What resulted was a massacre at the hands of the White Walkers.
#A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE WINDS OF WINTER FREE#
The visit was meant to convince the Free Folk to fight alongside the Night’s Watch against their undead enemy. The Night King’s first major show of power came after Jon Snow and Tormund Giantsbane attempted to evacuate Hardhome. Samwell Tarly had a run-in with some White Walkers and lived to tell the tale, but it wasn’t until Season 5 that the Night King’s arrival cast aside all doubt about the White Walkers and their intent. Even the Night’s Watch, founded to guard the Wall and prevent the return of the White Walkers, was skeptical these creatures existed. Throughout the first few seasons of Game of Thrones, the White Walkers were likened to children's tales "grumpkins and snarks," as the Lannisters derisively phrased it. However, knowing that the Others (as the White Walkers are called in the books) will play a larger role in The Winds of Winter suggests it might finally introduce the Night King to the novels. Martin’s novels do include the legend of the Night’s King, though the two characters couldn't be more different. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series. Whatever the case, the Night King is unique to Game of Thrones and does not appear in George R.R. Or maybe his existence gave a face to the undead horde the Westerosi were terrified to face, a concrete villain they could attempt to defeat. Perhaps the Night King was a symbol of the Long Night, a prophecied period of darkness and terror. Though he never spoke, it was clear his goal was to dominate Westeros and kill anyone who stood in his way. The Night King commanded an entire army of White Walkers and wights, former humans who’d been turned into immortal ice creatures, simply by raising his arms in silence. He was menacing, lethal, and nearly invincible. Will The Winds of Winter finally introduce the Night King?įirst revealed in Game of ThronesSeason 4, the Night King made a lasting impression.