The Wall will Fall...(A Theory)

[MidnightAurora]

In ASOS, it is said the wall defends itself, but another person points out the wall defends itself as long as the NW is strong/whole or something to that affect. At the end of the book we can see some of the tension arising from certain factions of the Night's Watch and despite their fires the Wildlings suffered great losses due to the Others and wights on their trek to the wall. That is why Mance really wants to cross the wall and settle in the gift because they themselves do not stand a chance against the Others and have no protection except behind the wall. The Wall protects the realm from the Others and the true purpose is for just that. I also do not think they can fight the Others unless the Wall falls. In my opinion in the last two books the Wall will fall and the barrier the wall gave between the realm and supernatural will be broken, night will come, and a great battle will ensue. I think they will need all the Ancestral Swords of the Houses as I think will play some role in the battle elsewise bother repeatedly mentioning them. What do you think will the Wall and how? Must the Wall fall in order to fight the Others in an epic battle? If the Wall falls do you think it will be re-built stronger or once the Others are defeated the Wall will no longer be needed? Stannis wants to inhabit all castles, but it is really Nightfort he wants for the Black Gate or really Melisandre wants it, but for what purpose? The old gods have great power especially in the North where weirwoods are and she cannot burn all them.

[Queen Elsa]

Many believe (and some wish) the Wall will fall and then everything that's going to happen will be like in Old Nan's story: Others sweeping over holdfasts and cities and kingdoms, heroes and armies falling by the score, slain men rising up and riding their dead horses to war, and people of the Seven Kingdoms trembling in fear.

Must the Wall fall in order to fight the Others in an epic battle?

Fighting the Others to keep them north of the Wall is already an epic battle. The NW numbers are not enough though and even if the wildlings will join the fighting, they don't have the weapons to kill the enemies. Fire can kill wights but obsidian and

dragonsteel (thought to be the same as Valyrian steel)

kill the Others. I believe some are going to flee south including men of the NW to save their skins. If the Wall falls because of that, the true epic battle will be fought in the south. Where exactly? Not sure. Though Dany dreamt she's fighting her enemies at the Trident who are all armored in ice.

There's also a foreshadowing in ADWD of ants climbing the wall but she crushes them with her feet.

If the Wall falls do you think it will be re-built stronger or once the Others are defeated the Wall will no longer be needed?

I believe the Others will be thrown back again to their holes at the LoaW (not totally defeated). The Wall will be rebuild, manned, and restored to its former glory just in case the enemies will return in the next long night thousand of years after.

[That Demon Monkey]

My favourite theory I have seen on these forums is that the Others are the ones who built the wall (seeing as how they can possibly manipulate ice. Would be much easier for them.)

They are just trying to drive the wildlings back out of their land as they are too many and are annoying the Others. The wall and the NW are keeping the wildlings in, so the Others are getting pretty fed up with then too.