Man Crush Monday: Jon Snow knows plenty

Game of Thrones‘ Jon Snow is one meme-able son-of-a-bitch, isn’t he?

With those dark, curly locks, that penetrating stare, morally incorruptible spirit, and a literal “sad bastard” air that hovers over him like a dark cloud, the love child of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell is a character rife with attributes we would love to see played on continuous loop.

Perhaps the low-hanging fruit in this MCM discussion is Jon’s obvious sexual prowess. Yes, the rogue Watchman demonstrated this to the thrill and delight of a many GoT fans during the third season when he took up with lover, Ygritte, a wilding woman of incomparable spirit and moxie when he took up with the wildlings after becoming their prisoner.

When Jon decided to return to the Nights Watch, Ygritte didn’t let him go without a fight — she shot him 3 times with an arrow (*break ups are hard*). They dueled it out at the end of Season 4, albeit reluctantly, and when an errant arrow took the spitfire out, Snow honored her death by erecting a funeral pyre.

So many feels.

But as the first episode of the 5th season has shown us, Snow is much more than a rare slab of meat (although he is very much that): he’s a hero that anyone would be so lucky have on their side.

After being summoned by the deeply evil, deeply tacky “Red Woman” who always wears that smug grin and dresses ready 333for cosplay, Snow reluctantly follows her to speak with King Baratheon.

Along the way, she asks him far too many personal questions.

She’s so thirsty. The woman has no chill, but then again the fire of “the Lord” burns deep within her, so why should she?

So after Jon reveals his “number” to Melisandre, he speaks with King Baratheon about how Mance Rayder, the King of the Wildlings, needs to bow to a force greater than he — or he’ll be burned at the stake.

Jon knows it’s a pointless endeavor: Mance is a purist and lives by principles, but he tries to persuade his former comrade, anyhow. Mance chooses death.

The whole public burning at the stake is grisly business, with Mance shouting out in horror as his wildling compatriots look in total despair; however Jon refuses to sit by idlly while a man he respects endures such an inhumane and abject death.

So he suits up, and in a move not seen since The Last of the Mohicans, Jon puts Nance out of his misery, firing a single arrow into his chest, killing the warrior almost instantly.

The act is heroic, symbolic, and obstinate to a king’s direct orders, which only suggests that Jon’s moral compass is completely direct (as his late father’s was) and just. Perhaps a death wish of his own, Jon acts any way; he does what’s right any way. We could all use a few more natural born heroes with a full head of hair who know the difference between right from wrong.

Marjon Carlos is a style and culture writer for Fusion who boasts a strong turtleneck game and opinions on the subjects of fashion, gender, race, pop culture, and men’s footwear.