Portrayed by Vladimir Furdik (seasons 6-8)

Richard Brake (seasons 4-5)

Status: Deceased

Age: 10,300 approx.

Date of Birth : 10,000 BC approx.

Episode Appearances: 8

First Seen: ‘Oathkeeper’

Last Seen: ‘The Long Night’

BACKGROUND

The Night King is the master and the first of the White Walkers, having existed since the age of the First Men. He is also the supreme leader of the Army of the Dead. The Night King is a legendary figure, known by name among, at least, some noble houses in the North.

The Night King was a First Man who was captured by a tribe of the Children of the Forest, a mysterious non-human race who were the original inhabitants of the continent of Westeros. Leaf, one of the Children, pressed a dragonglass dagger into the Night King’s chest, turning him into the first of the White Walkers. The Children of the Forest thought to defend themselves by creating these creatures through magic when Westeros was invaded by the First Men, who were cutting their sacred trees down and slaughtering them in droves. However, the White Walkers soon turned on their creators and began what was known as the Long Night. Though the Long Night ended upon the First Men and Children's victory in the War for the Dawn, the Night King survived and retreated with the rest of his forces to the Lands of Always Winter, where they hid as they faded into legend and obscurity.

The Land of Always Winter is mostly unexplored. It lies beyond the northern-most wildling kingdom beyond the Frostfangs. The wildlings believe that White Walkers come from this region, but even the northernmost tribes don’t have any true knowledge of this - as few who have ventured so far north have ever lived to tell about it, if only due to the deathly cold temperatures.

Little is known about his characteristics and traits before becoming the Night King, although he reacted with fear when Leaf plunged a shard of dragonglass into his chest. After becoming the Night King, he became nothing more than an emotionless killer with his only goal appearing to be to kill all in his path and add to his army, staying true to his nature as the first White Walker and being the ultimate embodiment of death.