Jon Snow’s death and resurrection in Game of Thrones seasons 5-6 had little impact on the rest of the show, so why did GoT toy with viewers’ emotions?

While the series was known for killing off characters fans love, Jon Snow’s death in Game of Thrones was a misguided attempt to shock viewers and ended up being one of the biggest blunders. There have been unpopular decisions in Game of Thrones, including the majority of the show’s final season. However, long before that, the series showed signs that it was abandoning solid storytelling for buzzworthy twists with the season 5 and season 6 storyline of Jon Snow’s death and resurrection.

Jon Snow dies in the Game of Thrones season 5 finale “Mother’s Mercy” when he is stabbed to death by a faction of the Night’s Watch for bringing the Wildlings south of the Wall. However, in season 6, episode 2, “Home,” Jon is brought back to life by Melisandre. Though it became a much talked-about moment for the series, many complained about the failed shock value, the lowering of the stakes, and the lack of purpose. Though the Jon Snow spinoff could finally redeem the moment, Jon’s death on Game of Thrones remains controversial.

Jon Snow’s death fakeout hasn’t just aged badly — it wasn’t received well when it aired either. It’s easy to see why the showrunners thought they might be able to get away with actually convincing fans that Jon was dead (and not coming back). A Dance With Dragons ends Jon Snow’s story with the Mutiny at Castle Black, so in both A Song Of Ice And Fire and Game Of Thrones, viewers and readers alike are left on a cliffhanger with Jon stabbed by his men and apparently killed.

What Benioff and Weiss did not factor in, however, was the fact that the fandom had learned about Jon’s death in A Dance With Dragons back in 2011. Book readers had already had four years to speculate on how Jon Snow could come back to life. By the time Jon died in Game of Thrones season 5, many dedicated viewers were already convinced not only of his return but how it would happen.

The fact that the stabbing happened in the book years before meant that the mutiny itself had essentially no shock value for book fans, and there was no real debate over whether Jon would return in season 6. However, while those in the know were well aware that the Jon Snow death wasn’t permanent, that doesn’t change the fact that his resurrection felt like a cheap narrative gimmick to end the 5th season of Game of Thrones on.

Game Of Thrones Showrunners Pretended They Tricked Audiences

Fans Remained Unconvinced Jon Snow’s Death Was Permanent

Jon Snow’s death scene also fell flat because fans doubted it was real. Although Game of Thrones killed off key characters early, like Ned Stark and Robb Stark, there was a consensus in the fandom that this death wouldn’t stick. In story terms, it was clear that Westeros simply wasn’t done with Jon. The mystery of Jon’s parentage had yet to be answered so every book fan knew that the series couldn’t be done with him before that particular reveal came into play.

The Red Woman, who could theoretically bring people back from the dead, just happening to be back at Castle Black was too coincidental not to be noticed. The fact that Kit Harrignton was photographed keeping his trademark long hair even after supposedly being killed off offered more hints. However, the showrunners decided to ignore the fandom’s insistence and act as though the death was permanent. Harington even commented to say that he had been told he was definitely dead (via EW).

Despite the fact that the Game of Thrones fandom had no doubts Jon would be resurrected, the show continued to act as though it was all a big surprise, but there was a sense that the show was patronizing fans rather than trying to hide the secret. Game of Thrones would have been better off treating Jon’s death similarly to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s treatment of Thanos’ snap in Avengers: Infinity War. Everybody knew that the heroes Thanos sent away with the Blip would return somehow, and Marvel Studios didn’t pretend otherwise — the hype was in finding out how.

Game Of Thrones Season 8 Didn’t Justify Jon’s Death Fakeout

Jon Played A Surprisingly Unimportant Role In The Final Season

Jon Snow’s death being permanent was an unconvincing narrative development, but what’s worse is that the Game of Thrones ending did nothing to justify the death fakeout. Despite the love of the show for much of its run, the final season of Game of Thrones was heavily criticized. One of the major complaints was the rushed feeling of the final season that failed to wrap up storylines in a satisfying way and Jon Snow’s resurrection arc was one of them.

While many viewers expected Jon would be the one to take down the Night King or possibly sit on the Iron Throne in the end, his fat was never guaranteed. However, the real crime of Jon Snow in season 8 of Game of Thrones was just that he didn’t do anything. The show always liked to subvert expectations and the idea of Jon not being the hero everyone thought he was destined to be was interesting. However, the way they went about it was to make him a passive character.

Jon Snow sits by and watches chaos unfold, reacting far too late when he kills Daenerys, and making it feel like his purpose in being resurrected was meaningless. The upcoming Jon Snow spinoff does have a chance to reconcile this arguably bizarre Game of Thrones twist. It’s possible that the arc could come up again, as it is rare to die and then come back to life (even in Westeros), and the spinoff has an opportunity to give the choice more context.

In addition, House of the Dragon is also adding more importance to Jon Snow’s story through his Targaryen heritage. Early on in the Game of Thrones spinoff series, King Viserys tells Rhaenyra of Aegon’s dream, “A Song of Ice & Fire.” It’s possible that more of the prophecy in the context of HotD will be revealed, which could also add weight to Jon’s death.

Jon’s Return From Death Has To Mean More In The Books

Martin’s Remaining Books Can Explore The Toll Of Jon’s Resurrection

Jon Snow’s death in Game of Thrones did a lot of damage to that character, especially in the way the rest of the series handled his arc. While there is some chance of the Jon Snow spinoff finding a way to undo some of that damage, the only real way to redeem Jon Snow’s death is through George R. R. Martin’s books.

To date, the last moment of Jon in the books was his assassination in A Dance with Dragons. Of course, the show has now confirmed that Jon still has a role to play in the story and that the books will have to resurrect him as well, it can mean a lot more in the books.

The show has never been as interested in the prophecies of Martin’s books, from the Prince That Was Promised to the Valonqar prophecy. Jon’s resurrection will surely play into the idea of him being the Prince That Was Promised as Martin has laid the groundwork quite convincingly already. Likewise, the author will surely put more weight on the importance of Jon’s parentage than the show did, meaning that Jon’s return will have more to it.

Most interesting will be how Jon’s resurrection changes him. The show glossed over the fact that this character came back from the dead far too easily, offering no consequences. However, the books have hinted that there is a heavy toll that must be paid. Berric Dondarrion was resurrected several times in the books, and he admits he loses part of his humanity each time.

Likewise, Catelyn Stark is resurrected as Lady Stoneheart, becoming an emotionless killer. Perhaps the books will show Jon losing some of his honor when he returns, making those choices in the later seasons of Game of Thrones make more sense.