The Night King’s true identity isn’t revealed in Game of Thrones, but the villain being a Stark makes a lot of sense for the HBO show — and it explains his ongoing rivalry with another character. Although the fight for the Iron Throne takes up much of Game of Thrones’ runtime, the Night King remains a looming presence for most of the series. He poses a greater threat to Westeros than any of the characters hoping to win the titular game. However, they’re too caught up in their own power struggles to see that.

Fortunately, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen manage to gather an army to take on the Night King in Game of Thrones season 8 — but the end of this storyline proves pretty underwhelming. The Night King and his army are defeated in a single episode, and that installment reveals little about the villain’s history or motivations. This has led viewers to speculate about whether the Night King could be a Targaryen or even hail from House Stark. The latter seems more likely, and it would fit with his journey throughout Game of Thrones.

The Night King Could Be A Stark In Game Of Thrones (But It’s Never Confirmed)

This Is A Popular Theory About The Villain

The theory that the Night King is a Stark in Game of Thrones has a decent amount of evidence to back it, starting with the fact that he’s likely one of the First Men. Season 6’s flashback of Children of the Forest turning him into the Night King suggests as much, and we know that the Starks are descendants of this group. The Night King may predate House Targaryen, but he was a human around the time the Starks’ ancestors were in the North. His story also overlaps with those of the Starks, with Arya killing him and Bran being his target.

The HBO show’s Night King also seems to be partly based on George R.R. Martin’s book character, the Night’s King. These are two different entities, but it’s hinted that the Night’s King is a Stark in A Song of Ice & Fire. He’s the 13th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, and we know that the Starks have held that position numerous times throughout Westeros’ history. Old Nan also tells Bran that the Night’s King was a Stark, and while she’s not the most reliable source, the HBO series may have taken this and ran with it.

The Night King Being A Stark Explains His Strange Rivalry With Jon Snow

Game Of Thrones Never Properly Address The Tensions Between Them

Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury

The Night King being a Stark in Game of Thrones would explain his strange rivalry with Jon Snow, which never really gets closure in the final season of the show. The two are treated as nemeses for most of the HBO series, with Jon constantly trying to rally Westeros against the villain and his White Walkers. The Night King seems to dislike Jon as much as Jon despises him. While the Night King is hostile towards every human he comes into contact with, his repeated stare-downs with Jon suggest there’s something deeper there.

The Night King being a Stark would explain the anger and resentment he seems to feel for Jon, adding an interesting layer to their dynamic.

The Night King being a Stark would explain the anger and resentment he seems to feel for Jon, adding an interesting layer to their dynamic. If the Night King has a similar backstory as A Song of Ice & Fire‘s Night’s King, it’s possible he even wants revenge on the family members and Northerners who wronged him. This could be why he relentlessly pursues Bran, as well as why he seems to hate Jon. Of course, the tensions between him and Jon could stem from how much they mirror one another, too.

Jon Snow Mirrors The Game Of Thrones Villain’s

It’s Even More Obvious In The A Song Of Ice & Fire Books

The Night King is the leader of the White Walkers, and Jon becomes the leader of the North, so their positions put them in the perfect scenario to be at odds with one another. This is true regardless of the Night King’s origins, though both of them being Starks would better explain why the Night King is so committed to invading Winterfell and the North. The Night King and Jon are also both killed and resurrected, so there’s a connection between them in that regard. They mirror each other in several ways, especially if they’re both Starks.

HBO’s planned Bloodmoon spinoff would have explored the Long Night and the Night King further, but it was scrapped by the network.

Jon’s story more clearly mirrors that of the books’ Night’s King, as both of them become the Lord Commander and fall in love with outsiders. However, Jon doesn’t allow his relationship with Ygritte to come between him and his ideals. He chooses duty over love, just as he does with Daenerys later in the series. By contrast, the Night’s King loses his soul to the female Other he falls in love with, allowing his feelings to corrupt him. If Game of Thrones‘ villain has a similar backstory, it’s possible he resents Jon for doing what he couldn’t.