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

(#9) The White Walkers Are Trying To Save The World From Evil Men

Redditor u/c_forrester_thorne theorizes that the White Walkers no longer trust men. In ancient times, the two species coexisted by a sacred pact, but those terms have since been broken. It has eroded the peace that has existed for thousands of years. White Walkers now believe humans are a force for evil that, if left unchecked, will cause untold misery to the realm.
Consider how much damage has been done by various parties trying to take the Iron Throne for themselves. In this instance, the White Walkers see themselves as saviors, ridding the world of a menace that could very well destroy it.
(#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.
(#13) The Night King Is Leading A Political Uprising Against His Creators

Elena Nicolaou of Refinery29 believes the Night King’s ultimate goal may be a political uprising against his creators. The Children of the Forest created the White Walkers as a weapon to fight against the First Men.
Though he started life as a human, the Night King was forced to morph into a new type of being. Now he fights against his own species at the behest of the Children of the Forest. Little wonder, then, that he chose to rebel and rise up against the dominant powers in Westeros with his army of White Walkers and wights. It is entirely possible he and the rest of the Others just wanted to make the most of the terrible situation they were put in, and take some measure of control back for themselves.
(#6) The White Walkers Are Trying To Increase Their Numbers

It's clear that the White Walkers are intimately linked with humans. The Children of the Forest created the Night King from a captured human, and the White Walkers make wights from humans, including Craster's sons.
As Redditor u/RPMadMSU argues, the Others need humans to reproduce and thus grow their population. Their military campaign and upcoming invasion of Westeros may simply be a species trying to increase their population—not just an effort at wiping out humanity.
(#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.
(#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.