What are White Walkers in Game of Thrones? Origin and purpose, explained

When someone describes a cold-hearted creature with piercing eyes and scaly skin, you may think of your boss, but it's the White Walkers from Game of Thrones that are being talked about. These icy monsters are so committed to their agenda that they'll even bring back the dead to finish the job. Just like your boss.

They are the creepy ancient humanoids who terrorized the Northerners on Game of Thrones, made Jon Snow give up his throne, and, worst of all, killed poor Viserion. If you ever encountered one of these icy monsters, then death would be the least of your worries; it is waking up as an Army of the Dead soldier looking like a severely dehydrated version of yourself.

In Game of Thrones, while the nobles in Westeros were bickering over the throne like five-year-olds, the White Walkers were quietly building an empire behind the shadows, ready to prolong the winter in Westeros indefinitely. But who are they, and where did they come from? Let's find out the origins today.

What are the White Walkers in Game of Thrones?

In the show, there are multiple villains, but the most ruthless ones were the White Walkers. In the series, fans got a brief insight into their origins through Bran's visions, but today you will get a detailed backstory of their origins and their purpose in life or death.

The White Walkers are humanoid beings created by the children of the forest through their ice magic. They are taller than NBA players, have skin paler than the Irish, and piercing blue eyes that look into your soul and steal all your secrets. They are like zombies but more intelligent and organized.

They have their society, zombie horses, and weapons that can slice anyone like tomatoes. But the best part is that they are softies at heart. They don't like killing people; instead, they recruit people for their mission. Their mission? To wipe out mankind and to turn Westeros into the Antarctic.

The White Walkers: Origins

So, who are these icy monsters? Their origin is cool and a bit sad at the same time. Thousands of years ago, before there was any Game of Thrones played by the Targaryens, Starks, or Lannisters, Westeros was inhabited by magical creatures called the Children of the Forest. They were tiny mystical creatures, like Tinkerbell, who were very touchy about the environment.

When the First Men came to Westeros, they waged a war against the Children of the Forest and started cutting down trees, ruining their habitat. So, in a desperate attempt to save themselves, the Children decided to fiddle with the dark arts. They captured a man and pierced dragon glass into his chest, and bam! The Night King, the first White Walker, was born.

Unfortunately for them, simply because the events of Game of Thrones had to take place, things didn't go their way. The White Walkers decided to pull a Skynet and rebelled against the children. They started multiplying and built an army of their own. This became a catalyst in the Long Night when they almost succeeded in wiping out all of mankind.

The Long Night

As the dread of the White Walkers was growing and sweeping through Westeros, kingdoms were falling, with people praying to the Seven Gods that these beasts wouldn't enter their homes. Just when it seemed that mankind was about to become extinct, the legendary hero known as the Azhor Ahai (the Last Hero) united the First Men and the Children of the Forest.

Together they forged alliances and created weapons out of dragon glass and made the White Walkers retreat. Eventually, the Night's Watch was created to protect the people from another White Walker invasion, and the wall was built from ice and magic to keep the frosties at bay. Soon, the Walkers became nothing but folklore, until the events of Game of Thrones happened.

What was the purpose of the White Walkers?

The White Walkers were originally created by the Children of the Forest to protect themselves from the First Men. But instead of fulfilling that purpose, they evolved into something far more dangerous; they went rogue and set out to wipe out humanity. In the books, their origin, culture, and motive aren't fully explained, but the TV show simplified it for the audience.

The show turned them into evil killing machines led by their badass final boss, the Night King, who would stop at nothing until the entire Westeros was under their rule. The Night King has the power to resurrect anyone from the dead and welcome them into his army.

How to kill a White Walker?

The show not only explained their origins and purpose but also gave the guide on 'How to Kill a White Walker.'

The ice monstrosities can't be harmed by regular weapons like swords or daggers; they are magical creatures and can only be killed by the thing that created them, dragonglass. One stab and they crumble like cookies within seconds.

If you saw Game of Thrones, then you know what happened to the Night King. Since he was the first and the original White Walker, when Arya stabbed him, his entire army fell, saving humanity once again. They could also be killed by Valyrian steel swords, but since they were rare and expensive, dragonglass was used.

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Among all the plot twists, character arcs, and mystical elements, the White Walkers are among the grim elements of Westeros. Besides all the horrors they unfolded, they did something no other king could do: they united the realm. So, next time you hear someone say, 'Winter is coming,' be glad that yours only includes runny noses and chapped lips.