white walkers return featured

Alexandru Mortimer

We might not have seen the last of the White Walkers in ‘Game of Thrones’

Say it ain't so!

 

Joseph Knoop

Internet Culture

Posted on May 5, 2019   Updated on May 20, 2021, 1:18 pm CDT

This post contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 8.

In the existential nightmare that was Game of Thrones season 8, episode 3—and much to everyone’s shockArya Stark took out the Night King in the Battle of Winterfell—wiping out his entire undead horde in the process. 

It’s the last anyone thought we’d see the White Walkers, especially with just three episodes remaining, but Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff cast some doubt over their future in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live this past Thursday.

There’s a lot of good chatter in their conversation, including a humorous anecdote about Grey Worm and Mike Pence, but it’s the Q&A portion that we want to focus on.

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Kimmel asks Weis and Benioff three questions: Will someone take the Iron Throne? Did Bran know that Arya was going to kill the Night King? And have we seen the last of the White Walkers?

For the Iron Throne and Bran questions, Weiss simply answered “possibly,” with a somewhat humorous tone. When Kimmel asked if we’d seen the last of the White Walkers, Benioff gave a considerably more solemn “we’re not going to answer that.”

That throwaway statement was enough to offer the slightest, smallest, most infinitesimal sliver of hope that the Night King will have his revenge somewhere in the next 3-6 hours of Game of Thrones.

https://twitter.com/BertramBernard/status/1124517310608412672

https://twitter.com/thtguydarius/status/1124491380687036416

Is it actually possible? The Hollywood Reporter laid out a few reasons why we shouldn’t write-off the White Walkers just yet. It essentially boils down to one scene from the season 4, episode 4 “Oathkeeper,” which doesn’t take place in the books. In it, the Night King transforms the son of the wilding Craster at the White Walkers’ home well north of the Wall.

What exactly does he transform the infant into? That’s the key question, and given how the scene mirrors the creation of the Night King, it lends itself to interpretation.

white walkers return

We couldn’t agree more, Mr. Night King. What the heck, indeed.

In any case, make sure you’re prepared for the continuing onslaught of murder and intrigue with our guide to watching Game of Thrones season 8 episode 4 for free.

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*First Published: May 5, 2019, 12:58 pm CDT