Does Jon Snow ever react to the Red Wedding?

[Ser Richard Horpe]

This has been bothering me for a long time. I've skimmed the chapters trying to find something but I can't.

I know we get to see Sansa react and Arya is pretty much at the red wedding. Even Bran may have a vision or sense something. But do we as a reader ever get to see Jon Snow react? So much shenanigans are happening at the wall during this time that I don't think we do.

I know Stannis at one point says something like "That is why Robb Stark died" or some negative thing about Robb and Jon holds back his anger. Is that it? Or am I missing something?

It just seems strange because he reacts to Ned's death, bran and rickons supposed death, and he's horribly concerned about Arya in book 5, you would think losing Robb, his closest friend and brother, would have driven him to accept Stannis' deal and destroy the boltons who were responsible.

[BeWareOfMyHouse]

I don't think Jon was as affected by The Red Wedding as some people think he should be. There are a few reasons for why, two of which I'll name.

1) He's in the Night's Watch. He forsakes his family, all claims to titles and lands, etc. In effect, Robb isn't his half-brother anymore. I think mentally, Jon blocked himself off from all memories of his past life and committed himself to a life on the Wall.

2) Robb was fighting in a war. Jon understood that Robb was going to be fighting, and there was a very real chance that he would die. Catelyn prepared herself for the eventuality that her eldest son might die, and in the end her fears proved correct. I think Jon did the same thing.

Further, I don't think Jon ever really considered Robb his "closest friend". Robb and Theon were always much closer, and from what I remember Theon and Jon had an extremely cold relationship. Jon's only close confidants in the Stark family seem to have been Arya and his "father" (*cough cough*), Ned.

[The Wolves]

I think we saw Jon's reaction when he said "I want death and destruction to befall House Lannister" Jon is very angry about the RW he's just more controlled in his thoughts about it

[jon crow]

i was actually wondering about this earlier today. i haven't gotten to asos in my reread yet but as i recall the timing of the red wedding is about the same as the wildling attacks on the wall. afterwards jon is elected lord commander.

i think jon came to accept his place in the night's watch after pyp & co. chase after him and bring him back after he runs away. he wasn't going to desert again. not at that time. that being said, i can't remember what his actual reaction to the news was.

[The Wolves]

Further, I don't think Jon ever really considered Robb his "closest friend". Robb and Theon were always much closer, and from what I remember Theon and Jon had an extremely cold relationship. Jon's only close confidants in the Stark family seem to have been Arya and his "father" (*cough cough*), Ned.

I really disagree, besides Arya Robb is the sibling Jon thinks about most and when he's yearning for Winterfell Robb is most always in thoes memories. And Jon doesn't think of Robb as his "closest friend" he thinks of him as his brother, the one he was always with and getting into trouble with. Yeah Robb and Theon were close but there relationship was much different than Jon and Robb's. Jon is and always will Robb's brother that relationship transcends any relationship Robb had with Theon

[BondJamesBond]

I think he was pretty upset. Jon and Robb were extremely close.

Could "Fetch me a block" be at least subconsciously illustrating his rage at the nearest available Lannister surrogate (Janos Slynt)? I don't know the timing.

[Prefiera de Gryfalco]

I really disagree, besides Arya Robb is the sibling Jon thinks about most and when he's yearning for Winterfell Robb is most always in thoes memories. And Jon doesn't think of Robb as his "closest friend" he thinks of him as his brother, the one he was always with and getting into trouble with. Yeah Robb and Theon were close but there relationship was much different than Jon and Robb's. Jon is and always will Robb's brother that relationship transcends any relationship Robb had with Theon

I agree...plus Theon is about 5 years older than both. I have a feeling if they grew up in a place with more boys their own age, like Kings Landing instead of Winterfell, Theon would not be as close to Robb.

[danm_999]

This has been bothering me for a long time. I've skimmed the chapters trying to find something but I can't.

I know we get to see Sansa react and Arya is pretty much at the red wedding. Even Bran may have a vision or sense something. But do we as a reader ever get to see Jon Snow react?

No. He hears the news off page.

I know Stannis at one point says something like "That is why Robb Stark died" or some negative thing about Robb and Jon holds back his anger. Is that it? Or am I missing something?

He doesn't really get angry, he thinks;

The harsh words had blown away whatever sympathy Jon might have had for Stannis.

Which is to say he doesn't disagree with Stannis, just the way Stannis said it.

It just seems strange because he reacts to Ned's death, bran and rickons supposed death, and he's horribly concerned about Arya in book 5, you would think losing Robb, his closest friend and brother, would have driven him to accept Stannis' deal and destroy the boltons who were responsible.

I think at that point in Jon's journey he doesn't really have much left in him. He's utterly exhausted emotionally and physically. His father's dead, his brothers seem to be all dead, his sisters are gone, Donal Noye is gone, the Old Bear is dead, Ygritte is dead. He's wounded, tired from fighting the battle of Castle Black. Being called a deserter and a Wildling. He just doesn't have the desire to chase after the Boltons at that point.

[DavosSeaworthy]

I think he was pretty upset. Jon and Robb were extremely close.

Could "Fetch me a block" be at least subconsciously illustrating his rage at the nearest available Lannister surrogate (Janos Slynt)? I don't know the timing.

This happens after the RW in ADWD, but he doesn't do it for revenge, he contemplates killing him because Janos betrayed Ned but then he "accepts" him as his brother in the NW, he excecutes him because he refused a command. I don't think Jon was looking for a reason to kill Janos, but Janos gave him one so he acted and was right to do so, not for personal reasons, but because it is dangerous when someone in a military order refuses a direct order from an officer and in this case, the Lord Commander himself.

[Ice Turtle]

This happens after the RW in ADWD, but he doesn't do it for revenge, he contemplates killing him because Janos betrayed Ned but then he "accepts" him as his brother in the NW, he excecutes him because he refused a command. I don't think Jon was looking for a reason to kill Janos, but Janos gave him one so he acted and was right to do so, not for personal reasons, but because it is dangerous when someone in a military order refuses a direct order from an officer and in this case, the Lord Commander himself.

He did not kill him for revenge, but it wasn't entirely free of it either. There is a reason why Janos was not hanged but beheaded.

[Mladen]

I think the lack of reaction by Stark kids is GRRM`s doing. He wrote and said that writing of RW chapter was extremly difficult, and that he didn`t want to go again through that when he was offerefd to write an episode of HBO`s GOT S03. I think the same thing applies here. He didn`t want to make several chapters aroud RW, and reactions on it. Perhaps it was too painful for him. I mean, we don`t have Sansa`s POV in which she hears the news, it was Tyrion`s, also we lack of some great reaction in both Bran`s and Jon`s POVs, and Arya just see her mother death which redirects her life to Braavos. I think that GRRM deliberatly skipped the reaction POVs in order not to over-emotionalize story, and because it was too difficult for him.

[Arya Targaryen]

The reread the Jon chapters in ASOS quite a few times until a realised that he learned the new off-page. And I realised it when Ghost returns and Jon says something like "I though you would be gone like Bran and Rickon and Robb and father..."

And there is a dream in which he is in the crypts and he sees/hears(?) Ned and Robb but he is not allowed there (but he doesn't mention Bran, for example). For me it always meant that he is aware of Ned (of course) and Robb's deaths, but somehow he knows Bran and Rickon are alive (he wonders if they live on in their wolves).

I think at the end of ASOS he is so exhausted (and expects to die anyway) that he is just simply sad, but does not feel anger. After all, he thinks he will die, too. He becomes more angry as his own life is settled, and his own life is not in that much danger (after being elected LC)

[~DarkHorse~]

Not seeing a reaction from Jon about the Red Wedding was probably one of the things in the books that disappointed me.

He appeared to be close to Robb so it would have been nice to see a reaction.

My only hope is that we see one on the TV series.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

He did not kill him for revenge, but it wasn't entirely free of it either. There is a reason why Janos was not hanged but beheaded.

... Because Jon had been taught to do his own executions? I'm pretty sure that's the reason he was beheaded and not hanged, not because of "revenge."

[Uncle Stannis]

He did not kill him for revenge, but it wasn't entirely free of it either. There is a reason why Janos was not hanged but beheaded.

He does it the Northern/Stark way to gain respect, that "vengence" was just for the reader.

[infinitesunrise]

I think we saw Jon's reaction when he said "I want death and destruction to befall House Lannister" Jon is very angry about the RW he's just more controlled in his thoughts about it

This. We may not get a real time reaction from him, but I think it's safe to say that the news upset him and that he's actually deeply bitter about the whole thing. We also know he was still grieving Robb from his last exchange with Sam before shipping him off to Old Town.

[A Man Has Said]

He did not kill him for revenge, but it wasn't entirely free of it either. There is a reason why Janos was not hanged but beheaded.

I'm with you on this one Ice Turtle. :agree:

While it's certainly true that Jon waited for a GOOD excuse to kill Slynt, I also think that he was pretty sure that Slynt was going to give him that excuse. As to the method of execution, it not only follows 'the northern way' but does so in a way that pays homage to Eddard Stark and invokes the memory of Slynt's involvement in Eddard's execution.

Nicely done GRRM to capture all those points in one simple act.

[Faint]

I'm actually more surprised that Jon didn't snap when he first became aware that Arya was going to become Ramsay Bolton's plaything.

[Winter's Prince]

But also remember that it was Ramsay's letter that sent him over the edge. Jon was surrounded by death; Ned, Jeor, Qhorin, Benjen, Robb, Bran, Rickon, and Arya I think even though we didn't see his full reaction I believe the hurt and pain was there and ultimately he had had enough when Ramsay threatened him.

[ckongo]

No, they skip his reaction. He learns about Winterfell and Bran/Rickon's "deaths," but they then skip the RW news. Stannis brings up Robb's death near the end of ASOS but Jon clearly already knew by then.