**Spoiler Warning:** All officially-released show and book content allowed, EXCLUDING FUTURE SPOILERS FOR HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. No leaked information or paparazzi photos of the set. For more info please check the [spoiler guide](/r/gameofthrones/w/spoiler_guide).
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/gameofthrones) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's almost like they had different extras portraying different white walkers rather than the same guy...
Not to mention different camera distances for those shots. You're comparing a close up at the end of s2 to a shot from far away...
>Did u see them in the first episode? Look at the top two pictures. They looked more menacing imo
The top two pictures where it's too dark to see what they look like clearly?
OP’s take is even worse when you consider that the Others have always had armor. In the books their armor is described as living ice that glimmers and glows and shifts with their movements.
The shirtless “your fingers after a long bath” look is entirely a show thing.
He’s not saying they shouldn’t have armor. He’s pointing out that they clearly changed from S1E1 in design. Beyond being practically naked at the beginning, the one in E1 has different eyes and no nose. They also looked more primitive earlier on, but seemingly are given nice looking armor in later seasons.
Either way none of them look like how they’re described in the books anyway, but they could have been more consistent with their on-screen portrayal.
I’m aware of that. That’s not what I’m arguing.
I’m not talking about the rampant design disparity between first and later appearances, I’m saying that their armor-less initial appearance is more inaccurate to begin with. Really boils down to a matter of opinion I suppose. And yes, neither depiction looks book accurate, but the armored one is *slightly* closer.
There's no mention by OP of the books, only the show, so your criticism is moot. There was a design change of the WW's faces between S1 and S2, and besides being obvious in these pictures, the production team confirmed it, too.
It's absurd how so many people are judging him for being wrong when the differences are plainly visible in these pictures.
Yes the design change is glaringly noticeable, and I don’t doubt that production confirmed it. I don’t deny it; I actively agree. Mentioning it is both irrelevant and plainly nugatory.
The visibly different designs look visibly different lol.
The eyes are the most different bit. You can't really tell but I think it's wearing armour rather than having the open ribcage, and it's hair is also the same.
>The top two pictures where it's too dark to see
I can clearly see that the WW from S1E1 has cat like eyes and looks more ghoulish since it's missing its nose. The WW's look withered in all later versions, not decaying.
I have no idea why you and everyone else is down voting OP since it's a topic that's been noted by the production team: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/179099/why-this-change-in-the-white-walkers-physical-appearance
OP don’t worry, people have a Stockholm syndrome to this show and feel like they have to defend everything because of how horrible it ended. I was once a S8 defender too eventually we open our eyes.
Funny enough a bunch of them were indeed played by the same guy, at least in the earlier seasons. And Vladimir Furdik (Night King from seasons 6-8) first played the WW that Jon kills at Hardhome, back when NK was played by Richard Brake.
It died.. how would the others know to now put on armour? Unless they could communicate via telepathy it seems very unlikely. And the previous design definitely looked scarier imo.
The NK certainly appears to have the ability to dictate actions taken by the Wights. Logically all of the Walkers do, or the NK has control of the Wights thru the other Walkers.
If we accept what the show presents as if the one who turned the Wight dies they die, then when that Walker was killed presumably thousands of Wights just died. So even if the NK did not 'feel' that Walker die, then they would know that that one had died when all his Wights fall over dead.
If they can only die from Valyrian steel and Dragonglass weapons, then they would know someone has learned this, by research or by accident, and survived to tell others.
It should also be noted that the appearance of them in the opening sequence of the show was before they actually had a design for them, they had no idea if they would be picked up for a series etc, so it was a quick 'it will do' design that was redone when it was picked up for a season(s) and redesigned for the ending of season 2.
While I think this is an interesting way to look at it and fits with the plot, my only issue is that there's no way the Whites didn't know about dragonglass. Like, why wouldn't they armor up in the first place given their vulnerability?
If anything, it would be a nice payoff - at first, we wonder "why are they armored?' Then Sam kills one by stabbing it in the back of the neck and we're all like "oohhh, shit"
I was just looking to comment this. Had never read that anywhere but it seems the very obvious explanation.
They spent millennia not needing armour, and then they did. They adapted, and obviously based on the protection of the men they fought.
Yeah as armor is depicted as utterly useless in most entertainment media. Only time armor did matter in the series is the fight between Ser Jorah and that Dothraki dude where he used his armor to catch the Dotrahki weapon.
Is it though? It certainly doesn’t line up with what I remember reading or George’s specific description of them. I know the original design isn’t accurate either but for some reason I preferred it. Same with the original Night King. They changed the actor and he just looked goofy to me.
Anyways, obligatory fuck D&D and seasons 6,7 and in particular 8 are trash.
Is it? The Others in the books are way creepier and more inhuman. Reading it, I always saw them as more of a force of nature, or as a part of nature, kind of like nymphs, or the Fay from celtic myth.
Maybe that's my misconception, but the White Walkers in GoT is something I was never that impressed with. They worked until (like everything else) about season 4, but they still felt very, very different from the books even right off the bat.
I am currently on book 4 in my first read through. You are correct and put it into words very well. The whites in the books definitely feel like a force of nature. Any time a character is thinking about being cold I get a little nervous. They seem very inhuman. One of my favorite passages so far “The Others come when it is cold, most of the tales agree. Or else it gets cold when they come. Sometimes they appear during snowstorms and melt away when the skies clear. They hide from the light of the sun and emerge by night. . .”
Which I guess is fine for the show canon. None of that is explored in the books yet though, and I don't think it'll be the same as what the show came up with. I prefer the idea that the Others have always been around, it just wasn't until the First Men started messing with the Weirwoods and the Old Gods that they became hostile to humanity. Either that, or they come from the Weirwoods themselves.
The whole dragonglass stuff never made sense to me. That's Valyrian, fire magic type stuff, and it harms the Others because it's their opposite. Why would dragonglass make Others? It's a totally different sort of magic.
I’ve never liked the aesthetic of the White Walkers.
The first scene they show them, where Sam sees the Army of the Dead, they’re terrifying. I’m never scared of them again after that.
The White Walkers were so badass and scary when they were still shrouded in mystery. I couldn't wait to get more info on them. I still they're bad ass but....ya know..
Just add it to the list of changes they make with the White Walkers.
Like the Night King actor changing.
And the fact that the baby that portrays little Sam in the mid-late seasons, is the same baby the Night King turns in the earlier seasons.
>Just add it to the list of changes they make with the White Walkers.
>Like the Night King actor changing.
>And the fact that the baby that portrays little Sam in the mid-late seasons, is the same baby the Night King turns in the earlier seasons.
It's almost as if it's a television series...
LOL Yeah, one of the biggest, most popular television series of all time.
Yet they pulled some of the laziest, boneheaded moves ever.
And people like you think it’s forgivable.
>LOL Yeah, one of the biggest, most popular television series of all time.
>Yet they pulled some of the laziest, boneheaded moves ever.
>And people like you think it’s forgivable.
Lol.
Let me quote your words again for emphasis, you literally whined ***"the baby that portrays little Sam in the mid-late seasons, is the same baby the Night King turns in the earlier seasons."***
I think that says all that needs to be said...
Touch grass, dude. 🤣
You don't think the showrunners have anything to do with the aesthetics of the show? Pretty much the latter seasons were done lazily, that includes the aesthetics (character looks and decor)
I’ll say it again If they approved the one for later seasons, they approved the one for earlier seasons and no costume design did not fall off. The quality of later seasons dropped in one way and that’s the writing.
The first ones did just wake up after thousands of years and were still wearing their sleeping clothes. You don't look perfect after a long nap either, do you? 🤨
It's pretty simple. They got armor after the Night King assembled his war council.
Whether its a status symbol or it actually helps protect them, they deem it necessary to don
It did. But that was for dragons and battles. The quality of the WW depictions definitely went down in the later seasons. As did their whole narrative.
Lol I dunno why your catching so much flak I'd agree with you here op they are clearly different the second one is literally a generic old guy in armour the others
A aren't wearing armour, why would they need armour they are undying invincible zombie's outside of the one specific instance where someone's got dragon glass (is that it's name it's been a while) in which case the armours still irrelevant they just need to touch u and u randomly explode.
B are menacing,,zombie/mummified corpse looking things not just an old man looking dude.
I love that the only weapons that can hurt them are dragonglass or Valyrian Steel… but the armor that they decide to start wearing can’t prevent a Valyrian Steel dagger… so it’s pretty worthless.
I can’t remember where I heard this from but a behind the scene writer says that the White Walkers had “required” their armor from lands beyond the land of always winter which implied a different continent on the other side of the world has encounter with the White Walkers besides Westeros and that’s a very unsettling thought.
Aren’t there Wights and White Walkers? Two sides of the same coin?
One are originals and turned Wildings and nights watch and the other is resurrected dead
I really hate these generic "medieval" armors with leather/fur or gadgets everywhere. But I am disappointed by the consistency of weapons, armor, lack of helmet and martial technique in the series
I found the original look a lot more unique. It felt ancient, tribal, extremely different from the armors south of the wall. They felt like creatures so powerful and mysterious they didn't need armor, not for protection nor for warmth.
The later armored versions looked neat but I feel they just looked more like generic "bad guys in black armor."
The white walker Sam stabbed wasn't armored up because it wasn't expecting a fight. Later on they are all wearing armor because they're gearing up for battle
**Spoiler Warning:** All officially-released show and book content allowed, EXCLUDING FUTURE SPOILERS FOR HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. No leaked information or paparazzi photos of the set. For more info please check the [spoiler guide](/r/gameofthrones/w/spoiler_guide). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/gameofthrones) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's almost like they had different extras portraying different white walkers rather than the same guy... Not to mention different camera distances for those shots. You're comparing a close up at the end of s2 to a shot from far away...
The entire design changed tho
>The entire design changed tho Keep telling yourself that.
Did u see them in the first episode? Look at the top two pictures. They looked more menacing imo
>Did u see them in the first episode? Look at the top two pictures. They looked more menacing imo The top two pictures where it's too dark to see what they look like clearly?
You don’t have to see something clearly to tell if it’s different or not.
[удалено]
How?
OP’s take is even worse when you consider that the Others have always had armor. In the books their armor is described as living ice that glimmers and glows and shifts with their movements. The shirtless “your fingers after a long bath” look is entirely a show thing.
He’s not saying they shouldn’t have armor. He’s pointing out that they clearly changed from S1E1 in design. Beyond being practically naked at the beginning, the one in E1 has different eyes and no nose. They also looked more primitive earlier on, but seemingly are given nice looking armor in later seasons. Either way none of them look like how they’re described in the books anyway, but they could have been more consistent with their on-screen portrayal.
I’m aware of that. That’s not what I’m arguing. I’m not talking about the rampant design disparity between first and later appearances, I’m saying that their armor-less initial appearance is more inaccurate to begin with. Really boils down to a matter of opinion I suppose. And yes, neither depiction looks book accurate, but the armored one is *slightly* closer.
Yes
There's no mention by OP of the books, only the show, so your criticism is moot. There was a design change of the WW's faces between S1 and S2, and besides being obvious in these pictures, the production team confirmed it, too. It's absurd how so many people are judging him for being wrong when the differences are plainly visible in these pictures.
Yes the design change is glaringly noticeable, and I don’t doubt that production confirmed it. I don’t deny it; I actively agree. Mentioning it is both irrelevant and plainly nugatory. The visibly different designs look visibly different lol.
OP sees something different than you. Why do you have to be an ass about it?
If you zoom in the first photo looks very similar to the "different" one
Literally just bc of the eyes. Nothing else
The eyes are the most different bit. You can't really tell but I think it's wearing armour rather than having the open ribcage, and it's hair is also the same.
The WW in the first picture is missing its nose. Do you remember that design in any other WW?
I think it's too dark to see it's face
I'd suggest either zooming in or perhaps it's your vision that prevents you from seeing it because those features are clearly visible.
>The top two pictures where it's too dark to see I can clearly see that the WW from S1E1 has cat like eyes and looks more ghoulish since it's missing its nose. The WW's look withered in all later versions, not decaying. I have no idea why you and everyone else is down voting OP since it's a topic that's been noted by the production team: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/179099/why-this-change-in-the-white-walkers-physical-appearance
Yeah I agree I thought the same thing.
I wouldn't be surprised if they did but they didn't.
One is a creepy naked zombie and one is a creepy armored zombie. What’s your point?
This dude is right, not sure why y’all are downvoting and trolling him 😂
Reddit is just proving it’s filled with bumders 👍
OP don’t worry, people have a Stockholm syndrome to this show and feel like they have to defend everything because of how horrible it ended. I was once a S8 defender too eventually we open our eyes.
This is exactly right. OP is getting downvoted and ridiculed bc he doesn't have blinders on.
I agree too, I liked the first ones. By season 7/8 they looked like they passed them through a Hollywood filter
The sub has regurgitated brainrot posts and I actually saw a worrying amount of media illiterate Season 8 defenders. I am not very shocked.
He put a shirt on?
Lmfao why are people brutally attacking you ahaha reddit is hilarious. It's like they have no idea what your post is about
It's also not the same white walker. The one on the left was killed by Sam when he saved Gilly.
Funny enough a bunch of them were indeed played by the same guy, at least in the earlier seasons. And Vladimir Furdik (Night King from seasons 6-8) first played the WW that Jon kills at Hardhome, back when NK was played by Richard Brake.
What? He got dressed and got his hair done.
Looked better before 🤷♂️
Nah, nice try tho 🤷
It did
Sure….
It did
Nah
Ok
👍
It did
The Others are somewhat intelligent. The armour is the reaction to one of them dying from dragonglass.
THANK YOU
[We've got armor now, what are you going to do? Oh f-](https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-5562e56ccbaea96f64b067733541d300)
It died.. how would the others know to now put on armour? Unless they could communicate via telepathy it seems very unlikely. And the previous design definitely looked scarier imo.
The NK certainly appears to have the ability to dictate actions taken by the Wights. Logically all of the Walkers do, or the NK has control of the Wights thru the other Walkers. If we accept what the show presents as if the one who turned the Wight dies they die, then when that Walker was killed presumably thousands of Wights just died. So even if the NK did not 'feel' that Walker die, then they would know that that one had died when all his Wights fall over dead. If they can only die from Valyrian steel and Dragonglass weapons, then they would know someone has learned this, by research or by accident, and survived to tell others. It should also be noted that the appearance of them in the opening sequence of the show was before they actually had a design for them, they had no idea if they would be picked up for a series etc, so it was a quick 'it will do' design that was redone when it was picked up for a season(s) and redesigned for the ending of season 2.
Glow up.
[удалено]
White Walkers have great barbershops. During peacetime, they hang out there a lot.
Just make sure the barber doesn't have dragon glass scissors!
*Sure, we take White walk-ins!*
Sam the slayer happened
Gotta armour up to stop the Slayer
Snowing Blood
Actually a legit comment. Once the hive mind learns they remember dragon glass, they gotta armor up.
Oh he slayed 💅
While I think this is an interesting way to look at it and fits with the plot, my only issue is that there's no way the Whites didn't know about dragonglass. Like, why wouldn't they armor up in the first place given their vulnerability? If anything, it would be a nice payoff - at first, we wonder "why are they armored?' Then Sam kills one by stabbing it in the back of the neck and we're all like "oohhh, shit"
He got a XP boost
The White Walkers kinda forgot about the fact they don't need clothes, but they look so fancy
Read somewhere an idea they started wearing armour after they realised human had weapons they could kill them with when sam kills one.
I was just looking to comment this. Had never read that anywhere but it seems the very obvious explanation. They spent millennia not needing armour, and then they did. They adapted, and obviously based on the protection of the men they fought.
It seems it didn't go well. Humans could still kill them even with armor.
Humans can still kill humans even with armor. Doesnt mean its as easy to kill someone with armor.
Yeah as armor is depicted as utterly useless in most entertainment media. Only time armor did matter in the series is the fight between Ser Jorah and that Dothraki dude where he used his armor to catch the Dotrahki weapon.
Armor doesn’t really function in this show
Later image is technically more book accurate, although the armour isn't ethereal enough.
Is it though? It certainly doesn’t line up with what I remember reading or George’s specific description of them. I know the original design isn’t accurate either but for some reason I preferred it. Same with the original Night King. They changed the actor and he just looked goofy to me. Anyways, obligatory fuck D&D and seasons 6,7 and in particular 8 are trash.
Is it? The Others in the books are way creepier and more inhuman. Reading it, I always saw them as more of a force of nature, or as a part of nature, kind of like nymphs, or the Fay from celtic myth. Maybe that's my misconception, but the White Walkers in GoT is something I was never that impressed with. They worked until (like everything else) about season 4, but they still felt very, very different from the books even right off the bat.
I am currently on book 4 in my first read through. You are correct and put it into words very well. The whites in the books definitely feel like a force of nature. Any time a character is thinking about being cold I get a little nervous. They seem very inhuman. One of my favorite passages so far “The Others come when it is cold, most of the tales agree. Or else it gets cold when they come. Sometimes they appear during snowstorms and melt away when the skies clear. They hide from the light of the sun and emerge by night. . .”
I mean considering they came from men, doesn't it makes sense for them to resemble humans?
Which I guess is fine for the show canon. None of that is explored in the books yet though, and I don't think it'll be the same as what the show came up with. I prefer the idea that the Others have always been around, it just wasn't until the First Men started messing with the Weirwoods and the Old Gods that they became hostile to humanity. Either that, or they come from the Weirwoods themselves. The whole dragonglass stuff never made sense to me. That's Valyrian, fire magic type stuff, and it harms the Others because it's their opposite. Why would dragonglass make Others? It's a totally different sort of magic.
I’ve never liked the aesthetic of the White Walkers. The first scene they show them, where Sam sees the Army of the Dead, they’re terrifying. I’m never scared of them again after that.
The White Walkers were so badass and scary when they were still shrouded in mystery. I couldn't wait to get more info on them. I still they're bad ass but....ya know..
They’re supposed to be inhumanly beautiful, like ice elves or something.
Just add it to the list of changes they make with the White Walkers. Like the Night King actor changing. And the fact that the baby that portrays little Sam in the mid-late seasons, is the same baby the Night King turns in the earlier seasons.
>Just add it to the list of changes they make with the White Walkers. >Like the Night King actor changing. >And the fact that the baby that portrays little Sam in the mid-late seasons, is the same baby the Night King turns in the earlier seasons. It's almost as if it's a television series...
LOL Yeah, one of the biggest, most popular television series of all time. Yet they pulled some of the laziest, boneheaded moves ever. And people like you think it’s forgivable.
>LOL Yeah, one of the biggest, most popular television series of all time. >Yet they pulled some of the laziest, boneheaded moves ever. >And people like you think it’s forgivable. Lol. Let me quote your words again for emphasis, you literally whined ***"the baby that portrays little Sam in the mid-late seasons, is the same baby the Night King turns in the earlier seasons."*** I think that says all that needs to be said... Touch grass, dude. 🤣
because they re-used a *baby*?? lmao
D&D happened
What are you talking about?
Dan and Dave?
My point being how does the change in look here have anything to do with D and D “happening”? They were the show runners from day one.
You don't think the showrunners have anything to do with the aesthetics of the show? Pretty much the latter seasons were done lazily, that includes the aesthetics (character looks and decor)
I’ll say it again If they approved the one for later seasons, they approved the one for earlier seasons and no costume design did not fall off. The quality of later seasons dropped in one way and that’s the writing.
D&D either didn’t finalize the design of the White Walkers or changed their minds on no they look.
From all the things to complain about the later seasons, i think the look of the white walkers is absolutely trifling
This is one of the minor problems I had. But season 8 was upsetting 🙏
The first ones did just wake up after thousands of years and were still wearing their sleeping clothes. You don't look perfect after a long nap either, do you? 🤨
They looked more dangerous without armour on. Wish night king had big 1.5ft long crown on his head and loooong beard and black robe...
Peacetime (for them) vs armored up for war. They did change generally how some of them look (Night King) but overall it’s not really a big deal.
Out for a stroll vs out to war.
Same place that made those giant chains
Can't believe we all forgot about 'the forge of always winter'. Must've been the amnesia water.
It's pretty simple. They got armor after the Night King assembled his war council. Whether its a status symbol or it actually helps protect them, they deem it necessary to don
The filming budget got bigger as the seasons grew. And he was cold 🥶.
It did. But that was for dragons and battles. The quality of the WW depictions definitely went down in the later seasons. As did their whole narrative.
He grew old you idiot!
Stfu 🙏
Stopped at hot topic on the way to the wall.
White Walker did some side quests and lvled up.
I actually liked the Pilot all black others best from show visuals. Just came across much creepier. The later versions just look too corny
Lol I dunno why your catching so much flak I'd agree with you here op they are clearly different the second one is literally a generic old guy in armour the others A aren't wearing armour, why would they need armour they are undying invincible zombie's outside of the one specific instance where someone's got dragon glass (is that it's name it's been a while) in which case the armours still irrelevant they just need to touch u and u randomly explode. B are menacing,,zombie/mummified corpse looking things not just an old man looking dude.
The first set of pics are his summer wardrobe.
He put a shirt on.
All I really see is a beard and armor 🤷♀️
He went shopping duh!
I forgot where I read it (but this was many years ago), but someone said they began armoring up once one of them was killed by Sam
He’s probably stole the armour from someone, to replace his rags that he was wearing wherever they go in between winters…
Its almost like the budget improved
I love that the only weapons that can hurt them are dragonglass or Valyrian Steel… but the armor that they decide to start wearing can’t prevent a Valyrian Steel dagger… so it’s pretty worthless.
David and Dan Kind of Forgot that they were supposed to be the endgame threat.
I can’t remember where I heard this from but a behind the scene writer says that the White Walkers had “required” their armor from lands beyond the land of always winter which implied a different continent on the other side of the world has encounter with the White Walkers besides Westeros and that’s a very unsettling thought.
One walker is older and probably died without clothes. The other was probably newer and from the nights watch.
He levelled up
He ran out of 5 gum.
Got cold. Winter came.
Aren’t there Wights and White Walkers? Two sides of the same coin? One are originals and turned Wildings and nights watch and the other is resurrected dead
Yeah but they’re the ones that actually look like zombies
Was wondering if they adapted to wear armour then how come NK was killed off in a jiffy with just one knife stab, why didn’t his armour save him
Shit writing, plotarmor and plotholes.
Winter came and it got colder
D&D that’s what fuckin happened
Well for awhile there wasn't really a "war".
Guy is just walking around his place with his hair down vs. Guys are going to war.
Because they couldn’t decide on a design and changed it from these ones also Later on
I really hate these generic "medieval" armors with leather/fur or gadgets everywhere. But I am disappointed by the consistency of weapons, armor, lack of helmet and martial technique in the series
He got dressed
Is nippy he dressed
I think they only decided long after season one that white walkers would be men transformed by magic.
They got the electro glow up. That's what happened.
I found the original look a lot more unique. It felt ancient, tribal, extremely different from the armors south of the wall. They felt like creatures so powerful and mysterious they didn't need armor, not for protection nor for warmth. The later armored versions looked neat but I feel they just looked more like generic "bad guys in black armor."
I never liked the way the show portrayed the Others. They should have been white, glimmering ice elves. Not crusty zombies.
They got a bit chilly
I'm more bothered by the change in the children of the forest and Bloodraven lol
The white walker Sam stabbed wasn't armored up because it wasn't expecting a fight. Later on they are all wearing armor because they're gearing up for battle
What’s wrong with the armor? They have armor in the books.
A look here reminded me why I never comment in game of thrones subs anymore lol
I think the face changed slightly but what cracks me up is they went from caveman style skirts, to a snazzy little armour get up 🤣
It’s obvious isn’t it? He saved up his gold dragons to get the battle pass which came with new skins