While House of the Dragon has primarily focused on Targaryens, its Season 2 premiere also teased White Walkers. Game of Thrones spent multiple seasons building up the Night King’s army of frosty zombies, but they haven’t had a similar presence in the prequel series. Their absence led many fans to wonder if the White Walkers exist in House of the Dragon. So, here’s all you need to know.
Are there White Walkers in House of the Dragon Season 2?
The short answer to the question of White Walkers’ existence during House of the Dragon’s era is yes. While they do not show up in Seasons 1 or 2, they have been referenced multiple times already.
In the first season, King Viserys spoke of Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy of the “Prince that was promised.” According to Viserys, Aegon had witnessed the presence of White Walkers during his northern adventures. He believed that a terrible winter was headed toward Westeros from the distant North, and it would bring their world to an end.
To defeat this coming army, a future Targaryen prince must be seated on the Iron Throne, uniting all of Westeros. While that prophecy was fulfilled by Aegon’s descendants, Jon Snow and Daenerys, it also confirmed the existence of the Night King’s army during and even before House of the Dragon’s timeline.
For reference, House of the Dragon started in 101 AC, almost 200 years before Game of Thrones’ start point in 298 AC. Now, the Season 2 premiere also teases the existence of White Walkers with the appearance of Cregan Stark at the Great Wall.
As he meets Jacaerys Velaryon, he reveals that the ice wall was built primarily to keep out “death,” ahead of wildlings or any other threat. “Death” here is another reference to the existence of White Walkers.
Whether they show up in Season 2 remains to be seen. Redanian Intelligence hinted at a possible cameo from the wights, sharing an image of a reference board labeled “Undead” in the crowd makeup booth of Season 2. But nothing is confirmed at the moment.
When were the White Walkers created?
As far as the birth of wights is concerned, the first of them was created by the Children of the Forest 8,000 years before the events of House of the Dragon. They were created to take on the First Men, but eventually broke away from the Children of the Forest, were defeated by Westerosi people, and were pushed deep into the north.
Since then, they lay dormant for centuries until the events of Game of Thrones, where the Night King burned down the Great Wall, and died at the hands of Arya Stark in 305 AC.
