Highlights
- The Wildlings, also known as the Free Folk, are diverse and politically autonomous clans who live beyond the Wall, and have organized themselves under Mance Rayder to threaten the Night's Watch.
- The conflict between the Free Folk and the Northerners is rooted in deep-seated animosity and territorial disputes, with both sides viewing the other as invaders.
- Jon Snow infiltrates the Free Folk and learns that they are not a single entity, but rather a collection of different clans speaking various languages, united by the threat of the Dead. He eventually forms a coalition between the Night's Watch and the Free Folk to fight for the living.
Game of Thrones season 1, episode 1 "Winter Is Coming," provides the first description of the Wildlings through a sworn brother of the Night's Watch - Ser Waymar Royce who commands a ranging beyond the Wall. He describes them as "savages," adding, "...one lot steals a goat from another lot, and before you know it they're ripping each other to pieces." Waymar Royce's description doesn't nearly cover the diversity among the Wildlings or their lifestyles. They call themselves the Free Folk and are composed of various rival clans who enjoy political autonomy in the lands beyond the Wall. In Game of Thrones season 2, Qhorin Halfhand, Jon Snow, and a small scouting party venture beyond the Fist of the First Men to gather intelligence on the Wildlings' plans. Qhorin tells Jeor Mormont that the Wildling clans who do not recognize the hereditary political authority of the Seven Kingdoms have rallied themselves behind the former brother - Mance Rayder and are organizing a mutiny against the Night's Watch.
Mance has gathered them all like deer against the wolves. They are almost ready to make their move.
This dialogue establishes that the Wildlings are a threat to the Northerners. The ancient order of the Night's Watch, led by the then Lord Commander, Jeor Mormont guards the northern borders against their incursions. The Wildling leader, Mance used to be a sworn brother of the Night's Watch, but he broke his vow to join them. Under him, the Wildlings have become more organized and disciplined and the primary goal of Qhorin is to stop them from marching onto the Wall. Ultimately, Jon volunteers to join Qhorin in a ranging expedition into the Frostfang Mountains in Game of Thrones season 2, episode 6 "The Old Gods and the New." Qhorin says the Wildlings sleep during the day and hunt when it's dark, warning Jon to tread cautiously.
Free Folk Vs. Northerners
Jon Snow and Qhorin Halfhand's dialogue also reveals that the North, i.e., the uncharted lands beyond the Wall are the Wildling country. So essentially, the Night's Watch isn't fighting against a rowdy lot but the real North. In Game of Thrones' "The Old Gods and the New," Jon and the men capture a Wildling woman and a member of Mance Rayder's army, Ygritte who disparagingly refers to men of the Watch as "crows." She reveals that thousands of the Free Folk rally behind Rayder and are camped at the Frostfangs. The deep-seated animosity between the two sides is apparent, and in Game of Thrones season 2, episode 7 "A Man Without Honor," Jon and Ygritte argue over who the real invader is between the two of them.
Wildlings raid our lands all the time. Some of them tried to kill my little brother, a crippled boy!
The bloodthirsty spearwife, Ygritte reminds Jon that they have been in the North forever, and his ancestors put up a Wall and claimed the lands South of it. She also mocks the Northerners for serving some hereditary king. She prides herself on being one among the free peoples, adding that although their lifestyles are starkly different, in that, though they do not live in stone castles or make fine steel, they are free nonetheless. She wants Jon to live his life as a free man in the real North, and not take orders from jaded "old" men. Qhorin also intends for Jon to kill him in one-on-one combat to win the trust of the Free Folk and more importantly, the King Beyond the Wall - Mance Rayder. Jon learns a great deal about the Free Folk as he becomes their prisoner in Game of Thrones season 2.
While it is still time for the Free Folk and the Night's Watch (under Jon's command) to look past their differences and band together, he and Mance Rayder know the Great War is coming. Jon becomes a double agent, infiltrating Mance's camp (kingdom) while still fulfilling his oath. He meets Tormund Giantsbane and eventually shakes hands with the King-Beyond-the-Wall. Jon (Kit Harington in Game of Thrones) explains his so-called reasons for deserting the Night's Watch. He says he saw the unscrupulous and dishonorable Wildling named, Craster offer his baby boy to a White Walker and that Lord Commander Mormont was aware. Displeased with his commander, he says he wants to join Mance's side knowing that it will fight for the living.
Jon's Learnings
Jon learns Mance united ninety Wildling clans who used to be at each other's throats. The Thenns, the Hornfoots, the Ice-river clans, the Cannibals, the Giants, and the rest march together in his army. They speak seven different languages. He also realizes that Night's Watch wrongly sees them as one whole entity. The King-Beyond-the-Wall helps Jon see that his people are under the threat of the Dead and therefore must march South to save themselves. Jon eventually escapes, betrays the love of his life, Ygritte, and heads back to Castle Black. The next time he and his lover meet is when Mance's army attacks Castle Black in Game of Thrones season 4, episode 9 "The Watchers on the Wall."
The Free Folks' war against the Night's Watch has disastrous outcomes. Ygritte is killed by a boy named Olly who shoots her through the chest from behind as she takes aim at Jon. Mance is taken prisoner a short while after in Game of Thrones and burned alive by Stannis Baratheon for refusing to kneel. Jon puts an arrow to his heart to give him a quick death, frees Tormund Giantsbane, and convinces his kind to form a coalition with the Night's Watch. Tormund, in turn, reveals that the remaining Free Folk are leaderless, and have taken shelter at Hardhome.
Jon, Tormund, and some men of the Watch travel to Hardhome where they fight the Dead and are able to save many Free Folk. Jon lets them through the gates of Castle Black, but some of the naysayers stab him to death in Game of Thrones season 5, episode 10 "Mother's Mercy." Melisandre resurrects him and Jon abandons his post in Game of Thrones season 6 to reclaim the North in the name of House Stark. The Free Folk owe their lives to him and fight alongside him in the Battle of the Bastards to restore House Stark as the ruling house of the North. They also fight the Night King and the Army of the Dead in the Battle of Winterfell, after which Tormund takes them to the real north. At the end of Game of Thrones, Jon, who is exiled to the Wall, Tormund, and the surviving Free Folk head back into the Haunted Forest.