‘Game Of Thrones’: Why Bran Stark Crossing The Wall Could Mean Destruction In Season 7

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains information on the Season 6 finale of HBO’s Game of Thrones as well as speculation on Season 7. Please proceed with caution if you wish to avoid spoilers.

While many Game of Thrones fans have been more interested in Cersei’s wildfire and the revelation of Jon Snow’s true parentage in the Season 6 finale, it could be a small scene involving Bran and Benjen Stark that could have greater implications moving forward into Season 7.

In Episode 10 (entitled “The Winds of Winter”) of HBO’s Game of Thrones, fans got to see Benjen Stark (Joseph Mawle) again, even if it was only briefly. But could what he said to Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) about the Wall have broader implications for when Bran crosses it?

Benjen went missing in Season 1 of Game of Thrones after he went across the Wall on a ranging mission. For five seasons fans assumed Benjen was dead. But then Bran and Meera (Ellie Kendrick) were rescued by Benjen as they tried to escape an army of wights in Season 6. It turned out Benjen had died — well, sort of. After being stabbed by a White Walker, he was rescued by the Children of the Forest who used Dragonglass to resurrect him. As a result of this, he is neither dead nor fully alive. However, he retains just enough White Walker traits for the magical Wall to identify him as one and, therefore, cannot cross the Wall and return to Westeros. “While it stands, the dead cannot pass. I cannot pass,” Benjen tells Bran and Meera in Episode 10 of Game of Thrones.

So, considering Bran was branded by the Night King (Vladimir Furdik) in Episode 5 (entitled “The Door”) of Game of Thrones, what will happen when Bran attempts to cross the Wall? Will Bran even be able to cross it? If he is branded by the Night’s King, does that also brand him to the Wall’s magic as being a White Walker? If this is the case, Bran will be, potentially, stuck on the other side of the Wall forever. And what is the point of that? After all, he is the only one who knows the true parentage of Jon Snow. If he can’t cross the Wall and reveal this, then what was even the point of Bran’s greensight?

If this is the case, let’s assume Bran will be able to cross the Wall when he gets to it. But what happens then? As News.com.au points out, this scene could have far-reaching consequences. If Bran successfully crosses over and takes that White Walker brand with him, does that mean the Night King and his army will also be able to now cross the Wall? After all, once the Night King branded Bran, he was able to cross over into the previously protected safe haven of the Children of the Forest, so a precedence has already been laid here.

Something else that is interesting to note is the fact that Bran is named after the famous Stark, Brandon Stark, also known as Bran the Builder. In the legends of Westeros, Bran the Builder built not only Winterfell, but the Wall as well. According to legend, the wall was raised with the help of giants and imbibed with magic to prevent the White Walkers from crossing over into Westeros. Could it be a Brandon who built the wall and a Brandon who is its ultimate downfall? If so, this means Season 7 of Game of Thrones could, potentially, see the advent of the Night King, his White Walkers, and his army of wights cross over into Westeros. This means that Cersei Lannister being the latest mad ruler to sit upon the iron throne is the least of Westeros’ problems.

What do you think will happen in Season 7 of Game of Thrones? Let us know your thoughts and theories by commenting below!

Game of Thrones returns to HBO with a potentially shortened Season 7 in 2017.

[Image via HBO]