Jon Snow = Pink Letter Writer

[Lost Umber]

Mystery solved: Jon Snow wrote the pink letter… gasp!

Just think.. cui bono? Latin for “who benefits?” Once you think in those terms, it’s pretty clear that it could only be Jon.

Poor Jon desperately wants to save his beloved favourite sister Arya but his vows won’t allow him so he needs some pretense to go to Winterfell. The pink letter provides that (in Jon’s mind) since it threatens him. He thus has to go since staying will put the rest of the Night’s Watch in danger. But he needs support and only the wildlings can give him that. So he skillfully adds elements in the letter that will rile up the wildlings… specifically the threats to Val and Mance’s babe and of course the atrocity done to the spearwives… not to mention the threat to Mance who (double gasp) is still alive.

Jon was losing hope with Mel and Mance’s plan, especially after Alys Karstark arrived and he began thinking more and more about Arya. Plus he didn’t really trust Mel and Mance. He really starts worrying about as evidenced by his thoughts from ADWD: “Mance Rayder and his spearwives had not returned, and Jon could not help but wonder whether the red woman had lied of a purpose. Is she playing her own game?”

Finally he decided that he had save Arya himself so he fabricated the perfect letter that made it possible for him to save her. That’s why there’s no trademark Ramsay skin in the letter…. Surely if Bolton was making a spearwife blanket for Mance, he’d save one small scrap to send to Jon Snow. It’s also why Jon doesn’t make note of Ramsay’s distinctive handwriting, or lack thereof… because it’s Jon’s handwriting. And why it’s just pink wax with no seal…. Jon had to melt down wax from one of Ramsay’s earlier letters.

Jon knew about all the critical facts in the letter: Mance, Stannis, Lightbringer, Melisandre, spearwives, Bolton’s bride, the word ‘bastard’ used an insult. Everything.

Well… except one thing. I can’t puzzle out how he knew about Reek. Otherwise this theory is perfect. But Jon is a clever boy and I’m confident he figured it out. Probably Mel told him.

Case closed. 

[Arya_Stupid!]

22 minutes ago, Lost Umber said:

Mystery solved: Jon Snow wrote the pink letter… gasp!

 

Just think.. cui bono? Latin for “who benefits?” Once you think in those terms, it’s pretty clear that it could only be Jon.

 

Poor Jon desperately wants to save his beloved favourite sister Arya but his vows won’t allow him so he needs some pretense to go to Winterfell. The pink letter provides that (in Jon’s mind) since it threatens him. He thus has to go since staying will put the rest of the Night’s Watch in danger. But he needs support and only the wildlings can give him that. So he skillfully adds elements in the letter that will rile up the wildlings… specifically the threats to Val and Mance’s babe and of course the atrocity done to the spearwives… not to mention the threat to Mance who (double gasp) is still alive.

 

Jon was losing hope with Mel and Mance’s plan, especially after Alys Karstark arrived and he began thinking more and more about Arya. Plus he didn’t really trust Mel and Mance. He really starts worrying about as evidenced by his thoughts from ADWD: “Mance Rayder and his spearwives had not returned, and Jon could not help but wonder whether the red woman had lied of a purpose. Is she playing her own game?”

 

Finally he decided that he had save Arya himself so he fabricated the perfect letter that made it possible for him to save her. That’s why there’s no trademark Ramsay skin in the letter…. Surely if Bolton was making a spearwife blanket for Mance, he’d save one small scrap to send to Jon Snow. It’s also why Jon doesn’t make note of Ramsay’s distinctive handwriting, or lack thereof… because it’s Jon’s handwriting. And why it’s just pink wax with no seal…. Jon had to melt down wax from one of Ramsay’s earlier letters.

 

Jon knew about all the critical facts in the letter: Mance, Stannis, Lightbringer, Melisandre, spearwives, Bolton’s bride, the word ‘bastard’ used an insult. Everything.

 

Well… except one thing. I can’t puzzle out how he knew about Reek. Otherwise this theory is perfect. But Jon is a clever boy and I’m confident he figured it out. Probably Mel told him.

Case closed. 

 

@Lost Umber

i have had similar thoughts about the potential of Jon being the Author. It is an interesting thought, for sure. And it would get him what he wants. But i don't feel like he feels like he wrote it (in his head i mean).

The problem being, as you said, Jon knows nothing of Reek. Absolutely nothing.

But at the same time, i always found it passing strange that Ramsay would request someone that Jon would have no idea of whom he was referring to. Like, why wouldn't he say Theon? Just because he refuses to treat his reek as a person? Doesnt help him get what he wants.

My best guess at the moment is that it's a plot, Mel and Stannis cooked up to force Jon into doing what they want him to. The number of days mentioned, and the other details could be some type of pre-arranged code between them. Stannis is in possession of all the knowledge within the Pink letter, and i don't believe for a minute that he has given up on using Jon for his own benefit. Mel clearly wants to use him to, albeit in a distinctly more disturbing way.

[Lost Melnibonean]

I feel like Tevye when he finds out his third daughter has wed a Cossack. Mance, ok, maybe... Stannis, wouldn't be my choice, but whatever you say... But Jon? No. 

[Lost Umber]

9 minutes ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

I feel like Tevye when he finds out his third daughter has wed a Cossack. Mance, ok, maybe... Stannis, wouldn't be my choice, but whatever you say... But Jon? No. 

What about Jon Durden? 

[Clegane'sPup]

51 minutes ago, Lost Umber said:

Case closed

Har! Tormund he be da one dat wrote da dastardly letter. The last line in the letter is “Keep them from me, and I will cut out your bastard’s heart and eat it.”

Tormund told Jon:

"My son Dryn. You'll see he's well taken care of, crow, or I'll cook your black liver up and eat it."

 

Styr speaking to Mance about Jon:

Styr scowled. "His heart may still be black."  "Then cut it out."

 

Shouldn’t that last line in the letter read your bastard heart and not your bastard’s heart?

[Lost Melnibonean]

2 minutes ago, Lost Umber said:

What about Jon Durden? 

Now we're talking! 

[Lost Umber]

4 minutes ago, Clegane'sPup said:

Har! Tormund he be da one dat wrote da dastardly letter. The last line in the letter is “Keep them from me, and I will cut out your bastard’s heart and eat it.”

 

Har! I think you are onto something but... "Tormund Thunderfist had better things to do than learn to make papers talk at him."

Tormund must have been a co-author in the final draft they read in the Shieldhall. After Jon read it to Tormund, he said "I think we better change the plan." Then they talked in private about it for 2 hours before presenting it to the wildlings. 

[Lady Blizzardborn]

1 hour ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

I feel like Tevye when he finds out his third daughter has wed a Cossack. Mance, ok, maybe... Stannis, wouldn't be my choice, but whatever you say... But Jon? No. 

I love this post, and I agree.

[St Daga]

11 hours ago, Lost Umber said:

Mystery solved: Jon Snow wrote the pink letter… gasp!

 

Just think.. cui bono? Latin for “who benefits?” Once you think in those terms, it’s pretty clear that it could only be Jon.

 

Poor Jon desperately wants to save his beloved favourite sister Arya but his vows won’t allow him so he needs some pretense to go to Winterfell. The pink letter provides that (in Jon’s mind) since it threatens him. He thus has to go since staying will put the rest of the Night’s Watch in danger. But he needs support and only the wildlings can give him that. So he skillfully adds elements in the letter that will rile up the wildlings… specifically the threats to Val and Mance’s babe and of course the atrocity done to the spearwives… not to mention the threat to Mance who (double gasp) is still alive.

 

Jon was losing hope with Mel and Mance’s plan, especially after Alys Karstark arrived and he began thinking more and more about Arya. Plus he didn’t really trust Mel and Mance. He really starts worrying about as evidenced by his thoughts from ADWD: “Mance Rayder and his spearwives had not returned, and Jon could not help but wonder whether the red woman had lied of a purpose. Is she playing her own game?”

 

Finally he decided that he had save Arya himself so he fabricated the perfect letter that made it possible for him to save her. That’s why there’s no trademark Ramsay skin in the letter…. Surely if Bolton was making a spearwife blanket for Mance, he’d save one small scrap to send to Jon Snow. It’s also why Jon doesn’t make note of Ramsay’s distinctive handwriting, or lack thereof… because it’s Jon’s handwriting. And why it’s just pink wax with no seal…. Jon had to melt down wax from one of Ramsay’s earlier letters.

 

Jon knew about all the critical facts in the letter: Mance, Stannis, Lightbringer, Melisandre, spearwives, Bolton’s bride, the word ‘bastard’ used an insult. Everything.

 

Well… except one thing. I can’t puzzle out how he knew about Reek. Otherwise this theory is perfect. But Jon is a clever boy and I’m confident he figured it out. Probably Mel told him.

Case closed. 

It is an interesting idea. I would rather like it to be the case, just for the twist, but I just don't know if Jon is that shifty. All of the things you mention work with your theory, including why there was no skin sent with the letter. So gross! As you stated, it is the Reek line that is most confusing, because Jon doesn't know about Reek does he? Unless I missed that. But Jon could have heard of Reek (not knowing it's Theon, of course) from some of the north men at the wall. So that does not really make it impossible that Jon could have wrote it. Hhmmm!

It could be either Ramsay who wrote it, or it is Stannis. If Ramsay wrote the letter, it is really stupid of him, because why would he want to bring Jon and his army (if he can raise one) down on him. That seems rash and stupid, but then, Ramsay is not the thinker that Roose is. Maybe Ramsay would hope that winter would take it's toll on Jon's army during the march, like it has on Stannis army. 

Stannis could have easily gotten information from Theon/Reek and Jeyne/Arya. And Stannis has every reason to try to push Jon into a play like this. Stannis needs a son of Ned Stark, even a bastard one. Jon has refused his offer of Winterfell several times now, but Stannis is not one to give up. If he can get Jon to move away from his Nights Watch vows, which we all know seems to be crossing a line, then it might be much easier to convince Jon to take the lordship of Winterfell after he has already challenged his vows. Does Stannis have the capability to send a raven in a blizzard to the Wall, and does he have a horse to send with a rider carrying the letter. I seems like most of Stannis horses have keeled over and been butchered! Stannis plan does not involve Rickon, as far as Stannis knows, RIckon is dead and he has no idea of Davos's assignment from Manderly to fetch the wild child and his black wolf from Skagos!

Now, if Jon know's nothing about it, I doubt he will like to find out that Stannis played him. But then it would be too late and Jon has already moved away from his vows, and may find himself without a choice but to proceed as Stannis man. Oh, but Jon would be angry. And then to have his hopes dashed when Arya turns out to be Jeyne Poole and not his Arya, his little sister! Might get his wolfs blood up! Reminds me of Neddards "his fury was on him", from Catelyns first POV in aGoT!

11 hours ago, Arya_Stupid! said:

My best guess at the moment is that it's a plot, Mel and Stannis cooked up to force Jon into doing what they want him to. The number of days mentioned, and the other details could be some type of pre-arranged code between them. Stannis is in possession of all the knowledge within the Pink letter, and i don't believe for a minute that he has given up on using Jon for his own benefit. Mel clearly wants to use him to, albeit in a distinctly more disturbing way.

Melisandre and Stannis have felt Jon out enough to realize that Arya is a weakness for Jon. It has been obvious by his interest in Mel's vision of a girl on a grey horse, Jon's disappointment when that turns out to be Alys Karstark, and  then Jon's actually letting Mance go to Winterfell to rescue Arya, along with the spearwives. Jon let his feeling show to Mel, and that is probably not a good thing, So they very well could have connived this up for their own benefits. Stannis and Mel both know they need Jon to hold the north, if they can take it back from the Boltons.

Clydas is funny about the letter and I don't completely trust him. It could just be that he is a bit creepy. But what if Clydas knows that Mel is responsible for the letter, but gives it to Jon without warning? So much trickery going on!

11 hours ago, Clegane'sPup said:

Har! Tormund he be da one dat wrote da dastardly letter. The last line in the letter is “Keep them from me, and I will cut out your bastard’s heart and eat it.”

Tormund told Jon:

"My son Dryn. You'll see he's well taken care of, crow, or I'll cook your black liver up and eat it."

 

10 hours ago, Lost Umber said:

Har! I think you are onto something but... "Tormund Thunderfist had better things to do than learn to make papers talk at him."

Tormund must have been a co-author in the final draft they read in the Shieldhall. After Jon read it to Tormund, he said "I think we better change the plan." Then they talked in private about it for 2 hours before presenting it to the wildlings.

Actually, Tormund and Jon working this up together might be a possibility. We don't know who actually wrote it, but I don't know for sure that we know Tormund cannot read or write. His language is sometimes very course and then suddenly, pretty educated and courtly, so Tormund of Many Names has some secrets. It would have worked, too, if it wasn't for that pesky assassination attempt!

But would Tormund think it benefit's Jon to leave the watch when they have this plan arranged to go to Hardhome. Does it make sense to split the Wildling forces and take them away from the defense of the wall, sending those forces in opposite directions? Jon is the only support the Wildlings have along the wall, so it's hard to imagine Tormund thinking they should remove Jon, the Wildlings major ally from his seat of power. I just can't make any sense of it but it is worth pondering. 

I am still as unsure as I was before about who wrote the Pink Letter but my mind is churning with ideas! Fun!

[Ferocious Veldt Roarer]

11 hours ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

I feel like Tevye when he finds out his third daughter has wed a Cossack. Mance, ok, maybe... Stannis, wouldn't be my choice, but whatever you say... But Jon? No. 

Pshaw, I can go more crackpot that this.

Have you all and gentlemen noticed, that one usual suspect is, so far (to my best knowledge), missing from all the "X wrote the Pink Letter" conjectures? What about Littlefinger, I ask you?! Littlefinger was named complicit in near everything that has went down in the Seven Kingdoms (there are some Essos theories out there, too), why not this?

Why?...

[kissdbyfire]

@Lost Umber, how did Jon manage to make the letter arrive in CB via raven? Or is Clydas in on it? 

[Amris]

Hahaha - that's the thread that's been missing on this topic. Good job!

That also solves the Hooded Man mystery. Jon Durden was in Winterfell to write the letter to himself.

[Lost Melnibonean]

3 hours ago, Ferocious Veldt Roarer said:

Pshaw, I can go more crackpot that this.

Have you all and gentlemen noticed, that one usual suspect is, so far (to my best knowledge), missing from all the "X wrote the Pink Letter" conjectures? What about Littlefinger, I ask you?! Littlefinger was named complicit in near everything that has went down in the Seven Kingdoms (there are some Essos theories out there, too), why not this?

Why?...

Cause LF is nothing more than Bloodraven's warg, silly. 

[Lost Umber]

4 hours ago, kissdbyfire said:

@Lost Umber, how did Jon manage to make the letter arrive in CB via raven? Or is Clydas in on it? 

Hmmm... i hadn't thought of that. You may be on to something. Clydas does act nervous and scared when he hands Jon the unopened letter. He's trembling iirc.... why so nervous Clydas? Huh? Something wrong buddy?

Verrrry suspicious. Clearly... Clydas wrote the pink letter!!!!

(I should admit, if it wasn't obvious, that the OP was written as a bit of a joke after reading too many "X wrote the pink letter" posts. But now I'm 100% sold on the idea that dastardly Clydas wrote it). 

[Lost Melnibonean]

 

1 minute ago, Lost Umber said:

Hmmm... i hadn't thought of that. You may be on to something. Clydas does act nervous and scared when he hands Jon the unopened letter. He's trembling iirc.... why so nervous Clydas? Huh? Something wrong buddy?

Verrrry suspicious. Clearly... Clydas wrote the pink letter!!!!

(I should admit, if it wasn't obvious, that the OP was written as a bit of a joke after reading too many "X wrote the pink letter" posts. But now I'm 100% sold on the idea that dastardly Clydas wrote it). 

Nah, that's crackpot. Jon simply had Mormont's raven deliver the message, silly. 

[Lost Umber]

14 minutes ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

Nah, that's crackpot. Jon simply had Mormont's raven deliver the message, silly. 

That would be more logical.  And Clydas is half blind, probably can't tell one bird from another. 

Hmmm... Mormont's raven is pretty clever. Do the books say anything about his penmanship?

[kissdbyfire]

14 minutes ago, Lost Umber said:

That would be more logical.  And Clydas is half blind, probably can't tell one bird from another. 

Hmmm... Mormont's raven is pretty clever. Do the books say anything about his penmanship?

That's it, Mormont's raven wrote the Pink Letter!

ps: love your avi!

[The Fattest Leech]

1 minute ago, kissdbyfire said:

That's it, Mormont's raven wrote the Pink Letter!

Well, there is that one part where Jon is reading a letter and Mormont's Raven appears to be reading the words 

Theory confirmed. 

[Lost Umber]

Now that this irrefutably solved, is there a way to lock and pin the thread so we don't have to read any more inane theories on the subject? 

That way we can move onto the more pressing matters of Jojen paste and "Daario is X"

[YOVMO]

18 hours ago, Lost Umber said:

Mystery solved: Jon Snow wrote the pink letter… gasp!

 

Just think.. cui bono? Latin for “who benefits?” Once you think in those terms, it’s pretty clear that it could only be Jon.

 

Poor Jon desperately wants to save his beloved favourite sister Arya but his vows won’t allow him so he needs some pretense to go to Winterfell. The pink letter provides that (in Jon’s mind) since it threatens him. He thus has to go since staying will put the rest of the Night’s Watch in danger. But he needs support and only the wildlings can give him that. So he skillfully adds elements in the letter that will rile up the wildlings… specifically the threats to Val and Mance’s babe and of course the atrocity done to the spearwives… not to mention the threat to Mance who (double gasp) is still alive.

 

Jon was losing hope with Mel and Mance’s plan, especially after Alys Karstark arrived and he began thinking more and more about Arya. Plus he didn’t really trust Mel and Mance. He really starts worrying about as evidenced by his thoughts from ADWD: “Mance Rayder and his spearwives had not returned, and Jon could not help but wonder whether the red woman had lied of a purpose. Is she playing her own game?”

 

Finally he decided that he had save Arya himself so he fabricated the perfect letter that made it possible for him to save her. That’s why there’s no trademark Ramsay skin in the letter…. Surely if Bolton was making a spearwife blanket for Mance, he’d save one small scrap to send to Jon Snow. It’s also why Jon doesn’t make note of Ramsay’s distinctive handwriting, or lack thereof… because it’s Jon’s handwriting. And why it’s just pink wax with no seal…. Jon had to melt down wax from one of Ramsay’s earlier letters.

 

Jon knew about all the critical facts in the letter: Mance, Stannis, Lightbringer, Melisandre, spearwives, Bolton’s bride, the word ‘bastard’ used an insult. Everything.

 

Well… except one thing. I can’t puzzle out how he knew about Reek. Otherwise this theory is perfect. But Jon is a clever boy and I’m confident he figured it out. Probably Mel told him.

Case closed. 

 

I liked Jon for the author for a little while too. After all, the end result of the pink letter is that Jon now has an excuse to do what he has wanted to do ever since he tried to ride south in book 1 and was stopped by Sam and the Gang. I think there is one single damning piece of evidence that totally ruins this otherwise very good theory and it was pointed out to me on this board when I suggested that Jon wrote the Pink Letter....I wish I could remember who it was, but I cannot....the pink letter is read during a Jon POV chapter. There is no way it could have the effect it did on Jon from Jon's POV if Jon wrote it. If it was anyone else's POV chapter you could easily have said Jon was faking it, but that it was a Jon chapter, IMO, totally demolishes any thought that he was the author.