David Benioff Reveals the ‘Game of Thrones’ Character Who Nearly Killed the Night King

Fans of Game of Thrones are still talking about the moment the Night King was defeated, and showrunner David Benioff once revealed that the scene could have played out very differently.

In the behind-the-scenes book by Entertainment Weekly editor James Hibberd, Benioff explained that the creative team spent a long time debating which character should bring an end to the Night King’s story.

According to Benioff, several names were discussed, including Sandor Clegane, better known as The Hound. He said the team wanted the killer to be someone who had a reason to be near a weapon like Valyrian steel.

Benioff told Hibberd, “It had to be somebody with believable access to Valyrian steel. We didn’t want it to be Jon because he’s always saving the day. We talked about the Hound at one point, but we wanted his big thing to be Clegane Bowl.” He added that giving the moment to characters like Jon Snow or Brienne didn’t feel right either.

Because of that, the writers eventually settled on Arya Stark, believing her years of training in Braavos made her a good fit. Her sudden leap toward the Night King became one of the most paused moments in the show’s history.

But even years later, many viewers still express frustration over that choice. Some fans felt Jon Snow had been set up for the moment since the first season, especially because he had fought White Walkers before and was closely tied to the prophecy themes in the story.

Others argued that Arya had never been connected to the Night King’s arc and that her involvement felt sudden and disconnected from the larger mythos. Many believed the White Walker storyline was building toward a final showdown between Jon and the Night King, and Arya’s surprise attack made the threat feel rushed and unfinished.

Still, the showrunners stood by their decision, saying Arya was the best fit based on the direction they wanted the final battles to take. The Hound, they explained, was saved for his long-awaited fight with his brother, often called the Clegane Bowl, which they felt was essential to his arc.

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