September 23, 2018

This takes place soon after Jon is resurrected at Castle Black, after he has been reunited with Davos, Tormund, Edd, etc. It's the day before the mutineers' execution.

INT. CASTLE BLACK - CELL - day

OLLY is bunched into the corner farthest from his cell door, sitting on the floor, knees drawn up, chin resting on his crossed arms. Pale daylight filters in through the window.

A key scrapes in the lock, and the door opens. Olly looks up. JON SNOW comes in, looking Olly in the eye as he enters.

Olly recoils in shock and stares up at him, wide-eyed, like he's seeing a ghost.

Jon holds Olly's gaze as he approaches. He picks up a stool and sets it down against the wall opposite the door, near Olly. He sits and leans back against the wall.

Olly stares up at him another beat longer, then wrenches his eyes away. He stares down at the floor. His expression hardens.

There's a long silence.

JON

(quiet)

Do you have anything to say?

For a while, it seems like Olly is determined to ignore Jon until he leaves.

OLLY

(finally)

How are you alive?

JON

I don't know.

(long beat)

Anything else?

Olly shakes his head very slightly, almost imperceptibly. His face is hard, refusing eye contact. Jon gazes at him sadly.

JON

You know what happened at Hardhome, Olly. Tens of thousands of men, women, and children, all slaughtered.

OLLY

I don't care.

2.

Jon looks pained.

JON

They weren't just slaughtered. The Night King raised them up as new soldiers in his army. They're coming for us now, for everyone. The wildlings you saw passing through our gates... they're the only survivors. They're the only ones left of their people who still fight for the living.

Jon is watching Olly's face closely, searching for some sign that he's getting through to him.

OLLY

What's going to happen to us?

Jon adopts a teaching voice, one he's used with Olly many times before.

JON

Put yourself in my position. What would you do?

OLLY

How soon?

JON

Tomorrow morning. Or never, in your case. It's your choice.

Olly finally looks up.

JON

You're young. And you lost everything and everyone that mattered to you. I know what it feels like.

OLLY

(wavering)

You don't. No one knows.

JON

When they killed my father, I wanted nothing in this world but to kill the ones who had done it. I didn't care about the Watch. I didn't care about White Walkers. I knew they would behead me as a deserter, and I didn't care. I was young. I cared only for revenge. My brothers had to drag me back, talk sense into me.

3.

(beat)

You're still young, Olly. It's not too late, not for you, not yet. Make peace with the wildlings, and I'll give you a second chance.

A long beat. For a moment, something lost and confused shows itself in Olly's face as he stares up at Jon.

The moment passes. Olly looks away. His expression hardens again as he stares straight ahead at the opposite wall.

OLLY

(toneless)

Will there be anything else you need, Lord Commander?

That breaks Jon's heart. He lingers by Olly's side, unwilling to leave him in such a state, but at a loss for anything more to say.

Finally, reluctantly, Jon gets up to go. Olly continues staring straight ahead as Jon goes and opens the door.

JON

Olly.

Olly looks up.

Jon is standing framed in the open doorway, one hand on the door jamb, looking back at him.

JON

Let me know if you change your mind.

Olly says nothing.

Jon looks sadly at Olly a moment longer, then leaves.

EXT. CASTLE BLACK COURTYARD - DAY

TORMUND is sitting on some steps, sharpening his sword.

JON (O.S.)

Tormund.

Tormund looks up to see Jon walking up the steps toward him.

4.

JON

(tentative)

Could I ask something of you?

Tormund laugh-snorts. This man just came back from the dead, and he's asking a favor as though he thinks he shouldn't be. Tormund gives him a pained, fond look.

TORMUND

(over-emphasizing)

Yes.

Jon sits down on the steps, next to Tormund.

JON

The boy. Olly.

TORMUND

(deadpan)

The one that stabbed you in the heart?

JON

He's thirteen.

TORMUND

(so what)

And?

JON

The others... they were officers, senior men. There's no coming back from this, not for them. But Olly...

TORMUND

(repeating the obvious)

Stabbed you in the heart.

JON

He didn't understand.

TORMUND

(slight edge)

Boys younger than him fought and died at Hardhome.

JON

(blunt)

You killed his parents.

That pulls Tormund up short.

5.

JON

(quiet)

You and Ygritte and the others, you sacked his village. You slaughtered them, just like you did that old man with the horses. That's why he did it.

Jon didn't raise his voice or even look angry through any of that. He doesn't need to. Tormund looks gut-punched. He'd all but forgotten those raids, and now he's finding out that Jon was killed by a karmic arrow meant for himself.

A beat.

TORMUND

What can I do for you, Jon?

JON

Talk to him. Make peace with him, if he'll have it. He needs to bury the past. If he can't...

Jon trails off unhappily.

TORMUND

(re: executing Olly)

You don't want to do it.

JON

He doesn't deserve it. Not really.

Tormund grabs Jon by the shoulder and looks him in the eye.

TORMUND

Neither did you.

Jon stares back at him.

TORMUND

You talked to him already?

Jon nods.

TORMUND

Did he say he was sorry?

JON

(reluctant)

He's confused.

6.

TORMUND

Aye, I'm sure he is. Seeing you didn't make him less confused, I'd bet my balls on that. And neither will seeing me.

Jon says nothing, but he looks miserable. Tormund takes pity on him.

TORMUND

I'll do my best. For your sake. But I can't work miracles, friend.

JON

I know.

A beat.

TORMUND

Go lie down, Jon, you look like goat shit. You should be resting.

JON

(slight edge)

I was.

Jon gets up and walks off, leaving Tormund staring after him.