'Night King' wins in 'Game of Thrones' cosplay contest

MANILA, Philippines — “Game of Thrones” season 7 may have ended but the Night King certainly left a mark, as cosplayer Xidge Evangelista won the SKY and The CAGE (Cosplay Authority Global Challenge) “Game of Thrones” (GOT) cosplay contest at the recently held AsiaPOP Comicon at the SMX Convention Center.

In a line-up of 12, consisting of Aryas, Daeneryses, and Jon Snows, it was Evangelista’s close to “reel” Night King costume that shone in the darkness of SMX’s Hall F4, commanding the awe and gasps of the crowd. He won $1,000 worth of prizes in cash and items, plus the title, ‘Ruler of Westeros.’

The cosplay contest provided the culmination to SKY’s “GOT” season-long treats to avid fans, which included a wildly popular video of local ethnic music group Kontra Gapi’s rendition of the show’s theme, a character make-up transformation series on Youtube, and premium merchandise giveaways raffle.

Evangelista spent six weeks crafting his Night King costume, which was made of rubber, latex, and leather. With painstaking attention to detail, he and two of his friends were able to recreate the look of the whitewalkers’ Night King to the tee. However, it was the blue LED lights attached to the mask that really made the character come to life and bested the other participants.