Game of Thrones Finale Status Quo Jon Back at the Night Watch Again

Game of Thrones' terminal stretch was panned for many reasons, not the to the lowest degree of which is the fact that information technology leaned on its scattered instances of foreshadowing to justify sure character developments instead of the meticulous real-time character development ane might've expected, equally with that rapid Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) heel turn in "The Bells." And lo, making sense of the fate of Jon Snowfall (Kit Harington) in the series finale also requires a bit of looking back to how this arc developed.

Now that HBO Max is launching to bring Thrones to the top of a new kingdom of streaming options, we wanted to celebrate past look bankroll at exactly how the series built up to Jon Snow's final moments throughout its run.

The man who passes the judgement...

For starters, Jon'south conclusion to kill Daenerys himself rings truthful to his long-held family philosophy, start introduced by his "father" Ned Stark (Sean Bean), that "the human who passes the sentence should swing the sword." Every bit the but person in the world who could best Daenerys' claim to the Iron Throne, it was him alone who could choose to sentence her to death. Possibly more than importantly, he was also the only person who could possibly become close enough to her to get in happen, since Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) was as loyal every bit ever and Drogon would never. Thus, information technology was on Jon to pass the sentence and swing the sword -- er, plunge the dagger.

The Lord of Calorie-free's design...

The determination too gives weight to the theory that whomever the Lord of Light resurrects has a designed purpose for being revived. Some might've expected Jon Snow to become the "prince who was promised" every bit a consequence of his 2d chance at life and the revelation that he was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, ergo rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Yet, he has always been a reluctant leader, so his lack of ambition for that position is in keeping with his personality throughout the serial. Jon was likewise rendered useless in the Boxing of Winterfell, so ending the Nighttime Male monarch was evidently not to be his fate either. Instead, it looks like Jon Snowfall was saved so he could do what he does best: kill. Jon once said that he didn't like doing what he was good at, but the finale positioned him in such a style that he had to end at to the lowest degree i more than life before his mission could be complete.

Drogon's decision...

When Jon Snow beginning met Drogon in Dragonstone, at that place was a fear that the fire-breather might make toast out of the erstwhile King in the North, but he didn't, and many believed that all but confirmed his Targaryen lineage. Information technology'due south non clear why Drogon would lay waste to the Iron Throne and not the man who basically prevented his mother from occupying information technology, but this isn't the get-go fourth dimension Drogon has refrained from burning him alive, which may mean he also has at least some dragon blood in his veins which prevented Drogon from dracarys-ing him out of existence.

Taking the blackness...

The very first time we met Jon Snowfall, he was well on his way to joining the Night'south Watch. He'd chosen to do so considering he e'er felt alienated by his status every bit a bastard -- which Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley)'due south constant eye daggers did little to mollify. Little did he know, the real reason Jon Snow wasn't a true Stark sibling was his surreptitious parentage, not a moment of dishonor for Ned Stark, simply even from the beginning, Jon Snow was willing to send himself into exile as a effect of the stigma that surrounded his status. We've seen before with Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) how becoming a "Kingslayer," even i who killed a unsafe tyrant like the Mad Rex, is a scarlet letter that never fades, and now that Jon Snowfall has go a "Queenslayer," his proper name (not to mention, his already broken eye) is forever tainted once more. The Night's Watch was the place where broken men like he is now were one time sent to live a life of servitude in exchange for their ills, and fifty-fifty in this wheel-ridden world* (*we'll have to accept the prove's word on that i), it seems that tradition will carry on.

Echoing Maester Targaryen...

It was no accident that upon first joining the Night's Spotter, Jon Snow concluded up in the service of Maester Aemon, who turned out to be a Targaryen who had renounced his merits to the Iron Throne, giving rise to the Mad Rex. Jon Snowfall did something similar by refusing to stake a merits above Daenerys'. On his deathbed, Aemon had a vision of his brother "Egg," a nickname for Aegon, which was likewise the birthname of Jon Snow, though no ane knew it at the time, which also foreshadowed a closer connection betwixt the two characters way back in Season 5. Indeed, this flavor, Jon Snow echoed Aemon's words during his funeral speech communication subsequently the Battle of Winterfell, which was another bespeak that he might ultimately follow in the footsteps of his late great, corking uncle and current of air up in Castle Black instead of King's Landing. His conversation with Tyrion most existence "the shield that guards the realms of men" was another reminder of that eventuality.

The lookout has just begun...

The Night's Watch might seem obsolete now that the Night Rex's army has been defeated, and the truce between the northmen and the wildlings appears built to final, merely if Game of Thrones has taught united states anything, it's that time is a circle, with history constantly repeating. At some point, the Night's Sentinel may go necessary one time again, whether due to dark magic or the malice of human being, so having someone who knows its value and potential for abuses could help to defend the original purpose of the Night'due south Watch while ensuring that it doesn't again become a barrier between the realms of men. Of course, Jon Snow is obviously uninterested in becoming the 1000th Lord Commander right now and has instead decided to maybe possibly get the new Rex Across the Wall -- if that -- or at least endeavour his darndest to exist the bridge between the Night's Watch and the wildlings in hopes of keeping the peace.

The true Due north...

Later the Smashing War ended, Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) informed Jon that he and the remaining wildlings would head back home through Castle Black and so that they could roam the wilderness every bit complimentary folk over again. Jon Snow sent his direwolf Ghost along with him considering he knew it was where the pup would be happier and added, "I wish I was going with you lot." The conversation besides continued to drop hints that he might eventually follow his four-legged friend'south path, when Tormund declined to take that this was a true "farewell," and told him, "You've got the North in you. The real North." It wasn't the starting time time Jon Snow revealed he might accept a deeper connection to the wildlings; during his time with Ygritte (Rose Leslie), he developed a genuine fondness for their lifestyle and was later willing to admit, "Aye, I talk like a wildling." 1 of Jon Snowfall's almost significant achievements on Game of Thrones was to pause downwards the barrier between the people of Westeros and those north of the Wall, and then it's a bittersweet end for him to join those erstwhile foes who became friends in the end.

Bran the (vicarious) builder...

Game of Thrones fans might take been disappointed that the "Bran is the Night King" prediction never panned out, but at that place's some other theory about Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) that is somewhat serviced past Jon going back n. Some fans accept long believed that Bran'south time-hopping skills would result in him inspiring the fabled Bran the Architect to construct the Wall during the Age of Heroes. By instructing Jon to re-join the Night's Watch, Bran may exist paving the way for Jon to eventually rebuild the Wall, which would satisfy that theory in a roundabout fashion and also go along the series' overarching tendency of history beingness a circumvolve -- that is, assuming that fourth dimension is a circle theory leads him back to Castle Black the aforementioned style information technology did final time he began to alloy in with the Wildlings. For now, though, he's roaming gratis with Ghost and the rest of 'em, and we don't know if that gate to Castle Black will always open for him again.

Game of Thrones is available on HBO and will be part of HBO Max's launch library on Wed, May 27.

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Source: https://www.tvguide.com/news/game-of-thrones-hinted-jon-snow-fate/