George R.R. Martin’s 2011 Claim About Resurrected Characters Gives Hint To Jon Snow’s Fate In ‘Game Of Thrones’

Last week’s Game of Thrones episode made fans rejoice following the return of Jon Snow. While many expected that he would indeed return, the cast of the HBO series did a great job in dismissing fan theories. However, it appears that Jon’s return is not devoid of complications. In an interview with Bullseye five years ago, George R.R. Martin talked about resurrected characters and it might just break the fans’ hearts.

“My characters who come back from death are worse for wear. In some ways, they’re not even the same characters anymore. The body may be moving, but some aspect of the spirit is changed or transformed, and they’ve lost something.”

He used Beric Dondarrion as an example of a character who loses “bits of his humanity” every time he is resurrected. His character was shown in Game of Thrones Season 3 when Melisandre met up with him. Beric told the story of how he had been resurrected six times by the Lord of Light through the help of a Red Priest. What’s disheartening is that each time he returns, he no longer connects to his old life.

Unlike Beric, it is only Jon’s first time to come back from death, but is there a possibility of a literal rebirth? If showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss choose to take such direction, Jon might not remember his groundbreaking mission for the Men of the Night’s Watch and the Wildlings – the same plan that led to his death. If Sansa arrives at Castle Black, he probably won’t recognize her.

One of the biggest fan theories surrounding Jon’s return is that he could be Azor Ahai’s reincarnation. He has been mentioned in Game of Thrones several times using varying nicknames: “The Prince Who Was Promised,” “Warrior of Light,” and “Son of Fire.” The books describe him as the legendary warrior who’s destined to lead the Seven Kingdoms into a fight against the dreaded White Walkers.

Melisandre originally thought that Stannis Baratheon was Azor’s reincarnation. When Stannis was killed, the Red Priestess was left devastated and uncertain of the Lord of Light’s powers. Viewers also started doubting her when she had Shireen burned at the stake, which turned out to be futile because Stannis and his army ended up being slaughtered at Winterfell.

It is possible that Melisandre incorrectly interpreted her visions and that Jon is actually The Prince Who Was Promised. Jon coming back to life means that the Lord of Light isn’t ready to let go of him yet because he might be destined for a bigger plan. Another thing that strengthens the theory is a passage from GRRM’s A Dance with Dragons that reveals Melisandre’s point-of-view.

“There was no one, even in her order, who had her skill at seeing the secrets half-revealed and half-concealed within the sacred flames. Yet now she could not even seem to find her king. I pray for a glimpse of Azor Ahai, and R’hllor shows me only Snow.”

Many were quick to point out that it wasn’t “snow” but “Snow.” The theory seems to look more plausible as last week’s episode showed viewers a glimpse of Lyanna Stark. On its next episode entitled “Oathbreaker,” Game of Thrones might revolve around the Tower of Joy where Ned Stark found his sister dying in a bed of blood. Fans are excited that next week’s episode could confirm the long-running “R+L=J” theory.

If the theory turns out to be true, Jon has a legitimate claim to the Iron Throne. His previous oath to the Night’s Watch states that the men must “wear no crowns and win no glory,” but his death broke that oath, which could be the reason behind the upcoming episode’s title.

[Image via HBO]