The weeks after a season of Game of Thrones ends are always the height of speculative fervor, don't you think? Since there is a lot of talk going around that Melisandre will resurrect Jon Snow with her Red magic, I decided to revisit "The Climb" from Game of Thrones Season 3 and search each scene for clues that Jon Snow is alive. This is the episode in which Melisandre is introduced to the Lord of Light's ability to bring people back from the dead, so it has to be key.
This is a pretty major episode for the middle of the season in other ways as well. Plans are made for the Red Wedding. Ramsay delivers his famous line "if you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." This is also where we get Littlefinger's famous "chaos is a ladder" speech. The speech ends as Jon Snow successfully climbs the Wall with the Wildlings, so that's what I might consider a half clue that he hasn't lost yet even though Ygritte does warn him that the Night's Watch doesn't care about his survival. While chilling with the Brotherhood without Banners, Arya hits a target with arrows in exactly the same places where Joffrey will later shoot and kill Ros after Lord Baelish deems her a bad investment and hands her over to the King to get back at Varys. I am devastated. Never forget Ros!
I promise to put a positive spin on all of this. As far as Jon Snow is concerned, here are three major moments that could point to the Bastard of Winterfell and Lord Commander's ultimate destiny and survival.
The Samwell of Music
The episode opens with Sam and Gilly making a fire and singing songs. Sam shows her his Dragonglass dagger. This isn't so much a Jon Snow clue, but it does hint to the connection between the North/Wildlings/Jon Snow and House Targaryen.
Jojen & The Amazing Technicolor Dream
Meanwhile, Jojen Reed has a nightmare about Jon Snow. Bran excitedly asks if he saw him at Castle Black, and Jojen doesn't directly answer him. "I saw Jon Snow. He was on the wrong side of the Wall and surrounded by enemies," he says. So, back then we thought that was referring to Jon being undercover with the Wildlings. However, what if he was looking farther into the future? It seems pretty clear now that Jon Snow has enemies no matter which side of the Wall he's on. What if he's really supposed to be North of the Wall? We know the Reeds aren't prejudiced against the North or the Wildlings. It doesn't make sense that he would refer to them this way. There may have been more to the young boy's premonition.
Is this a clue that Jon Snow's true place is North of the Wall, either as a Wildling or a White Walker? In that case, he's gotta be alive.
Thoros of Myr, Superstar
Melisandre rides up to the Brotherhood without Banners. She and Thoros speak to each other in High Valyrian and we learn that Thoros was given a mission by the High Priest to convert King Robert Baratheon to the Lord of Light and either failed or quit. "You worship Him your way. I'll worship Him mine," Thoros retorts. I miss Thoros. He did sell Gendry to the Red Woman, but he was a chill dude otherwise. The Priest then takes her to meet Beric Dondarrion, a man he has resurrected six times. She is shocked, and tells Thoros that he shouldn't have this kind of power. He insists that it is not his doing, only his request that first occurred when he was having a crisis of faith. He saw Beric's corpse, spoke the words out of desperation more than belief, and the man's eyes opened once again.
Okay, so fast forward to the Season 5 finale. Melisandre arrives at Castle Black looking devastated. We've never seen her so unsure of herself ever before. She's always super confident in whomever she's burning. One might describe this as a crisis of faith. Can't you see her saying a desperate, conflicted prayer over Jon Snow's body? This could be a clue!
Interesting to note — the first time Beric died was at the hands of the Mountain, another recently resurrected character. In the words of Lady Cyrus, "there's always gonna be another Mountain." Did you think I was gonna get through this whole post about "The Climb" without making a Miley reference? You were wrong!
Images: HBO (screengrab); Giphy (3)
