mystickristoff Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Yes, the White Walker had a spear instead of a sword but I'm just using the term "swordsmanship" to mean weapon fighting/weaponry. Anyways, the way Jon Snow killed that White Walker with "Longclaw" was reminiscent of the way Jon Snow beat up those new Night's Watch recruits, 3 on 1. Take note, before Jon Snow parried with "Long Claw", he already fought off several Wights and hurt his back and spitting blood after that White Walker hit him with the blunt end of his spear. So this was not a Jon Snow at full health that the White Walker was fighting. Furthermore, if you say "Oh the WW was caught off guard since he was surprised that Jon Snow's sword didn't shatter"... well Jon Snow didn't expect that either. He was just as surprised that his sword didn't break after seeing that other one he picked up shatter on impact with the WW's spear. What I'm saying is, do you guys agree that based on sword/spear-fighting alone, these grunt White Walkers are only as skilled as the average Night's Watch member? It's that your weapon shatters on impact that gets you. However, they do seem to have superhuman strength. And this WW had the reach/weapon advantage because he had a spear, which is a polearm. Swords are a sidearm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKingoftheSevenKingdoms Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I think the White Walker was not trying his hardest. He probably thought Jon would be an easy kill and wasn't bothering to put in the effort. Remember, he was very surprised when his sword did not break Longclaw, so if Jon hadn't stabbed him at the point he probably could have killed Lord Snow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stan Man Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 The White Walkers have largely gone unchallenged by anyone because of the few items that can kill them and the strength of their weapons. I doubt they train often like Jon Snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFP Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I was fine with the way they showed it.If WWs were invulnerable (as opposed to merely formidable) in single combat (though in fairness it is implied that against normal weapons they are perhaps bordering on invulnerable, certainly against one or two foes at a time) it'd rather beg the question why a couple of them hadn't already simply cut a swathe through all of the wildlings.The plot point is that their main power lies in their ability to raise wights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davos is King Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Yeah I agree with what pretty much everyone else is saying. The look on the whitewalker's face says it all tbh :P Hardhome was surprisingly epic and intense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystickristoff Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 The plot point is that their main power lies in their ability to raise wights.Or being able to shatter weapons, and presumably metal armor, on impact with their weapons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosts Lunch Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I think the White Walker was not trying his hardest. He probably thought Jon would be an easy kill and wasn't bothering to put in the effort. Remember, he was very surprised when his sword did not break Longclaw, so if Jon hadn't stabbed him at the point he probably could have killed Lord Snow Pretty much, WW was cocky Similar to how last season one just walked right past Sam thinking there was no conceivable threat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The King in The Mount Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Pretty much, WW was cocky Similar to how last season one just walked right past Sam thinking there was no conceivable threat I don't know, I prefer believing that there's something about saying your vows in front of a weirwood tree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borodin Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 When, where, and why would a White Walker have any actual battle experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancerman Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 When, where, and why would a White Walker have any actual battle experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Viserys Targaryen IV Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 When, where, and why would a White Walker have any actual battle experience? Was thinking the same thing last night. WW are probably faster and stronger than a human and have better weapons, they dont really need to train or get experience to be effective. Add to that they are only encountering Wildlings (and before that... they were gone for thousands of years???), we saw what Stannis did to the Wildling's army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apovsic Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Question I have is: why didn't WW kill Jon when he was on the ground, instead of lifting him and throwing him across the room? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borodin Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Question I have is: why didn't WW kill Jon when he was on the ground, instead of lifting him and throwing him across the room? See: Plot Armour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj4iy Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Yeah I agree with what pretty much everyone else is saying. The look on the whitewalker's face says it all tbh :P Hardhome was surprisingly epic and intense This was a perfect representation of that moment: http://i1049.photobucket.com/albums/s389/sj4iy/tumblr_np8zmalGjs1qdvncqo1_500_zpsjha7d0tx.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhaegal Targaryen Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 See: Plot Armour. Or maybe over-confidence and arrogance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammarYatzy Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 It seems like the white walkers strategy is to make awesome dodge moves on downwards swings (like the axe attacks) and then perry side swings 1x (until the weapon shatters) then kill the opponent. Jon Snow's weapon didn't break on the 1st perry. Then he cut it in 2 with a sideswing. Plus, dragonsglass maybe harder for the whitewalker to deal with speedwise etc. As Jon Snow points out in the books he can swing longclaw faster than any normal sword. It also seemed to give him a psychological advantage after the perry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borodin Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 The reason Snow didn't die was because Snow wasn't even there in the books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daske Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 That gif sums it up perfectly! Great moment. I watched a few reaction vids for the first time this season and that scene had people cheering out loud. Show watchers do really care about Jon now it seems. Also noticeable was how a few apparently non-bookies just involuntarily said knee-jerk 'ah! Valaryian steel!' when Jon blocks the swing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiltedAxis Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 As a show watcher who really didn't care about jon for most of the show, he has really come into his character this season, acting wise and character development, and I've been a big fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeathYon Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I think the White Walker was not trying his hardest. He probably thought Jon would be an easy kill and wasn't bothering to put in the effort. Remember, he was very surprised when his sword did not break Longclaw, so if Jon hadn't stabbed him at the point he probably could have killed Lord Snow When, where, and why would a White Walker have any actual battle experience? This and this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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