When it comes to military power it’s hard to imagine anything trumping endlessly recyclable soldiers, with dead friends and foes alike returning to fight on your side. How can you fight a war of attrition where every loss is another enemy gain? Yet that’s the exact dilemma Westeros faces on Game of Thrones, as the armies of the dead march south. So how can Jon Snow and his followers possibly turn the tide of this unbeatable battle?
So far we’ve witnessed the death of two White Walkers on Game of Thrones. One died at the hands of Samwell Tarly, who stabbed it with a dragonglass dagger. The other was killed by a swing of Jon Snow’s sword, Longclaw, a Valyrian steel heirloom held by the Mormont family for 500 years. Since both White Walkers exploded into a shower of ice, it’s safe to assume they will be returning to fight again at the Night’s King’s side.
So that makes two different materials capable of killing White Walkers: Valyrian steel and dragonglass. Would it surprise you to learn they both have dragons in common?
Though dragonglass was long believed to be created by dragons, the maesters and other educated elite of Westeros believe it to be no more than volcanic obsidian. Either way, its origin is molten fire to the White Walker’s ice. The stone is rare, wielded by the indigenous Westerosi Children of the Forest and known only to exist in a few locations, including distant regions of Essos, the continent across the Narrow Sea from Westeros. It’s only known source in Westeros is at Stannis Baratheon’s castle, Dragonstone, where the Targaryens once kept the dragons they used to conquer Westeros.
While dragonglass is rare, Valyrian steel is even more scarce, not to mention incalculably valuable. Anything too invaluable for Lannister gold to purchase must be very uncommon. Including Jon Snow’s sword, Longclaw, there are only a handful of Valyrian steel swords known to exist in Game of Thrones:
Oathkeeper - Ned Stark was decapitated by the Stark family’s immense Valyrian steel broadsword, Ice. Tywin Lannister, who finally owned some Valyrian steel, melted Ice down into two swords. The first, Oathkeeper, was given to Jaime Lannister, who entrusted it to Brienne of Tarth. With Brienne meeting up with Sansa at Winterfell, this is an important weapon to have back in The North.
Widow’s Wail - Joffrey Baratheon sucks, so he makes sense that he’d give his Valyrian steel sword such a sadistic name. Now the sword belongs to King Tommen, long may he reign.
Littlefinger’s Dagger - Unnamed and presumed lost, Littlefinger’s dagger was used in the attempt on Bran’s life (which leads to Catelyn Stark taking Tyrion hostage) in Game of Thrones Season 1.
And that’s it! Four Valyrian steel blades for all of Westeros to defend itself against an army of the undead.
However, George R.R. Martin’s books mention a few more, one of which may become important in Game of Thrones Season 6. There’s Blackfyre and Dark Sister, the swords of House Targaryen, location unknown. Then there’s Brightroar, the historical sword of the Lannisters, lost. House Corbray — a minor noble family who served Lisa Arryn until Littlefinger shoved her out the Moon Door — still holds the Valyrian steel sword named Lady Forlorn.
Finally, there’s Heartsbane, owned by Samwell’s father, Lord Randyll Tarly. HBO announced that James Faulkner, of Downton Abbey, would play Lord Tarly in Game of Thrones Season 6, which means we’re likely to see Heartsbane on the show this year. If Lord Tarly knows what’s good for the future of his continent, he’ll hand the sword over to Sam for further research with the maesters.
So how can a resurrected Jon Snow fight off the army of the White Walkers with half a dozen steel blades and a motley collection of sharp obsidian? Well, they probably can’t. Without better weapons, Westeros is doomed. Unless, of course, some actual dragons happen to arrive in the nick of time…
