Jon Snow has been through it on Game of Thrones. He’s lost several members of his family, the love of his life died in his arms, and he stared down the Night King before his own men murdered him. And that’s all before Melisandre brought him back from the dead and dubbed him “The Prince That Was Promised,” as if the guy wasn’t under enough pressure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxjt3lF9CrY
If you’re unfamiliar with the idea of The Prince That Was Promised, it’s basically a messiah myth, a prophecy spread by followers of Melisandre’s Red God (mostly) that a legendary savior will be reborn into the world and save it from the long night to come. Here’s the abridged version:
"Azor Ahai will be reborn amidst smoke and salt beneath a bleeding star, wielding the flaming sword Lightbringer to defend the world from R’hllor’s nemesis, the Other."
“Azor Ahai” and “the Prince That Was Promised” are used pretty much interchangeably in the novels. Whatever you call this figure, Westeros could probably use him very soon, what with the Night King and his army marching on the Wall. Like Melisandre, many fans are expecting Jon Snow to fill the role. What does actor Kit Harington think of that? The Huffington Post got his take:
"I think you have to wait and see what happens this year, and if we find out anything more about Jon. I think Jon would hate the term ‘The Prince That Was Promised.’ If someone turned to him and said, ‘You’re The Prince That Was Promised,’ he just wouldn’t pay much attention. That’s what I love about him, so I don’t really care about it either. You know, I think that’s what’s great about him. He’s got very little ego on him."
So if Jon were told he was destined to save all mankind from eternal darkness, he’d shrug it off. He is his
father’s
uncle’s son.
Still, you can see why so many people are expecting Jon to step up. Take the bit from the prophecy about being born “beneath a bleeding star.” During Lyanna Stark’s death scene in the season 6 finale, the director was careful to focus on the pommel of Dawn, Arthur Dayne’s sword, as Ned Stark set it down next to his sister’s birthing bed. There’s a star on the pommel, and the sword was covered in blood from the battle outside. Also, according to legend, the blade of Dawn is forged from stone found inside a falling star. It’s a bleeding star, and Jon Snow was born beneath it. You see where we’re going with this.
Like it or not, we think someone will bring up the whole “Prince That Was Promised” business to Jon before long.