Game of Thrones season 6 episode 1: Is Jon Snow dead? A spoiler-filled recap for the casual fan

Melisandre-centric ending left fans stunned.

Game of Thrones season 6 returned tonight with premiere episode 'The Red Woman'. If you're an ardent fan and yet to watch it you probably want to stop reading now, but, if you're not bothered by **spoilers**, here's a quick rundown.

Jon Snow status: Still dead but hints toward his resurrection.

The first episode didn't tell us much we hadn't already gleaned from the trailer - Jon is dead and his body is being guarded by Ser Davos, Ghost and his few remaining followers from Ser Alliser, who probably wants to turn it into furniture or something, the total bastard.

Click here for the episode 2 trailer, title and synopsis

Melisandre joined them for a bit to be sad about never having gotten to get freaky with Jon during his short lifetime, before retreating to her room.

In the episode's closing moments, she disrobed (as she seemingly always does) in front of a mirror, before suddenly changing into an incredibly old version of herself (?).

What does Mel's transformation mean?

We're in the very early days of speculation (8 minutes' worth at time of writing), but my favourite theory so far is that she has given up decades of her life to give them to Jon.

It's very possible we'll see her do this next episode before presumably dying - having maxed out the amount of years she could give up and still be non-arthritic enough to do a bit of magic.

Update: There's talk of her necklace and whether it somehow conceals her true identity.

It would make this scene problematic:

Except this theory quite convincingly and neatly solves it, suggesting Stannis' wife was indeed looking at a withered body in the tub.

I still prefer the 'aging in order to save Jon Snow' thing though, at least over the idea an old lady has been appearing as a hot priestess to get her rocks off this whole time.

Update 2: Melisandre might have been hiding her true identity using a type of magic called 'glamor' discussed in the books, which sees witches weave "light and shadow and desire to make illusions that trick the eye". Mel apparently once used it to fake the burning of wildling leader Mance Rayder.

Update 3: Does Melisandre's reveal fit with 'Jon Snow is Azor Ahai' theory?

Elsewhere in the episode, Doran and Tristane Martell were murdered by a mutinous Ellaria Sand, Sansa and Theon escaped and Cersei plotted revenge.