Was The Night King A Targaryen?

Audiences have speculated on the origins of the Night King in Game of Thrones, with some wondering if he’s a Targaryen. It’s not entirely uncommon in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire book universe for such character reveals to take place. After all, between the books and the show, there are already multiple characters in the North who were discovered to be of Targaryen origins. Jon Snow is Rhaegar Targaryen’s son in the show, Maester Aemon of the Night’s Watch is a Targaryen, and the Three-Eyed Raven is suggested to be a Targaryen bastard in the books.

Given how mysterious the White Walkers are, it’s not too big a stretch of the imagination to theorize about their potential origins. However, Game of Thrones showed a scene in which the Night King was created, and there’s enough information there to answer at least some questions about his life and motivations. Bran Stark’s visions unfortunately never painted the full picture of the White Walkers audiences hoped for in the Game of Thrones ending, but they at least confirm the Night King isn’t a Targaryen.

The Night King Was Not A Targaryen In Game Of Thrones (But There Was Confusion)

The Night King Is Older Than House Targaryen Or The Valyrian Freehold

Simply put, the Night King is far too old to be a Targaryen, and there’s no way he could be one. The Targaryen family’s history dates back to the Valyrian Freehold, roughly 5,000 years before the events of Game of Thrones, across the sea in Essos. The Night King is considerably older than that, and the show indicates his origins are in Westeros.

Much of the curiosity for the Night King being a Targaryen came from the fact that he could walk through fire and that he survived dragonfire in season 8. But surviving fire isn’t some natural boon that comes with being a Targaryen, as proven by House of the Dragon. It’s a gift Daenerys seems to possess in Game of Thrones, but it’s entirely unique to her. The Night King also rides a dragon, but that’s likely just due to his necromancy powers.

What We Know About The Night King’s Origin

The Night King Was Created By The Children Of The Forest

One of the many issues with Game of Thrones season 8 is the handling of the White Walkers, who were built up to be a fascinating, mysterious enemy. Unfortunately, their origin and motivations ended up being quite simple. Season 6 sees a vision where the Children of the Forest pierce a man’s skin with a dragon glass dagger, killing him. This was the Night King’s origin, implying he was one of the First Men from the North. This would mean he’s more likely to be a Stark than a Targaryen, but Game of Thrones does nothing to affirm that theory, either.

Game Of Thrones

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Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones is a TV series based on the book “A Song of Ice of Fire” by George R. R. Martin. It tells the story of the ongoing battle between the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros – as they fight for control of the coveted Iron Throne. Friction between the houses leads to full-scale war. All while a very ancient evil awakens in the far north. Amidst the war, a neglected military order of misfits, the Night’s Watch, led by House Stark’s Jon Snow, is the first to encounter icy horrors that threaten all realms of men. The series premiered on HBO in the United States on April 17, 2011, and quickly became one of the biggest event series in the “Golden Age” of TV. Winner of 38 Primetime Emmy Awards, Game of Thrones has attracted record viewership on HBO and has a broad, active, international fan base.

Release Date

April 11, 2011

Seasons

8