What If Jon Snow STOPPED Ned Stark's Execution

What if Jon Snow stopped Ned Stark's execution? Let's explore the depths of it in the video. As we sin, so do we suffer. This man has confessed his crimes in sight of gods and men. The gods are just, but beloved Bor taught us they can also be merciful. What is to be done with this traitor, your great? My mother wishes me to let Lord Eddard join the Night's Watch. Stripped of all titles and powers, he would serve the realm in permanent exile. And my Lady Sansza has begged mercy for her father. But they have the soft hearts of women. So long as I am your king, treason shall never go unpunished. Sir Illan, bring me his head. Ned is forced to his knees as Joffrey motions for Sir Illan to take his head. Ned searches desperately for Sansa, then to the crowds for Arya, but she is lost in a crowd of movement and is left bewildered as he is forced to kneel. The sound of a sword being drawn over his head is all he can hear. But then from the corner of his eye, he sees a swirl of black as a dark cloak billows behind a man who steps forward, pushing his way through the crowd. "Stop!" The crowd gasps as the sword stops mere inches from Ned's neck. Joffrey and Cersei stop talking to look at the new arrival while Sansa's eyes widen at the man. Jon Snow approaches the steps and glares at the new king. They look back at him and Jon bites his lip, hoping they do not recognize him. Yet, as he draws closer, there is not a hint of recognition in them, and Jon is grateful for that. What is the meaning of this? This man is marked for death. Who are you to command the king to do anything? Answer before you join him. I am a man of the Night's Watch, and this man has been marked for our order. You admit it yourself. Or is the new king's word meaningless? My mother's words, not mine. And yet Ned Stark confessed nonetheless. That means he should go with me. What does it matter if he goes with you? It is just another criminal in the den of rats. There is a low gasp of some of the crowd. Though it has fallen on hard times, the stories of the Night's Watch are still sung in many places around the Seven Kingdoms. Jon immediately jumps at that and steps closer, leveling a hard look. The Night's Watch are the defenders of the realm and the evils beyond the wall. We've protected the seven kingdoms for thousands of years from the likes of wildlings and worse. And now you insult us and deny us recruits to do our duty while you spill the blood of a man who had cooperated willingly and agreed to your terms on this holy place. The crowd all nod in agreement. One of them is the high septum himself, who had previously clung on to Joffrey's cape to try and stop him. Now he says that the king threatens to defy the sept of Bor. The oratory works and suddenly some people shout for mercy muttering the words oathbreaker and others saying that this is blasphemy while others continue to defend Joffrey and say to kill Ned Stark. The crowd is far more divided than they had hoped and Joffrey's face pales at the sight of people turning against him. He glances back at his mother who angrily whispers in his ear. Then at last the king gestures for silence. Very well. If this is what Lord Stark wishes, to freeze at the edge of the world, who am I to deny his wishes? He is free to go. The former Lord of Winterfell is cut free and led away by Jon to a nearby inn where Yurin is waiting. He nods in approval, and to their surprise, they find another person with him, a young girl, dirty from living in the streets, but recognizable to them nonetheless. Arya. Father. Ned kneels, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close as though he can shield her from the cruel world that has nearly torn them apart. He can feel her trembling, afraid that he might disappear again. A, my girl, you safe. I tried to get to you. I tried, I swear. But Yuren found me. He kept me safe. Thank you. The girls got fighting her, but she wouldn't have lasted long out there. We have to leave soon. Word will spread that you still live. Yuran said we could drop Ary off at Riverrun. We can do the same with you. No, my honor is the only thing that kept me alive today. I will not throw it away now. I swore an oath and I will keep it. But father Rob needs you. The North would not benefit from an oathbreaker. If I forsake my vows, I will only give the Lannisters more reason to claim the Starks of no honor. Rob must fight this war, and I must serve mine. Perhaps after the war ends, but until then, I must do my duty. Then we ride tonight. There is no time to linger. You saved me, John. I owe you my life. As the group sets out, their journey through the Crownlands and Riverland is largely uneventful. Although the Lannisters are seething at letting Nut Stark slip through their fingers, they understand that trying to get him back now or attacking the Night's Watch would not look good. However, this failure only gets worse as they learn that Rob Stark managed to defeat the Lannister host outside Riverrun, leading to Jaime<unk>s capture. With only Sansa, their bargaining power is significantly reduced. Ned and Jon hear of this as they travel north. The two spend their days talking with each other, catching up, and explaining what has happened on their ends of the world. Ned describes the treachery with which the Lannisters had usurped the throne and the truth of Cersei's children. Meanwhile, Jon explains everything that happened on the wall, the strange happenings regarding the wildlings and how Benjen Stark has gone missing. Both men bow their heads as they finish their tales. Realizing the difficulties of their oath's path, Ned would be happy to remain in silence, but cannot bring himself to hold his tongue. There is still one more thing to talk about. As they make camp, Ned pulls Jon aside and says it is time to talk about his mother. You are not my son. At least not by blood. Your mother was Lyanna Stark, my sister. That's not possible. You You always said I lied to protect you. If Robert had known the truth, he would have killed you. Your father was Rhaegar Targaryen. Rhaegar? That camp? He kidnapped Lyanna. He She died giving birth to you. And with her last breath, she made me promise to keep you safe, to raise you as my own. Why are you telling me this now? Because I had hoped it would never matter. That you would live a quiet life free from the weight of your name. But after everything that had happened in the capital, the succession matters now more than ever. You deserve to know the truth. And the truth may soon come to light, whether I will it or not. So I'm no bastard. You are more stark than you know. You have my sister's strength, my brother's honor. You have always been my son, John, in every way that matters. Jon does not answer, but his eyes glisten with emotion. When they reach Riverrun, the banners of House Tully wave in the crisp air. The moment they ride into the courtyard, Catelyn stands at their steps, her eyes wide with disbelief. Ned, it's me, Cat. She exhales sharply, pressing a trembling hand to her mouth before stepping forward. He hesitates, then pulls her into an embrace. She stiffens at first, but does not pull away. I thought you were dead. I thought it was meant to be, but John saved me. A here, too. Then I owe you my thanks, John. You saved my husband. I've long distrusted you and treated you cruy, my boy. For all those years, I am sorry. I only did what was right. Will you stay? Rob, he leads the North in war. He will want to see you. I cannot. My life was spared by my oath to the Night's Watch. I must honor it. Catelyn wishes to argue. She's tempted to say that Ned should forget his oath, but she knows her husband and knows he would never agree to that. She closes her eyes and bows her head, feeling tears drip down, but she squeezes his hands. I understand. Ned takes her hands in his own, squeezing them tightly as she trembles and nods. It is painful, but this will not be our last time seeing each other. This, I promise you. Ned and Jon leave, but the two are given a hero's farewell. Even Catelyn cannot say an unkind thing about him after what he has done. She calls him her son and says that she regrets how long it took her to realize that as they head off on the wall. Things are not going well. Jon had informed Ned of the crisis that besets the Night's Watch, but things have only deteriorated since they left. Once they arrive at Castle Black, the first thing that Samuel tells him is that the Lord Commander, Jorah Mormont, is dead. They had dragged back a pair of dead rangers who were part of Benjen Stark's expedition, but they had risen to life in the dead of night and attacked their former brothers. Among the dead was Dur Mormont and several officers before being cut apart. This leaves the Night's Watch with more questions than answers. Yet, they are not in a position to act. With the Lord Commander dead, an election must be held to select a new leader to organize the Nights Watch. Men are gathered from three remaining castles to cast their votes. But despite being a new arrival, Ned quickly makes himself a frontr runner. As a lord, and a great lord at that, his name has considerable influence and respect. Most of the Northmen in the watch support Ned on principle, knowing he can ensure support from the other houses, and others know him for his honor and dignity. Though some, like Sir Alistair, try to challenge his rules, calling him a traitor and a usurper, he is in the minority, and the votes are overwhelming as Ned is declared the new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. Although Jorah Mormont wished to ride out, Ned is not so certain that it is best to launch another ranging so soon. He first goes about reorganizing the Night's Watch and taking stock of their situation. He refills positions that were lost due to the White's attack. A more pressing matter is how to get support from the rest of the realm. They must inform the other rulers. Though Ned might be respected in most of the realm, he knows their chances of getting aid from the Iron Throne is slim. Instead, he focuses his efforts on the other kings, dispatching someone with the White's hand to Stannis and Dragonstone and messengers to Rob and Renley in order to get their support. However, Ned knows it can take months and months before any support materializes, assuming that they're willing. Once these matters are taken care of, Ned decides that the matter of the wildlings cannot be ignored and decides to lead the ranging himself alongside Sir Alistister. However, he leaves Jon Snow behind to help run things in Castle Black, as he is one of the few men he trusts and will be the one who coordinates support if he arrives. Meanwhile, in the south, the War of the Five Kings continue to rage. Thanks to Ned's advice, Rob is given an out to put aside his crown without upsetting his bannermanmen. Ned's words sway them into making peace with Stannis, and together the two combine their efforts to crush the Lannisters. After his victory at Storm's End, where he assassinates Remley, Stannis coordinates with Rob Stark to assault King's Landing. While he tries to take the city, Rob is sent to harass the Lannisters. Rob explains his plan to Edmure to lure them deeper into the Riverlands, even if it means allowing Riverrun to fall under siege. He must simply hold out long enough for Stannis to begin his offensive. The plan goes well, as when Tywin crosses the Red Fork, he only encounters token resistance from the rivermen, who gradually give ground. But as he leaves, the Northmen under Roose Bolton hurry to capture the castles Tywin leaves unprotected. The old lion cares little as he is more interested in attacking Rob Stark, who rampages unchecked in the Westerlands. Edmure follows his orders and pulls his men back to the walls of Riverrun. Tywin decides to ignore this and other castles and instead retreat to the west. But as he reaches Pink Maiden, he at last encounters serious resistance as Edmure provides Lord Piper with reinforcements and orders them to resist them. As this happens, King's Landing falls under siege as Stannis storms the capital. Though Tyrion tries to slow them down with wildfire and raids, these do little to stop Stannis's army, which far outners them. Stannis stands at top the prowl of his burning ship as it makes its way toward the shore, directing his men to different positions on the wall. Though the gold cloaks fight hard, they are not soldiers and lack the numbers to hold them back. The wildfire only adds to the chaos as it becomes difficult to see what is happening, letting the Baratheon forces appear out of nowhere. Weak points begin to show themselves as the defenders are pressed against both sides. The fiercest fighting is at the mudgate where the soldiers are exhausted and depleted after repeated sores. Even a personal sort commanded by Tyrion does not stop them. Stannis decides to leap from his ship and personally lead the attack, aiming to break the defenses. Tyrion watches as the fresh wave of troops comes rushing in. Even with the king's guard by his side, who move like pale shadows, their numbers seem endless. Tyrion staggers from the battlefield, looking over at the horizon beyond, searching and waiting for reinforcements to arrive. But no army arrives. No Tywin arrives over the horizon. No Tyrell relief army arrives. Only row after row of Baratheon soldiers cut him down and storm through the mudgate. The opening breaks morale as gold cloaks throw down their weapons and surrender or hide with the populace. Even those men in the red keep have no loyalty towards Cersei and eagerly abandon them once the chance arises. As Stannis strides in, the queen is soon executed along with Joffrey and any other Lannister loyalists in the city. But as he eases himself onto the Iron Throne, a messenger arrives from the Night's Watch. At first, he is tempted to send him away, saying he's exhausted from the fighting. But the man's grim expression troubles the new king, and he allows him to give his petition. The black brother doesn't say much, but what he shows silences the entire throne room. A hand blackened with frostbite and long rotted, yet it twitches and writhes as if still alive. Ces recoil in horror and the queen's men frown, muttering silent prayers to the Lord of Light. The man explains that this was taken from a White that had killed Lord Commander Jorah Mormont. The Night's Watch implores them for aid. Malisandre is the first to recover herself. This is a sign from the Lord of Light. He warns the Great Other has returned, and the time to act is now. Meanwhile, the Lannister army finally reaches Pink Maiden, where the Vanguard crashes against Pink Maiden's defenses, expecting an easy victory. But Lord Piper's men hold firm. Arrows rain down from the ramparts, and boiling sand is poured upon the asalants, driving them back in disarray. Every time they attempted to scale the walls, they are beaten back by fierce defenders who know that the longer they hold, the more time they buy for the larger plan to unfold. They launch regular sortes while Mark Piper raids their supply lines to keep them on their toes and force them to commit their forces to the siege. In response, Tywin tries to send part of their army past them to try and secure the countryside. But as the Lannisters begin to adjust their strategy, horns sound from the east. Roose Bolton has arrived. The Dreadford men descend upon the Lannisters, catching them unprepared. The moment of hesitation proves fatal as Bolton's forces tear into them with brutal efficiency. His men fall to the northern onslaught and cut off their escape from the Red Fork. Tywin rides up and down the lines, reforming tattered units as his host begins to buckle. But he manages to reform the shear walls to drive back the Northmen. Yet the worst is to come. The ground rumbles with the sound of hooves as Rob Stark's cavalry charges from the side. Edmure did his job well, buying time not just for Stannis, but for Rob to ride back from the Rustlands. The Northmen crash into the disoriented Lannister army like a hammer striking an anvil. The Golden Lions of House Lannister are thrown into chaos as their formations break apart. Unable to withstand the three-pronged assault, Rob's direwolf, Greywind, leads the charge alongside his master. Tearing through the enemy ranks and spreading further terror among the Lannister troops. Surrounded with no escape route, Tywin's army begins to disintegrate. Some try to fight their way out. Others flee in desperation, only to be cut down as they attempt to escape. The once mighty host of House Lannister is shattered. Tywin himself, bloodied but alive, is dragged before Rob Stark. His proud face filled with fury. The old lion had been brought low. The terms of their surrender are hammered out as Tywin is executed and Jaime is made to take the black. Kevin is made the new ruler of Castly Rock and agrees to end the war, returning all prisoners and paying indemnity for the war in the Riverlands. With that done, the Starks will hand its crown to Stannis and their combined forces begin their march up north. For Rob, there is another war waiting for him. As the Ironborn, who he attempted to ally with, have betrayed him and attacked the north. The chill bites deep as Lord Eddard Stark leads the ranging party beyond the wall. The black banners of the Night's Watch flutter against the icy winds. The expedition is the largest the watch has sent in years, several hundred strong, and meant to discover the truth behind the growing reports of strange disappearances and ghostly figures lurking in the far north. With any luck, they might also find where the wildlings are massing and find Benjamin Stark. Sir Alistister Thorne rides beside Ned, his usual sneer softened by the cold. A fine day for a death march. Are you sure you're up for this, Lord Commander? I won't send men to their deaths if I'm unwilling to share the risk. But I know who has more experience, first ranger. So tell me, do you believe we are on the right track? I believe so. The wildlings we talked to say they saw men in black traveling towards the fist. It's as good a place as any to make shelter, and your brother knows that. Ned nods, making sure he maintains regular communication with Castle Black, which is why he brought Samuel Tarly with him, who will send regular letters to keep them up to date on their movement. They reach the Fist of the First Men by dusk, a towering plateau ringed by natural defenses. An ideal place to make camp. As they scout the area, searching for any signs of Benjen's missing party or wildlings, one of the rangers, Gren, uncovers something buried beneath the frostcovered soil. He brushes away the dirt on the box, wrapped in a black cloak. Ned examines the box and finds an ancient horn, cracked, but unmistakably old, in a small cache of black glass daggers. Dragon glass. Ned examines each one and recalls the material from Maester Leuen's records, but its significance escapes him now. The horn is equally enigmatic. He leaves the daggers in the care of Sam and keeps the horn. Something tells him he should keep it close and begins fortifying the camp. Little do they know that by unearthing these artifacts, it has also attracted the attention of others who might want it. As night falls, an unnatural silence blankets the fist. The usual howls of the wind replaced by something more insidious. A creeping dread that seeps into their bones. The first sign is the flickering of the torches as if the cold itself is swallowing the flames. A shriek pierces the night, followed by another. From the darkness, figures emerge. Pale as death, eyes glowing in icy blue. A ranger blows his horn once, then again. But as he sees those eyes, he blows a third time as the white walkers advance. Swords of frost glinting under the moonlight. Ned and Sir Alistar rally the men, blades flashing as they try to hold the line. Just as Sir Alistister advises, the men light their fires and throw torches at the whites or light weapons and defenses on fire to hold them back. It works for a brief moment as the whites struggle to get around these makeshift defenses. Their hesitation is all the watch needs to attack. Dozens fall to their swords and axes before they can shamble on. Arrows shred through their rotting flesh, and Ned hopes for a moment that they might hold out until morning. But then, a terrifying roar splits his ears. From the corner, he sees a bear. a dead one with flesh dripping from its exposed bones. It barrels through their barriers, smashing it before going down in a hail of arrows. But the gap is formed. The watch fights valiantly, but their steel is useless against the walkers. One of them makes its way towards Ned, cutting through any rangers that get in his way. Its eyes seem entirely focused on him, ignoring other combatants. Even the jeers of Sir Alistar don't affect him. Ned swings his sword at the looming figure, only for the blade to shatter upon impact. The creature smacks him across the face and throws him back onto a table that breaks upon impact. The white walker approaches, raising its sword high, but before the blow can land, Samuel Tarly stabs it from behind with one of the dragon glass daggers. The effect is immediate. The walker lets out an unearly scream as its body disintegrates into ice and dust. But this victory does not alter the battle. There are too many whites forced into a desperate retreat. Ned, Alistar, and the surviving brothers flee into the darkened woods, leaving the fist of the first men behind. But even as they escape, Ned's mind is still racing as he considers what he just saw. However, as they ride on, they hear horns roaring behind them. The sound is like a bird of prey preparing to descend on its victims, and it sounds close. The dragon glass, it hurt the White Walkers more than any other weapons they have. He reaches for Sam. Samwell. Do you have the dragon glass? Ah, I do. Well, not the one I used. It broke when I killed that thing. Good. I need you to ride on ahead to Castle Black. Sir Alistister, protect the boy at all costs. He must learn everything he can about dragon glass and why it's effective. Tell Jon and King Stannis about this as well. This information might be useful. And where will you go, Lord Commander? Those horns sound close. Too close for us to outrun. Even if we ride our mounts to death, it will buy you some time. Whatever is behind us might not resist having the Lord Commander. Sir Alistister looks like he wants to argue. His face sour, grimaces, and lips part. But then he holds his tongue and nods. Suddenly spurring his horse forward, he shouts for Samuel to follow. Ned suddenly whirls his horse around and draws a spare sword. He grips it tightly as he begins to see shapes approaching. They talk, chatter, and laugh, trading insults and boasting instead of the silence of the white walkers. They move in. Wildlings from the shadows. A party of free folk emerges. Weapons raised. A chariot pulled by great wolves nearly as large as ghost rushes in. It circles Ned as others follow, proddding spears at him. That is until a man at top a black steed approaches. Looks like a crow finally flew too far from their nest. Jon Snow stands at top the wall, his breath misting in the frigid air as he watches the patrols below. Although he has no watchers for the night, he finds himself looking over the wall, waiting for the expedition to return. The Night's Watch has doubled its patrol thanks to reinforcements that have begun to trickle in. Stannis, true to his word, has sent men, hardened knights from the Stormlands in reach now that his control of the Seven Kingdoms is strengthened. Rob has also dispatched veterans willing to aid the watch while the rest of his army finishes off the Ironborn. But this help is laced with grief as he learns that the Ironborn managed to burn down Winterfell and his brothers are feared dead. Before he can dwell on those thoughts, he at last hears the horn blowing. But when the survivors finally return, their numbers are far fewer than they had been when they left. We were ambushed. The dead came for us. And my father, we don't know. He remained behind to cover our retreat and allowed the others to escape. He wanted your friend here to return so we could learn how to kill the white walkers. You left him. We barely escaped with our lives. He did his duty, Snow. We all did. He knew what was important. Tell him, said Piggy. There's hope, John. I I killed one of them. A white walker with dragon glass. You killed one with this. There were caches of these at the fist of the first men. We didn't know what they were at the time, but they worked. Some of Stannis's knights report that Dragon Stone has plenty of dragon glass. They can send them over when Stannis arrives. Jon accepts this, but his mind is still racing about what happened to his father. It continues to remain the only thing he can focus on. He prays in all his free time to the old gods, begging them not to take his father from him a second time. For the next few days, that is all he can think of until he is sent to investigate a group of people hiding in the night fort by some rangers. Jon spurs his horse toward the ruined castle, accompanied by a handful of his best men. When they arrive, torches flicker against the old stone walls. He finds Brian Stark standing with Jojan and Mirror Reed along with the hulking figure of Hodor. Bran, what are you doing here? We escaped Winterfell when the Ironborn attacked. Rickan is safe, too. But I need to go beyond the wall. Something is calling me there. Something that promises to answer all our questions. Bran, do you know what is happening beyond the wall? There is nothing but death and snow there. All you will find is ruin. No, there is something far older there. Something that might know how to defeat the White Walkers. Our problems are interconnected. Bran, we have an answer. Dragon glass, I'm not going to send you out there to your death to join father. How sure are you that he has died? I dreamed of a man in black a top a great reindeer riding toward a cave beyond the wall. A man in black. Could it be our father? I do not know. But there is one way to find out. What Bran says is true. Our problems are interconnected. Whether or not you like it, we must work together to solve this. Jon inhales sharply. The words settled deep in his chest, igniting a determination that had never left him. If there was a chance, even the smallest one, that his father was alive, he would not abandon him. We'll escort you north. You'll have my best guides. Stannis will provide the knights. Bran and his group take the escorts and press forward. Though Jojan continues to receive disturbing dreams, hinting at a vicious battle ahead. He sees a blood red sky and fields littered with dead cows. Still, they do not turn back. There is too much at stake for them to leave now, so they hold their tongues and ride on, trusting in their escorts to protect them. Meanwhile, the Night's Watch continues its preparations for war. Samuel returns to Winterfell to scour its ruined archives for any knowledge on dragon glass. There, he learns that some refer to it as frozen fire and how it was used by the children of the forest to make weapons. He studies its properties. He begins to learn how it might be used in battle beyond weapons. These notes are given to Jon and Stannis, who bring more dragon glass to arm the Night's Watch. Jon continues fortifying the wall, reinforcing the defenses as best he can based on Sam's studies. Meanwhile, after weeks of traveling, Bran arrives at the cave of the three-eyed raven. The knights huddle together, keeping a grip on their weapons as they prepare themselves for a potential battle. Throughout their journey, they faced the stalking eyes of whites, wildling scouts, and a strange sense of cold. They had lost men in their sleep, or those who wandered off from the group, never to return. Having suffered these losses without a single blow in battle, these men are on edge. But when they draw near, figures emerge from the ground, and their eyes widen as they see them rise barely to their knees with strange green skin and cat-like eyes. Yet these children welcome them inside where Bran is brought before the three-eyed raven to begin his lessons. Elsewhere beyond the wall, Ned Stark stands before Man's radar, bound but unbroken, as he and his captains and chieftains debate on what to do with him. Mance has laid out his terms. He wants to be allowed to cross the wall with his people and given land. If not, they will attack with everything they have. You know that you will not face the Night's Watch alone. King Stannis brings men from the south. Hundreds of them. You'll be facing a bloodbath. Thousands of them, but also miles of territory. Your men can be everywhere. There are places hidden to crows that we know about to slip through the wall. All that chivalry and fancy armor won't stop you from having your throat slit as you sleep. I used to visit your keep once, and that will only deepen our strength and make us pray for the white walkers. You don't have to attack the wall. I can let your people through. The assembled wildlings murmur. Some intrigued, others angered. Rattleshirt steps forward, sneering. A petty offer from the Lord Commander. Let me guess. We just have to let you go so you can negotiate. What's going to stop him from shutting the gates once he's through? I say put his pretty neck around a noose in front of the wall. He's too valuable to just let go. My chieftains have a point. Words of wind, you have a choice. You've always had a choice, lance. Wildling or not, you are still half Westerosi. You said you visited my halls once, so you know what sort of man I am. I do not break oaths. Still, crows have lied to us before. Some say it's in their nature. You call yourself a free man. So prove it. Don't let your people die for nothing. Mance looks at Ned, studying carefully. Then Ned bows his head. If you must kill me, do it yourself. You grace. The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. Bran completes his training within the cave of the three-eyed raven. His mind expanding as he gains the knowledge of past and future. As his final lesson concludes, he experiences his first true vision. an urgent horrifying glimpse of a battle in the frost fangs. He sees wildlings falling to an overwhelming force of the dead. They rally together in a circle defensive formation around their camp. But all around them, the burning blue eyes of the whites appear. We must ride north immediately. There is trouble. But no sooner does he say that do they hear the sounds of battle much closer. Horses scream and men howl as they die, followed by the faint whispers of the dead. Bran and the Reeds hurry out to see their escort fighting hard against the dead as mist forms all around them, isolating the men and leaving them helpless. Alistister Thorne tries to rally whoever he can, urging them to escape back to the wall. But the whites come rushing in hard and Bran tries to help, using his powers to war into ravens and beasts to reinforce the army. As they scout ahead, they learn that most of the whites are coming from the south, aiming to get them off the wall. It seems like whether they like it or not, the north is the only safe place to go. Sir Alistister Thorne protests but curses as he orders his men to wheel their horses around and ride north. Meanwhile, in the Frost Fangs, Ned and Mance had finally managed to conclude their negotiations. Mance agrees to cooperate with Ned and trust him. But as their army prepares to leave, they hear the otherworldly cries of the undead. The men barely managed to scramble in front of the camp just as the White appears. They have far more experience in dealing with the whites than the Night's Watch, with giants rushing forward to open gaps in their lines while the rest of the wildlings rush in with swords and axes to hack them apart. It is slowgoing and many of the warriors hold the dead back for a time, but they lack the equipment. Their weapons are brittle and wear out as the battle draws out, and they lack armor to defend themselves. Though their ferocity carries them for a time, it is not enough, and the dead begin to swarm them. Ned and Mance ride around desperately trying to rally the free folk and organize them into proper defensive lines. They throw themselves into fighting, letting their swords taste White's blood. But soon enough, gaps begin to open in their lines, and it becomes clear that they must retreat. Ned orders them to move south, but the host is slow and disorderly. It takes time to organize them, and Mance struggles to keep them back. It goes like this for several days as they lack the means to hold them back for long, and every day their numbers deplete further. The dead push closer, their numbers seemingly endless. A white walker steps forward, raising its blade of ice. Mance swings his sword, but the cold weapon shatters steel and glass. He barely dodges the counterstrike, rolling away as frost creeps up his armor. Then from the distance, the sound of galloping hooves echo through the valley. Bran's reinforcements crash into the dead like a hammer, driving them back in a desperate bid to save the survivors. Fire and dragon glass, steel meet ice and death. As the battle ignites with newfound strength, amidst the chaos, Mance is pulled from his horse and overwhelmed. He is dragged away into the night. Ned tries to reach him, but is forced back by a white walker's attack. With no choice left, he turns and calls for the retreat. With Bran's forces providing cover, the surviving wildlings break free of the frost fangs and make their way south away from the carnage. As they flee, Ned casts one last look at the battlefield. The dead are regrouping and the white walkers stand victorious over the fallen. The war has truly begun. The army of the living runs south. That freezing winds howling at their backs as the dead pursue them relentlessly. Ned Stark leads the way, his breath clouding in the icy air, his sword never leaving his hand. The wall looms ahead as they try to beat the white walkers there, and they do by mere hours. Shortly after, an ice storm forms the likes of which the men of the watch have never seen. It leaves them barely able to see what's in front of them. Except for the procession of white walkers that appear, their eerie blue eyes glowing in the darkness. In their grasp is Man's radar, his body pinned against an altar of ice. The Night King himself steps forward, a dagger of pure ice in hand. And plunges it into Mance's chest. The scream that follows is not merely of pain. It is a death yell that ripples through the air, shaking the very foundations of the ancient wall. The charms and enchantments once woven into the ice shatter like fragile glass. The protective magic is gone. The dead march forward, but the Night's Watch and their allies have prepared. Samuel Tarly's ingenuity has turned the wall into a fortress of death. As the First Whites rush forward, the snow gives way underneath them as they fall into hidden pits filled with dragon glass tipped spikes, impaling themselves on the ground. Soon those are filled with the writhing dead. But as the undead walk over their corpses, Stannis orders wildfire pots packed with dragon glass shards to be hurled into the mass of undead. These ignite on impact and send streams of flame and shrapnel through their ranks, literally ripping the whites to pieces. Even a few white walkers fall to these traps. Meanwhile, hanging spikes of dragon glass are hurled down to crush whatever undead manage to reach the wall. Yet, even with these weapons, the fighting is hardressed. The dead are relentless, bearing down on their forces and throwing themselves into combat. Their numbers are endless, and they simply swarm over the traps or attack areas without them. And when they do clash with the living, the fighting is brutal. No matter how well equipped the living are, fighting a foe who does not tire or feel pain is unlike anything they've ever done, and they pay dearly for it. Yet, the White Walkers are not mindless. They sense something, a presence among the defenders. Sam himself. He clutches the horn of winter, the ancient relic discovered beyond the fist of the First Men, an item that can destroy the wall entirely and end this battle. However, he does not realize it, thinking it is some old horn. The icy commanders of the Long Knight turn their gaze toward him, and the whites move as one, swarming toward the younger brother. It is only Sir Alistair and the Wisteri Knights quick reaction that saves Sam. Yet, the fighting there is fierce. Bran sends his crows to support them, hacking at the whites and dividing their attention. But Ned and Jon see how the battle is shifted. In other places, the attacks slacken, giving them some breathing room. They quickly reorganize their forces, moving men to reinforce and flank the dead and forcing them to commit forces to hold them back. While the Night's Watch holds the line, Ned, Jon, and Stannis Baratheon take their strongest fighters and ride out. They cut through the White's thin lines, hacking apart frozen corpses as they make for the Night's Watch. He stands at the center of the chaos, his frost forged blade held high. Stannis swings Lightbringer, but the Night King parries within human speed, knocking him from his horse. Jon follows next with his sword, aiming at the Night King's chest, but is stopped as he catches the blade in his frozen grip. Ice spreading along the steel, nearly shattering it. It is Ned who delivers the final blow. Moving swiftly, he drives his own dragon glass dagger into the Night King's back. A deafening shriek erupts as the ancient terror fractures and shatters into a thousand shards of ice. The whites freeze in place, their bodies turning brittle before collapsing into heaps of lifeless bones and dust. The long night is over. With their victory, Stannis claims his rightful place as king. With Daenerys Targaryen and Essos, he is able to consolidate power here, uniting the realm. Rather than fight her though, Stannis makes a bold decision and supports her claims in the east, sending men to support her fight in Slavers Bay to pacify her and make her less likely to invade Westeros. To ensure no future conflict, when Ned informs him about Jon's true parentage and offers a suggestion, Stannis marries Shireen to Jon to secure his dynasty and ensure that the Targaryenss cannot threaten his rule. Meanwhile, the free folk continued to follow Ned after seeing his success in halting the White Walkers, allowing him to better integrate them into the north, leaving Rob to rule in his own right. That's our theory. Westeros is a land filled with exciting stories and possibilities, and we love exploring them. If you want to accompany us on this journey across the Seven Kingdoms and beyond, then please like, share, and subscribe to our channel.