'Game of Thrones': The Eyes Have It in New Jon Snow Theory

If you’re still looking for a possible (let’s forget about plausible) explanation for how Jon Snow could have survived his Julius Caesar-like assassination at the end of Season 5 of Game of Thrones, the Internet has a new clue for you: the eyes have it. At least, that’s how MTV News writer Josh Wigler put it when he first advanced his theory on June 17, three days after the season finale devastated the TV nation. In the days and weeks since, his argument has steadily gathered steam, attracting more fans and supporters, who have been analyzing the finale’s closing moments as closely as that infamous Sopranos smash-cut to black.

So what is this grand explanation for Snow’s resurrection? It involves that final shot of Jon (played by Kit Harington) lying “dead” on the snowy ground of Castle Black, stabbed by multiple traitors within the Night’s Watch. Zooming in to CSI-levels of micro detail, Wigler noticed that Harington’s dark brown eyes appeared to lighten and turn purple just before the credits role.

And in the world of Westeros, purple eyes are common with those who have Valyrian blood coursing through their veins… most notably those folks in House Targaryen, a family that Jon may, in fact, belong to. And if that royal purple hue holds true, that would allow Lord of Light priestess, Melisandre, to bring Snow back from his otherworldly resting place, just as Thoros of Myr described resurrecting Beric Dondarrion multiple times back in Season 2.

Naturally, nobody affiliated with the show has weighed in on this theory, perhaps because they’re all busy preparing for the start of production on Season 6 in the next few weeks. And Harington, meanwhile, is busy booking jobs on major motion pictures. Still, you can bet that we’ll be keeping our… well, eye on this theory during the long, cold winter that precedes our return to Westeros.

Game of Thrones will return to HBO in spring 2016.