Game of Thrones: George RR Martin Reveals Origin Of Winter Is Coming Motto

Game of Thrones writer has made stunning revelations about his flashes of motivation – but did not utter a word about Jon Snow.

Every Game of Thrones fan can't help but feel a shudder of anticipation on hearing the words "winter is coming". The nerve-racking public statement is at the heart of the fantasy TV series as the catchphrase of the Stark family and a memento of the years-long winters which have the influence to wipe out the population of Westeros – if they don't all kill each other first.

Game of Thrones: George RR Martin Reveals Origin Of Winter Is Coming Motto

The motto has become a key part of the fandom for the show, becoming a recognisable slogan, even to those who have never watched an episode, through its popularity as an online meme. So it's no surprise that when George RR Martin appeared on a panel for an event at the Medill School of Journalism in Chicago, one audience member was keen to find out how he came up with the idea.
What was his inspiration for the series's infamous tagline? As it turns out, it really was just a very cold winter. More specifically, a winter he spent in Chicago in 1967, when he was a university student in the city.

"There was so much snow that winter, you couldn't see. [It was] all snow, all ice, and so very cold," he said, according to Entertainment Weekly. "It was like the trenches during World War I, but they were trenches of ice. I remember walking through the trenches and the tunnels of ice, the wind blowing so you couldn't even see. It's an experience that never left me."

Game of Thrones: George RR Martin Reveals Origin Of Winter Is Coming Motto

Martin was not so forthcoming on every topic, however. When asked by another audience member if Jon Snow would be returning to the series, as many fans have speculated, despite dying in last season's finale, The Independent reports that he was close-lipped. "No comment on that," he answered, offering the tiniest of hints. "I'm just saying, read the books.