The brotherhood that protects the inhabitants of the Seven Kingdoms from the awakened ancient evil is well known to every admirer of the saga "Game of Thrones." The Night Watch stands on the very edge of the world of people in order to protect it from dark forces moving from the north.
This story began many centuries ago when Brandon the Builder erected an unprecedented grand construction. The wall, built of ice and earth, fortified with powerful magic spells and guarded by the Night Watch brothers, guards the inhabitants of Westeros from the King of the Night, White Walkers and their army of the dead.
Who are the people who challenged such a powerful adversary? How is their life organized, what made them renounce the joys of life for the sake of service in the harsh northern side? Our article will tell about the Night Watch (“Game of Thrones”), introduce some of its characters, tell about the traditions, customs and world order of this unusual organization.
How to get to the Night Watch?
Many have dreamed of serving in the Order since childhood and have been preparing for it all their lives. In their opinion, wearing black and standing in defense of life itself is honorable and correct. But those who never dreamed of a military career more often fall into the Watch: ruined nobles, bastards, criminals hiding from the law, wanderers ... For example, the Targaryen once referred to the Wall of their own enemies. And Sam Tarley, the unloved son of his father, who has no rights to inheritance and title, arrived on the Wall, rather, from hopelessness.
But the whole motley audience is united by one thing: there is no turning back. "Dismissal" is impossible.
Wall
First, take a look at the Wall itself. It was built 8 thousand years ago when the Children of the Forest and the First People defeated the Others and drove them north.
The height of the structure exceeds 200 m, and in length it stretches from east to west for almost 500 km. It is worth noting that in the books “Song of Ice and Fire” the Wall is not so monumental, it is shorter, thinner and lower than in the film “Game of Thrones”.
The Night Watch has been guarding the fortification ever since. On the southern part of the Wall are watchtowers, the total number of which reaches 19 pieces. At the time of the main events of the series, the number of Patrols is not large, not all guard locks are inhabited.
Structure
At the head of the military society is the Lord Commander. The remaining brothers are divided into groups, depending on their abilities.
- Scouts are the main force. Only the most courageous, skillful, strong and fearless fall here. They not only serve on the Wall, but also go to tasks far beyond its borders to the north.
- Builders - take care of the Wall itself.
- Stewards - staff, support group responsible for the organization of life.
There are also masters. Their tasks include the treatment of the wounded and sick, the organization of the burial of the fallen, the study of sciences, the preservation of traditions, and the maintenance of chronicles. The attitude to the maisters is respectful, even the Lord Commander appreciates the advice and recommendations of wise husbands.
Customs and traditions
Heraldry is a very important topic, which has received great attention both in the “Song of Ice and Fire” and in the “Game of Thrones”.
The Night Watch, unlike most organizations, has neither a coat of arms, nor a flag, nor a hymn, nor other insignia. The main color of the brotherhood is black. This is not a symbol, but rather an emphasis on the absence of a symbol. This underlines the neutrality of the Watch, as well as the fact that the brothers protect all the inhabitants of Westeros without exception.
Oath of the Night Watch
In the Game of Thrones, the oath text differs only slightly from the prototype (text from books).
The oath of the brother of the Night Watch is given once in a lifetime, and only death is a sufficient reason for leaving the post. The punishment for breaking the vow is one - the death penalty.
Despite the harsh conditions, the brothers are allowed to see relatives and even receive guests. And the story of Sam and Lily, as well as the fleeting novel of John and Igritt, suggests that many prohibitions sometimes look blindly at many prohibitions.
Some characters of the Night Watch
“Game of Thrones” was remembered by the viewer not only for its exciting plot, but also for thoughtful images. Consider some of the most significant heroes.
- John Snow (Keith Harrington) is one of the main characters of the saga, first a rookie, then Lord Commander, and then King of the North.
- Samwell Tarley (John Bradley West) is his closest friend and ally who went to the Citadel to undergo training and become a master.
- Bengen Stark (Joseph Mole) - John's uncle, adored by him since childhood, the first scout of the Watch who saved John from the army of the dead at the cost of his own life.
- Alliser Thorne (Owen Teal) is a weapon master with a dismissive attitude towards recruits. Subsequently, his relationship with John grew into an open confrontation.
By the way, as the actors themselves say, it was not so easy to get into the Night Watch in the Game of Thrones. The artists were waiting for a strict casting.
Across the Wall
At the time the series began, when Winterfell was commanded by Ned Stark, people believed that the main threat was wild. This is the northern people, not recognizing the power of the king and forced to survive north of the Wall. The sluggish war between the wild and the Dozor brothers was rather a tribute to tradition, because it lasted so long that no one remembers the reasons for a long time.
Fans of the series know that John Snow managed to stop the stupid fratricide when he led the fraternity. But it is worth mentioning one more thing. This is a conversation between Jior Mormont and Tyrion Lannister, when the Lord Commander hinted that the people were not building the Wall to protect themselves from their own kind. The old commander was right, because although skirmishes between brothers and wilds took place regularly, the real enemy lurked and waited in the midst of the eternal snows of the North.
Perhaps the war between the army of the dead and the people can be called the key event of the entire series “Game of Thrones”. The Night Watch, more than once in reconnaissance operations, met with the terrible soldiers of the King of the Night, took the brunt of himself. After a bloody battle, when a handful of brave men managed to survive only thanks to the timely help of Daenerys and her dragons, John was once again convinced how serious the threat hung over the world of people. But the worst was to come: reviving the slain dragon, the King of the Night was able to get close to the wall, and the unknown blue flame of the monster easily melted centuries-old ice blocks. Can the Night Watch survive and fulfill its mission to the end? We learn about this only after the release of the last part of the saga.