Rumor: Season 6 White Walker scene to be bigger than Hardhome, an “utter shock”
Ask any Game of Thrones fan what their favorite episode from Season 5 was, and the response is likely to be “Hardhome.” In a season where the writing and pacing seemed to get constantly called into question, “Hardhome” stood head and shoulders above the rest. What made the episode so unforgettable was the last 30 or so minutes, where Lord Commander Jon Snow led a rescue mission to the titular village.
Of course, as you well know, the rescue mission turned into a massacre, as the Night’s King and his White Walkers descended on Hardhome with a legion of the undead. The crisp pace, coupled with some amazing fight choreography and excellent dialogue, made the episode unforgettable.
So it’s kind of hard to believe that Season 6, which has just now begun filming, would boast an even bigger White Walker-themed episode. Well, that’s exactly what website Highlight Hollywood is claiming. Now, I must warn you to take this with a grain of salt—in fact, a bucket of salt wouldn’t be out of place—but the site is claiming that they have a source close to the production who is saying that this will, and please forgive the played-out terminology, “break the internet.”
"If you think the special effects were magnificent in last season’s (5) eight episode, you had better prepare for utter shock coming up next year. Not only are the dragons going to be massive next season, but viewers are about to learn more about the mysterious creatures from the Lands of Always Winter."
Of course, the site does not provide any proof for its claim beyond its anonymous source, but it does pique one’s interest. What would constitute a “break the internet” moment? Let’s do what we do best and speculate, shall we?
Scenario 1: The Night’s King and his undead horde descend upon the Wall at Castle Black. The brothers there, who’ve just betrayed their Lord Commander and stabbed him to death, have not stayed true (“The monsters cannot pass so long as the Wall stands and the men of the Night’s Watch stay true,”—Bran I, A Dance with Dragons), and the spells that help to keep the Wall intact fail, allowing the White Walkers to swarm Castle Black, slaughtering every man there.
This scenario seems likely at this point in the story. With Jon’s death (regardless of whether he’ll be resurrected or not) the show has lost its main point of view at the Wall. Many fans have theorized that, in order for the threat of the White Walkers to hold any weight, a catastrophic event—like the collapse of the Wall—would have to happen.
Scenario 2: Jon’s body is carried North of the Wall by his good friends Eddison Tollett and Tormund Giantsbane to be burned under a Weirwood tree, much like Jon did with Ygritte’s body after the battle at the Wall. Before Edd or Tormund can put a torch to Jon’s pyre, the Night’s King shows up, touches Jon’s forehead, and awakens a blue-eyed Jon “White Walker” Snow.
This scenario seems much less likely as we just do not know what is going to happen at Castle Black in the beginning of Season 6. We have nothing from the books to go by, so we are all just guessing. However, I don’t think this too far fetched to consider. We’ve seen the Night’s King turn an infant into a White Walker, and since we know that Jon is somehow special and central to the story of A Song of Ice and Fire, perhaps he could be turned as well, and made a champion for the Others. That would most certainly inspire people to rush to their favorite message boards where they could freak out appropriately.
Scenario 3: Jon is resurrected by Melisandre, who just happened to be at the Wall at the time of Jon’s death, and he becomes the Lord of Light’s champion. As Azor Ahai reborn, Jon leads a rag-tag group of wildlings and men of the Night’s Watch who were not in on the stabbing in an assault, on the home of the White Walkers in the Lands of Always Winter. Jon and the Night’s King face off, with Jon delivering a killing blow with his Valyrian steel sword Lightbringer, née Longclaw.
This scenario definitely falls into the “tinfoil” category. However, if there is to be a champion of light, and since Stannis has been slain by Brienne, Jon seems the most likely candidate to carry the banner of R’hllor…especially if he can be resurrected by a kiss of fire from the red priestess. Imagine the chaos and confusion in the ranks of the White Walker’s undead army if the Night’s King were killed. It’s obvious from the end of Hardhome that he has control over the wights, so it’s not a stretch to think that the wights would probably fall to the ground dead once he’s not around to animate their bodies.
Again, this is all just speculation based on an unsubstantiated report, but even without Highlight Hollywood’s anonymous source, we could have guessed that the producers will ratchet up the stakes north of the Wall sometime soon. The threat of the White Walkers has to be felt by the viewing audience, and if Jon Snow is dead or resurrected for the opposing side, the few remaining men at the Wall stand no chance at mounting any sort of defense.