10 questions Game of Thrones season 8 needs to answer

Who is the Night King and what does he want?

As a story, Game of Thrones is a master class in distraction. We’ve watched the political wheels turn in the south as one house rolls over another, and until recently, we usually only checked in with the Night King or his minions north of the Wall once a season. Those glimpses reminded us of the real threat facing all of humanity, but the show always kept it on the backburner. With the Night King finally set to take center stage in season 8, we have to ask: what exactly does this guy want?

We know a little about him. He used to be a human being, turned by the Children of the Forest into a nightmare creature. But there are a few thousand years of questions between then and when he knocks down the Wall at the end of season 7. Part of the Night King’s power comes from his mystique, so we don’t expect the show to give everything away, but we’d still like some answers before the series is over. Why is he attempting to wipe out the Seven Kingdoms? Will nothing but human extinction satisfy him, or will he accept a deal? The questions keep coming.

It might be hard to get the answers given that the Night King doesn’t speak, at least not in a language that we understand. Maybe he’ll talk for the first time in season 8? We doubt it; he doesn’t seem the type for monologues. Or perhaps Bran could take a peek back in time and uncover some long-forgotten secrets. We just want some kind of closure with the series’ primary villain.