The White Walkers, then, are revenge for man's hubris and cruelty, a way to check his onslaught against nature. And yes, they are cunning and vicious warriors. In the very first episode of "Game of Thrones," we see some of their gruesome handiwork; that threat of magical violence is the shroud under which the entire series has existed thus far. But you could argue that the White Walkers are actually the most decent creatures we've seen thus far.