Editing Jon Snow (character) (section)

==Storylines==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
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Jon Snow is first introduced in ''[[A Game of Thrones]]'' (1996), as he and his five siblings adopt six orphaned direwolf cubs. Jon takes the runt of the litter, a white cub that he names Ghost. Known by all as [[Ned Stark]]'s illegitimate son and with Ned's wife [[Catelyn Stark|Catelyn]] despising him, Jon has always felt removed from the rest of the Stark family. He resolves to join the [[Night's Watch]], as his status as a bastard prevents him from holding lands or marrying into a good family, whereas a life in the Night's Watch would offer opportunities for advancement. At [[The Wall (A Song of Ice and Fire)|The Wall]], the other recruits resent Jon's aura of superiority, but he makes amends by helping them master swordplay. He also befriends [[Samwell Tarly]], a cowardly lordling who, despite being helpless with weapons, is keenly intelligent. Jon's independence and his compassion for the recruits invite the ire of the harsh master-at-arms [[Alliser Thorne]], who sees Jon as a threat to his authority. Jon gains the notice of Lord Commander [[Jeor Mormont]], who names Jon his personal [[squire]] and grooms Jon for command. After a dead Night's Watch brother brought back from beyond the Wall reanimates as an [[undead]] wight, Jon saves Mormont's life by killing the creature. In thanks, Mormont gives Jon House Mormont's ancestral sword Longclaw, made of [[Valyrian steel]], with a wolf's head pommel custom-made for Jon. However, Jon is torn between his vows to the Night's Watch and his loyalty to his family after learning of Ned's execution and his half brother [[Robb Stark|Robb]]'s march south for justice. Jon resolves to desert the Night's Watch and join Robb, but his friends convince Jon to remain loyal to his vows. Mormont is aware of Jon's attempt at desertion, but convinces Jon that the new threat beyond the Wall is more concerning than events in the south. Mormont then orders a great ranging, with Jon accompanying him.<ref name="SparkNotes Jon GoT"/>{{sfn|Martin|1996}}

===''A Clash of Kings''===
In 1998's ''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', Mormont leads a party of Night's Watch rangers beyond the Wall to investigate the disappearance of Jon's uncle [[Benjen Stark|Benjen]], assess the intentions of the [[wildling (character)|wildling]] leader [[Mance Rayder]], and learn more of the threat posed by the [[Others (A Song of Ice and Fire)|Others]]. Jon is sent out with a scouting party led by [[Qhorin Halfhand]]. On the journey, Jon comes upon a wildling lookout and takes the spearwife [[Ygritte]] captive; though told to kill her, Jon lets her escape. Jon and Qhorin are subsequently captured by the wildlings. Facing execution by Mance's hand, Qhorin commands Jon to infiltrate the wildlings and learn their plans at any cost. Jon pretends to disavow the Night's Watch, and the wildlings force him to fight Qhorin to the death to earn their trust. With Qhorin's silent consent, Jon kills him with the aid of Ghost.<ref name="SparkNotes Jon CoC"/>{{sfn|Martin|1998}}

===''A Storm of Swords''===
As ''[[A Storm of Swords]]'' (2000) begins, Jon has infiltrated the wildlings and marches with their host. He learns that Mance Rayder intends to breach the Wall and march south to escape the Others, crushing the Night's Watch if necessary. Jon breaks his vows of [[celibacy]] with Ygritte and becomes torn between his growing feelings for her and his loyalty to the Night's Watch. After climbing over the Wall with Ygritte, Jon deserts them to warn the Watch of the impending attack. He helps defend [[Castle Black]] against the wildlings' attack despite his injuries. Ygritte is killed in battle, leaving Jon stricken with grief. Jon takes over Donal Noye's command of the Wall's defense after Noye is killed. When Thorne and [[Janos Slynt]] arrive at Castle Black, they attempt to have Jon executed for desertion. Jon is freed after the judges are convinced of his loyalty but Thorne orders Jon to kill Mance under the pretense of parley. As Jon negotiates with Mance, [[Stannis Baratheon]] arrives with his army and defeats the wildings. Stannis offers to legitimize Jon and declare him Lord of [[Winterfell]] if he will align the North with Stannis. Though greatly tempted by the prospect of becoming a true [[House Stark|Stark]], Jon ultimately chooses to remain loyal to his Night's Watch vows. Due to Sam's machinations, Jon is elected as the new Lord Commander in a landslide victory.<ref name="NYT Dance 2011-07"/><ref name="SparkNotes Jon SoS"/><ref name="sfreviews DWD 2011"/>{{sfn|Martin|2000}}

===''A Feast for Crows'' and ''A Dance with Dragons''===
Jon is not a POV character in 2005's ''[[A Feast for Crows]]'', but appears briefly from Sam's perspective as he sends Sam away from Castle Black with the Watch's [[Maester Aemon]] and Mance's newborn son to protect them from being sacrificed by the Red Priestess [[Melisandre]]. Jon also gives Sam the specific mission of traveling to the Citadel in [[Oldtown (A Song of Ice and Fire)|Oldtown]] to become a maester, so that he may better understand the threat of the Others and eventually succeed Maester Aemon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fantasticreviews.com/feast_for_crows.htm |title=Fantasy Book Review: ''A Feast for Crows'' by George R. R. Martin |first=Aaron |last=Hughes |website=Fantastic Reviews |date=January 2006 |access-date=July 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626201143/http://www.fantasticreviews.com/feast_for_crows.htm |archive-date=June 26, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In ''[[A Dance with Dragons]]'' (2011), Jon prepares the defense of the realm against the Others. He attempts to juggle the integration of the wildlings, growing unrest within the Night's Watch, and Stannis' attempts to use the Watch in his war for the [[Iron Throne (A Song of Ice and Fire)|Iron Throne]], while trying to maintain the Watch's strict political neutrality. When Slynt openly defies Jon's orders multiple times, Jon executes him, which increases tension between factions. Later, he advises Stannis against attacking the Dreadfort. Jon plans to settle the wildlings in sparsely populated regions of the North and allows some of them to join the Watch to garrison the many abandoned Night's Watch fortresses. Many members of the Watch dislike the idea of allowing their ancient enemies through the Wall and welcoming them into their ranks. <!-- Please don't change the following sentence to mention Sansa. This section of the article is about the books, not the TV show, and in the books Sansa plays no role in this storyline. -->Jon learns that his sister [[Arya Stark|Arya]]<!-- Please don't change this to mention Sansa. This section of the article is about the books, not the TV show, and in the books Sansa plays no role in this storyline. --> is being married to [[Ramsay Bolton]] to secure the Bolton hold on Winterfell but in truth, the bride is [[Jeyne Poole]] posing as Arya. Jon allows Melisandre to send Mance to rescue her. He later receives a letter from Ramsay claiming that Stannis, who marched on Winterfell, has been defeated and Mance is a prisoner. Ramsay demands hostages, threatening to march on the Wall and kill Jon if he is defied.<ref name="NYT 2011-08"/><ref name="NYT Dance 2011-07"/><ref name=time_problem_power/><ref name="sfreviews DWD 2011"/><ref name="Booklist Dance"/> Finally pushed to his breaking point, Jon instead decides that he will seek out and kill Ramsay himself, openly compromising his neutrality, but he is stabbed by his Night's Watch brothers in a mutiny.<ref name="Forbes Dance">{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2015/06/07/will-game-of-thrones-jon-snow-meet-the-same-fate-in-the-show-as-he-does-in-the-books/ |title=Will ''Game of Thrones'' Jon Snow Have The Same Story In The Show As He Does In The Books? |work=[[Forbes]] |first=Dave |last=Thier |date=June 7, 2015 |access-date=June 15, 2015 |archive-date=June 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610031713/http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2015/06/07/will-game-of-thrones-jon-snow-meet-the-same-fate-in-the-show-as-he-does-in-the-books/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Martin|2011}}

Jon's presence in the forthcoming volume ''[[The Winds of Winter]]'' is uncertain; when asked in 2011 by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' "Why did you kill Jon Snow?", author Martin responded "Oh, you think he’s dead, do you?"<ref name="EW 2011-07 Hibberd"/> Asked later whether Jon was killed or will survive, Martin responded with a laugh, "I will not comment on that."<ref name="SmarterTravel">{{cite web |last=Roberts |first=Josh |url=http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/game-of-thrones-exclusive-george-martin-talks-season-the-winds-of-winter-and-real-world-influences-for-song-of-ice-and-fire.html?id=10593041 |title=''Game of Thrones'' Exclusive! George R.R. Martin Talks Season Two, ''The Winds of Winter'', and Real-World Influences for ''A Song of Ice and Fire'' |publisher=SmarterTravel.com |date=April 1, 2012 |access-date=June 11, 2015 |archive-date=March 31, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331180708/http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/game-of-thrones-exclusive-george-martin-talks-season-the-winds-of-winter-and-real-world-influences-for-song-of-ice-and-fire.html?id=10593041 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Family tree===
{{Family tree of Rickard Stark|state=collapsed}}