My top 5 Game of Thrones characters will not have Jon Snow (& one of the many reasons is the unnecessary plot armor)

In my opinion, Jon Snow from Game of Thrones is one of the characters that sets the perfect example of plot armor ever used in a TV show. The GRRM classic has always set the tone in a way that makes Snow a much-loved and idolized character, but I could never totally agree with it.

Rather, on an honest note, I find it quite privileged (like a central role analogous to Harry Potter) and at times I feel the plot totally revolves around him - a b*stard with a secret royal descent. Something that connects Snow to the core Game of Thrones from the very beginning (even though I never realized it until it was revealed), despite the multiple flaws in his character.

His backstory portrays Jon Snow as the illegitimate child of House Stark's Lyanna Stark and House Targaryen's Rhaegar Targaryen. Jon Snow's arc, right from the start of the show, has been driven in a way that crowns him as the "chosen one," which is sort of biased. But the obvious plot armor we saw in Season 6 absolutely took me by surprise and made me drop Jon Snow from my top five list then and there.

I will never have Jon Snow in my top 5 Game of Thrones characters list

I absolutely love Kit Harrington as an actor, and I believe he did more than justice to the role of Jon Snow. But his character development is sporadic, according to me, and the last two seasons could have had a lot more to contribute to his arc.

Jon Snow is loyal, but his lack of judgment and self-analysis often landed him in trouble. I feel his journey from being the despised son to Lord Commander of the Night's Watch has been a tough one. But it is also kind of ironic how his own men stab him to death in the Season 5 finale (even though Snow was allowing Wildlings south of the Wall to protect them - a rather good cause).

This shows his lack of capability to assert control over a difficult situation, not to mention his poor leadership skills. But the way things are portrayed in HBO's Game of Thrones (a bit different from the original novels), it seems Snow directly betrayed his team and violated an oath he pledged to the Night's Watch, hence, such a tragic fate.

But to be honest, I would have loved the arc if it had ended then and there, rather than Melisandre resurrecting him at the start of Season 6 - a twist no one saw coming. His prodigal return as a hero was thus well-established, and it kind of bothered me that the creative team used an obvious plot armor to bring back a fan-favorite character.

I must say that these flaws were still acceptable to me until Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 9 brought the "Battle of the Bastards" - Jon Snow v/s a heavily guarded Ramsay Bolton. I really do not get how he dramatically survived such a strike and emerged from the pile of soldiers, after almost running out of breath.

And right then, the Knights of Vale, led by Littlefinger and Sansa Stark, arrive at the spot to save Jon Snow and his men - quite convenient according to me and another plot armor to protect and glorify the unrecognized Targaryen. His actions beyond the Wall while fighting the army of the dead could have almost had him killed multiple times. But surprisingly, Snow survived and always had a way out of the worst.

I believe his arc is one of the poorly developed ones - a compilation of hasty decisions driven mainly by emotions and less political thinking. Jon Snow, as per my opinion, also does not have that charismatic presence a true leader (for example, Robb Stark) should have, and I wish Richard Madden's character had survived a little longer.

Rather, Snow has an overall gloomy appearance - a person who is fighting two wars at a time (one on the outside and the other with his conscience). Also, his hasty choice in killing Daenerys (Emilia Clarke portrays the part) to protect the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros from a potential tyrannical leader came to me out of the blue. I feel it could have been more thoughtful with a solid foundation.

Once again, a plot armor protects Jon Snow against execution on the grounds of murdering the rightful Queen of Westeros. (with whom he had a really complicated relationship). As a whole, I feel the character had several chances to rejuvenate itself and find better ways for the arc to develop, but never did. He was rather treated as a loved and worshipped one who had to be protected at any cost, despite the fact that Jon Snow lacked many character traits that make a true leader.

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