Game of Thrones was known for its terrifying villains. From Tywin Lannister’s ruthless brilliance to Ramsay Bolton’s unbridled sadism, the list of antagonistic figures in Westeros is quite frankly endless. However, one character trumps them all in terms of villainy and power: the Night King. The leader of the White Walkers and seeming progenitor of the creatures was a looming threat for four seasons, with the promise of total extinction and eternal night riding alongside him. As those who watched the show know, he eventually met his end at the hands of Arya Stark. What most of the show’s viewers do not know is that the Night King was actually portrayed much differently in the books. In fact, he hasn’t really shown up in the story at all yet.

The original story of the Night King was a Northern horror story passed down to warn people about the dangers of the White Walkers, and the atrocities that can come from serving them. In fact, it would be more accurate to say that the source material that inspired the Night King’s creation painted him not as the leader of the White Walkers, but as an unwitting slave who almost became a second coming of the Long Night. At his side was another mysterious figure, who one could almost call a Night Queen.

The Night King in Game of Thrones Was a Tangible Threat

The way the Night King is portrayed in the show is as a more physical threat. There is no denying that he exists when he is onscreen and some of the abilities he demonstrates make him the single most dangerous character on the show. Which is ironic considering he never utters a single line. That being said, he has absolute control over the White Walkers, commanding the actual walkers while raising hundreds, if not thousands of people to make up the ranks of the army of the dead. Aside from his control over life and death, he is also a one-man dragon slayer.

By himself, he took down one of Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons, Viserion. Nevermind the fact that he struck Viserion down in one blow, he did so while the creature was flying several feet in the air above him. Taking that into account, the Night King displays superhuman strength and an incredibly high level of accuracy. He didn’t even seem fazed by the appearance of a dragon, taking it in stride and dispatching one, forcing even Daenerys to be more wary of him. Anyone who can make a woman with two dragons at her command turn and run is a figure to be feared.

The Night King’s first appearance in Game of Thrones was in the Season 4 episode, “Oathkeeper.”

With all that strength though comes one major vulnerability. Like all other White Walkers, he is susceptible to some of the same weaknesses. While he is apparently immune to fire, as demonstrated by how Drogon’s flames failed to kill him, he is vulnerable to Valyrian Steel, and likely to obsidian weapons as well. This is probably due to his origins. This is the part of his story where things are made much more tangible for the audience to understand what he is. The White Walkers in this world are the result of the Children of the Forest magically altering captured humans. The Night King was the first among their victims, and likely broke free of their control not long after. While this diminishes the mythic status he had, it adds a layer of tragic irony that the White Walkers were the consequence of the war between the children and humans, one that ended up nearly wiping both groups out.

The Myth of the Night’s King in George R.R. Martin’s Novels Was Much Different

His television portrayal is nothing like his book counterpart. The first noticeable difference is in the name: the Night’s King. Most important to note is this: he has not shown up physically in the story yet, only being referenced a few times by characters who know his story. That is the key word here: story. The Night’s King is not some horrific leader of the White Walkers, which are referred to as the Others in the books, but as a cautionary tale from the Age of Heroes. His tale is one known throughout the North, often told as a scary story to frighten children or just add a bit of spookiness to the night. Yet, even in the North, theories abound about who the Night’s King was.

The tale goes as such: the Night’s King was the thirteenth commander of the Night’s Watch. One night, while patrolling the Wall, he spotted a beautiful woman down below. She was said to have eyes like blue stars and skin as white as the moon. He fell instantly in love with her, and without considering the potential risks, pursued her affections. Based on the description, this woman, who would later come to be known as the Corpse Queen, was possibly a member of the Others. Her intentions are largely unknown, but given what came next, it is likely that she was manipulating her newly found king.

Some believe that, if the story is true, it explains why the Night’s Watch never built southern-facing walls around their fortifications.

The Night’s King was said to have sold his soul to her in order to become her lover, and once he did he declared himself King of the Night’s Watch, and his new bride his Queen. Using sorcery, he then bound the other members of the Night’s Watch to his service, and ruled over them for the next thirteen years. It was said that during those years he performed horrific sacrifices to the Others. This was finally ended when King Brandon the Breaker and Joramun, the King-Beyond-the-Wall, joined forces to depose him. Once the Night’s Watch was freed of his existence, all record of him, even his name, were erased. His legend would become a ghost story for Northerners to repeat for centuries to come.

What This Means for the Night King

It is worth mentioning that many Northerners have theories about who the Night’s King was, and popular theories abound throughout the region’s houses. Old Nan believed that the Night’s King was a Stark, the brother of Brandon the Breaker who had to destroy his own brother to stop the atrocities he was committing. This would add an element of kin slaying to the story if true, something that is taboo in Northern culture. If so, then it explains why records of him were erased: the Starks did not want the story shaming their family for the rest of their existence. The legend of the Night’s King endured despite his true origins being wiped out. The Starks having a personal connection to the White Walkers could have damaged their political reputation within the North.

The takeaway from all this though, is that the Night’s King, while he may have existed, is a figure in Westeros’ past akin to its other legendary figures like Lann the Clever and Brandon the Builder. This is something George R.R. Martin has gone on record saying, even adding the addendum that if he had existed, he likely didn’t survive into the modern age. So, while the Night King in the show was the embodiment of the cold magic of the White Walkers, the Night’s King is merely a legend that likely will not manifest the same way in the books, if at all. His story doesn’t even portray him as a leader of the White Walkers. In fact, the closest that it came to doing so was by introducing his Corpse Queen.

It was never actually stated what became of the Corpse Queen, leading to the possibility that she is still out there somewhere.

This has led some fans to speculate about what the Night’s King was. In the books, the Others are believed to be the offspring of “the Great Other,” an antagonistic counterpart to R’hllor, the Lord of Light. If this is true, then the Night’s King may have been intended to be an avatar for the Great Other, acting as the head of its armies of undead rather than being the progenitor of the species. This leads to the possibility that another could be transformed into a second Night’s King. After all, history in Westeros has a cyclical nature, with titles and deeds often repeating. Who’s to say that the Night’s King can’t be remade in this age? He would be a far more terrifying enemy in this form than he was in the show.