It's an intuitive question. It's a question much of Westeros would have done well to ask themselves. If allies had been made earlier, they'd have a much stronger force against the army of the dead.

"They're descendants of the First Men, same as Northerners, but most of Westeros has forgotten it. It's the wildlings we've been keeping out with the Wall and the Night's Watch," Jon says as they walk side by side with her in the cold of Hell finding the words come easily, because it's Elena that he speaks them to as if the warmth of her eyes carries into her voice, into the way she listens and responds (and it does, he's never met anyone like her before). "The Free Folk were unlucky enough to be living on the other side when it was built, but they're the same as us."

Jon looks over at her as he clarifies with a quietness to his expression as he knows she'd wonder.

"They don't live beyond the Wall any longer- those that are left."