Jon Snow’s path in The Winds of Winter might diverge from how his story developed in Game of Thrones, based on some compelling theories. George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire novels are some of the most prolific in fantasy literature, and he’s known for his extreme attention to detail and carefully plotted character development. The Winds of Winter may be long overdue, but fan theories and predictions have provided fascinating material to examine, imagining where Martin might go with his version of the story.

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Any TV fan knows that the Game of Thrones ending was widely controversial, particularly with how Jon Snow was treated in the final season. After being resurrected and having a phenomenal arc in season 6, Jon was sidelined for practically all of season 8, barely contributing to the narrative. While his ultimate destination in the finale was solid enough, the journey to reach it wasn’t ideal. Jon Snow deserved a better arc, and we’re still hoping George R.R. Martin provides it for him. There are some critical ways it could differ from what we’ve already seen.

6Jon Snow Lives On As Ghost Before His Resurrection

The Theory Suggests Jon Warged Into Ghost Just Before His Physical Body Died

The mutiny at Castle Black transpires at the end of A Dance with Dragons much like it does in the finale of Game of Thrones season 6, though with Jon Snow whispering the word “Ghost,” just before collapsing to the ground. The TV series saw Bran Stark warg into his direwolf, Summer, among other animals and people, but the books feature all the Stark children with the capability to warg. Jon Snow has warged before in his dreams, but this would be the first time he did so while awake, with his near-death experience triggering a subconscious instinct.
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There’s some fascinating evidence for the theory, with moments from earlier in the book seeming to foreshadow the possibility. A Dance with Dragons begins with a prologue chapter with a POV character named Varymyr Sixskins, a free folk skinchanger who dies and wargs into his wolf. A Melisandre passage describes Jon Snow with the following words: “Now he was a man, now a wolf, now a man again.” The remainder of the quote, which can be read below, heavily foreshadows Jon Snow being betrayed by the Night’s Watch.

“The flames crackled softly, and in their crackling she heard the whispered name Jon Snow. His long face floated before her, limned in tongues of red and orange, appearing and disappearing again, a shadow half-seen behind a fluttering curtain. Now he was a man, now a wolf, now a man again. But the skulls were here as well, the skulls were all around him. Melisandre had seen his danger before, had tried to warn the boy of it. Enemies all around him, daggers in the dark. He would not listen.”

These pieces of evidence are pretty straightforward, especially the aspect of the prologue literally setting up the mechanics. Logistically, it even makes sense that the TV series wouldn’t have followed this route, as it’s far easier in the prose medium to tell a story from the POV of a wolf. Jon’s consciousness can have POV chapters from the perspective of Ghost, just like we’ve seen several times with the Stark children’s dreams where they’re in the bodies of their direwolves. Only this time, the Stark child won’t have a physical body to return to.

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5Melisandre Makes A Sacrifice To Bring Jon Snow Back To Life

Shireen Has The King’s Blood Melisandre Needs

One of the most horrifying scenes in Game of Thrones (which is really saying something) saw Melisandre burning Shireen Baratheon at the stake in order to provide strength to Stannis Baratheon’s troops. The showrunners, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, even confirmed that Melisandre burning Shireen would happen in the books. However, Shireen isn’t with Stannis on his campaign to Winterfell; she is left back in Castle Black with Melisandre and the Night’s Watch. Stannis probably won’t retreat back to the Wall to burn his daughter, so the context of the death has to change.

The showrunners, David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, even confirmed that Melisandre burning Shireen would happen in the books.

In order to resurrect Jon Snow, as Melisandre does in the books, it seems likely that she would do so by sacrificing Shireen. Melisandre, believing in the power of king’s blood, could end up conducting the sacrifice like she does in the books in order for the real Prince that was Promised to be reborn. Or, at the least, she’ll believe that she’s resurrecting her god’s prophesied hero. This seems more likely than Stannis taking part, as his book character doesn’t seem like the type who would sacrifice his only heir.

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4Jon Snow Has White Hair & Red Eyes When He’s Resurrected

Jon Snow Could Look A Bit Different After His Return

It’s all but confirmed that Jon Snow’s parents will be Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen in the novels, but he still doesn’t look anything like them. This creates an opportunity out of his resurrection that the show notably avoided. In A Song of Ice & Fire, those who are resurrected by the Lord of Light come back with apparent differences. Take Lady Stoneheart, for example, who’s returned to life as a practically zombified version of herself with a slit-throat, white hair, and red-pitted eyes, a result of her body lying by a river for days before Thoros brought her back.

There are two purposes to Jon’s physical appearance changing in The Winds of Winter. First, it would create a deeper connection between him and the true North, as the weirwood trees have white wood and red leaves. Second, it would allow him to inorganically begin to represent his Targaryen ancestry, with their signature silver hair, and red eyes to represent the colors of the dragon sigil, fire, and blood.

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3Jon Becomes King In The North Thanks To Robb Stark’s Will

Robb Stark May Have Planted The Seeds For Jon To Become King

Jon Snow became King in the North after defeating the Boltons at the Battle of the Bastards, the best battle in the Game of Thrones TV universe. In the books, the context could be a bit different. Robb Stark’s death at the Red Wedding occurs in A Storm of Swords, the third book in the series. In the novel, he brings up the possibility of having an heir prior to leaving for the Twins, writing a letter with the documentation. The book doesn’t explicitly say who he named, but it reveals that Jon Snow was in the conversation.

Robb Stark wanted to name Jon Snow as his heir, but Catelyn Stark (the #1 Jon Snow hater) adamantly disagreed. That said, it’s still heavily implied that Robb kept to his gut after considering the matter for a long while, eventually deciding that, in the event of his death, Jon Snow would be renamed Jon Stark and become the King in the North.

2Wyman Manderly Can Proclaim Jon Snow As King In The North

Wyman Manderly Might Hold Robb Stark’s Will

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One of the most in-depth and awe-inspiring A Song of Ice & Fire theories available is that of the Great Northern Conspiracy. The full theory is worth reading for anyone who has a few hours to spare, but for now, here’s a brief summary of the main idea, as it pertains to Jon Snow, which differs from Game of Thrones. In the TV series, Wyman Manderly appears in Game of Thrones season 6 and declines to provide aid during the Battle of the Bastards. His son died at the Red Wedding, but he doesn’t believe the Starks can defeat the Boltons and reclaim the North.

In the novels, Wyman Manderly claims to support the Boltons in their current political standing, but he suggests to Davos that he’s actively against the Lannisters and Boltons. To make this clear, he even turns Frey men into pie. Wyman Manderly is the most likely person to be holding on to Robb’s letter, so he could be the one to proclaim Jon as King in the North, which Lyanna Mormont does in the TV show.

1Jon Snow’s Personality Won’t Be The Same Upon His Return

Jon Snow Could Become A Darker Character

Jon Snow is the noble traditional hero throughout Game of Thrones, and while it seems likely that he’ll always be a protagonist, George R.R. Martin has teased that Jon Snow would become “greyer” as time went on. It wouldn’t be A Song of Ice & Fire if Jon was immune to making a questionable choice as the series reaches its climax. Being betrayed, murdered, and afterward being resurrected seems like the perfect opportunity to make a notable transition.

There are some differences between Jon before and after his resurrection in the TV series, but not enough to properly justify a resurrection. To resurrect a character in a story like this has to lead to some level of significance, and unlike in Game of Thrones, it would make sense for Jon to change. For him to come out of this experience darker and scarier than before would make Jon harder to follow, but it might be just who the Prince that was Promised has to be, especially given the story of Azor Ahai.