As he struggled in life, Jon Snow continues to do so after Game of Thrones. Kit Harington’s breakout role in George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world was a definitive part of the series, and his character’s fate would either make or break the show. Fans will be debating the end of Game of Thrones until the end of time, but Jon Snow was one of the many characters whose conclusion was less than ideal. Years after he decides to live beyond the Wall, Jon’s storyline has an opportunity to be salvaged.
Harington and Martin started developing a Jon Snow spin-off which would take place after Brandon Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) becomes King of Westeros. Harington spoke to Josh Horowtiz on his podcast, Happy Sad Confused, to address what happened when the potential series fell apart. Two years after its demise, the Game of Thrones actor acknowledges that he strongly believed in the project, but decided it was better to put it aside.
A Jon Snow Series Needs to Be More Than Beyond the Wall
Kit Harington didn’t completely divulge the inner workings of the Jon Snow series, but ultimately felt like it wasn’t the time for the story. Though he still believes that there is a world where such a show could exist, he also maintains that he doesn’t want the project to go forward if it isn’t working. This speaks volumes about what the glaring issue with such a show may be.
Jon Snow’s character arc is entirely cyclical in Game of Thrones. Despite having royal parentage and being the type of person who was practically groomed for command, he ends up right where he started. Instead of joining the Night’s Watch again, he joins Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) beyond the Wall to experience the first taste of true freedom he has ever had. It is unfortunate that this freedom takes place on a frigid tundra.
The possibilities for the future of Jon Snow are just as bleak as his surroundings. To create an engaging series that would be a worthy successor to Game of Thrones, Jon’s story would have to be more than just his adventures beyond the Wall. Though not substantiated, this could have been the biggest issue with developing a Jon Snow series.
The Targaryen descendant was written into a corner, which would be somewhat difficult to get out of. The most obvious solution would be leading Jon back to Westeros in a way that redeems a character arc that essentially went nowhere. Just as Harington stated, however, it may be better to leave well enough alone if the concept for such a series isn’t there.
While most viewers probably didn’t envision Jon having such a dismal ending with the Starks being separated from each other once again, it gave Jon the first sense of peace he has had since he was born. Thrown into a plot that he had no control over, he had to endure bullying and abuse from a potential mother figure and lies from everyone he trusted.
Learning the truth about his parentage never gave him the solace he needed. Breaking away from the fight for the Iron Throne may be the only way for Jon to achieve what is owed to him. Then again, fans may just want to see him take on his birthright over the Seven Kingdoms.
