Random Insanely Convincing Fan Theories About The White Walkers' Motivation (14 items)

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  (#11) They Want To Escape The Prison They Have Been Forced To Live In

  According to Redditor u/Sanomiya, the White Walkers may simply be trying to escape a prison they have been confined to for thousands of years. The Wall that separates Westeros from the icy lands in the true North acts as a physical and magical barrier, preventing the Others from leaving. They are effectively imprisoned in a location against their will, forced to live in a place that is objectively unpleasant. Direct conflict with the Wildings and the Night’s Watch may be their only way of freeing themselves from this prison.

  Since they have breached the Wall, the White Walkers may not necessarily want to continue fighting. There may come a point when they are willing to coexist with men, come to peace, and integrate into human society.
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  (#2) They're Attacking Due To The Dissolution Of An Ancient Pact

  Most people assume the Last Hero who ended the first conflict with the White Walkers was a great warrior, able to defeat them in battle. However, this theory by Redditor u/c_forrester_thorne suggests the ancient leader was actually a seasoned diplomat. The Last Hero negotiated a peace with an enemy that had almost destroyed the civilizations of the First Men and the Children of the Forest. In this sense, the War for the Dawn might have ended through a series of negotiations. Compare this to the manner by which the First Men and the Children of the Forest were able to come to an agreement to peacefully co-exist.

  The Children agreed to stop producing fire magic and promised to stay south of the Wall. In exchange, the White Walkers agreed to stay in the extreme north of Westeros. However, circumstances have changed, leading White Walkers to believe the pact has been broken. For starters, Dany Targaryen brought living dragons back into existence. Meanwhile, the Lord of Light has gained followers all around the world. Human Wildlings and the Night’s Watch have spread to the far north beyond the Wall. In this light, the White Walkers' attacks seem like efforts to remind humanity of their obligations and attempts to secure their home from invaders.
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  (#5) The Night King Is Coming To Take His Place As King In The North

  One fan theory proposed by u/Megatron_McLargeHuge on Reddit posits that the Night King is an ancient Stark who is making his way to Winterfell to reclaim his title as King in the North. The argument rests on some folklore from the novels: the Wall was originally built by a Stark known as Bran the Builder, and that the ancient northern house might be intimately tied with the White Walkers.

  The theory postulates that the Starks and the Night King made a compact with one another. While there was "always a Stark in Winterfell," the White Walkers had to remain north of the Wall. However, events of the previous seasons saw Starks flung to all corners of Westeros. Meanwhile, the Boltons took Winterfell for themselves. This may have broken the Starks' agreement with the Night King, allowing him to return and claim Winterfell for himself.
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  (#8) The Night King Wants To Go To The Isle Of Faces

  The Isle of Faces is one of the most significant locations in all of Westeros, despite the fact that it has never appeared onscreen (or even mentioned) in Game of Thrones. The Isle of Faces is where the Children of the Forest and the First Men sealed their pact of non-aggression. In the modern age, it holds special significance for the Children thanks to its network of weirwood trees.

  One theory proposes that the island is a place of interest for the Night King. After all, it's important to the creators of the White Walkers themselves. In fact, he may want to travel south past the Wall just to reach it. All of the White Walkers' actions are part of a plan to make the long journey from the Lands of Always Winter to the Isle of Faces. There is likely some strong magic related to the Children of the Forest—and maybe even a way for the Night King to reverse his transformation, or at least find some measure of peace.
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  (#12) The White Walkers Are Fleeing Something Terrible In The North

  Why are the White Walkers moving south? Numerous people, like Redditor u/Griddamus, think they are migrating to flee something even more terrifying than themselves. They want to bring down the Wall not to invade Westeros, but to escape their traditional home and find a safer place to live.

  In the last several years (of Game of Thrones time), the White Walkers have had a huge resurgence. Not only are they building an army, but they have claimed their own dragon to destroy the Wall. They have built up their strength in order to survive and move south.
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  (#7) They Want The Same Thing As Everyone Else: To Rule

  One of the most common motives for characters throughout Game of Thrones is the desire to accrue more power. The ultimate goal for many is to sit on the Iron Throne and rule Westeros as its supreme leader. u/SSWBGUY from Reddit believes the Night King and his White Walkers may just want the same thing.

  Rather than being inherently evil, the Others simply share the same lusts as their human counterparts. They have deemed themselves superior, and they want to claim what they believe is their rightful place as the rulers of Westeros. The upcoming war between the Night King and the army of the living may be a power struggle similar to those between enemy households.

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