'Game Of Thrones' Season 5 Finale Shocker: Jon Snow Gets Stabbed To Death

Season 5 of the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones” has come to its conclusion. The season finale entitled “Mother’s Mercy” is filled with death, drama and despair for many characters. The episode also gives a few others renewed hope. Stannis faces the consequences of his actions while Jaime’s attempt to rescue Myrcella could end up in vain. Daenerys tries to find her way home while Sansa leaves hers. In the biggest and potentially most devastating event this season, Jon Snow is fallen by a mutiny staged by the brothers of the Night’s Watch.

Castle Black

Jon Snow knows that he’s made a lot of enemies at the Watch. He tells Sam about the Night’s King and after seeing the enemy, he feels justified for rescuing the Wildlings. Unfortunately for him, many in the Night’s Watch don’t agree.

Sam asks to be sent to Oldtown where he can study as a Maester. He knows that with Maester Aemon gone, he will be of better use to Jon and the watch as a Maester. Sam also sees this as the only way he can save Gilly and the baby. Jon reluctantly agrees. Unfortunately for him, as soon as his loyal friend is gone, his enemies make a move.

Olly tricks Jon into coming to a secluded spot by telling him that a wildling has information about his uncle Benjen. Once cornered, Ser Alliser Thorne and other members of the Watch start stabbing him. The final blow is delivered by his steward Olly. Jon is clearly shocked by the betrayal but he is left in the snow to bleed out and appears to be the latest well-loved character to be snuffed out of the series.

While the same thing happens to him in “A Dance With Dragons,” it remains unclear in the books if he is truly dead and will never return. For the series, actor Kit Haringtons told the New York Daily News that his character is well and truly dead.

“I'm quite dead,” he says. “It's over for Jon Snow — at the very least, he gets to join his family and kin and leave this terrible world behind.” Fans from around the world have formulated theories about Jon's fate since the release of "A Dance With Dragons." Now that the series has reached the end of his story line, there is some wishful thinking about his possible return.

The North

After sacrificing his daughter to the Lord of Light, Lord Stannis is confident that he can take Winterfell. When he wakes up on the day of his march, he finds out that half of his men have deserted him. Just when he thought he’s had enough bad news for the day, one of his men finds his wife, Selyse dead and hanging from a tree.

Stannis decides to push forward with his plans and commands his remaining men to approach the gates of Winterfell. He prepares for a siege but Ramsay Bolton has other ideas. Lord Bolton’s son decides to put matters into his own hands and attacks the measly army left with Stannis. No siege takes place and Ramsay massacres the entire Bolton Army. Stannis himself is left injured in the forest and is found by Brienne of Tarth. She sentences him to die for the murder of Renly Baratheon and executes him.

Meanwhile, with Ramsay busy attacking Stannis and his army, Sansa tries to call for help. Brienne is busy looking for Stannis so no one comes to rescue Sansa. Miranda tries to stop her from escaping but Theon finally does something good and kills Miranda. He then helps Sansa escape. The two of them jump off the walls of Winterfell to an uncertain fate.

Braavos

Arya uses the faces in the House of Black and White to disguise herself. She sneaks into the brothel and kills Ser Meryn Trant. Before killing him, she tells him who she really is. Upon her return, Jaqen H’ghar is livid. He tells her that she took a life that was not hers to take and that she’s not ready to serve the Many Faced God. He decides to punish her by giving her a potion that leaves her blind.

Dorne

Jaime is delighted that he and Myrcella are finally sailing home. They bid their Dornish hosts goodbye and set sail with Prince Trystanne Martell. While on the boat, Jaime awkwardly tries to tel Myrcella that she is his daughter. Before he could finish, she tells him that she already knows and that she is happy about it. Jaime is visibly relieved to obtain his daughter’s acceptance. His joy is short-lived however when she starts to bleed and drops to the floor. It turns out that Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes are not done with her. She has poisoned her and they are the only ones who have the antidote.

Meereen

Daario Naharis, Tyrion Lannister and Jorah Mormont are left to ponder their next move after being attacked by the Sons of the Harpy. Daenerys has flown away on the back of Drogon and they all want to find her. Grey Worm is still injured but is determined to find his Queen.

Daario decides to set aside his differences with Jorah and recruits him to look for Daenerys. He decides that Tyrion would be of better use in Meereen since he’s the only one who knows how to govern a city. He is left with Missandei and Grey worm by his side. Varys shows up just in time to stand beside Tyrion and he is unexpectedly happy to see his old friend. They both know that if they will run the place successfully, they will need each other’s help.

Meanwhile, Daenerys has found herself in the middle of the Dothraki Sea. She begs Drogon to take her back to Meereen but he refuses to obey. Just when she thinks she is left with nothing, a khalasar of Dothraki warriors arrive. They surround her but it still remains unclear if they are enemies or allies.

King’s Landing

Back at the capital, Cersei Lannister knows that she’s left with no choice. She confesses to the High Sparrow but only admits to sleeping with Lancel. She maintains her innocence on the other charges set upon her. The single confession was enough to compel the High Sparrow to send her home to the Red Keep. Before she is allowed to return however, she is made to strip down and take a walk of atonement to shame herself in front of the people. She eventually makes it to the gates, naked, bloody and dirty. Maester Qyburn takes her and introduces her to Ser Robert Strong, a new member of the King’s Guard. Strong is largely believed to be the reanimated body of The Mountain whom Qyburn has revived through his unorthodox experiments.

It remains to be seen what will happen next when the series returns next spring. "Game of Thrones" season 6 starts filming in July.

For questions/comments regarding this article, you may contact the writer at c.caparras@ibtimes.com.au