- This article is about a specific character. For other uses see White Walker
The master of the White Walkers is an unnamed minor character in the fourth season. He is played by guest star Richard Brake and first appears in "Oathkeeper".
Biography
Background
Little is known about this particular White Walker, although he is known to be among what appear to be the ruling caste of the White Walkers who reside in the Lands of Always Winter. He and his ilk differ in appearance from regular White Walkers in that they wear black armor, and he is revelaed to also have bone-white skin - as opposed to grey - and a ring of small horns atop his skull that form a natural crown. Whether or not he is their master or simply one of the collective group remains to be seen, yet he appears to hold a position of particular importance amongst their number, being the only ruling White Walker of the thirteen shown to approach the altar where Craster's last son has been placed.
He is shown to possess the power to change humans into White Walkers, although the specifics of this power, and if it is unique to this White Walker, are as yet unknown.
Season 4
After Rast places Craster's last son on the ground in the Haunted Forest, a White Walker riding an undead horse approaches and takes the baby, carrying it towards a shattered mountain in the Lands of Always Winter.[1]
Once inside, the White Walker approaches an icy altar ringed by large icy spikes and places the baby upon the altar. In the distance, a group of thirteen black-garbed White Walkers are revealed to be viewing the proceedings from afar. One of them breaks from the middle of their number and approaches the altar, stopping to regard the human child for a moment before gently gathering him in its arms. The baby immediately calms, staring into the face of the White Walker, who is revealed to have bone-white skin and a crown of horns jutting from its head. It places its index finger upon the baby's cheek, causing the child's eyes to slow turn to icy, depthless blue and his skin to grow pale, finally revealing the fate of Craster's other sons.[1]
Appearances
Template:Season Four Appearances
Behind the Scenes
The name "White Walkers' master" is conjectural: Brake's screen credit does not reveal who he is playing. The synopsis for "Oathkeeper" on the HBO Viewer's Guide originally listed this character as the Night's King, though this was later removed. It unknown whether this was because the identification was erroneous or because it was a major spoiler.
In the books
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, there has not yet been any mention of the Others, who appear in person only very occasionally, having a leader or any kind of hierarchy. Similarly, the fate of Craster's sons is still unknown: Old Nan's tales allude to the Others' feeding human children to the wights, as opposed to them turning them into Others, as speculated by some of Craster's wives.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Oathkeeper"