“Valar morghulis,†sure, but some people really have it coming. Like Jon Snow.
Oh stop it. Stop pretending like Jon is special. That is unless you think moping around all the time like some cliche early 2000s emo kid makes you special. The former Lord Commander might seem like one of the better people in Westeros, but it’s a country made up entirely of awful humans. Talk about damning with faint praise.
But sure, you’re right, Jon’s not that bad. It’s just that he’s no great hero either. The new King in the North only earned his crown because Sansa and Baelish rescued him after he royally screwed up. His leadership doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence, and in case you don’t remember the world needs a competent hero to defeat the White Walkers. Jon’s résumé doesn’t just fail to live up to the job, it shows why he’s more deserving of dying in season seven.
Forgot the Power of Mercy
There was a time when Jon was a merciful man, and the mercy he showed Ygritte led to him finding love. But he’s either just a sucker for a pretty face or his heart has since hardened, because when pathetic Janos Slynt begged for his life, Jon chopped his head off. In fairness, Janos did refuse a minor command. Oh the horror! But that was nothing compared to Jon hanging Olly. You remember Olly–the child who was traumatized when Jon’s best friend Tormund and the wildlings brutally murdered Olly’s parents and entire village in front of him? Geez, I wonder why Olly thought Jon deserved to die…
He Broke His Night’s Watch Vows
But somehow what he did right after killing a kid is even worse, because that’s when the Lord Commander walked away from his brothers in the Night’s Watch. At their most vulnerable, at their greatest hour of need, the man they elected as their leader got out on a technicality. Your sacred watch ends when you are “dead,” not “when you die.” Okay, those two things always meant the same thing, and Jon’s whole resurrection falls into a gray area, but is that how Jon justified deserting his sworn oath? Did he get a sleazy lawyer to go over the contract? You know what happens to people who desert the Night’s Watch? Ned Stark’s sword can tell you about that.
Was Ready to Run from the White Walkers
But somehow, amazingly, that wasn’t even the worst example of Jon’s instinct to run away from his responsibility. Once he announced his resignation from a job you can’t resign from, he told Edd he was going to go south. As in, the opposite direction of the White Walkers. Jon, who saw firsthand at Hardhome what is coming, was going to just pack it up and flee. Such bravery. Only selfish pride stopped him, when Ramsay Bolton sent him a mean letter. Jon Snow: willing to fight over some unkind words, not willing to fight to save everyone in the world. A world he has no right to be a part of.
He is an Abomination to the Laws of Gods and Men
Dead people should stay dead. Dead people that don’t stay dead tend mainly to come back as blue-eyed demons. Jon’s resurrection is not natural; it’s not right. He’s really just a zombie, and mankind’s track record with zombies is poor. Why should we think undead Jon should be any less of a threat than the rest of them? Best to kill him again and burn the body.
That’s What We Deserve
Okay, maybe the truth is that, while Jon is imperfect, he doesn’t actually deserve to be killed. Jon is brave and does put others before himself. He’s a rarity–a moral person in an immoral world. That’s why we like Jon Snow so much.
And that’s the biggest reason he needs to die, because we don’t deserve to be happy. Those of us that watch and love Game of Thrones are suckers for ever thinking “this time will be different.” This time something good will happen, rather than the worst thing ever, like every other time. In truth, we’re all Charlie Brown, and George R.R. Martin is Lucy holding the football. We deserve to fall on our asses for thinking he won’t pull it away again.
Jon deserves to die because that’s what we deserve.
But what do you think? Does Jon have it coming, or have we had too many mugs of ale in Mole’s Town? Tell us in the comments below what fate you think Jon deserves this season.
Images: HBO
