White Walkers, Others and Wights

rml_16

I have to assume you all know White Walkers and Others are the same thing, right?

I've been in a conversation on FB where a large number of people seem to think (in condescendingly so) that the White Walkers are wights and the Others are something entirely different.

In the books, GRM referes to White Walkers and Others interchangably (though mostly as "Others"). Wights are the zombies/reanimated corpses.

The show primarily refers to Others as White Walkers to avoid confusion with Lost. Just in case anyone here is confused by that.

SapiensPisces

I'm a bit confused by it myself. I thought the army of reanimated corpses were wights and the old dead guys directing the army were the white walkers.

rml_16

I'm a bit confused by it myself. I thought the army of reanimated corpses were wights and the old dead guys directing the army were the white walkers.

That is correct.

Wight is a term for zombie (it is not a word GRRM made up). In the books, he calls the evil ice man things both Others and White Walkers, but I think he uses "Others" more often. The show has stuck with White Walkers because of the "Others" on the show Lost.

The people on Facebook were insisting that the wights were the White Walkers. They are not.

SapiensPisces

I'm a bit confused by it myself. I thought the army of reanimated corpses were wights and the old dead guys directing the army were the white walkers.

That is correct.

Wight is a term for zombie (it is not a word GRRM made up). In the books, he calls the evil ice man things both Others and White Walkers, but I think he uses "Others" more often. The show has stuck with White Walkers because of the "Others" on the show Lost.

The people on Facebook were insisting that the wights were the White Walkers. They are not.

To be fair, I think the show has not been very good about being clear on what creature goes with what terminology. It was even confusing for me. I thought they were referring to the reanimated corpses as the white walkers in the show for a while, but then I was confused by the same usage for the evil ice men.

rml_16

I'm a bit confused by it myself. I thought the army of reanimated corpses were wights and the old dead guys directing the army were the white walkers.

That is correct.

Wight is a term for zombie (it is not a word GRRM made up). In the books, he calls the evil ice man things both Others and White Walkers, but I think he uses "Others" more often. The show has stuck with White Walkers because of the "Others" on the show Lost.

The people on Facebook were insisting that the wights were the White Walkers. They are not.

To be fair, I think the show has not been very good about being clear on what creature goes with what terminology. It was even confusing for me. I thought they were referring to the reanimated corpses as the white walkers in the show for a while, but then I was confused by the same usage for the evil ice men.

Several of the people commenting have read the books, though. And even after I explained it (and a couple others), we got "put in our place" about it by someone who was flat-out wrong.

Wikipedia has an entry that explains it pretty well. It's a lifesaver, I think, for people who aren't reading the books. Lots of good info that helps understand the show.

SapiensPisces

And even after I explained it (and a couple others), we got "put in our place" about it by someone who was flat-out wrong.

As Ron White says, "You can't fix stupid."

I liked the scene at the end of the episode with the baby. It's been a few years since I read the books, but I don't recall that.

rml_16

And even after I explained it (and a couple others), we got "put in our place" about it by someone who was flat-out wrong.

As Ron White says, "You can't fix stupid."

I liked the scene at the end of the episode with the baby. It's been a few years since I read the books, but I don't recall that.

It isn't in the books (so far). I guess it's from Winds of Winter? That's the rumor, anyway. But that hasn't been released yet.

It certainly explains a little about what's going on, but I don't really want the show to get ahead of the books. They haven't even finished book 3 yet!