As the final season of Game of Thrones draws close, we look forward to what the remaining episodes will reveal. In the recent seasons, some of the show’s biggest mysteries have been answered. Jon Snow’s parentage. The identity of Joffrey’s killers. All these questions have been answered and yet there are still so many that remain.
One of the biggest mysteries going into Season 8 is the Night King. Despite being the true villain of the series, we know very little about the leader of the army of the dead. With only six episodes left, here are some of the biggest questions about the Night King we hope the show finally answers.
Can He Talk?
It's pretty amazing that since his first appearance in Season 4, the Night King has remained an effective threat even though he's never said a word. It's very unsettling to see this frightening creature leading this massive, seemingly unstoppable army in total silence.
Every time we see the Night King he seems to be totally calm, as if he knows the forces of Westeros don't have a chance against him. In the books, the White Walkers have their own language, but we haven't seen him communicate that way. It could be that he is unable to talk or, more unnerving, chooses to stay silent.
What Other Abilities Does He Have?
The White Walkers have been a known threat since the very first scene of Season 1. However, we only got a real taste of how big a threat they, and their King in particular, as in Season 5's "Hardhome". After a bloody slaughter of the wildlings, the Night King gives a chilling display of his powers, resurrecting all the dead on the battlefield.
That's impressive enough, but we've slowly gotten a sense of what else he is capable of, such see Bran in his warg state. We'll see what else is in his bag of tricks he'll reveal in the final season.
Where Has He Been?
With such a massive army, few weaknesses and the ability to add countless more to his forces, the Night King does seem to be unstoppable. With that in mind, it's interesting why he has chosen this time to finally invade Westeros.
It is suggested that the return of dragons saw the return of magic in the world. Perhaps this awakened the Night King from some sort of hibernation. It could be that he was waiting to get a dragon himself, but it seems like a risky move. It's also possible that he is invading now because there is now something specific in Westeros that he wants.
Is He The First?
While history seems to indicate that there was indeed a Night King centuries ago who led the White Walkers, there is no real proof that this is the same character. It could be that the Night King is like any other kingship and is a title passed down through generations.
Of course, that opens up a lot of other questions, such as what happened to the previous Night Kings. It suggests both good and bad things. The good is that it might mean there is a way to kill the Night King. The bad is that there may be another Night King to follow.
Who Was He Before?
Though there is so much we do not know about the Night King, fans of both the show and the book have done enough sleuthing to come up with some interesting theories. Whoever he might be, it is generally agreed upon that he was not born as a White Walker.
The show suggests the Children of the Forest created the White Walkers and possibly the Night King using human sacrifices. Maybe this is as much as the show is willing to say about his passed but we hope we get some more insight.
Is He A Stark?
Interestingly, the Night King is not yet even a character who has appeared in the novels. But given the various stories and lore about Westeros, there are some strong hints to who he might actually be.
One of the most popular theories is that he was the thirteenth Lord Commander of the Night's Watch who turned into a sadistic tyrant after falling in love with an undead bride. It is also rumored that this Lord Commander was a Stark. This could make for some interesting revelations when the Night King reaches Winterfell.
What Is His Connection With Bran?
Regardless of whether or not the Night King is a Stark, it is clear that he shares some strong connection to Bran. It is hinted at that Bran, now possessing the powers of the Three-Eyed Raven poses a real threat to the Night King. However, it is also possible that the Night King wants to use Bran's abilities towards his own ends.
There are also several theories that suggest Bran will eventually become the Night King. While that might not pan out, we expect an eventual face-to-face between these two.
Is He Secretly A Good Guy?
George R.R. Martin loves to play with his audience's expectations. With his penchant for shifting the expectations of good versus evil, some think there might be more to the Night King than there seems.
Some theories suggest that he and his army are actually trying to save Westeros. He knew dragons had awakened and saw that the resulting war would devastate the land and seeks to end stop it. It would be an interesting twist, but there have been zero hints to it in the show and it would probably just feel like a cop-out at this point.
Who Is His Target?
With the Wall down and the army of the dead now in Westeros, it seems like no one is safe from the Night King. However, it appears that one character is in more trouble than the others.
It was recently revealed that the Night King has a specific target he will be hunting in the final season and there are quite a few contenders for who it might be. Again, Bran is very much on his radar. He and Jon Snow came face-to-face at Hardhome and he could be looking to finish the job. Or maybe he's looking to take out the Mother of Dragons.
What Does He Want?
The biggest mystery about the Night King is simply finding out what he wants. Why is he invading Westeros? Though he is emotionless in his acts, he certainly doesn’t seem like a mindless creature who just wants to kill. He must have an endgame in mind.
The Iron Throne seems like an unlikely goal for him but it might not be far off. Maybe he seeks vengeance and wants to destroy all of Westeros. Hopefully, the shows allows the character some motivation rather than just been a being of pure evil.