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In "Hardhome", the eight episode of season five of Game of Thrones, Jon Snow battles a White Walker. As established, White Walkers can only be killed by dragonglass. But in this battle Jon Snow kills a White Walker with his sword. Does this mean that Jon Snow's sword is made of dragonglass? If not, how does he kill a White Walker?

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    I didn't watch this episode yet and I'm really sad to read it. Please put a spoiler at least next time in your explanation. I know you can't put it in your title but you can do something at least <SPOILER>Title</SPOILER> ? Moderators, what is your opinion?
    – Soner Gönül
    Jun 2, 2015 at 14:56
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    @SonerGönül titles shouldn't have spoilers. That is our long-standing policy.
    – Catija
    Jun 2, 2015 at 15:29
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    Why be sad that you read this before watching the episode? I have not seen episode 8 yet, but it is not a spoiler to know that JS killed a white walker .. is it? I still have no idea what happens in Episode 8, or how it ends .. Are any of his other team dead? What happened in Kings Landing? What about the aristocrats locked in the prison cell? How about Little Finger, or the dwarf, what happened to them in EP8? This ain't no spoiler! <shrug>
    – user21776
    Jun 3, 2015 at 6:31
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    @BCdotWEB Well, the title has been repaired already, what else to complain about now. Let's get over it.
    – Napoleon Wilson ♦
    Jun 3, 2015 at 12:14
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    If you have a new question Ask a new question Please don't significantly change your question after it's answered because it makes the existing answers useless.
    – Catija
    Jun 4, 2015 at 6:48

2 Answers 2

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His sword is from Valyrian steel, which also can kill White Walkers:

Valyrian steel is the only thing that can kill White Walkers, alongside dragonglass, although this property is not widely known, apparently, not even to the White Walkers themselves.

This has been mentioned in the books, but not in the previous episodes of the show:

In "A Feast for Crows", Sam Tarly tells Jon about old annals claiming that dragonsteel (perhaps a synonym of Valyrian steel) is lethal to the Others, like dragonglass. In the show, this is confirmed when Jon Snow kills a White Walker during the battle of Hardhome. In the novels, however, it has not been put to test yet.

In the episode 10 of season 5:

Jon and Sam are discussing the event described in the question and they agree that Jon's sword Longclaw was able to kill the White Walker because it's made from Valyrian steel.

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  • Even if i didnt read the books yet, but i think you are right, and the coming episodes will tell us wether its true or not!
    – Mourad
    Jun 2, 2015 at 10:15
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    This steel was forged with Dragon fire and also has mysterious magic powers bestowed by the Valyrians (who were the masters of fire) which would be the Yin to the White Walker's Yang. A Song of Ice and Fire indeed.
    – bizentass
    Jun 2, 2015 at 13:37
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    Also worth noting that White Walkers are immune to normal fire. That Walker in the shelter basically put out the surrounding fire. So in all likelihood, they can also be burnt & killed with Dragon fire. So "Dracarys!!!"
    – KharoBangdo
    Jun 3, 2015 at 4:56
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    @Mourad That is why Jon Snow knows nothing. ;-) +1
    – FaizanHussainRabbani
    Jun 3, 2015 at 5:00
  • You are right Faizan, he does not know how important his role is, only the coming episodes will show us the truth
    – Mourad
    Jun 3, 2015 at 7:43
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The other answer is a bit too definite; like the characters in the show/books, we know far too little.

The Others/White Walkers haven't been seen for eight thousand years. Most people do not believe they exist. All that we know for sure is what we have seen: normal weapons do not harm them, but dragonglass and Longclaw do.

It is too soon to say whether every Valyrian steel weapon could kill the Others. But fans do love to theorise. Maybe every Valyrian steel weapon would be able to kill them. Or maybe if Jon is the Last Hero or Azor Ahai then it's more about him than the sword. Maybe Longclaw is, or will somehow become, Lightbringer. Maybe the direct fire of dragons will kill them.

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    My answer is based on the info from GoT Wikia. I think they chose the Valyrian steel explanation because it's backed up by the book information. It's also the best explanation in my personal opinion. However, you're right, it is possible that there is something specific in Jon or his sword. +1
    – Chanandler Bong
    Jun 3, 2015 at 7:14
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    @Hegemon The wiki is only presenting fan theories too. I think it's likely that all Valyrian steel will work against them, but just wanted to point out that we don't know enough yet :)
    – curiousdannii
    Jun 3, 2015 at 7:46
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    @Taemyr Yes, but as I said, it isn't confirmed that dragonsteel is Valyrian steel. Valyria did not exist then! Even if the Valyrians learned the secrets of the earlier dragonsteel somehow we have no way to know whether every Valyrian steel weapon is equipped to kill the Others. So when the other answer says "Valyrian steel is the only thing that can kill White Walkers, alongside dragonglass" I have to respond with "probably, but that is only our best working theory, not confirmed truth from the mouth of GRRM himself."
    – curiousdannii
    Jun 3, 2015 at 11:48
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    @curiousdannii Why would one Valyrian sword be able to do it, and others not? Why bother with having rare blades (according to Tyrion 200 in Westeros), who cannot be made anymore (probably because the process involves dragon fire), and not have them all have the same capacity? I don't see the point of rejecting logic. Plenty of elements will never be "confirmed"; doesn't mean they aren't be true.
    – BCdotWEB
    Jun 3, 2015 at 12:11
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    @BCdotWEB What if the Other-killing magic is lost if the steel is recast, such as for Ice? What if it requires not only dragon fire but also blood magic (like Lightbringer), and not all Valyrian steel was produced in that way? Or, as I suggested in my actual answer, what if it also depends on the wielder? There are lots of possibilities which would make narrative sense. I'm not rejecting logic, I'm saying we shouldn't proclaim theories as facts.
    – curiousdannii
    Jun 3, 2015 at 12:26

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