When it comes to Game of Thrones, certain episodes might end up leaving us with more
questions than they actually answer.
But - gigantic spoiler warning - the most recent installment of the fantasy epic's final
season, "The Long Night," did clear up one massive uncertainty fans have had since the
very beginning of the series: how will the Night King and his Army of Dead be defeated,
and who will carry out the act?
But just because Game of Thrones revealed Arya Stark to be the Night King-killer, that
doesn't mean the questions stopped there.
In fact, there's one huge question that no one seems to be asking after the series' latest
episode.
It's simple, but a real head-scratcher: Why didn't the Night King die when he was engulfed
in fire?
During the previous episode, dragonfire is thought to be one of only three ways to kill
a White Walker, along with dragonglass and Valyrian steel.
"Dragon fire can stop him?"
"I don't know.
No one's ever really tried."
Even with that uncertainty, you'd think a dude made of ice might still be susceptible
to a flaming attack.
So why was the Night King not turned into an evil puddle when Daenerys Targaryen called
on Drogon to light the frosted villain aflame?
Game of Thrones expert and professional Thrones tutor Christopher Williams of Varsity Tutors
has a possible explanation.
Speaking with PureWow, Williams detailed that the Night King survived the onslaught of fire
and fury from the Mother of Dragons because the two entities are "polar opposites" and
their powers essentially cancel one another out.
He explained:
"It was sort of an ice beats fire kind of thing.
They're two polar opposites, so they can't really be killed by each other."
If the Night King had lived through the Battle of Winterfell, his immunity to fire would
certainly have spelled trouble for the people of Westeros, as the Dragon Queen's most powerful
weapon would be useless against him.
Luckily for literally everyone in the country, Arya took the tried and true method of killing
a White Walker when she stabbed the Night King with her catspaw dagger made from Valyrian
steel... using the same method Jon Snow employed when he brought down a White Walker with Longclaw
in season 5.
In that moment, the Arya ended the Long Night and the side of the living won the Great War
- but the battle isn't over yet.
The Last War is about to begin, and the North is preparing to make a move on King's Landing
in an attempt to remove the Mad Queen Cersei Lannister from the Iron Throne.
Many have speculated that Arya's work isn't done, and that she'll play a pivotal role
in what's to come on Game of Thrones.
Word amongst fans is that the Night King could actually be the penultimate Arya victim this
season - and that Cersei herself will suffer the same consequences the Night King did once
Arya crosses her path.
While some believe that Arya's personal character arc was meant to end with killing the Night
King, shutting the blue eyes that Melisandre prophesied she would, others are of the opinion
that shutting Cersei's green eyes forever is Arya's ultimate goal.
"Blue eyes.
Green eyes.
Eyes you’ll shut forever."
Christopher Williams told Yahoo:
"She has the will to continue the fight and to be brave.
She's been broken down to nothing and now she's something.
She's got a purpose and she's definitely got a goal.
I don't think the Night King was a part of that agenda.
It was kinda like an on the fly decision.
But I think tactically she's been working toward killing Cersei."
Now that the Night King and his savage White Walkers have been vanquished, Arya can shift
her attention to helping bring the fight for the Iron Throne to a final end.
How she might do that is a mystery for now… but a girl has only a few names left on her
infamous list.
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