Five books with two still to come. Seven TV series with one still to come. Six Stark children with three still alive and one becoming something more than human. The latest HBO trailer for Season 8 showed Jon Snow, Arya and Sansa Stark in the family tombs. The creepy ending has explosively reignited the theories that their brother, Bran Stark, is actually now one with the Night King. The young actor who plays the Three Eyed Raven formerly known as Bran revealed exactly what he thinks of the idea.
The latest ‘proof’ may seem as insubstantial as the mist it is based upon. Fans believe that the icy mist proves the presence of the Night King. It comes just after the presence or voices of fallen Starks have been heard, creating a link between the only living Stark not shown and the leader of the White Walkers. However, it follows a persuasive series of previous clues throughout the storyline.
Bran saw the Night King in the reflection during one of his earliest visions back in Season Four. He then travelled through time with his warg to observe and oppose the actions of the Night King who fought back and somehow trapped part of Brand’s consciousness so now they share a powerful and permanent link.
In Season 6 Bran was shown observing the ancient scene as the Children of the Forest created the White Walkers by piercing the heart of a man who becomes the Night King with a dragonglass dagger.
One major theory argues Bran will become unwillingly trapped in the Night King’s body observing that scene while he attempts to change the past and prevent the White Walkers from ever being created.
It would be a tragedy typical of George RR Martin’s books if Bran becomes part of the Night King as he wreaks death and destruction on Westeros. Even more so if Jon Snow ends up killing the Night King, and his brother in the process.
The idea is reinforced by the iconic image when the Night King dramatically lead his army out of the frozen north and it appeared to form the very distinct shape of a direwolf. The image is so precise it can not be a coincidence. But does it really confirm that Bran and the Night King are intimately linked?
Bran actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright was very clear in his explanation of what is going on.
He told Vulture: I think it’s less that they’re the same person and more that they’re two of the ancient beings of Westeros. The Three-Eyed Raven has been around for God knows how long, and White Walkers have been reported since the beginning of time. As we’ve seen, they were created by the Children of the Forest, so we can’t get much more ancient than that.
“Perhaps we can think of it as these are two characters with a huge amount of power, but one is a Frankenstein’s monster who is driven by nothing but hatred and violence. Then there’s Bran, who uses his powers for good.”
Unfortunately, as viewers have seen countless times before, in the Game of Thrones good rarely triumphs…