Questions concerning the fate of "Game of Thrones" character Jon Snow have swirled since the protagonist's apparent death in season five, despite all evidence pointing to his definitive demise. But coy statements from cast members (and actor Kit Harrington's allegedly busy schedule) have suggested that that's not the case at all. Now, HBO is chiming in with its own authoritative answer to the "Is Jon Snow really dead?" debate.

The cable network has finally released the official synopsis for the season six premiere episode, set to air later this month, and its very first sentence is pretty clear about the character's status. It says:

Jon Snow is dead. Daenerys meets a strong man. Cersei sees her daughter again.

We have to hand it to HBO for this subversive bit of trolling, since fans are not likely to take such a bold statement at face value unless they get confirmation from the actual episode itself. And since no one -- not even critics -- will be able to see said installment, titled "The Red Woman," in advance, the wait to either prove or disprove that declaration is now even more interminable.

Season six of "Game of Thrones" premieres on HBO on April 24. Tide yourself over with repeated viewings of the trailer, and check out the photo gallery below.

[h/t The Playlist]