With season eight of Game of Thrones just around the corner, many fans are rewatching the series on Sky’s NOW TV. Season seven ended on a truly sinister note with the Night King (played by Vladimir Furdik) getting ready to march his army of wights south towards Westeros. So here’s a reminder of what we have learned thus far about the terrifying leader of the White Walkers.
Night King origin explained
WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 6 and 7
Having started off as a dismissed legend amid the political intrigue of Game of Thrones’ early seasons, the ominous Night King now poses the biggest threat to the Seven Kingdoms.
A legendary figure, the Night King is the first of the White Walkers and leave row the Army of the Dead.
He has existed since the age of the First Men as proven by one of Bran Stark’s (Isaac Hempstead Wright) visions.
The Night King was a First Man – one of the original human settlers on Westeros.
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He was captured by a group of Children of the Forest – a mysterious non-human race who settled on Westeros before the First men.
One of them, known as Leaf (Octavia Alexandru/Kae Alexander) told Bran that she plunged a dragonglass dagger into his chest, causing his eyes to turn blue and turning him into the first of the White Walkers.
The Children of the Forest created the White Walkers to protect themselves from the First Men who invaded their native land.
The White Walkers turned their creators however, and a period of time known as the Long Night followed.
Is Bran Stark the Night King?
A popular theory among fans is the idea that Bran is actually the Night King.
The theory comes from Bran’s unique ability to warg into other animals and humans and to seemingly change the past by warging into the past versions of people.
This happened in the now infamous Hold the Door episode with Hodor (Kristian Nairn) causing a time loop.
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The theory goes that Bran attempted to warg into the First Man who became the Night King in order to stop him from being created but then became trapped.
This insane theory is not confirmed but Isaac Hempstead Wright has debunked the theory himself.
“I mean it’s quite an interesting theory, the Night King one. I just think it seems a bit obvious. A bit cheesy,” he told Radio Times.
Game of Thrones season 8 premieres on April 14 on HBO and Sky Atlantic and on NOW TV on April 15
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