Summary

Fans are still puzzled over why the White Walkers spared Samwell Tarly despite killing everyone else.
Speculations suggest that Sam was left alive as a messenger to warn the Night's Watch of the impending threat.
Despite Game of Thrones' controversial finale, many characters had memorable scenes, capturing the audience's attention.

After eight seasons and 73 episodes, Game of Thrones finally came to its fateful end in May 2019, with its finale episode, titled 'The Iron Throne.' It was a long road for fans of the epic fantasy series adapted from George R.R. Martin's books, which include mind-blowing plotlines at every turn, and even today, 6 years after it concluded, many fans are still scratching their heads over some of its unsolved mysteries, like how one prominent character survived their close encounter with the terrifying White Walkers.

Based on Martin's novels in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, HBO's adaptation initially had fans loving its storylines and complex characters, but as its seasons rolled around to its finale, the Game of Thrones fanbase grew restless with how the once beloved series was turning out, especially towards its hurried narratives. Even Charles Dance's Tywin Lannister had a few things to say about it, stating how disappointed he felt about its finale. However, despite the controversy, many characters throughout the show had some of the best scenes on TV, like Cersei Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister, and Arya Stark, regardless of how unhinged and chaotic it became. However, among all of the lingering and unanswered questions, one scene in particular has continuously baffled fans 15 years after the episode premiered.

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By Dalton Cooper

Game of Thrones Fans Are Still Asking Why Sam Wasn’t Killed by the White Walkers

Over on Reddit, poster jaweats has asked the Game of Thrones community how exactly Samwell Tarly did not get slaughtered by the White Walkers when he encountered a horde in season 2, episode 10, titled "Valar Morghulis". In the episode, Sam witnesses the White Walkers' army for the very first time while hiding behind a rock after being left behind by Edd and Grenn as the wights march toward the Night's Watch's encampment. However, even though it seemed to look in Sam's direction, the White Walker didn't kill him, even though the Night King's army had killed every other living thing in its path previously.

Some of the comments under the Reddit post contain various answers and theories. However, most can agree that the White Walkers "understand the effectiveness of intimidation" and left Sam alive because he had a greater purpose to fill, and that was to serve as a messenger. Another comment stated that, “The Night King was probably able to see glimpses of the future, just like Bran. He expected that dragons would fly over the Wall, and he was prepared for them."

In the end, the likely answer to why Sam wasn't killed by the White Walkers is so that he could go back to the Wall and tell the Night's Watch of what was coming for them. This strategy is also seen in the very beginning of season one of Game of Thrones, where three men encountered a White Walker, with two of them getting killed, and the third being spared, just like Sam, so he could go back to warn Ned Stark in Winterfell.

For those eager to jump back into the Game of Throne s universe, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will now premiere in 2026 rather than this year after receiving a delay. While there isn't a release date as yet for House of the Dragon Season 3, this too is set to air in 2026.