Game Of Thrones: Did Bran Stark Set The Entire Series In Motion? [Spoilers]

Game of Thrones fans prepare to flex your wild theory muscles. Since last week’s episode, “The Door,” revealed the true extent of the powers young Bran Stark received from the Three-Eyed Raven, fans have gone into overdrive. In what is widely considered to be one of the most heartbreaking moments in Game of Thrones, viewers finally witnessed the cause of Hodor’s mysterious affliction.

As White Walkers surrounded and ultimately breached the sanctuary of the Three-Eyed Raven, Meera Reed, Hodor, and an unconscious Bran barely escaped. Unfortunately, to secure their escape, Meera commanded Hodor to “Hold the door.” The message filtered through Bran, who appeared to warg into Hodor in the present and the past in the courtyard of Winterfell. Young Hodor then called Wylis, collapsed to the ground screaming, first hold the door and then the more familiar Hodor.

The revelation that Bran Stark’s trips to the past can have real and potentially tragic consequences has ignited the imaginations of Game of Thrones fans. Now that the mourning of Hodor is beginning to run its course, fans are left wondering how much of an effect Bran Stark’s travels through time have already had on Westeros.

iDigital Times gathered a list of the most common fan theories. Bran Stark’s time traveling has been blamed for everything from the madness of King Aerys II to Benjen Stark’s disappearance. Given the fact that the Targaryen family are frequently noted to tend toward insanity on Game of Thrones and the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, it seems unlikely that The Mad King’s ailments are the fault of Bran Stark.

The theory that suggests Bran Stark was responsible for Benjen Stark’s disappearance, however, may carry more weight. With Hodor, the Children of the Forest, and the Three-Eyed Raven all dead at the hands of the White Walkers, Bran and Meera need an ally if they hope to survive north of the Wall. The most likely character to save them is Coldhands, a character from the novels that so far hasn’t appeared in Game of Thrones. Fans have long speculated that Coldhands is, in fact, Benjen Stark, who disappeared early in Season 1.

As with every season of Game of Thrones, fans have combed over every aspect of Season 6 in search of clues to what lies ahead. The most recent opportunity to glean a bit of precious information came on Saturday, May 28. According to Watchers on the Wall, the titles of the last three episodes of Game of Thrones Season 6 recently leaked on the internet. While the titles were not published by HBO and are therefore unconfirmed, they do provide potential insight into the twists in store for viewers.

Reportedly, the titles of Episode 8, 9, and 10 are “No One,” “The Battle of the Bastards,” and “The Winds of Winter” respectively.

“No One” seems to be a reference to Arya Stark’s continued study under the mysterious Faceless Men in Bravvos.

“The Battle of the Bastards” likely refers to the rumored showdown between Ramsay Bolton and Jon Snow. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, information from the set of Game of Thrones suggested that Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton would have a contentious meeting at Winterfell that culminates in an all-out battle for the North.

“The Winds of Winter” is the most interesting of the rumored titles. The Game of Thrones Season 6 finale might share its title with the as-yet-unpublished next installment in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. Unfortunately for the characters in Westeros, it also suggests that winter will finally reach the edges of Westeros proper. Could the few men left at The Wall have a date with the White Walkers in the season finale?

Game of Thrones airs Sunday nights on HBO.

[Image via HBO]