[ADWD Spoilers] Dear Jon

[Lord Godric]

I would say a combination of the different options. I don't think Jon's corpse will be stored below the Wall in the ice cells. If so that is just an odd thing for the Black Brothers to do, especially knowing what can become of corpses. I expect him to warg into Ghost for a little while and they will prepare to burn his corpse and Melisandre will perform a certain funerary rite...

[Guest]

What about the possibility that Jon is resurrected (any option from 2-9) but he never becomes a POV again?

[tiredhunter]

I'd like to add an 5a, though lack a clever name. My expectation is that he is injured enough to be put out of commission for a while, but will eventually convalesce. He doesn't need to be dead for the situation on the wall to deteriorate around him. The 5b would be "Just a flesh wound".

[George RR Martin]

I think it will be "Jesus Christ Jon", but I like the idea of Wun Wun Jon. Hodor Jon?

[Teravius]

What about the possibility that Jon is resurrected (any option from 2-9) but he never becomes a POV again?

Narratively, I'm not sure that would work. We need a reliable narrator at the Wall documenting the fight against the Others. Who would do that if not Jon--Melisandre?

[G Vico]

I'd like to add an 5a, though lack a clever name. My expectation is that he is injured enough to be put out of commission for a while, but will eventually convalesce. He doesn't need to be dead for the situation on the wall to deteriorate around him. The 5b would be "Just a flesh wound".

Tired,

5a. General Hospital Jon -- Jon's not dead but in a coma and no one knows when he'll revive.

5b. "Just a flesh wound" is clearly Monty Python Jon. (You saw that one coming.)

[Stinky Steward]

5b. "Just a flesh wound" is clearly Monty Python Jon. (You saw that one coming.)

How about Jon Cleese? Cleese played The Black Knight, after all.

[Leold]

How about Jon Cleese? Cleese played The Black Knight, after all.

+1

He's not quite dead yet, in fact he's getting better!

"I don't want to go on the cart!"

[ZombieWife]

I would say a combination of the different options. I don't think Jon's corpse will be stored below the Wall in the ice cells. If so that is just an odd thing for the Black Brothers to do, especially knowing what can become of corpses. I expect him to warg into Ghost for a little while and they will prepare to burn his corpse and Melisandre will perform a certain funerary rite...

This is where I am leaning as well. I think that A.Ahai prophecy set aside, Melisandre will happily give another to the fire for him. I do think she was trying to warn him desperately and he completely ignored her.

[Guest]

This is where I am leaning as well. I think that A.Ahai prophecy set aside, Melisandre will happily give another to the fire for him. I do think she was trying to warn him desperately and he completely ignored her.

For someone who was fighting the Others he is oddly anti-superstitious. In his last chapter he dismisses all those old wise sayings like "dark wings dark words" as complete nonsense. In the same vein is his skepticism for prophecies (or, at least the prophet's ability to read them accurately).

He needs to get in touch with his inner Old Nan.

[The Smelly Peasant]

Jon as a new 'Coldhands' perhaps, but ranging south of the wall? Coldhands seems to have no problem dispatching Others/wights, so if Jon was reborn "southside" and managed to keep hold of Longclaw, look out...

[Kirazi]

I think either 2 or 9b will happen.

Oh and I feel pretty sure that number 1 won't happen. In an interview with EW {link below}

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So why did you kill Jon Snow?

GEORGE R.R. MARTIN: Oh, you think he’s dead, do you?

Entertainment Weekly: Well, I guess. Yes. That’s how I took it. The way it was written, it sounded like he was mortally wounded — and, you know, it’s you!

George Martin: Well. I’m not going to address whether he’s dead or not. But as to why — didn’t you think the text established why they would want to assassinate him?

Interview: http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/07/21/dance-with-dragons-shocking-twist-g/

I think if Jon was truly dead, GRRM would confirm it and not make his fans wait years just to reveal that he actually is dead.

[Black Crow]

I'm with 5; his character is too important to be messed with by Mel, who will herself come to a sticky end before its all over and not improbably at his hands.

[Sun]

I'm between Jesus Christ Jon and J.R. Ewing Jon with both having some Ghost Jon and Ice Jon mixed in there.

[Chairman7w]

LOL!!! Volderon FTW!!!

Sounds like a list of action figures.

[dreamcatcher]

I think it will be a combination of

3. UnJon -- Mel does some blood magic to bring Jon back like Catelyn and Dundarrion.

and

9b. Ice Jon -- He goes to Ghost but comes back into his own body which is preserved in a frozen state under the Wall.

He obviously can't return to his own body unless someone does something with it.

Mind you, I really don't want to see UnJon. I hope he comes back the same as he was. I read an interview with George somewhere and he said that if he wrote Lord of the Rings, he'd never make Gandalf come back better and more powerful, he'd make him just the opposite. :worried: I'd really hate Jon going all corpse-like.

[Doran]

5. J.R. Ewing Jon -- the antecedent is Arya -- Jon isn't dead at all and survives his cuts. The narration just makes us think he's dead.

[5a. General Hospital Jon -- in a coma: see below.]

[5b. Jon Cleese -- just a flesh wound: see below.]

5c.

: Mel will bring him back with a miracle pill (chocolate coated, of course)

[Kadence]

My own guess is the coma one. That's what I was thinking of myself. That he'll be in a coma basically, warged inside Ghost for a large part of the next book. Before eventually either waking up, or being revived by Melisandre - but not revived in the Beric sense, revived in the waking up from a coma sense. Magic may well be involved in the waking, but I don't think he's dead. I suppose this would be either 5 or 9b.

Targ Warg is very catch but really, he's a Targ Warg no matter what isn't he? He's been a Targ Warg almost from the start.

The burning his body reviving him idea is very interesting though. That would parallel Dany closely. I kind of don't like it because it's too much like Dany, but it would be cool in it's own way.

There's pretty much no way Alter-Jon is going to be true, I'm surprised that anyone thinks this is at all possible. That would be an utterly ridiculous "jump the shark" moment, it's just not happening.

There is no chance Jon inside Ghost gets POV chapters. POVs up at the wall will need to come from Mel, Asha/Theon (if Stannis returns to the Wall with them) or one of the 1 or 2 new POVs GRRM is planning to add, unless and until Jon returns as Jon to his own body.

Actually I think there's an excellent chance Ghost-Jon gets POV chapters. I could definitely see Martin enjoying writing such chapters. We've already seen parts of chapters from the wolves' POVs. Why not a full chapter? If I had to bet, I would bet we get at least one Ghost-Jon POV chapter.

[Xanrn]

He better not be dead/comatose/lying in bed, for most of the next book.

His arc finally picked up pace only to pointless hamstrung, he better just get right backup.

None of the wounds are immediately fatal, except maybe the maybe unseen 4th blade.

Jesus was dead for 3 days, I expected Jon to be the same, except followed by alot more arsekicking and not the pointless Others.

[Akhôrahil]

I think Jon is going to be reborn through fire.

Agree - his is the Song of Ice and Fire, and so far he's mostly had ice.

And it also makes sense - Melisandre is surely powerful enough to heal/resurrect him (Thoros could, after all, and he's not nearly as good at it). The only reasons she wouldn't is if the Watch stops her, or if she somehow thinks prophesy would be better served by him staying dead (why, though?).

Further, a fire-healed Jon is better suited for Dany to marry, seeing as she is the 'Bride of Fire'.