I don’t think he’s dead-dead, either in the book or on the show.
Bookjon and Showjon will both be revived by Mad Mel. She sees King’s Blood in him (hence why she wanted to make another Coochie Monster with him), and now that Stannis the Mannis has been defeated, she’s going to turn her sights full-bore on Jon. Why bring her back to the NW at the end, if not to perform some R’hllorish miracle on him? I don’t think they’ll stay at the wall though. My prediction:
- Jon’s body is taken to the ice cells (hence Bran’s dream in book 1 where he saw Jon (pale and cold, his skin growing hard as the warmth of his blood left him - paraphrase)).
- Mad Mel revives him and they flee - possibly to Eastwatch - and cross the narrow sea to Essos - this could be how he meets up with Dany. Or, he meets up with Arya in Braavos. If he’s truly Azor Ahai, then he’s got some more work to do before he can assume the mantle.
Bookjon most likely warged into Ghost as he was being stabbed, and will range for a while until his body is revived. The prologue chapter of ADWD was all about a skinchanger debating the morality of warging into animals and people on a permanent basis. GRRM wouldn’t have that chapter there at the beginning needlessly. I think there’s more there. Anyway.
Now, Kit’s interview stated that he was done with the show. That’s either the truth or a lie, obviously:
- If it’s the truth, then he’s either dead-dead (which doesn’t make sense to the storyline from any practical standpoint), or he’s already filmed his scenes from Season 6, and he’ll just have one or two while the show focuses on some of the other storylines (Sansa/Theon, Dorne Plot, Victarion/Euron/Kingsmoot/Dragonhorn, Varys/Tyrion in Mereen - there’s plenty of source material to fill a season)
- If it’s a lie, then he told it obviously as to not destroy the cliffhanger.
I also don’t think Showstannis is dead. He may still very well be Azor. His “steel” was tempered once with water (his defeat at Blackwater Bay), once by the blood of a lion (his defeat at the hands of Lannister pawns), and a third time by his ultimate sacrifice of his daughter, and by proxy, his wife. Just like Azor. He could very well head back to the wall, become the 1000th Lord Commander, and get tons of dragonglass from Dragonstone to defend the wall from the Others.
I HOPE you are correct on all points. But I just can't see Brianne letting Stannis live.
All that Build-Up of Avenging "Da Renlys", I can't see her finding it in her heart to let him go.