New LC?

[PromisedPrince]

there will be no LC after jon because the others will definately bring down the wall, no need for a NW if theres no wall...

[Tini]

Unless the Wall falls down right after Jon dies, there will be another LC. At least an acting LC.

And even if the Wall falls, it is possible that the remnants of the NW will choose another leader - unless they get all wiped out as well.

[Maester Euler]

After the "killing" of Jon surely the wildings in Castle Black will go crazy that hes been killed especially after the whole lets go kill Ramsey Snow speech, so wouldnt there be an immediate battle between those wildings and the NW?

[Green Giantsbane]

I have an idea which hasn't been mentioned. It goes like this.

Jon has been wearing armor since the Wall turned into a circus. He isn't that hurt from the attack and/or Mel does her magic ala Thoros. Jon deals with Bowen quickly ala Slynt, but in the process alienates fellow NW members. His real problem (atm) comes with the Queen and her peeps. The attack on Wun Wen Wun Dar Wun is a break in Guest right. Anyway the point is that Jon has a major rift with the Queen and her men. Maybe Ghost rips some throats and she pulls a Cersei and tries to off the wolf. So, major rift for Jon, Stannis returns with a decent chunk of the North behind him, Selyse is locked up or dead, Florent heads decorate the wall, and Jon stands with the Wildlings en force. Giant cluster**** ensues.

This is also a great way to install Stannis as the Night King, which is a VERY intriuging prospect.

Of course this theory does not include a new LC. And just a note, Someone mentoned a story about two NW forts warring with each other until a Stark showed up and settled things with a chopping block. That is massive foreshadowing. Sorry about the rambling post. It is late here. And the night is dark and full of typos.

[LaroC]

I just hope Tormund beats the s*** out of that bunch of Nights watchers pretenders...

Its funny how GRRM makes us cheer for the characters that we disfavoured before.

[oscarinfw]

If Jon dies (or even recovers from serious wounds), the NW is in trouble. It took Sam's trickery to get the NW to agree on Jon as the LC. Who would take his place ? Also, the Wildlings on the south side of the wall far outnumber the NW; there's a significant possibility the NW will be disbanded as it is currently constructed. The remnants of the NW are counting on Wilding and Stannis support to hold the Wall against the Others. I suspect the NW cannot survive in it's current form in the short term or even long term.

OTOH, I am biased against the NW. In it's current form, it's more set up to keep the Wilding's out of "South of the Wall" than the Others who have not been seen for centuries. Now Jon has been trying to recruit the Wildings to support the NW; which to me means the NW and the Wildings should have been allies or at least on a neutral basis all along. If anyone wants to keep the Wildings out of Stark's realm, it should have been the job of the Stark's bannermen, not the NW.

[The Snowman]

I'm going to say Mel heals Jon like Vic Greyjoy's arm was healed but Jon has already slipped into Ghost and Jon's body is saved and is simply unconscious/coma and in that time Jon gets to get in touch with his inner warg. Anyway I believe the Night's Watch will be irrelevant if a fight between the Jon sided Wildings and the NW men. I can see Jon waking up and HAVING to unite those factions some way. Lopping off a few heads might do the trick before setting off for Winterfell or waiting for Stannis.

[Ser Gei]

I would love to see Dolorous Edd as the 999th Lord Commander. Could it be possible? After Jons stabbing, I would think some old and experienced Night Watch dude is appointed as the new LC. Bowen Marsh and his people might be too busy getting dead by the wildlings, Cotter Pyke is having a blast up north with his boats filled up with starved wildlings and the dead things in the water. This Mallister character I don't even remember, but if he is the guy who commands the western side of the Wall, let's just say that he must stay there to keep Weeper and his posse out of the Wall.

With all those guys out, Dolorous Edd is actually one of the most experienced Night Watcher. Oddly, with all his gloom and snark appearance and let down personality, he still seems to be at least somehow respected by the other black bros. Why not get him out of that spearwife-ridden-fort, and appoint him as the new Lord Commander. The Wall needs one, and among the black brothers there is not many better options available.

I would not think that he would even be so horrible LC as he himself proclaimed during the election. He seems to get along with everybody, and he seems to be fairly good at whatever job he is given. Jon did respect him and felt he is one of the best guys the Wall still has left. Maybe there is a sufficient leader behind all that dry humor as well?

It would be awesome to see how well Dolorous Edd would hold things together with the Queens men, wildlings and rebel black brothers, until the 1000th Lord Commander shows up and takes his place. And who is the 1000th Lord Commander, then? Well, no questions there, it is of course Patchface, who is warged by Jon.

[LaroC]

I don't see a way for the NW to continue on without a huge battle after Jon stabbing.

There is no way for the brothers to say. "Ok, he is dead now, and from now on, all he had done is abrogated. So wildlings, here is your gold back, please form a line to cross the wall back north, while we star a voting for the new LC..."

Jon is half a wildling, especially for Tormund, who will certainly get mad about the murder... And also, the wildlings knew tha Jon was the only one standing between them and the north of the wall. So, they are not going to wait for the NW to expel them. They are going to fight.

And considering the wildlings outnumberes the NW by far...

[CrypticWeirwood]

About number of LC, I always wondered isn't Bloodraven still technically lord commander, not that anyone besides him know.

Coldhands knows, for he too is a brother of the Night's Watch, and still he serves his Lord Commander even after passing through death's door.

Who more fits the oath than Lord Brynden? He is the sword in the darkness, the fire that burns against the cold, the shield that guards the realms of men. He wears no crown nor wins any glory. He shall live and die at his post.

And his watch is not yet ended.

[Just an Other one]

I think 1000 is going to be Stannis, the Night King. 1001 will be more significant because that is the number of Bloodraven's eyes, who was Lord Commander before. 100 is too corny to be good, but not to be bad, especially in this world

[Anima]

I wonder why everyone thinks that john will revive so fast. I totally see him becoming a wight (but kinda special it's John after all). And if the popular theory of R+L=J is right then I totally see him as a super wight mounted on an ice wyrm. Whether he actually comes back to life I don't know because we don't know if someone can come back from being a wight (Coldhands might indicate the possibility since he has at least part of his humanity back).

But anyway as someone already said it's also entirely possible that John is severely injured but still alive and most probably in a coma.

[jarl the climber]

My 2 cents on this, is that Marsh was not just worried about Jon and the Wildlings but also about the relaitionship that the Watch had with Stannis and that it could draw the ire of Kings Landing. Marsh could justify arresting Selyse and her men and send them to Kings Landing to be tried. It will probaly take outside intervention from a Northern Lord or Lords or Stannis to really settle things down. When Stannis was there with his entire army things were safe for him and his but Sleyse only has 50 or so men and Marsh sees them as fugitives/failed rebels who are comprimising the Watch by seeking a safe haven there.

Sam would be the best choice. He is not at the Wall and his Father has close ties to the current regime in Kings Landing. Someone like Edd Tollett could be acting Lord Commander in the short term. Meanwhile Samwell Tarly, would probaly be in a good posistion to raise a large army to bring back North with him, to "settle things", at the Wall and take up his post. I'm not sure how long it will be before people buy into the Others returning but thy would give men to Sam if they thought that they would be used to dislodge Stannis from the North and stabilise and reinforce Bolton.

[Anima]

My 2 cents on this, is that Marsh was not just worried about Jon and the Wildlings but also about the relaitionship that the Watch had with Stannis and that it could draw the ire of Kings Landing. Marsh could justify arresting Selyse and her men and send them to Kings Landing to be tried. It will probaly take outside intervention from a Northern Lord or Lords or Stannis to really settle things down. When Stannis was there with his entire army things were safe for him and his but Sleyse only has 50 or so men and Marsh sees them as fugitives/failed rebels who are comprimising the Watch by seeking a safe haven there.

Sam would be the best choice. He is not at the Wall and his Father has close ties to the current regime in Kings Landing. Someone like Edd Tollett could be acting Lord Commander in the short term. Meanwhile Samwell Tarly, would probaly be in a good posistion to raise a large army to bring back North with him, to "settle things", at the Wall and take up his post. I'm not sure how long it will be before people buy into the Others returning but thy would give men to Sam if they thought that they would be used to dislodge Stannis from the North and stabilise and reinforce Bolton.

There' is no way Sam would be leading an Army or leading the Watch IMO. From what we've seen Sam may not be as much a coward as he himself thinks but that doesn't make him a charismatic leader capable of leading an army to battle.

I really like the character of Sam but those suggestions, I think, would just ruin the character.

[moefy]

I think the Julius Caesar type assassination will cause mayhem at the wall. There will be no trials for Bowen and crew - i think hell is going to break loose. The others will conveniently show up and attack the wall as wilding/queens men/ nights watch are slaughtering each other. Then finally it is hodor's chance to shine as Lord Commander

[Babeldygob]

As I was reading AFFC, I noticed in the Jaime chapter where Riverrun opens its gates that Ser Robin Ryger, captain of the guards and Ser Desmond Grell, the master-at-arms in Riverrun are bound for the watch. They should turn up soon enough. Ryger is an able man and so is Grell, even though he's kind of old already. The captain of guards in Riverrun should not make a bad LC. Even if they are not elected, I think much will depend on who they might support. Denys Mallister seems an obvious choice for them to support.

[bemused]

I don't have my FFC at the moment , but I seem to remember that Jamie said the choice of taking the black was to be offered to other Riverrun men (those lower in the ranks ) as well. If so, that could be a handy little company of men.

[The King of Worms]

After the "killing" of Jon surely the wildings in Castle Black will go crazy that hes been killed especially after the whole lets go kill Ramsey Snow speech, so wouldnt there be an immediate battle between those wildings and the NW?

How could there not be an immediate battle with the wildlings? What a stupid move Bowen Marsh and his crew made? Let's kill this guy dishonorably in front of everybody when he has all his riled-up wildling friends with him, who totally out number us. And a lot of the younger NW are going to fight against us too, but to hell with it, let's do fast and stupid. So yeah, those guys basically started immediate civil war at the Wall, in all probability getting themselves killed.

The only reason that they would do it that way is if they were sure the Queen's Men had their back. Its the only way they would have a chance of beating up on the wildlings and driving them off. Thats why the Queen's knights had attacked Wun-Wun in the first place...right? But if Melisandre has Jon's back, wouldn't she prevent the Queen and her men from such a thing... just by saying something like "the Red God said don't do it." ANd why would Queen Selyse disobey what Stannis her husband wants? Why would she conspire against her husband's ally on the Wall? None of it makes sense. Unless Melisandre is behind the whole thing... but why?

Read this ending three times. Still doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Still not happy about it, but I don't think Jon is dead. That being said, when the Freys pulled the Red Wedding, it made sense for them. It was the perfect time to strike. When Joffrey killed Ned, it made sense... psycho kid can't help himself. This thing with Jon... it doesn't make sense. Seemed a bit forced... like GrrM just needed a good cliffhanger.

Anyways, Jon is still LC. He's not dead. The Wall will break to the Walkers, the NW will die off and scatter, but Jon will survive. Jon and the wildlings will save the realm. Jon is the Last Lord Commander... how's that one..?

[bemused]

That Jon chapter was such a shock, it's only now , almost a year later and after following lots of discussion and many hours spent trying to wrap my head around it all ,that I have to say, hold on .. not only is there no proof he's dead , but there's not even any proof he's totally lost consciousness ( yet ), if you think about it.

[Cerulean]

Can't quote because I am on my phone but i am in agreement with an above poster - Bowen Marsh just started what amounts to a civil war at the watch. Sheer numbers have the "old school" anti wildling members of the watch overpowered even if they do have the 50-ish queens men.

Jon isnt dead and in all likelihood will find the nights watch now much more accepting to embracing the wildlings as their neighbors.

Of course if there is an attack by the Others as Jon awakes it could be interesting. If Jon is the one destined to blow the Horn of Winter and if its tied to calling the Others I can certainly see them being miffed about Marsh's actions. Maybe we will get lucky and see him wightified and made into Jon's eternal manservant. It would serve him right lol