Jon Snow has been the name on every Game of Thrones fan’s lips since the season 5 finale when he was (spoiler alert!) brutally attacked and left bleeding in the snow and presumed dead. For months, the popular character’s fate has been the subject of speculation, with his appearance on set giving Snow lovers hope, not to mention the season 6 poster featuring his bloody image. Finally, actor Kit Harington has spoken out about his character’s involvement in the upcoming season, but this being Game of Thrones, it’s yet another cryptic teaser.
There’s good news and bad news when it comes to what we know so far about Snow’s return: Harington told the U.K.’s Time Out in an interview that he did, in fact, film new scenes for season 6, but they’re scenes in which he is nothing but a lifeless corpse. “It’s some of my best work,” he joked.
While copping to filming scenes as a corpse didn’t necessarily rule out the possibility of him having also shot scenes as a living, breathing Snow as well, other comments essentially did. Harington seemed to shut the door on any possible season 6 return by the former Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, saying, “I’m not in the show any more. I’m definitely not in the new series.”
The comments come as a blow to those who have been crossing their fingers for Snow’s survival or resurrection. New Game of Thrones cast member Ian McShane recently let it slip that his character would “bring back a much loved character everybody thinks is dead,” so it had seemed possible that Snow might be the deceased in question. Now, however, Harington has more or less doused the embers of hope.
Harington did reveal another clue about Snow’s role, though. “I know how long I’m a corpse for, but I can’t tell you that!” he said. Perhaps Snow’s state isn’t permanent and he eventually does return from the dead — just not in season 6? It’s enough to bend that portion of your brain dedicated solely to GoT into a Westeros-style pretzel. But all denials aside, as we’ve seen in the past, nothing is certain in Game of Thrones — aside from the fact that, you know, winter is (eventually?) coming.
Game of Thrones season 6 premiere on April 24 on HBO.
