At one point, Game of Thrones’ popular Night King had a very different character design, as evidenced by The Art of Game of Thrones, which shares the original look and aesthetic designers initially conceptualized.

Emmy-winning production designer Deborah Riley and prosthetics designer Barrie Gower shared their insights into the Night King’s original concept art, detailing the reasons behind their creative decisions prior to his evolution into the recognizable version fans are familiar with on HBO’s series. There's a wraith-like quality to the depiction of the villain, his eyes blank white as he wears a long crown embedded fused into his skull. Gower, who was responsible for crafting the completed look for the character, divulged that he was informed to create something "regal" with "familiar White Walker traits."

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"He would be the leader of the White Walkers, the original White Walker, so we needed him to have a sense of power," Gower explained. "We talked about creating a crown that could be fused into his head, something organic, that felt very much a part of him. As the White Walkers have a very icy and cold palette, it made sense to explore sharp and angular forms, with a translucent quality to help sell the subzero temperature of his flesh."

The Art of Game of Thrones goes on sale Nov. 5 and features exclusive details provided by Riley and her team, including Nick Ainsworth, Kieran Belshaw, Max Berman, Daniel Blackmore, Chris Caldow, Kevin Hunter, Magda Kusowska, Anthony Leonardi III, Peter McKinstry, Philipp Scherer, Jessica Sinclair and Ulrich Zeidler.

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(via Vanity Fair)