The dreaded topic.. What if GRRM kills Jon Snow off?

[Don Quixote]

I don't really know why people say that Ned dying was such a big shock. It seemed inevitable to me, from the moment he was introduced as the father of the family.

In fantasy, fathers die and sons claim their vengeance.

Anyway, I'd be pretty unhappy if Jon did die, but it wouldn't stop me from reading the series. However, if Martin ended it with Cersei or Euron in power, or something like that, it would leave a truly foul taste in my mouth.

[The Non-Human]

If the R+L=J is true, am pretty sure we wont know until Jon is dead.

I dont know, I actually quite like him. I think most people hate him because of the repetitive theories xD

But yea, nothing to do except continue reading if he is killed. I just hope he doesnt until he is trading places with Danny.

Also, you guys think too much about fantasy tropes when reading. Am pretty happy to say I was completely shocked by his dead, even after reading so many books~

[Nehet]

Also, you guys think too much about fantasy tropes when reading. Am pretty happy to say I was completely shocked by his dead, even after reading so many books~

I'm with you on this. I read a great deal, but was just as surprised that it actually happened after the amount of energy used to develop his character and introduce him to the audience. Killing off characters like this is certainly an effective storytelling technique ;-)

[Spring Bass]

The main problem with killing Jon Snow off is that he's basically the viewpoint character for a particular important "arena" in the story - The Wall and the Night's Watch. It's the same way that Tyrion, then Cersei and (temporarily) Jaime became the viewpoint character(s) in King's Landing and the South, and Daenerys the character in the East. If you look at how GRRM killed Ned Stark, you'll notice that he killed him just in time for Tyrion to show up in King's Landing and become the main viewpoint character there (Sansa is there, but she's secondary).

In other words, if he kills off Jon, then we have no one at the Wall when important stuff there goes down. We've already lost Sam as a viewpoint character on the Wall, and

SPOILER: A Dance of Dragons

Theon doesn't look like he'll be heading there anytime soon.

[3idcrow]

Jon could def die, but I don't see him dying until the last book (if at all). He and Dany seem to be mooring the most plot arcs between them, so I'd be very very surprised if either died in the next 2.

I agree. I always percieved the central conflict of soiaf as the one between humans and others. For me it't not about Jon or Danny or starks vs lannisters at all. With that said Jon is the only leader who actually actively fight the Others at the moment. If he is killed before this conflict is resolved then someone else will have to step up and take his place. Someone we know, like Danny or tyrion or Jaime, idk, someone who proved his ability at the position of leadership. It would be strange and disappointing if some random Joe comes up to replace the character that took four books to develop.

But I find it mostlikely for Jon to keep his position and survive long enough to play his part in an epic battle for the life of humankind.

Unless I'm mistaken and soiaf is really about the challenges of dragons training...

[Jaqen the FatManderly]

I mean.. did anyone think when first reading AGOT that Eddard would not last ?

Probably more people guessed he'd die (or similar, it was pretty obvious he was clueless) than were surprised that he did.

Or that Rob would die?

He would have been more interesting alive imo, or undead a la unCat. I think GRRM set the power vacuum on too hard a suck.

What if GRRM kills off Jon?

He'll be reunited with his lady love.

[KAH]

I really like Jon, but I could live with it if he died a good death.

Now, if Tyrion dies...well, damn! :angry:

[Soulrack]

If Jon Snow where to die I wouldn't be as unhappy as I'd be if Tyrion or Arya were killed off (by far my 2 favorite characters). After reading the books, I believe Jon's primary purpose will be to reconcile Daenerys Targaryen and the remaining Starks against the Lannisters/Freys. His biological parents may be the key to this reconciliation but it could also be his relationship with Mormont and Daenerys' Uncle on the wall. There's little doubt in my mind that it's Daenerys that's destined for greatness in A Song of Ice and Fire and not Jon Snow.

IMO it's GRRM's ability to kill off well developed characters that puts him way ahead of his contemporaries. For example, I don't think Robert Jordan (RIP) was able to kill off his beloved characters, and A Wheel of Time suffered because of that inability.

[xythil]

If Jon Snow where to die I wouldn't be as unhappy as I'd be if Tyrion or Arya were killed off (by far my 2 favorite characters). After reading the books, I believe Jon's primary purpose will be to reconcile Daenerys Targaryen and the remaining Starks against the Lannisters/Freys. His biological parents may be the key to this reconciliation but it could also be his relationship with Mormont and Daenerys' Uncle on the wall. There's little doubt in my mind that it's Daenerys that's destined for greatness in A Song of Ice and Fire and not Jon Snow.

IMO it's GRRM's ability to kill off well developed characters that puts him way ahead of his contemporaries. For example, I don't think Robert Jordan (RIP) was able to kill off his beloved characters, and A Wheel of Time suffered because of that inability.

True. I could deal with Jon's death. I would just be utterly floored. I mean I was pissed when Oberyon died. If jon died i'd freak lol. I don't think Dany is going to be the only major player though. She can't even produce and heir =/

[Young Lady Of Lannister]

I'd cry.

[jurble]

I'd welcome Jon Snow's death if it played out like this:

Stannis: Lord Snow, for x reason, I'm gonna have melisandre burn you at the stake.

Jon Snow: Aw shucks.

Jon is about to be set aflame when

HOWLAND REED appears!

Howland Reed: Wait! You can't burn him!

Stannis; Why not? He's not the true king, is he?

Reed: No, but..

Stannis has Jon burned alive.

[beehives]

I'd welcome Jon Snow's death if it played out like this:

Stannis: Lord Snow, for x reason, I'm gonna have melisandre burn you at the stake.

Jon Snow: Aw shucks.

Jon is about to be set aflame when

HOWLAND REED appears!

Howland Reed: Wait! You can't burn him!

Stannis; Why not? He's not the true king, is he?

Reed: No, but..

Stannis has Jon burned alive.

I totally hate the idea of this thread because Jon is my favorite character (and, like Lady of Lannister, I would cry if he died :cry:). But I imagine it might be more like this. What about...

Melisandre: you are a king. I see it in my fires. Burn time!

Jon: huh?

Stannis: Jon, you have offended my honor and I need a puppet Lord Commander! Into the fire with you!

Jon is burned, but not burnt. He walks out alive, like Danny did. But now he is one pissed off Targ with a heart as cold as "stone," waking the "stone dragon" (albeit a person, not a literal dragon) that Mel kept raving about. Then he kills Mel and Stannis with Lightbringer aka Longclaw.

Death of "old" Jon; birth of new.

[Prince Bran]

I totally hate the idea of this thread because Jon is my favorite character (and, like Lady of Lannister, I would cry if he died :cry:). But I imagine it might be more like this. What about...

Melisandre: you are a king. I see it in my fires. Burn time!

Jon: huh?

Stannis: Jon, you have offended my honor and I need a puppet Lord Commander! Into the fire with you!

Jon is burned, but not burnt. He walks out like Danny. But now he is one pissed off Targ with a heart as cold as "stone," waking the "stone dragon" (albeit a person, not a literal dragon) that Mel kept raving about. Then he kills Mel and Stannis with Lightbringer aka Longclaw.

Death of "old" Jon; birth of new.

I dunno, didn't he sort of burn the crap out of his hand that one time? Hardly seems fire immune.

[beehives]

I dunno, didn't he sort of burn the crap out of his hand that one time? Hardly seems fire immune.

He does flex that hand whenever he's pissed off or irritated--could be a connection to fire and anger, sort of like "waking the dragon." In my scenario, he may survive, just not without burn scars. This wouldn't be without precedent since I always thought the alternate title of the book could be "A Song of Disability and Disfigurement" :rofl:

[Horza]

JON is wandering the woods with GHOST

JON: So like, Stannis is like 'You've got to go and do what I say because I'm King' and I'm like 'No way, asshat', say, who do you think would win in a fight: Rhaegar or Han So-

they hear a sudden buzzing noise...

GHOST: Ruh-roh!

Enter the BEE PEOPLE, in all their apidary splendour

BEE PEOPLE: zzzZZzJOn zzyyou are toozzzzzdamn zzzemo for zzzthizz zzszerieszzz

They relentless sting JON who screams:

JON" This is MURDER! MURDER! You'll all be guilty! Killing me won't bring back your goddamn honey! Oh no...

... over my eyes! My eyesssauuggh!

FIN

[Jon Targaryen]

But what if it diid?

There'd have to be someone on the Wall to continue as a viewpoint character there and see the developments, preferably a character with a good number of chapters or multiple characters that add up to a good number of chapters.

I think if R+L=J then it would have to be after that is revealed. If Jon's parentage is anything else, Jon can die before we know. But R+L=J, if true, probably means something that would require Jon to be alive for awhile after the reveal.

[Pinely]

If Jon dies then we get a Dolorous Ed POV!

That said, I don't think Jon's death is likely, at least not yet. Anyone can die, but I think Jon's numerous POVs and character development is going to come into play later in the overall story. We've spent a lot of time with Jon, so I imagine that any dying on his part will have a significant lead up.

[KAH]

He does flex that hand whenever he's pissed off or irritated--could be a connection to fire and anger, sort of like "waking the dragon."

I think this is pretty much just a nervous tick he's developed, and is not related to fire in any way other than that it was the exercise he was made to do after burning his hand. He's doing it in stressed situations, I don't see the pissed off/irritated angle, frankly (although you certainly can react that way from being stressed).

[Dreadwolf]

Like I said, Jon and Danny will stand until the final battle.

Figuratively speaking the final stanza in the song of Ice and fire will glorify the Clash of Elements.

The fire will melt the ice into high-water torrents which at their turn will extinguish the fire. Then we shall got the’ final’ transformation into water vapour.

Clouds will start to gather again over the horizon and there will be sense of a new Storm smell. Thunders may fall turning all the rest in fire and blood. The circle of weather (WoT) would be expected to continue its march.

[The_Black_Fish]

Personally I think Jon is an okay character but it seems like he has been sidelined to keep him safe. If he at any point gets back into the real action or makes a huge non-neutral leaning decision then I could see him dying off. I was waiting for him to take that deal from Stannis so I could say "Oh he is going to die soon."

I saw it coming for Rob as soon as he married Jenye. After I heard the comparison of arms between the two houses of Westerling and Frey I just said "He is toast."

Just don't kill off Tyrion and I am set. GRRM keeps scaring me with all these battles he is in.

After SoS I think I see Jamie's demise in the distance and I knew he sister was owned.

I didn't see the Red Viper dying. That killed AFFC for me.