Limits to the white walkers' ability to raise the dead

[SandorsRedemption]

Based on what we've seen in the show I have to assume that there are limits to the "raising the dead powers" that white walkers have. In the last episode of season 4 Bran and co were initially attacked by only a few white walkers, only after these were defeated did more of them appear from underneath the snow. Besides this being good television this would only make sense if raising more dead costs an amount of effort or energy that they'd rather preserve. The same thing applies tot the attack in Hardhome, it is only after Jon kills the white walker that their leader sends down his entire army. Why wait with sending the rest? So what do you guys think, is this a key flaw that will stop them from taking over Westeros, is this this limit only temporary (e.g. Winter increase their ability in this area) or are the show makers just good at building up suspense?

[Ser Patroclo]

I think that so far it's more of a suspense thing. D&D are very serious at hinting details, to the point that they make things very clear in advance.

Still, there are limits.

The magic does not spread like a virus, it still requires the white walkers to perform a spell. So far, the spell can't reach south of the wall.

We have been shown it's strengths too. It is unclear, but it seems that people long dead can be resurrected just as much as those who just died. Now think of the tens of thousands who died in the war of the five kings.. and shiver.

[Jubal]

I think that so far it's more of a suspense thing. D&D are very serious at hinting details, to the point that they make things very clear in advance.

Still, there are limits.

The magic does not spread like a virus, it still requires the white walkers to perform a spell. So far, the spell can't reach south of the wall.

We have been shown it's strengths too. It is unclear, but it seems that people long dead can be resurrected just as much as those who just died. Now think of the tens of thousands who died in the war of the five kings.. and shiver.

Isn't Castle Black technically south of the wall? The dead Night's Watchmen resurrected there, unless they were resurrected prior to being taken there but waited for the opportunity to attack, which would suggest that they have some sort of independent intelligence.

[Ser Patroclo]

Isn't Castle Black technically south of the wall? The dead Night's Watchmen resurrected there, unless they were resurrected prior to being taken there but waited for the opportunity to attack, which would suggest that they have some sort of independent intelligence.

good point.

Well, that's what was hinted in the books.. the dead return where they have 'affairs' or bonds left open.

Considered the good sheer of people that died south of the wall and was not burned zone white walkers should have had a hundred thousand troyan horses by now.

perhaps it's one of those things not well explained yet.

[Jubal]

good point.

Well, that's what was hinted in the books.. the dead return where they have 'affairs' or bonds left open.

Considered the good sheer of people that died south of the wall and was not burned zone white walkers should have had a hundred thousand troyan horses by now.

perhaps it's one of those things not well explained yet.

In that case, how many people have died south of the wall in the thousands of years since the last battle against the White Walkers? The living had better start building defensive walls around graveyards.

[Ser Patroclo]

In that case, how many people have died south of the wall in the thousands of years since the last battle against the White Walkers? The living had better start building defensive walls around graveyards.

I don't think in the south they can reach for bodies who died more than 10 or 15 years ago, due to the fact they are fully decomposed.

Ice preserves, but that's north of the wall, where bodies are burnt after death.

[Jubal]

I don't think in the south they can reach for bodies who died more than 10 or 15 years ago, due to the fact they are fully decomposed.

Ice preserves, but that's north of the wall, where bodies are burnt after death.

Does that mean that the skeletal wights we have seen are the dead who were raised long ago and have since rotted, as opposed to people who died, rotted and were then raised? (I hope that makes sense).

[Ser Patroclo]

Does that mean that the skeletal wights we have seen are the dead who were raised long ago and have since rotted, as opposed to people who died, rotted and were then raised? (I hope that makes sense).

Not necessarily, skeletal bones might depend on wild animals eating off their meat. It is possible that raised corpses can become inanimate again when white walkers have no used of them. So they night still be aomewhat recent.

But yeah, I think that some corpses might have had even some hundreds of years.. given right temperatures, you can ibernate a dead body for very long time.. and get natural 'mummies' out of that. Just think of the similaun mummy.

I'm a bit inconclusive, but there is little evidence..

[thehandwipes]

There are no skeleton wights in the books, D&D are just big Pirates of the Caribbean fans.

[Onna Lewyys]

Isn't Castle Black technically south of the wall? The dead Night's Watchmen resurrected there, unless they were resurrected prior to being taken there but waited for the opportunity to attack, which would suggest that they have some sort of independent intelligence.

When the body was brought to CB Sam noted that it had not rotted at all, which I take to mean that it had already been touched by a WW (ice preserves) but it just took some time to resurrect. Maybe resurrection only happens after nightfall? On the show didn't Jon tell Stannis to burn all the dead before nightfall? Though, of course, at Hardhome they all resurrected right away . . . But, then, at Hardhome everyone was also somehow killing wights without using any fire, which had already been established as the only way to kill them, so D&D really aren't sticklers for continuity.

But anyway, wights don't rot, which means that the skeletal wights (that only exist on the show, and that I imagine will only EVER exist on the show) have to be bodies that were not burned but decomposed naturally and then their skeletons were raised by WWs.

[The Great and Mighty Poo]

Not necessarily, skeletal bones might depend on wild animals eating off their meat. It is possible that raised corpses can become inanimate again when white walkers have no used of them. So they night still be aomewhat recent.

But yeah, I think that some corpses might have had even some hundreds of years.. given right temperatures, you can ibernate a dead body for very long time.. and get natural 'mummies' out of that. Just think of the similaun mummy.

I'm a bit inconclusive, but there is little evidence..

"The bones remember"

[Mkcaptaiiin]

The battle outside winter fell left thousand of bodies out in the snow right? Is it ominous that they clearly made the point of all those bodies laying there?