All we know for sure is that those involved with the show definitely want us to think that's the end for Jon Snow, even though he will more than likely return in "The Winds of Winter" in some capacity. The question is, do you believe them?