The Night King is someone who? Realizing the Game of Thrones Villain
Though his origins and portrayal differ greatly from George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire," the Night King is a powerful adversary in the HBO fantasy drama series "Game Of Thrones."
Origin of Night King in Game of Throne
Children Of The Forest and Creation of the White Walkers
Game of Thrones Season 6 reveals the source of the Night King from the television show. Along with the Three- Eyed Raven, Bran Stark travels across time and sees the Children Of The Forest producing the first White Walker.
Lead by Leaf, the Children bind a man to a heart tree and stab him with dragonglass, turning him into the Night King. Driven by desperation to defend their territory against the First Men invading it, this deed unintentionally set off an uncontrollable power. Threatening all of Westeros, the Night King and the White Walkers he orders turn on their creators.
Origin of the Night King in Books
King of the Night: An Age of Heroes Legend
In A Song Of Ice And Fire, the night king is a legendary character. He is from Westeros's past, more especially the Age of Heroes, not a modern character. Deeply ingrained in myths and legends, this era saw the emergence of the great homes of Westeros—House Stark, Lannister, and the Grey King among others.
The Night's King is reported in the books as the 13th Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Beyond the Wall, he met a woman with icy blue eyes; he fell in love with her and brought her back to the Nightfort, a castle built inside the Wall. Declared Night's King, he led from this stronghold committing crimes and offering sacrifices to the Others.
House Stark and the Legend of the Night's King
The legend of the Night's King is kept alive in great part by Old Nan, the caregiver for the Stark children. Her narratives show the Night's King's rule as a sinister chapter in Westeros' history ending in a rebellion spearheaded by legendary Stark King Brandon the Builder.
The identify of the Night's King is unknown. Given the House's record for brutality, some think he was a Bolton. Others conjecture he might have belonged to House Flint or Umber. Old Nan's tales also imply, though, that the Night's King might have belonged to House Stark—perhaps even Brandon the Breaker's brother. The legend gains a terrible aspect from the prospect of a Stark brother turning against his own family.
Does the origin matter of the Night King?
Although the narrative of the Night King's development in Game of Thrones gives the character complexity, some viewers contend it was superfluous. Viewers really related to the original depiction of the Night King and the White Walkers as forces of nature, a terrible feature of winter.
Giving the Night King an origin—that of the Children of the Forest, especially—humanized the character. It somewhat lessens the threat he stands for. Without a backstory, the last fight against the Night King might have been even more powerful since it would have left viewers to consider his reasons and sources.
Ultimately, a comparison of two night kings
The origin tale of the Night King in Game of Thrones offers a gripping narrative device that accentuates the world's complexity of the show. But as the books show, the Night's King keeps an air of mystery and intrigue, so leaving his actual identity and motivations up for debate. Both adaptations present different angles on this strong villain, so adding to the rich tapestry of Westeros' past.
