BIG BIG SPOILER ALERT
If you haven't read a Dance with Dragons & you don't want to know what happens, don't read this blog post!
Jon is dead... wait... what?
How could GRRM do this agai... aaah, wait a minute...
Lets go all Sherlock on this for a minute. When he killed Eddard he chopped off his head, pretty final. When they killed Robb it was conclusive. Tywin too, and Joffrey. Conversely, when he 'killed' Brienne we never saw that final moment of death and lo, she wasn't dead. Same for Bran & Rickon, Tyrion too, Danaerys had one, the jury is still out on Jaime.
Essentially the point is that unless you see that moment of death, a POV character probably isn't dead.
There are a few other reasons why Jon isn't dead...
Prophecy: Jon is suspected to be the prophesied Azor-Ahai reborn.
"There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him."
While there are many theories, Jon as the prince that was promised is one of the more compelling. Especially considering the speculation that Jon is the child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, thus would be descended from Aerys and Rhaella. This is relevant because A woods witch prophesied that their progeny would spawn Azor Ahai reborn.
Additionally, whenever Melisandre consulted the flames for Azor Ahai (whom she believes to be Stannis), she is only given visions of Jon.
He is also a Warg which means that even if his body should perish, his will can pass to an animal, most probably Ghost. This was alluded to in the prologue chapter.
Choice of words: GRRM makes a few word selections that don't make sense without wider context.
Consider the following;
"When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt."
If you haven't read a Dance with Dragons & you don't want to know what happens, don't read this blog post!
Jon is dead... wait... what?
How could GRRM do this agai... aaah, wait a minute...
Lets go all Sherlock on this for a minute. When he killed Eddard he chopped off his head, pretty final. When they killed Robb it was conclusive. Tywin too, and Joffrey. Conversely, when he 'killed' Brienne we never saw that final moment of death and lo, she wasn't dead. Same for Bran & Rickon, Tyrion too, Danaerys had one, the jury is still out on Jaime.
Essentially the point is that unless you see that moment of death, a POV character probably isn't dead.
There are a few other reasons why Jon isn't dead...
Prophecy: Jon is suspected to be the prophesied Azor-Ahai reborn.
"There will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him."
While there are many theories, Jon as the prince that was promised is one of the more compelling. Especially considering the speculation that Jon is the child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, thus would be descended from Aerys and Rhaella. This is relevant because A woods witch prophesied that their progeny would spawn Azor Ahai reborn.
Additionally, whenever Melisandre consulted the flames for Azor Ahai (whom she believes to be Stannis), she is only given visions of Jon.
He is also a Warg which means that even if his body should perish, his will can pass to an animal, most probably Ghost. This was alluded to in the prologue chapter.
Choice of words: GRRM makes a few word selections that don't make sense without wider context.
Consider the following;
"When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt."
We know about the "red star" and "darkness gathers" refer to the blood-red comet and the coming of winter respectively. Smoke and Salt are slightly more cryptic or perhaps would be if GRRM had spaced out the references more but observe the language in the moments around Jon's 'death'.
Finally, it simply doesn't make sense that GRRM would kill Jon because there is nobody else up on the wall who can continue the story, no other POV character there.
Upon being stabbed, the wound is described as 'smoking'. He has just been stabbed somewhere with sub-zero temperatures, surely it should say 'steaming'? But it doesn't.
Also, as Bowen Marsh & co are stabbing him and crying "For the Watch!" it is also stated that Marsh is crying.
Smoke and Salt.
This brings us to the pivotal word here, "reborn". Jon must die.
"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all nights to come."
"It shall not end until my death". This is why Jon must first die before being reborn as Azor-Ahai.
Thoros of Myr showed us that the Red God's servants have the power to bring people back from the dead. Dondarrion made the journey several times, carrying his wounds with him. Jon's stab wounds might be survivable but as an honorable Stark, it makes more sense that he dies to be released from his watch.
Finally, it simply doesn't make sense that GRRM would kill Jon because there is nobody else up on the wall who can continue the story, no other POV character there.
So, Jon isn't dead... hopefully!
