Send the Ravens: Jon Snow, Who’s Dead and Who’s Alive and a Look Ahead at ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6

In the final Send the Ravens column for ‘Game of Thrones’ season 5, we talk Jon Snow, who actually died in the final episode and what can we expect in season 6?

By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer

Sadly, another season of ‘Game of Thrones’ has come to an end — far too quickly I might add — because these 10 weeks just flew by and now we have to wait a year before knowing what will happen to everybody in Westeros and beyond.

But the main topic of discussion this week and likely for the next year is the fate awaiting Jon Snow and whether or not he’s going to stay dead into season 6.

While it’s been clear since Ned Stark’s head went rolling off an executioner’s block in season one, nobody is safe on ‘Game of Thrones’ but there were a few ‘sacred’ characters by this point in the show that no one imagined would get killed off until at least the final few episodes of the series. Daenerys Targaryen is probably the safest best to make it out of this show alive followed closely by Tyrion Lannister, but Jon Snow had to be a not too distant third place in the list of ‘untouchable’ characters.

That was until the mutinous Night’s Watch decided to gut him for saving a whole bunch of Wildlings instead of leaving them to join the army of the dead with the White Walkers. You’d think word would have spread around the camp by now from the other members who went with Jon on his expedition to Hardhome that there were White Walkers and a zombie fucking army about to kill them all to back up Jon’s reasoning, but apparently gossip isn’t a big thing at Castle Black.

Instead the brothers just have to listen to Ser Alliser Grumpy Face pissing in their ears about how Jon Snow betrayed them all by offering to save the Wildling instead of butchering them after they attacked the Wall several months back. So Jon got stabbed at least five times in the gut and one more time (presumably in the heart) by that ungrateful little bastard Olly all while telling him that it was ‘for the watch’.

So now Jon Snow’s dead. Right?

Well if you listen to Kit Harington from the moment the show ended and his blood was still running red in the snow at Castle Black, he’s dead and never coming back. Harington’s pre-recorded interviews started hitting the internet faster than people’s jaws slammed against the floor when he got stabbed in the first place. Harington said all the right things when speaking about his exit from ‘Game of Thrones’ and even threw in a nice ‘final day’ story to boot.

“I had a sit-down with Dan (Weiss) and David (Benioff), we did the Tony Soprano walk (letting an actor know they’re being whacked). And they said, “Look, you’re gone, it’s done.”. 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,” Harrington told EW.com.

“I got a big wrap and, like any of the actors who die on Thrones, I just wanted to f–k off out of there— I got a tear in my eye. I was more moved and emotional than I thought I’d be.”

Following Harington’s heartfelt goodbye, the producers and everybody else from ‘Game of Thrones’ started chiming in as well to promise that this isn’t a big trick — Jon Snow is dead.

Except here’s the problem — no one believes them and neither do I.

Listen for all the blood and death and brutal killings on ‘Game of Thrones’, there’s been far too much time and mythology invested in Jon Snow — particularly this season with background on both of his alleged parents — to just kill him off at the end of the year. Jon has been an integral part of the show for five seasons and his real work was just beginning with the White Walker invasion likely happening precisely as winter is about to come all over Westeros.

Add to that the all too convenient arrival of Melisandre to the camp with her believe in the Lord of Light and their well documented ability to bring people back from the dead. Remember Thoros of Myr from ‘Game of Thrones’ season 3 from the Brotherhood without Banners? He’s one of the guys who picks up Arya after she escapes Harrenhal and his pal Beric Dondarrion is the leader with a flaming sword who fights The Hound in a trial by combat before getting sliced right down the middle in a losing effort.

Thoros of Myr prays to the Lord of Light and magically Beric comes back to life and he’s done this seven times so clearly it’s not a fluke.

While Melisandre clearly can’t read fire from tea leaves when it comes to prophecies or when it’s a good idea to sacrifice a child to win a war, she certainly seems to sniff out king’s blood like a bloodhound and she whiffed it in Jon earlier this season. Not to mention she was the person who said the real battle for the Seven Kingdoms was going to take place in the North, which is where the White Walkers would invade. She clearly got it wrong by putting all of her faith in Stannis, but maybe Jon Snow is the person she should have been following all along.

Her arrival at Castle Black the same day where Jon gets shanked in the prison yard is just the perfect way for her to test her faith and the power of the Lord of Light to bring him back to life.

Hit us with all the smoke screens you want about Kit Harington cutting his hair (he did months ago and it’s already grown back out again) and how the producers are saying all the right things trying to keep next season a secret. There’s just about no way Jon Snow is dead so look for him to come popping back up at some point during season 6 although there’s no telling for sure when he’ll appear again. There’s never a certainty when it comes to the life and death of a character on ‘Game of Thrones’ but if there was ever a time to bet big, place all your money on Jon Snow’s resurrection.

With that said, let’s get to your questions for the final Send the Ravens column for ‘Game of Thrones’ season 5.

https://twitter.com/donenrique44/status/610312421534601216

Unless Brienne suddenly had an attack of conscience, yes Stannis definitely dead.

Considering the horrible mistake he made by burning his daughter Shireen alive and then his wife killed herself after the tragedy, Stannis matched his small army into the lion’s mouth where his men were quickly dispatched by the soldiers from House Bolton in record time. Stannis was broken and defeated and there was no rebuilding from here. He was already doomed after sustaining a lot of damage on the battlefield so Brienne coming along and offering to end it all with one swipe of her sword was probably sweet relief at that point.

Speaking of dead people from this final episode let’s do the run down of who did and didn’t make it out alive from the ‘Game of Thrones’ season 5:

Mance Rayder — DEAD — burned alive and then shot by an arrow from Jon Snow

Janos Slynt — DEAD — head lopped off after disobeying Jon Snow.

Barristan Selmy — DEAD — stabbed to death by the Sons of the Harpy

Grey Worm — ALIVE — stabbed a bunch by the same Sons of the Harpy but he survived the attack.

Hizdahr zo Loraq — DEAD — stabbed to death by the Sons of the Harpy

Maester Aemon Targaryen — DEAD — old age finally caught up to one of the last dragons.

Jorah Mormont — ALIVE — but not for long because he contracted greyscale

Stannis Baratheon — DEAD — likely beheaded by Brienne of Tarth at the Battle of Winterfell

Shireen Baratheon — DEAD — burned alive by her own father

Selyse Baratheon — DEAD — hung herself after her daughter was burned alive

Myrcella Baratheon — DEAD — poisoned with ‘The Long Farewell’ courtesy of a kiss goodbye from Ellaria Sand

Myranda — DEAD — chucked off a bridge to a stony death below courtesy of Theon Greyjoy

Theon Greyjoy and Sansa Stark — ALIVE — just to put this rumor to bed, they jumped into a pile of snow and are probably running from Ramsay’s hounds as we speak.

Meryn Trant — VERY DEAD — stabbed in the eyes, gut, heart and then had his throat slit by Arya Stark. Ouch.

‘The Mountain’ Gregor Cleagane — UNDEAD — brought back to life as a silent knight who picks up Cersei after her walk of atonement.

Jon Snow — ANYBODY’S GUESS — Read the above

@DamonMartin why did arya go blind

— Corey Johnson (@fettydos) June 15, 2015

Arya went blind for a couple of reasons — the most important of which is that it’s a punishment from the Faceless Men for killing someone for her own selfish reasons. The Faceless Men believe death is a gift and they hand it out to someone after they’ve been paid a ridiculous amount of money as tribute to the Many Faced God. They never kill for personal reasons or vengeance on their own behalf. Only for money and only for the Many Faced God.

When Arya got all stabby and killed Meryn Trant, she did it selfishly for herself so she had to be punished. On top of that, Arya used a face from the Tower of Faces to disguise her appearance. Remember, the only people who can wear those faces are the Faceless Men who are declared to be ‘no one’. That’s why they can wear those masks because they are literally no one.

Arya wore one while still being Arya Stark so when she took it off, it was almost like poison to her face.

@DamonMartin @GameOfThrones those Dothraki's, if they aren't Drago's then what's their deal? Who's their leader? New army for Khaleesi?

— Director Patrick (@DirectorPatrick) June 15, 2015

It’s hard to say honestly. Remember Dothraki follow strength and power so as soon as Khal Drogo got sick and was dying, the entire horde basically jumped ship and went back to raping and pillaging and doing what they do best.

The one guy was saw challenge Drogo got killed but obviously another Khal was chosen after he died and the Dothraki horde went back on the road doing their thing.

So chances are these are the same Dothraki that once looked at Daenerys as Khaleesi (queen) but how their new leader will react to seeing her again is anybody’s guess. They could remember her and treat her kindly as a queen of a former king or they could just toss her on the pile of rewards they reap when they tear through a land killing people.

@DamonMartin @GameOfThrones why did she drop the ring? And why do the writers hate us so much by killing off Snow?!?

— Beishmeister (@beishmeister) June 15, 2015

There was a lot of confusion about why Daenerys dropped the ring. Here’s what executive producer and show runner Dan Weiss had to say after the episode.

“When she sees the Dothraki, she knows what that means and her relationship with Drogo was one thing, but Drogo is gone and she knows in a way he was sort of an anomaly.

“She drops the ring because she’s smart. That ring is the bread crumb in the direction she’s being taken and that somebody down the line who means her less harm than the Dothraki will notice.”

So in other words, she dropped the ring hoping that someone — like maybe Daario and Jorah — will find it and know where she’s gone.

https://twitter.com/KnightsOutBoxin/status/610940949821325312

Actually, at this point the only person with Targaryen blood left alive in the Seven Kingdoms is Daenerys.

Maester Aemon was a Targaryen before he took the oath to become a member of the Night’s Watch but he’s dead now as well.

The only other person who is rumored to have Targaryen blood has a name that starts with a J and ends with a Snow. If you want to know the full theory about that one we discussed it earlier this season in a ‘Send the Ravens’ column.

All right before I go, a few more news and notes about ‘Game of Thrones’ season 6 as I know them.

Season 6 will be filming in the usual locations of Belfast, Ireland and Croatia but they are also returning to Spain, which served as the backdrop for Dorne in season 5 so it looks like we aren’t done with Prince Doran, the Sand Snakes or Ellaria Sand just yet.

‘Game of Thrones’ has also sent out a casting call for several actors who appear to fit the descriptions of some famous faces from the book world. Here’s a few of the more prominent selections.

Pirate, man in his 40’s to late 50’s. He’s “an infamous pirate who has terrorized seas all around the world. Cunning, ruthless, with a touch of madness. He’s a dangerous-looking man. A very good part this season.

This likely describes Euron Greyjoy — he’s the brother to Balon Greyjoy and uncle to Theon Greyjoy. Euron was cast out by his brother when he seduced and/or raped one of his brother’s wives but it looks like he’s going to appear in some way shape or form next season.

Father. Aged 50’s to 60’s, he’s one of the greatest soldiers in Westeros- a humorless martinet, severe and intimidating. He demands martial discipline in the field and in his home. It’s described as “a very good part” for next year and that he’s “centrally involved” in a protagonist’s storyline.

This is almost guaranteed to be Randyll Tarly — he’s Sam’s father who sent him to the Wall after he was too much of a nerd to inherit his father’s lands and title. Randyll sided up with Renly Baratheon during the War of Five Kings and he also holds one of the only remaining Valyrian steel swords in the Seven Kingdoms

Priest, in his 40’s or 50’s. A gruff ex-soldier who found religion. Now a no-nonsense rural priest who ministers to the poor of the countryside. He’s salt-of-the-earth man who has weathered many battles.

Likely points towards a character named Septon Meribald — he’s a guide who helps Brienne and Podrick on their journey although he could pop up at any point with any number of characters since the show and the books have largely split on those characters.

‘Game of Thrones’ will also appear at San Diego Comic Con and NerdcoreMovement.com will be on the scene with a full report from the panel so stay tuned for that during the week of July 8-12.

‘Game of Thrones’ season 6 will begin filming this summer with a debut date on HBO next Spring!