Editing Others (section)

==Appearance and Characteristics==
:''See also: [[:Category:Images of the Others|Images of the Others]]''
The Others are tall and gaunt, with flesh pale as milk.{{ref|AGOT|0}} They have cold blue eyes that have been described as burning like ice,{{Ref|AGOT|0}} or being as bright as blue stars.{{ref|ACOK|23}} Others have pale blue blood and shiny bones like milkglass.{{ref|ASOS|18}}

According to [[George R. R. Martin]], the Others "are strange, beautiful… think, oh… the [[w:Sidhe|Sidhe]] made of ice, something like that… a different sort of life… inhuman, elegant, dangerous."<ref name=graphic>[https://imgur.com/a/8tvI2JL A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, Volume 1]</ref> Further, although [[Old Nan]] describes the Others as "dead things",{{Ref|AGOT|24}} Martin has stated that the Others are not dead.<ref name=graphic/> However, the [[Night's King]]'s queen, possibly an Other due to her blue eyes and pale skin, is described as a "[[corpse queen]]" on account of her white, cold skin.{{Ref|ASOS|56}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Wall and Beyond: The Night's Watch}}

[[File:Marc Simonetti an Other ice sword.jpg|thumb|Blue-eyed Other gripping the pommel of a crystal sword, by Marc Simonetti ©]]

The Others wear delicate, reflective, camouflaging armor that shifts in color with every step.{{ref|AGOT|0}} According to comic book artist [[w:Tommy Patterson|Tommy Patterson]], Martin told him that "the reflective, camouflaging armor" is able to pick up "the images of the things around it like a clear, still pond."<ref name=graphic /> 
According to Patterson, "[Martin] spoke a lot about what [the Others] were not, but what they were was harder to put into words."<ref name=graphic/> 

Some Others wield thin crystal swords; the pale blades are extremely sharp, capable of moving through ringmail as if it is silk.{{ref|AGOT|0}} The swords are alive with moonlight and have a faint blue glow to them.{{Ref|AGOT|0}}{{ref|ASOS|18}} When the sword touches a [[steel]] blade, only a high, thin sound, similar to an [[animal]] screaming in pain, can be heard instead of the sound of metal on metal.{{Ref|AGOT|0}} When the blades brush the flames of a torch, a screech as sharp as a needle can be heard.{{ref|ASOS|18}} When asked what substance the swords of the Others are made from, Martin answered "Ice. But not like regular old ice. The Others can do things with ice that we can't imagine and make substances of it."<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20051103091500/nrctc.edu/fhq/vol1iss3/00103009.htm/ "Interview with the Dragon" Copyright © 2003 Robert Shaw.]</ref> The blades the Others use seem to be cold; they are able to cover a metal blade in frost{{Ref|AGOT|0}} and can shatter a steel blade.{{Ref|AFFC|5}}

The Others are capable of resurrecting dead men or creatures as [[wights]]{{ref|AGOT|Prologue}}{{Ref|AGOT|52}}{{ref|ASOS|46}} through [[necromancy]].{{ref|ASOS|78}} Only burning the bodies of the deceased can prevent the Others from resurrecting them.{{Ref|AFFC|5}} Martin declined to answer whether or not the Others control these resurrected people and animals in the same way a [[warg]] or [[skinchanger]] can control an animal.<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1282/ ConJose (San Jose, CA; August 29-September 2)], August 29, 2002</ref> There are tales of Others riding the corpses of dead animals such as [[bear]]s, [[direwolf|direwolves]], [[mammoth]]s, and [[horse]]s.{{ref|AFFC|5}} Some tales also speak of Others riding [[giant ice spiders]].{{ref|AFFC|5}}

The Others go lightly on the snow and leave no prints to mark their passage.{{Ref|ASOS|18}}{{Ref|ADWD|13}} Their movements can be lightning quick and graceful.{{ref|asos|18}} Extreme cold accompanies them,{{Ref|AGOT|0}}{{ref|ASOS|18}} but it is unknown whether the Others only come when it is so cold, or whether they bring the cold with them.{{Ref|ASOS|33}}{{Ref|AFFC|5}} [[White cold|White mist]] also rises when they are near.{{Ref|ADWD|58}} They might appear during snowstorms or mist, and melt away when the skies clear.{{Ref|AFFC|5}} They hide from the light of the sun and emerge at night;{{Ref|AFFC|5}}{{Ref|ADWD|7}}{{ref|ADWD|58}} although once again some stories claim that their coming brings the night.{{ref|AFFC|5}}

The [[languages|language]] the Others speak is unknown, but has been described as sounding like "the cracking of ice on a winter lake", and their laughter as being as sharp as icicles.{{Ref|AGOT|0}} 

Ancient texts mention obsidian,{{ref|AFFC|5}} otherwise called [[dragonglass]]{{Ref|ASOS|43}} or "frozen fire",{{ref|ASOS|78}} as a weakness of the Others. Texts also record a weakness to "dragonsteel",{{ref|AFFC|5}} which some think may be [[Valyrian steel]].{{ref|AFFC|5}} When asked about the ability of Valyrian steel to kill an Other, Martin replied that "the [[Night's Watch]] would like to know as well".<ref>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1201 Magic, the Darrys, and POVs], February 28, 2002</ref> The Others are said to hate [[iron]] and fire.{{Ref|AGOT|24}} Records of the Watch indicate that fire dismays the Others,{{Ref|AFFC|5}} and free folk ring their camps with fire to make Others keep their distance.{{ref|ADWD|58}}