When The Winds of Winter taking so long comes the benefit of George R.R. Martin ensuring he gets it right.

Of course, readers can be confident of the character's resurrection, and not just because of his importance to the story. The Winds of Winter theory has Jon living as Ghost for a time after his death. And those differences should continue into how he's resurrected as well.

The Winds Of Winter Will Likely Resurrect Jon Snow In A Different Way

Game Of Thrones' Version Lacked GRRM's Depth

Jon Snow coming back to life in Game of Thrones was inevitable, but the way it was handled was likely different - at least in part - to what Martin has planned for The Winds of Winter, for a couple of reasons. Firstly is time: while there was a year-long gap between seasons 5 and 6, not much time ed in-universe, and Jon was resurrected within a couple of episodes.

It's difficult to imagine Martin, who is never one for expediting plot lines, having his resurrection happen very early in the next book.

It's difficult to imagine Martin, who is never one for expediting plot lines, having his resurrection happen very early in the next book. If the Jon-as-Ghost theory is correct, then we may have several chapters of him living inside his direwolf, which could have the knock-on effect of him being different when he does return. Even if that doesn't happen, it's fair to assume it won't be something that happens too swiftly.

Similarly, I'd also have to predict that Jon's resurrection will be far more complicated in the book. There wasn't a lot to it in the show, with Melisandre saying a few magical words and, eventually, Jon coming back. While Martin doesn't have a magical system with myriad, complex rules in the same way as, say, Brandon Sanderson's books do, he should explain the process in more depth than Game of Thrones did, and have it require a greater cost.

Could Shireen Baratheon Be Sacrificed To Resurrect Jon Snow?

Her Death Is Confirmed To Happen In The Books

Although it's not a fixed rule - because Beric Dondarrion comes back without Thoros of Myr dying - a common theme (and belief) in A Song of Ice and Fire is that "only death can pay for life." We see this in Daenerys Targaryen's story, and when Catelyn Stark is resurrected as Lady Stoneheart, with Beric giving his life for hers. If there does need to be a death in order for Jon Snow to come back to life, then there's a big one we know is almost certainly happening in The Winds of Winter: Shireen Baratheon.

Martin gave the showrunners three plot twists, which they termed "holy s**t" moments:

1. Shireen Baratheon's death.
2. Hodor's death, and the true meaning of his name.
3. Bran Stark becoming king at the end.

However, while Shireen is expected to die in the book, the circumstances will have to be different. She and Melisandre remained at the Wall while Stannis marched on Winterfell; they are leagues apart, and so there's not going to be the same story where she's sacrificed to help his army. Indeed, it's very possible Stannis will actually defeat Ramsay Bolton in the book, so there must be more to her dying.

Enter Jon Snow. Melisandre, while ing Stannis, is gradually being convinced of Jon's importance. As A Dance with Dragons notes:

"I pray for a glimpse of Azor Ahai, and R'hllor shows me only Snow."

If Melisandre believes Jon to be Azor Ahai reborn, then it's possible she will sacrifice Shireen in order to bring him back to life. She believes strongly in the power of king's blood, something Shireen possesses. She's certainly not beyond doing it, and nor is Shireen's mother, Selyse. Indeed, the person at the Wall who'd be most likely to stop it is... Jon himself, and that would require him not being dead or off inside a direwolf somewhere.

There is another baby at the Wall who, as it stands, Melisandre believes has king's blood: the child of Mance Rayder. However, Jon switched the child with the son of Gilly, and it's that baby who is at the Wall. If Melisandre discovers this, or performs a sacrifice and it fails, then Shireen being her next port-of-call could be even more likely.

It's also possible that Shireen's sacrifice isn't even intended to resurrect Jon, though it requires a longer timeline of things. If Stannis, in his desperation to defeat the Others and fulfill his destiny as Azor Ahai, were to sacrifice her, then it could have the unintended impact of bringing Jon back, confirming Jon is Azor Ahai. Mel has talked a lot about king's blood waking the stone dragon as part of this prophecy. That could be seen as resurrecting (waking) Jon (the dragon), with the stone being both his dead state, and Shireen's greyscale.

The Problems With The Jon Snow/Shireen Baratheon Theory

It Could Work, But It's Not A Perfect Solution

There's some evidence and foreshadowing that Shireen will be sacrificed in order to resurrect Jon Snow, but it's not a perfect fit. It would certainly be cruel, and if Jon is going to be darker and different when he returns - something I assume is the case to some degree - then discovering an innocent child was killed so he could live would fit with that. At the same time, since Jon will likely go on to save the day, it risks making Shireen's death look like a worthy sacrifice, which doesn't feel like the point of it.

If Shireen is to die in the book then, while her and Stannis are a lot closer in A Song of Ice and Fire, it may be more likely that it's done in a way that involves him.

Game of Thrones didn't adapt Stannis' arc perfectly, but Shireen being burned ultimately being pointless, because he lost and died anyway, did feel like the kind of thing Martin would have planned about the dangers of buying into your own destiny, and the costs that come with that. If Shireen is to die in the book then, while her and Stannis are a lot closer in A Song of Ice and Fire, it may be more likely that it's done in a way that involves him.

That still doesn't fully rule out Shireen being used for Jon's resurrection in The Winds of Winter, following the Azor Ahai scenario. But it does seem like Martin would have it be more of a planned resurrection, and then Shireen's sacrifice be separate and, ultimately, fruitless. It's definitely an interesting theory and, despite the issues, one that remains plausible, but compared to something like Jon living on as Ghost, it doesn't seem quite as nailed on.

• The Winds of Winter
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  Game of Thrones

  Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.