It’s no big mystery that, at some point during Game of Thrones season 6, Jon Snow is going to pop up—despite being dead. HBO has done a great job hammering home the point that Jon Snow really is dead, and they’ve gotten many of the show’s current and former stars to go on the record saying so. At the same time, Jon Snow actor Kit Harington has repeatedly denied being in this season. Yet it’s still a very widely held belief that his character will be resurrected. There’s an easy way to reconcile Harington’s absence and the reports of his death with the rumors of his resurrection: Whatever happens to Jon Snow may not happen until the end of Game of Thrones season 6.

Don’t Expect Jon Snow Answers In The Game Of Thrones Season 6 Premiere

To us, Jon Snow died almost a year ago, at the end of Game of Thrones season 5. But in the show itself, the shocking news—the assassination of a Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch by his own men—only just happened. And though we’ve had to wait a long time, whatever happens to Jon Snow may take a while to foment. The acting fan theory, for what little that’s worth, is that Melisandre will revive Jon Snow with her magic, which is exceptionally powerful at the Wall. Thoros of Myr and Beric Dondarrion have already done similar things, and in the show, Melisandre has witnessed such feats. In the meantime, many assume that Jon Snow’s spirit will live on inside of his direwolf, Ghost. There’s ample precedent for this, even without Melisandre’s magic, so Jon Snow can just go hang out in wolf form until Melisandre thinks it’s safe to bring him back.

But none of this has to happen right away. We may not even see the Wall in the first episode of Game of Thrones season 6. If we do, the scenes will surely be devoted to the immediate fallout and chaos of the assassination. Melisandre may make eyes at the camera about her plans, but don’t expect a resurrection ritual in the premiere. It could easily be in the back half of the season.

However, we may well see more of Ghost early in Game of Thrones season 6. Jon’s direwolf is an obvious loose end—and an obvious outlet for the murdered man’s soul. And if Jon Snow is running around as a direwolf until near the end of the season, Harington’s statements make more sense. Jon Snow will be in Game of Thrones season 6, but Harington himself may not be—at least not until the very end.

Everyone’s excited for Game of Thrones season 6, which premieres on April 24, in large part because we want to find out what happened to Jon Snow. Well, we will. But don’t necessarily expect it in the premiere, and don’t assume we’ll get easy answers.