'Game of Thrones' fans have a fascinating theory about the future of the Night's Watch in Season 8
The Season 7 finale of Game of Thrones left a gaping hole in the Wall, and a huge question to go with it: What will happen to the Night's Watch now that it appears their watch has not just ended, but failed miserably?
Or, to rephrase, job security is tough when blue fire spitting zombie dragons are flying around, isn't it?
When the White Walkers first descended on Westeros thousands of years ago during The Long Night, the First Men created the Night's Watch. More specifically, the Night's Watch was created after the White Walkers were defeated, in order to man the giant ice wall built to keep them from ever marching south again.
Until they marched south again in "The Dragon and the Wolf," that is.
Now the relevancy of the entire 300 mile long, 700 foot tall Wall is called into question. But does that necessarily mean the Night's Watch has ended, or is it actually the realm's only chance at finding a light to bring back the dawn?
Before the Night King finally broke through and came beyond the Wall, characters like Cersei were able to think of the White Walkers as a "northern problem," if you will. The Night's Watch was, at best, a noble (if slightly irrelevant) band of brothers with an outdated mission. At worst, it was a penal colony filled with a bunch of bastards, thieves, and rapists fighting grumpkins.
But in Season 8, the whole of Westeros will be forced to reckon with this northern threat, as it comes flying in to breathe icy flames all over the continent.
Some interesting theories are circulating about what this will all mean for the world and characters of Game of Thrones, now that their supposed Ghost Hunters have essentially turned into the realm's version of a Seal Team Six.
One redditor proposed a fascinating possibility for Jaime Lannister:
There's definitely some merit to the idea, considering that Jaime showed surprising competence as a military leader who faced literally fantastical odds no one else has before this season.
Another fan proposed that the final scene of Season 7, coupled with the inevitable eventual defeat of the Night King, will bode ill for the entire establishment:
Yet another commenter believed that, "It stands to reason that the threat would end, but that doesn't mean the Night's Watch can't be reformed 'just in case.'" Which, in fact, is in line with what originally happened to them once the Long Night and White Walker threat faded into legend.
But really our favorite theory is that Jon Snow will actually (here's the twist) pull a Trump and, "rebuild that wall and SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES," while also vowing to "make the Night King pay for it."
We see what you did there, r/asoiaf redditors 👌. It sure sounds like the most reasonable thing to do, for the sake of the very fine people on both sides of this White Walker conflict.
Joke aside, there are lots of questions that lie ahead, but perhaps none are more relevant to the life or death situation. One thing appears self-evident, though: you can expect the realm to come crawling back to the crows after centuries of mocking them.
Because when night gathers, everyone's watch has begun.
Topics Game Of Thrones
Jess is an LA-based culture critic who covers intimacy in the digital age, from sex and relationship to weed and all media (tv, games, film, the web). Previously associate editor at Kill Screen, you can also find her words on Vice, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Vox, and others. She is a Brazilian-Swiss American immigrant with a love for all things weird and magical.
