Jason, I think we are about to see a paradigm shift in GoT survival logic. Ruling by an iron fist, with fear, with gold, and leveraging ambition is going to be less and less effective as gold becomes worthless, as the greatest fear influencing men is the others, and the greatest ambition in the realm is survival. We’re about to see an environment for the Neds and Jons of the world to thrive.

Jon paid a price for doing the 100% correct thing at Hardhome. This may be the same this time, but keeping the Carstarks and Umbers (among the most significant houses in the North) in the fold, and manning their own holds, is a hundred times more important than fluffing political egos. As much as we love the Mormonts and how important they are, and it would feel good to raise them up, their less than 62 fighting men have no business what so ever being at the forefront of the imminent threat.