The Night King fromGame of Thronesseems to be based on a villain from George R.R. Martin’sSong of Ice and Fireseries, butthe books' character is actually better than his HBO show counterpart. The Night King asGame of Thronespresents him doesn’t exist in Martin’s series, as there’s no clear leader or central figure of the White Walkers. The Others all seem to be the same in the source material, with no apparent hierarchy. AndJon Snow’s rivalry with the Night Kingdoesn’t exist there; instead, he’s concerned about the broader threat North of the Wall.
There is, however, a character called the Night’s King inA Song of Ice and Fire— and while the difference between the two villains' names is subtle, that doesn’t extend to their characterization. The Night’s King dies long before the events ofA Song of Ice and Fire,butwhat we know about him sets him apart from theGame of Thronescharacter named after him. Sadly, the Night’s King remains the more interesting of the two villains, especially afterGame of Thrones’ending handles the Night King so poorly.
The Night’s King In The Books Explained
Old Nan Tells Bran Stark About Him, But He Could Just Be A Legend
The Night’s King fromA Song of Ice and Fireis at the center of many legends, with Old Nan telling Bran and Rickon about him. According to the stories, the Night’s King was initially the 13th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, but he became something more sinister North of the Wall. He apparently fell in love with a female Other, somethingGame of Thronesnever showed. He gave his soul to this Other, and he brought her back to the Nightfort, where he immersed the rest of the Night’s Watch in dark practices, including ritualistic sacrifices.
It’s not clear if the Night’s King is a myth or a real person inA Song of Ice and Fire,and Old Nan tells Bran that there are many versions of the legends surrounding him.
It’s not clear if the Night’s King is a myth or a real person inA Song of Ice and Fire,and Old Nan tells Bran that there are many versions of the legends surrounding him. One even indicates that theNight’s King may have been a Stark. It’s said that the King Beyond the Wall and the King in the North worked together to defeat him, a detail that could foreshadow Jon Snow’s storyline in laterSong of Ice and Firebooks. And the Night’s King was ultimately killed, drawing a clear line between him and theGame of Thronescharacter, who appears to be undead.
Why Game Of Thrones Created The Night King
He Gives The Enemy A Face
Game of Thronesmay call its villain something similar, but the Night King from the show is obviously a much different figure than the man described in Martin’s books. It’s likely the creators made this story change to appeal to a TV audience.Giving the White Walkers a leader like the Night King helps put a face to the enemy, which many viewers would expect. Additionally, giving the villain a rivalry with Jon Snow raises the personal stakes for the characters.
Game Of Thrones' Night King Book Change Is The Real Reason The White Walkers' Ending Didn’t Work
Game of Thrones' introduction of the Night King is a huge deviation from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire books, and created a big problem.
Of course,this change does sort of defeat the purpose of the Others in Martin’s books. They’re supposed to be a faraway and impersonal threat to the people of Westeros, making it even harder for Jon to rally forces against them. They’re meant to be a faceless threat that should be more important than the fight for the Iron Throne — though to many characters, they aren’t.Game of Thronesgets this wrong about the overall point of Martin’s series, making it more about politics, so it’s no surprise the show opts to change the White Walkers to appeal to a TV viewership too.
Why The Night’s King Is Better Than The Night King For This Story
He’s Free To Be More Mysterious, While The Night King Demands Explanation
The Night’s King inA Song of Ice and Fireis a better villain for Martin’s story, as he’s a legend, and thus, meant to be mysterious. By contrast,Game of Thrones’Night King is a character who needs a backstory and motivation, as he’s a more present villain.The fact thatGame of Thronesnever gives him this makes him a poorly executed one, which is a problem the Night’s King doesn’t have. Because the Night’s King is a myth and somewhat removed from the main story, he’s free to be a creepy but ambiguous figure.
The Night’s King’s story also adds to the lore of the Others and the history of Westeros, which is something the Night King fails to do. Martin’s character makes the world of Westeros richer and more fleshed out, teasing what’s to come, even though he’s not present in the main story. The Night King loses some of his luster towards the end of the show, asGame of Thronesnever answers the most pressing questions about him or gives him a role worthy of all the build-up.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
