Summary
Game of Thronesis a complex show, with many characters and decisions that intertwine and have far-reaching effects. It can be difficult at times to see whether certain decisions are for the better or the worse, and many of the characters and their motivations are somewhat ambiguous at times.
Jon Snow is one of the true white knight characters inGame of Thrones' Westeros. He seems to always try and do the best he can, attempting to be a good person at all times. Jon has a complicated history with many characters, and at times, even his decisions haven’t been for the best.
Updated on July 26, 2025, by Chris Harkin:Although there hasn’t been much more news on the potential Jon Snow series as of yet, this character could still easily return to screens within the next few years. With House of the Dragon’s second season on the way, fans will get another chance to enter the world of Westeros and see the ancestors of Jon in action. As this prompts fans to return to Game of Thrones many times over, many like to nitpick at the beloved series and the mistakes made throughout that led each character to where they ended up, particularly Jon Snow, even though he managed to survive to the end of the series.
9Confronting Craster
Season 2, Episode 2: “The Night Lands”
Many of the mistakes that Jon Snow makes throughoutGame of Thronescome down to him valuing honor and what he truly believes to be right over what is prudent or smart in a given situation. When he joined Jeor Mormont, the Lord Commander, on an excursion beyond the Wall, he should have stayed back and been more careful.
Instead, he needlessly followed his host, Craster, and saw him sacrificing a newborn child to the White Walkers. If Jon hadn’t begun the raising of tensions between Craster and the Night’s Watch, the Mutiny at Craster’s Keep may never have occurred, putting the Night’s Watch in a stronger position for the battles to come.
8His Relationship With Ygritte
Season 4, Episode 9: “The Watchers On The Wall”
Almost everything about Jon’s relationship with Ygritte was a mistake. Despite it being hugely important for his character development, Jon knew that being with her in any way was breaking his vows to the Night’s Watch, and yet he did it anyway. Initially, not killing her led to him having to fight and kill one of his Night’s Watch brothers as well.
In spite of his relationship with Ygritte during his time with the Wildlings, Jon was constantly torn due to the loyalty his love for her made him feel towards the Wildlings. His relationship with her ended in her death because he eventuallybetrayed the Wildlingsto the Night’s Watch, and she died in the ensuing fight. His confusion over Ygritte was bad for everybody.
7Refusing To Help Stannis Baratheon
Season 5, Episode 2: “The House Of Black And White”
Stannis Baratheon was an eccentric man, but until he became truly desperate near the end of his life, he did little evil. He helped save the Night’s Watch from the Wildlings and then asked Jon Snow to help him rally the Northagainst the Lannisters, an offer which Jon perhaps should have accepted.
If Jon and Stannis had worked together, there is every chance they could have taken the North back, rallied the other Lords against the Boltons, and made an important alliance. Stannis was the last Baratheon, except for Gendry, and he remembered the evils of the Targaryen threat the last time they ruled in Westeros. If he had remained to counsel Jon against joining Daenerys when she returned, things might have been different.
6Letting Petyr Baelish Live
Season 7, Episode 2: “Stormborn”
When Jon Snow comes face-to-face with Littlefinger in the Winterfell crypt, he should have finished him there and then. Of the many mistakes that Jon makes in the final two seasons ofGame of Thrones, one of the more irritating is that he still refuses to kill someone in cold blood until almost the very end.
Lord Baelish manipulated consistentlythroughout nearly the entirety of the show, and he even admitted to Jon during their talk in the crypt that he loved Sansa as he had loved her mother. It was obvious he would continue to manipulate his sisters in Winterfell, yet Jon left him there alive and well, only threatening him instead of finishing him off. The mess that was Littlefinger’s machinations had to be solved by Jon’s sisters later.
5The Battle Of The Bastards
Season 6, Episode 9: “Battle Of The Bastards”
Jon is emotional, and despite his good intentions, he is a bit of a hothead. The worst case ever seen of his emotions getting the better of him is duringthe Battle of the Bastards. Ramsey Bolton was another manipulative figure during his time onGame of Thrones, and Sansa warned Jon about this. In spite of all that, Jon rushed forward immediately, at the head of an army, to try and save Rickon.
This was obviously a manipulative move by Ramsey, who only sought to disrupt Jon and the formation of his army at the beginning of their battle. This led to Jon and his side almost losing, and they would have, had Sansa not preemptively gone to Littlefinger to ask for aid. Jon is a heroic figure, but his strategic mind and emotional nature give him glaring weaknesses that other characters have exploited on multiple occasions.
4His Final Trip Beyond The Wall
Season 7, Episode 6: “Beyond the Wall”
Jon goes past the wall on multiple occasions over the course of the show. Sometimes, it is necessary, but on the final trip he takes, it is completely unnecessary and almost causes the end of humankind in Westeros. This is when he and his men go on a hunt to capture a white walker in order to help fight against the long night.
Having been in Westeros and heard of the many deeds enacted by Cersei Lannister throughout the series, Jon really should not have bothered trying to get her on their side ahead of the battle against the white walkers. In the end, despite bringing back a white walker, they didn’t gain her assistance and were weakened in the battle against the Night King becauseDaenerys lost a dragonwhile trying to save Jon and his men, his Valyrian steel sword not helping him on this occasion.
3Accepting Daenerys As Queen
Season 7, Episode 6: “Beyond The Wall”
The general intelligence level of Jon Snow seems to decrease near the end of the show. After refusing to bend his knee to Daenerys in exchange for her assistance, she comes to his aid anyway, even losing a dragon in the process. There was no chance of her leaving the fight; she understood the necessity of itmore than Cersei.
This meant that Jon bending his knee to her and weakening the position of the North was completely unnecessary. It threw everything into confusion and was all done merely because of Jon’s emotional nature. It was at this moment that he gave away much of his personal strength and started to become a mere puppet and lover to Daenerys, eventually beingforced to kill her.
2Revealing His Identity
Season 8, Episode 4: “The Last Of The Starks”
One of the next times that Jon continued to complicate everyone’s loyalties and motivations with too much openness and honesty was in the middle of the final season. After he and Daenerys discovered thetruth about his identity, she warned him not to tell another soul.
Instead of listening to her, Jon told Sansa and Arya about his real parents, and it did indeed complicate matters further. Jon’s existence as a male heir to the throne immediately made Dany’s own claim feel much less legitimate. Having already pledged his loyalty to her, Jon should have listened to her reasons for not wanting him to bring this up.
1Naivety Leads To Death
Season 5, Episode 10: “Mother’s Mercy” / Season 8, Episode 6: “The Iron Throne”
Jon Snow’s biggest mistake in decision-making is recurring. His naivety consistently gets him into all kinds of trouble. His belief that the Night’s Watch is purely a force of good meant trouble early on. His refusal to accept committing brutal acts often led to him or others having to commit even worse ones. As a result of this, he never saw any signs of theNight’s Watch turning on himand killing him.
Worse still, despite his adoration for her, Jon didn’t see any sign of what Daenerys could become. He should have seen some of the danger, knowing the history of the Targaryen madness. Jon hit many brick walls and could have been King of Westeros himself if he hadn’t been so consistently naive over the course ofGame of Thrones.
