Blue Eyed Baby in Bran's Vision Game of Thrones
It's very hard for Game of Thrones to surprise us at this point. We become it: dark, edgy, faux-feminist. Information technology's not that deep. Yet, every bit we (Kylie and Julia, or "Julie") have been working through our series of Season 6 retrospectives , it's go increasingly easy to forget that this show is supposed to be an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire . In some ways that was a very skillful thing: information technology really immune usa to dig deep at the story showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss (D&D) were telling, without information technology being biased from our understanding of the universe. Or the lens of coherency.
But it came at cost, because manifestly D&D do want to adapt some of George R.R. Martin's ideas, or at least use them as a crutch to brand upward for their shoddy worldbuilding . And they did this by just dumping random information into i plotline: Bran'southward.
When it was peppered throughout the episodes during Season half-dozen's run, nosotros certainly weren't happy to see this most-appropriation, if you volition. But it was at least broken up by everything else. Still, watching this matter directly through, with just a focus on Bran… Well, let'south merely say that Julie had her hands total.
She likewise felt a lot of sympathy for the poor show-just watchers, and how confused they must have been.
And then let'south crack this nut open, with yet another
The Players
Even though this plotline might have had fun ASoIaF winks in it, we are ever-vigilant to finish the conflation betwixt the 2 narratives. Equally a result, we've come up upwardly with some handy names for the show characters to avoid any defoliation. For fuller explanations, please refer to the Book Snob Glossary .
Don't get u.s. wrong, past the way: Bran, Meera, Leaf, and Summer have nothing to do with their book counterparts either. But at that place's only and so many characters we tin telephone call "cardboard", correct? On a slightly related note, if anyone tin draw these show-characters' personalities to us without talking nigh their plot-function or appearance, we'd honey to hear in the comments!
Now that we've got the background piece of work out of the mode, it's time to sit dorsum and enjoy the story of Bran and Amazing Exposition Trees.
Home Is Where The Hodor Is
We're going to do something weird and starting time off by saying something positive well-nigh Game of Thrones . Nosotros are reintroduced to Bran later a twelvemonth on the bench with a very lovely, atmospheric shot of him and Max von Sydow in a cave. Information technology's all nighttime, and there's roots everywhere, and there's no music—merely some creepy crows cawing in the background. (Or are they ravens? Plainly that's synonymous on this testify.)
We too have something overnice to say almost Foliage: she's got bangin' haircutting skills. Simply look at this before and after:
Fresh.
She and Septa Spoonella should open a joint-salon.
Bran and Max von Sydow have their eyes all rolled up into their caput, then it's clear they're in some kind of "warg" vision (this will not bother us…).
You know what we hope it is? Well, it'south just that… there's this gaping plot-hole: how on earth can someone with a developmental disability be? Hodor has been walking around for 6 seasons (minus 1) with a very limited vocabulary, and yet NO Caption? We don't understand!!
To be perfectly clear, because this really is something worth taking seriously: nosotros are being sarcastic. Unfortunately, this may as well have been the hostage dialogue between D&D leading into Season 6. You come across, the vision Bran and Max von Sydow are in is office ane/2 of the "What Happened to Hodor?" Chronicles.
We cut to a shot of them standing (that's how we know it'due south a vision!) in the Winterhell courtyard, while two boys train with swords. They are being watched by a third dude, who is either their blood brother, a very young Rodrik Cassel with the same hairdo as he has in his sixties, or Seth Rogen's cousin.
We learn speedily that these boys are lil' Ned Stark and his younger brother Benny. We also larn that D&D are super eager to draw parallels between lil' Ned and Jonny Cardboard, since they have him tell Benny the exact same matter Jonny told Olly Chekhov last year . We're sure this won't misfile anyone subsequently on in the plot when a sure parentage is revealed.
Hey book nerds, remember how Lyanna was the ane dueling Benny in the books? Well whatever! Hither she's just showing off some fine horseman skills, which is also nod to the source material, nosotros suppose, merely a nod that doesn't practice a whole lot to pigment this Rhaegar+Lyanna=Jon picture. Whoops, spoiler. Unless this is considered sufficient seeding for her impetuous nature?
Meanwhile, Bran, psyched from his Exposition 101 class, points at each character and names them for Max von Sydow, who definitely knows who these people are anyway.
"That'due south my father. And my Uncle Benjen. …Lyanna! My Aunt Lyanna. I've seen her statue in the crypt. My father never talked about her."
Yep. Information technology is this bad. Max von Sydow doesn't fifty-fifty dignify it with a response.
As emotionally impactful equally Bran might have found seeing his dead father, expressionless aunt, and missing-presumed-dead uncle again, it all pales in comparison the second lil' Hodor arrives on the scene. BUT WAIT! He'due south called "Wylis" and he can speak in complete sentences.
Unfortunately for Bran, Max von Sydow read the script and knows that we have to go out that mighty mystery here for this episode. He pulls them both back out of the tree root (expect, where was the tree they were looking through?), and gain to talk in weebly wobbly metaphors that we suspect might be garbled future volume dialogue. The gist is that Bran tin't stay in memories too long, considering y'all drown under the bounding main, which is non a stupid concept at all. We can totally purchase that part of this dreamy mysticism involves having to disassemble yourself emotionally. The trouble is the plot-convenient moments in which leaving the flashbacks always happens.
Once again though, Hodor comes onto the scene and nothing else matters. Non even Bran asking why Max von Sydow bothered to show him this scene, nor whatsoever explanation of that they've been doing for a twelvemonth with implied other visions… Merely Hodor. Bran tells him that his name used to exist Wylis and he could talk. Hodor, who probably knows this already, just kind of nods and says, "Hodor."
Sidebar: what are the ethics of continuing to telephone call this character "Hodor"? To be honest, calling him "Wylis" sort of makes our tummies hurt, but calling him "Walder" doesn't really feel like a viable option—that is his proper name in the source cloth (as Bran e'er knew)—but information technology's difficult in general to talk well-nigh graphic symbol agency on this show when all we see are D&D'southward decisions moving each graphic symbol forth. We know that only because he responds to "Hodor" doesn't hateful this was a choice in self-identity, and in the books it's clear that it was just what everyone began calling him because it was all that he said. And so…Wylis information technology is? Delight don't make us. Tin we merely go with "Showdor" instead?
Showdor carries Bran outside the cave, which, from what nosotros retrieve of Flavour 4, was the spot that the army of the dead was chilling under the snow, poised to assault. If yous need a refresher:
Withal now, it'due south totes clear so that Meera can sit without a chapeau or gloves (your Canadian mom is very disappointed in y'all right at present) and mourn the death of her brother. Nosotros're torn, considering we're glad that there actually is grief being depicted, specially in the season where Jonny Cardboard and Sandra Snark basically shrug after Rickon'due south death, and this might exist the best continuity between seasons nosotros've seen yet. We mean, Jojen isn't explicitly mentioned, merely it'southward obvious that his death is what's upsetting Meera. Withal, at the aforementioned fourth dimension, wasn't the whole "dead things attacking the cave" kind of a crucial plot indicate?
Meera: You shouldn't be here.
Bran: It's not safety outside the cave.
Meera: It's not rubber anywhere.
Oh. Okay so.
In an effort to cheer her up, Bran decides to brainstorm talking about the Great Showdor Mystery, and she makes it clear that she gives less than two shits. "Some people are only developmentally disabled, Bran. It doesn't need to exist treated as a mystery," she says in a much better show. What'southward weird is that nosotros're sort of given the impression that the bug up Meera's ass has more to practise with being bored in the cave and feeling useless, rather than any kind of sense of impending doom. Which isn't an invalid frustration, just an odd tonal choice. This is reinforced when Bran, sorry that Meera didn't like the Showdor story, goes back inside, assuasive the very-different-looking-but-it'southward-better Leaf to yell at Meera for non being super supportive.
Leaf: Brandon Stark needs you lot.
Meera: For what? I sit down in there and I watch him accept his visions and nothing ever happens.
Leaf: He isn't going to stay hither forever.
We'd say this makes sense from a grapheme perspective, but who even is Meera on the show? That chick that was catty with Osha in one case, nigh raped, and then mercy-killed her blood brother, right? We approximate it does make sense from that mannerly "support your man" design we've seen throughout the show.
It's fine, really. Fine. Just…yeah, an odd way to get about getting the audience engaged, especially considering this is the one place where nosotros meet wights and White Walkers this season. Didn't all the critics say that "Hardhome" did such a wonderful job of showing the real stakes of the series?
The TOWAH of Mysteries
Zoinks! Bran is sure on a zany run a risk already, up to his ears as always trying to solve the mystery of Showdor. But wait! Max von Sydow has another mystery for him, which we leap-cut into in the third episode.
It's the Tower of Joy sequence, which is possibly our favorite sequence in the entire flavor. So much then, that Julia wrote a 3,000 word beloved note virtually it. For the purposes of this retrospective, we're trying to be super duper fair and really view this scene through the lens of the TV-show only. Unfortunately, that just makes everything a lot worse. In a confusing and nonsensical way.
We're dropped into the vision with a cute long shot of a tower, and again, credit where credit is due: this is stunning, and there's a lovely foreboding tone established with the music. We so cut to a tight shot of a man polishing a very long sword. Nosotros think that maybe this sword is actually significant, since the shot stays on it for some time.
We also see that sword-polishing homo has a friend, who's pretty easy on the eyes. A grouping of six riders approaches them. Lucky for us, Bran is still riding that Exposition 101 train, and decides to tell us who they are as they dismount.
No, that's Ned Patrick Harris, and information technology's uncanny.
He'due south also got his jam bud Howland Reed with him, every bit Max von Sydow helpfully explains. Further in the background, a wild Theo Wull, dressing as the locals, can be seen.
Back to sword-polishing guy and his hawt friend, Bran immediately recognizes the latter equally "Ser Arthur Dayne." We, being smarter than that, recognize him as THE DAWNINATOR.
Bran: Ser Arthur Dayne.
Max von Sydow: The Sword of the Morning.
Bran: Father said he was the best swordsman he always saw.
Wait…but he'southward not the ane with the sword… Which, we know information technology's non just Dawn that needs polishing, but if they're trying to establish him every bit this dude with a legendary sword, why didn't they bear witness… Ah, forget it.
Also, please, anyone with a show-only friend, ask them what they idea of "The Sword of the Morning." What does this hateful to a single damn person hither?!
Then. The dialogue starts, guys. Perhaps we but call up it'south exceptionally odd because we know of the lyrical, dream-like context of the books. But like, these dudes are speaking in a incomparably poetic kind of way at each other:
Ned Patrick Harris: I looked for yous on the Trident.
Dawninator: Nosotros weren't at that place.
Oswell Whent (?): Your friend the usurper would lie beneath the ground if we had been.
The chat amounts to, "what are you doing here?" To which Dawninator is like, "our prince wanted us to be." Which is a perfectly reasonable thing for kingsguard to say.
Oh, and we forgot to mention this, simply as the ii groups of men begin speaking, Dawninator plants his sword into the ground. It'southward got a cute lil' dominicus emoji on the pommel, and the managing director takes time to focus on information technology.
Ned Patrick Harris, bored with the random poetry, asks where is sister is, and Dawninator decides it's such a impaired question that he's going to ignore it.
"I wish yous good fortune in the wars to come."
Oh. Thanks, Dawninator! How sweet of him. Less sweet is when he picks upward his sunday sword, and—expect for it—pulls out a Second SWORD.
Does that make him the "Swords of the Morn"? Or does the other sword take a lil' moon emoji on it that nosotros can't encounter? Or is this first-class continuity about how all Pornishmen must dual-wield swords and daggers?
Don't recollect on it, it's fightin' time!
Dawninator: And now it begins.
Ned Patrick Harris: No. At present it ends.
We could harp on the slightly smug commitment of that line, merely why bother when nosotros've got this to distract us?
And so nosotros sentry the earth's longest fight scene where you lot can manifestly see the actors standing around, waiting for when they're told to lunge, while Bran and Max von Sydow commentate as if this is some mildly interesting sport game.
Bran: [Dawninator's] amend than my father.
Max von Sydow: Far better.
Look, our previously linked piece past Julia covers this, simply nosotros can't hold it in anymore. What the FUCK were they thinking with the dual wielding swords? Information technology doesn't make the fight look better (nosotros'd argue the opposite), it makes very little sense from a Watsonian perspective since they established his super special lord's day-sword, and most important of all: why?
We doubtable , as many book readers do, that Dawn will end upward being quite significant to the plot of the books, so zooming on the sun emoji in the beginning identify may have just been the checklist effect in activeness. Only, for i, aside from the emoji there is nada unique almost this sword in the slightest (it'south not even a goddamn swell sword), and for some other, any significance that the audition might take attached to information technology went out the window the 2nd Dawninator unsheathed Dusk. Nosotros know that in the scope of things this doesn't affair, but this is one of those changes that we have absolutely no explanation for. The only thing nosotros tin can offer is Rule of Cool : dual-wielding is Badass™!
Indeed.
Since nosotros're on a roll, time for our next effect. Well wait, permit'south let the exposition bot explain it:
" I know [my begetter won]. Heard the story a m times."
We could get our volume-reader panties in a twist actually easily with this 1, given that it comes with the tacit suggestion that Show!Ned was a behemothic braggart, while what we know of Ned Stark is that he's peradventure the second-to the lowest degree likely person in the series to brag nearly anything. First being Samwell Tarly. * Ahem .*
And fifty-fifty if Ned was super into his sword fightin' victories, isn't this ane that we know has at to the lowest degree a fleck of sadness attached? Considering spoiler: what's in The Towah is his dying fucking sis, and he's battling to the expiry to salve her. So who would be all "omg but the victory was soooo sweet" in this context?
Simply even ignoring the source material, since information technology's so unfair of us to bring information technology up in the commencement identify, there's the consequence of context within the show. Like…Bran told united states of america that Ned never talked about his Aunt Lyanna the episode before this. So what, was his pops only all, "Hey son, I was in this completely context-free battle where I had to fight Dawninator to the decease in one case, and I WON! Aren't I the most?" Were there no follow-up questions? Did his kids just assume this was on the battleground during Robert'south Rebellion? Because nosotros're quite certain discussion would become out about how two kingsguard died in the mountains of Porne.
Anyhow, it's time for the Shock. As the fight unfolds, information technology ends up being 1-on-i, Ned Patrick Harris versus the Dawninator, because of grade information technology does. And simply every bit it seems that Dawninator is going to kill him, a wild Howland Reed leaps up out of nowhere like a lil' froggy (which really makes sense) and stabs Dawninator from behind, through the neck. Bran is scandalized, and bemoans the dishonor of the kill to Max von Sydow.
Pause. Nosotros're sorry, we're really lamentable. We will get through this scene. But we're starting to doubtable that D&D take no clue what the fuck "accolade" actually ways. This was not a one-on-i gentleman's duel. This was a wild battle where Ned and his coiffure were desperate to get into the tower and the 2 kingsguard were desperate to stop them. Fighting broke out and information technology was a free-for-all, and six people have already died at this indicate. So why on Planetos is it suddenly dishonorable to impale your enemy who is most to kill your friend, in this context? Considering he didn't requite him a alarm first?
Also, back to braggin' Ned. In addition to the absurdity of gloating almost this state of affairs where everybody is dying, including Lyanna, we now accept Ned existence so petty that he brags to his kids a thousand times near winning against Dawninator when Howland Reed was the one who finished him. In what's plain a dishonorable fashion. Why would he tell this story at all? It'due south most similar it's something he'd never talk about, and would just perchance revisit in his dreams, especially if they were fever-induced.
Non to bring in our dreaded book noesis, simply this is what the real Ned had to say about the thing:
"The finest knight I ever saw was Ser Arthur Dayne, who fought with a blade chosen Dawn, forged from the middle of a fallen star. They called him the Sword of the Morning, and he would have killed me but for Howland Reed." Begetter had gotten pitiful then, and he would say no more. Bran wished he had asked him what he meant."
Yes, this is not a good accommodation. But this as well just doesn't make sense.
Luckily, Max von Sydow seems to realize that too, and decides that he and Bran must get out the vision At present, just as Ned Patrick Harris races towards The Towah, from which Lyanna'southward screams are emanating. Spoiler.
Information technology's also possible that Max von Sydow does this because he read the script and knew this reveal tin't come until the season finale. Just hey, what do we know?
Once they're out of the vision, Bran starts yelling at him for stopping the dwelling video at the all-time function. We agree. Why did he brand yous sit through that terrible fight? On the positive side, Max von Sydow is really emoting, obviously very attached to Bran'due south interest in this. Which is a prissy touch, but also a little disruptive, since he chooses this time to reveal that he'due south a m years old.
Really, in the books—No. But. Forget information technology.
Max von Sydow definitely has the hold of some script, since he assures Bran that he won't be staying in the cave forever. But he has to learn "everything" before then. Um. Everything just what'due south in The Towah? Or everything as in everything on the Stark'southward Wackiest Dwelling Videos reel? Either style, get on that, guys!
Hold The Heroic Sacrifices
We approximate they do make some progress, since the next fourth dimension nosotros meet Bran and Max von Sydow, they're skipping through the Irish countryside together, walking upward to a lovely spiral-shaped stone circle. Why they didn't park their tree eyes closer is across us, but hey, if you have dream walking capacity, apply it!
Climb every mount, guys
Under the tree, Leaf and her crew have a human tied upwards. They jam an obsidian dagger into his chest, and his eyes plough bluer than mountain lakes White Walker blue. Which we're told is a Crayola colour at present. This is…something!
Bran wakes up and starts yelling at Foliage, asking how the Children of the Forest could take done such a thing.
Sidebar: we're calling this graphic symbol "Leaf" more or less out of courtesy to Mr. Martin'south creative ideas that are clearly just vomited onto the screen here. She's never really called this, nor are we given whatsoever suggestion that she has a name at all.
Foliage very dramatically explains to Bran that the Children had to make White Walkers, since they were at state of war and needed to defend themselves. From who, you lot might ask?
"From men!"
Seriously, we don't recommend watching this show. But if y'all do happen upon this scene and the manner the Leaf-histrion emotes through all that makeup, that wouldn't be the to the lowest degree funny thing. Besides, if you happen to have a prove-watcher-only friend who felt this scene was really meaningful or interesting in whatsoever style, please tell u.s.a..
Nosotros don't want to be too negative: we constitute this data quite interesting, and began immediately rooting through our copies of The World of Water ice and Burn down to endeavor and effigy out how such information fit into The Great Pact and the timeline of the War for the Dawn (though Julia remains a carper and insists that information technology doesn't). Merely, going by show knowledge just, here's what we've learned about the Children of the Wood:
- They throw fireballs
- They alive in this cavern
Nosotros're non saying the creation of the White Walkers isn't interesting on a theoretical level, but what is this really supposed to mean to anyone? Okay, these chicks with long ears made them. The horror! We wonder what Max von Sydow thinks of it! Or is he a 1000 years old and lost track of his moral code?
We suppose Bran constitute this incredibly disillusioning, considering the next scene we get is everyone sleeping but him, and he decides to insubordinate and chuck lil' pebbles and bones and Max von Sydow. Once it's clear the dude is unconscious, Bran touches a root near him, and slips into vision-vision!
He goes back to the same tree, only now it'due south…at present. Like, now at present! It's all snowy and night fourth dimension and stuff. Also the entire regular army of the expressionless is but chilling twenty feet away. And nosotros mean this literally. No one is moving. It'southward a zombie mannequin claiming. They could give those Pornish guards a run for their money!
We're existence jerks because the vision logistics make little sense, but this scene is actually well done. The tone is quite creepy, and at that place is a building sense of horror. Bran walks in and amidst the wights, and there's fifty-fifty a cool little item where we run across that a good corporeality of them are wearing the Official Outfit of the Wildlings that we saw during "Hardhome".
In the dorsum of the infantry is the cavalry, aka four White Walkers. Merely four. Just they're on horses and wearing those stupid samurai outfits still. Unlike the wights, they do give a fuck that Bran is just in that location. Shogun, the caput samurai, turns his head to expect at him, and it's the first time anyone moves. Information technology actually is really effective, we promise.
Less effective is what happens next. Bran tries to run away, but the Shogun sort of…we don't know how to describe this. He'south in front of Bran, Bran looks back to the army, and so when he turns over again Shogun is just there. Hello!
Shadowstep, we guess.
Then Shogun proceeds to reach out and affect Bran's arm, merely as Bran pulls himself from the vision. When he wakes upwardly back in the cave, he has a glittery mark where Shogun grabbed him in the vision. According to Max von Sydow, this means that Shogun (and his army) can enter the cavern now.
And if you thought we were really going to get an explanation as to how this works, yous haven't been paying attention. Magic, right?
No seriously, we've thought about this probably longer than was worthwhile. (Certainly longer than D&D did.) At the end of The Towah sequence, Bran yells out to Ned Patrick Harris and there's an indication that he'southward heard. So, it'southward not like it'southward unseeded that the vision-traveler can manipulate/modify things. And with Hodor-gate (spoiler) coming upward, that'south definitely the example.
Only this is something dissimilar. This is somebody in the vision proactively interacting with the visioner, all in present day. So, the visioner is physically there somehow, to exist interacted with? And this breaks the magic sealing the cave (that Meera ignored in "Home" anyway), which was never explained in the start place? In that location's magically plausible situations, and and then in that location's just pure lazy writing. This falls firmly in the latter category.
But what is clear: the army of the expressionless is coming. NOW. And Bran needs to become the Three-Eyed Raven. NOW.
Meera and Showdor immediately begin futzing with the sleds and stuff. Nosotros ask you to please keep this immediate and incontrovertible sense of urgency in heed. And as well to capeesh this amazing dialogue:
Max von Sydow: The time has come.
Bran: The time for what?
Max von Sydow: For you lot to go me.
Bran: Only am I ready?
Max von Sydow: No.
To be off-white, Max von Sydow actually does effort to practice something with this. We actually think he deserves his Emmy-nod only for how badly he wanted this to be meaningful.
The episode cuts to some other fantastic action (hint: it involves Edd forgetting that the Lord Commander of the Nighttime's Watch is an elected position), but when nosotros selection upward back in the cavern, Meera is merrily packing up her goods and joking with Showdor near all the bacon they're going to be eating soon. In the wilderness. Every bit they're running to narrowly avert the encroaching ground forces of the dead. We suppose in that location's something to be said for her "whistle while you lot piece of work" mental attitude? Simply she soon clues into the severity of the situation and runs outside to run into the entire ground forces of the dead.
This isn't new information. Nosotros knew they were coming, and now they're here. And then when we cut to the shot of Bran and Max von Sydow with white irises considering they're off in Vision Land, we can assume that what they're doing is super-duper important with regards to Bran finally becoming the Three-Eyed Raven.
Possible visions Max von Sydow might deem of import enough for him to complete this preparation:
- More than lore on the Children and the White Walkers that perhaps hint at a way of beating them
- Visions of some Targaryen and dragons
- The Boxing for Dawn (mayhap featuring Dawn?)
- Max von Sydow start becoming the Three-Eyed Raven or any explanation of those powers and how to utilise them
- A vision of Benjen Coldhands, or any time to come ally
- A vision of Jonny at Hardhome killing the White Walker with his sword
- A vision of Sam digging up daggers in the Fist of the Get-go Men
- A vision of Sam reading a volume about the White Walkers or the Children of the Forest
- The "Stakes" miniseries of Adventure Fourth dimension to explain the cyclical nature of flesh's issues
- A vision of George R.R. Martin methodically writing The Winds of Winter with two fingers, earlier pausing to comment on the Giants' wide receivers
- Literally anything that relates to 3-Eyed-Ravendom or the upcoming battle with Shogun
What we did non consider, still, was the terminate of the "WHAT HAPPENED TO SHOWDOR" mystery extravaganza. But lo and behold, nosotros are back in the damn Winterhell courtyard, as lil' Ned prepares to go off to the Eyrie.
No seriously. The regular army of the expressionless is correct there. This is what Max von Sydow deemed and so of import to show at the last minute? Even the conclusion of the "what's in The Towah" mystery spectacular would have made more sense (though not a ton), considering at least that's well-nigh Jon's parentage (spoilers) and information technology may take significant implications for who is going to be leading this upcoming ultimate battle.
And even honeypotting to say that Bran is the i picking where they're going, wasn't he super desperate to find out what was in The Towah? Like, we joke about him caring more than about the Showdor mystery than his family, but the actual suggestion that he does is a bit much. Unless this is instead the suggestion that to get the Three-Eyed Raven, one must read the scripts alee of fourth dimension and figure out which Shocks™ are the nigh dramatically satisfying for each episode.
The simply, only possible style this makes sense is if Max von Sydow foresaw what was about to happen to Showdor, and felt that Bran doing this stupid time paradox thing was crucial to him finally realizing the powers of the 3-Eyed Raven. Fifty-fifty though he already fucked with things when Shogun touched him.
We kind of like the script caption the best.
Oh, and the army of the dead attacks the cave while Max von Sydow and Bran are only watching a bunch of nothing. No seriously, is Rickard Stark giving lil' Ned some questionable communication.
Okay, buddy.
The Children of the Wood spring into action with their napalm, simply to be perfectly honest, this is not a fight worth recapping in a shot-past-shot. The wights look terrible hither. It's the Jason and the Argonauts skeletons all over again, forth with their stupid clacking gargling noise. They intermission into the cave, Meera freaks out and tries to wake Bran by telling him to skinchange into Showdor (for the fightin'), and oh yeah! Retrieve that Summer is Bran's wolf? He'southward awake and growling.
The wights are back to being able to be killed by arrows and great, and then that'due south swell. The long and short is that the cavern gets chop-chop overrun. Bran and Max von Sydow tin can ~sort of~ hear Meera screaming for assist, so Bran does skinchange into Hodor, but his consciousness is more focused on the all-of import "Dad going on a fieldtrip" scene. Why Max von Sydow doesn't put a finish to this is anyone'southward guess. Other than, once more, he read the script.
So, we've got Showdor fighting, and at some indicate a White Walker comes in and Meera kills it with obsidian, but we already knew that… Proficient on her for remembering something Sam said a few seasons agone? More than D&D have managed.
Meera and (warged) Showder get Bran loaded onto a sled, and Leaf tells them that they need to start running for it. Summertime interprets this to mean that he should throw himself at some wights for literally no reason. And dice.
Speaking of dying, Shogun wanders into the cave, and he and Max von Sydow exchange Eye Contact of Extreme Significance. We think? It's also weird, since Max von Sydow is unquestionably next to Bran in the shots of Winterhell!vision that we're shown, but even so he'due south totally staring at Shogun in the cave and 100% enlightened of his presence.
Magic, we judge.
Do these ii have a history? The dude is over a thousand years old. Do we ship this? There's at least footling time to ponder such important questions, since Shogun just up and murders Max von Sydow. Bran, still in the vision, sees him plough into a meaningful deject of smoke. But he'due south too far under the bounding main to pull himself out after this happens. Or perhaps he's simply also enthralled with lil' Ned getting on a horse. We mean, information technology is a talking Showdor scene, so who can blame the guy?
Meanwhile, Meera, Showdor, and Leaf are racing to the back door, Bran in tow, and Leaf up and decides that she should have a heroic death, only like Summertime! So she whips out one of her stupid grenades, then just stops fucking moving. Information technology blows up and she dies, along with a handful of wights, ownership them a total of five seconds. Why she couldn't have simply thrown the grenade, similar she did the by fifty times, for the same effect, we don't know. But it'southward tragic. And heroic.
Finally, nosotros go to the stop of the cave where there is a literal door. Meera, pulling Bran on the sled, tells Showdor to concord it close, so that she and Bran can put more than altitude in betwixt them and the wights that are at present slammed up against the other side. We could betoken out that if Showdor was pulling the sled, they could probably move a lot faster, but hey. It has been a whole thirty seconds since the concluding heroic cede.
Nonetheless, we know shit is about to get real, since the Stark Cello of Extreme Emotional Significance™ starts to play. Inside the Vision Land, we even so hear Meera's screams of "hold the door." And then the photographic camera begins zooming in on Vision Showdor, who tin can hear her too, or something? This makes a lot of sense to u.s., especially contextualized by everything Max von Sydow had previously taught Bran.
Bran: [Ned Patrick Harris] heard me.
Max von Sydow: Maybe. Maybe he heard the wind.
Bran: He heard me.
Max von Sydow: The past is already written. The ink is dry.
Possibly this is meant to show us how special Bran is? Or Showdor? Or Meera? Or it's just possible because of Existent!Bran warging Existent!Showdor while still in Vision Land? Which was possible how exactly?
Once more. Plausible magic vs. lazy writing. Information technology's not that we can't at least pick a rationalization and run with it, but at that place wasn't fifty-fifty an try to explain how this happened, and what was told to us before hand straight contradicts the events that are going on here. Though who knows? Possibly Max von Sydow once skinchanged into a raven while he was in Vision Land and it'southward never crowed correct over again.
Simply ignoring pesky worldbuilding details (similar e'er), it happens. Vision!Hodor, hearing real!Meera through existent!Bran and vision!Bran (somehow), collapses to the ground in what looks like a seizure. He begins shouting "hold the door" over and over again, until it becomes jumbled into "Hodor." And real talk: both Showdor actors did a fantastic chore hither.
Then, the wights break through the door and murder real!Showdor, while Meera pulls the sled with no gloves (nevertheless) into the altitude. The episode cuts to black.
Okay, there's a ton to unpack hither. First, the elephant in the room. Sensing potential controversy, D&D bravely explained in their Outside the Episode interview , that "this" was George R.R. Martin's fault— just like burning Shireen ! Martin, being asked near it later, confirmed simply that the "Hodor" does come up from the phrase "hold the door," but said "while the name will nevertheless mean the aforementioned matter, it will be very different from the bear witness'due south reveal."
Yet this may or may not happen in the books, we feel, is irrelevant to the discussion, since a large conclusion nosotros've reached after writing eleven (at present twelve) retrospectives is that context in a story is kind of…everything. "Ramsay rapes his bride on his wedding nighttime" changes simply a wee bit if we compare the contexts of the books and show. So, we await forward to having a spirited give-and-take about Martin's handling of "concur the door" when the time comes.
How the testify handled it…nosotros have a lot of discomfort.
For one, and we already hinted at this, we find it actually agonizing that Showdor's condition was treated every bit this giant mystery needing to be solved. Information technology'southward not to say that people tin't have some kind of blow that damages their brains, or grow into a developmental disorder. The trouble, however, that we struggle with, is that on Game of Thrones , Showdor is the *only* graphic symbol with a developmental disability.
Remember Bronn'southward hilariously witty wife, Lollys Stokeworth? Yes, in the books, she also is described equally somebody with a developmental disorder might be described in a pre-medical globe. And nosotros're non saying her treatment by the narrative is 100% keen keen, just nosotros are saying that the choice to make her into someone super ditzy, particularly after Saint Tyrion chosen her "simple-minded" in Season 4, never exactly sat right with us.
It also unfortunately means that the bear witness's treatment of Showdor is all we have to go off of in understanding how D&D explore developmentally disabled characters. This is a problem, kind of like if the only prominent gay character on the prove had spent the entire narrative fulfilling promiscuous stereotypes, was punished and suffered to compel other characters into action, and and so died. Oh wait .
To be perfectly honest, Showdor's treatment by the bear witness, and the fandom at large, has been increasingly uncomfortable. At this betoken, he's basically just a meme (and i more pop than Bran…he has a Funko Pop doll where Bran doesn't), considering information technology's super hilarious that he says "Hodor" all the time. There's been no exploration of the nighttime side of Bran skinchanging into him, especially since it'southward to the point where Meera is encouraging this behavior. And worse, there's been no particular attempt to give Showdor any agency of his ain. This "heroic sacrifice", even, is completely out of his easily, since he'due south being controlled by Bran. Which is tragic, sure. Maybe that'south the betoken.
Just what we're left with is the story a male child who was perfectly content and able to communicate in full sentences (even joke effectually/flirt, apparently), who went through a traumatic and unexplained magical experience that injured his brain and limited his capacity to explain himself, who then went on to become the perfect mule for the aforementioned dude who injured him to skinchange into, who and then ultimately died to buy Bran and Meera similar v seconds, when he had no say in the matter.
And at that place's zero exploration of this, at all. The episode ends, and Showdor isn't fucking mentioned again for the remainder of the flavour! Bran doesn't fifty-fifty have a throwaway line similar, "oh I have to be really careful when I go to Vision Land considering of what happened." Anything.
So really, there's ii major sources of discomfort hither. One is that the only representation of a person with a developmental disability on the bear witness is treated as though it were something that needs to be solved. Something that can't but exist, because of form there's a reason everyone is the way that they are. This would be alike to if they had thrown in a randomly traumatic experience for Loras to "explain" why he had the gay, or something.
The 2nd source of discomfort, and this goes well beyond a tone, is that the tragedy of Showdor—the narrative we just laid out—was done in such a mode that felt voyeuristic. We were supposed to be horrified and sad when it happened, but then never think on it once more. His experience in Vision Earth was meant to serve a shock. At that place could well exist a follow-upward to this involving Bran's visions next flavour (though as in almost cases, nosotros're not holding our breath), just specially having no annotate on it at all, even if it merely was Meera maxim sadly, "I guess I'll be eating all the bacon now," pushes across uncomfortable into outright unacceptable. This is ableism. In a season that's already chock total of it.
And non to be terrible people, simply
No, seriously. We're non proverb that Mr. Martin is perfect, though information technology is articulate that he tries to requite Hodor as much personhood as possible, while also refusing to shy away from the incredibly dark implications of Bran skingchanging into him. It's framed as being incorrect, exactly because information technology removes Hodor's personhood. This isn't a "oh homo how fucked upward!" moment for us to eat, merely to dwell on.
"Hodor won't …Go down into the crypts. When I woke, I told him to take me downwards, […] merely then he wouldn't become down. He just stood on the top footstep and said 'Hodor,' like he was scared of the night, but I had a torch. Information technology made me so mad I near gave him a swat in the head, like Onetime Nan is always doing." [Bran] saw the way the maester was frowning and hurriedly added, "I didn't, though."
"Good. Hodor is a human being, non a mule to be beaten."
[…]
Other times, when he was tired of being a wolf, Bran slipped into Hodor'southward skin instead. The gentle giant would whimper when he felt him, and thrash his shaggy head from side to side, but not as violently equally he had the first time, dorsum at Queenscrown. He knows information technology's me , the male child liked to tell himself. He's used to me by now. Even so, he never felt comfortable inside Hodor's skin. The big stableboy never understood what was happening, and Bran could gustatory modality the fear at the dorsum of his mouth.
But hey, the bear witness gave united states of america some keen and not-at-all offensive memes, and then…worth it:
Cheers, Uncle Benjen
Meera's gloveless sled-pulling is really damn impressive, since by the side by side episode, she's at least fabricated it to the tree line. Nonetheless, the speeding skeletons have basically caught up with them. Oh, and Bran is still in Vision Land, but for some reason he's at present flashing actually quickly through the seasons that were watchable, along with shit that D&D forgot to foreshadow.
Intermission. Why are the visions flashing? They weren't flashing when Bran was existence pulled towards the door in the cave? Is this what it means to be likewise much under the sea? Is this what it means to exist the Three-Eyed Raven? Is this Bran learning "everything" now?
Magic.
But yeah, we've got the whole philharmonic package here: Bran falling from the belfry, Ned dying, the Scarlet Wedding, and Aerys Ii Targaryen ordering Carol's Landing (she's that impactful) to be burned downwards, along with shots of wildfyre being all green and scary. This plot is SO User-friendly for seeding things! We also become a ton of lingering shots of "Hardhome", because who didn't think that episode was awesome?
Meera collapses into sobs because she'south so weak for not being able to indefinitely outrun the sprinting army of the dead while pulling a sled through the wilderness, and begins apologizing to Bran for failing him. Yeah, get sit in that shame corner, daughter!
He finally snaps out of Vision World and is similar, "they found the states." Merely in a really, really chill style, so nosotros suspect this means that he is now the Three-Eyed Raven. Max von Sydow certainly gave no shits about his ain death.
However, fright not! They are saved at the buzzer past none other than Benjen Coldhands! The noble Stark nuncle swoops in on a horse and offers to scoop them upwardly, away from the zombies. For reasons we tin can't fathom, Meera hesitates, simply you know, death vs. stranger danger, and the latter wins out.
Nosotros are thrilled though, because Benjen Coldhands remembers that fighting wights with burn is a thing. So even though the damn sequence goes on for an eternity, we can let information technology go, since this is 1 of the only attempts at continuity nosotros've seen from this plotline.
Then we cutting abroad to a bunch of A+ scenes, including the Horn Faire Dinner Drama, Larry planning a revolution without securing his king or checking where the other kingsguard is, and Bryan Cogman not-subtly crying for assist through Braavosi muses. ("Blood of my Blood" is the best , you lot guys.)
When we cut dorsum, Benjen Coldhands is squeezing claret out of a rabbit into a cup. Could he accept, you know, told them who he was first? We all need our fe, certain, but come on buddy, they are reasonably freaked out hither…
But yes, he removes his scarf and reveals that he is Benjen Coldhands, the by and large-expressionless and not-live Stark nuncle. You run across, dorsum in Flavour ane when he went on that ranging mission to expect for White Walkers (is that what his assignment was? Not scoping Mance?), he accidentally got stabbed by i "in the gut." So the Children of the Forest saved his life past stabbing him more, this time in the heat with dragonglass.
We're quite confused why stabbing people in the heart with obsidian both cures people and turns them into White Walkers, depending on plot demands, merely hey. Maybe the Children are into homeopathy.
But this is fine. We're at to the lowest degree somewhat glad Benny is live, as is Bran. And he seems to be actually full of useful data that could be crucial to this war. Similar, he knows Bran is the new Three-Eyed Raven without being told, and he knows that Shogun is going to be making a move real quick. This is helpful! Nosotros promise he doesn't just fuck off.
The Towah of Dramatic Satisfaction
In the final episode of the flavor, Benjen Coldhands fucks off.
Okay, to exist perfectly off-white, this is what he says:
" The Wall is not just water ice and stone. Ancient spells were carved into its foundations. Strong magic to protect men from what lies beyond. And while it stands, the dead cannot pass. I cannot pass."
This does brand sense, and we approximate it means that Bran and Meera are just well-nigh to cross The Wall and be safety from the literal army of the dead.
As well this happens, and information technology's hilarious:
However, once Benny-male child leaves, Meera turns to Bran and is all, "are yous set?" Set up? I'k sure he super wants to become south of The Wall! I hear they have great onion soup.
But no, apparently Meera was referring to Bran inbound Vision World once again. Right here, right now. Bran assures her that he'southward got this:
"I'k the Iii-Eyed Raven now. I accept to be ready for this."
As the Three-Eyed Raven, and given Benny's warning nearly the Shogun, we have to assume what he'south going to take a wait at is very crucial to the encroaching ground forces of the dead. Especially since he's willing to accept the risk of inbound Vision World however north of The Wall, with only Meera to defend him (in all of her questionable sled-toting ability).
Visions nosotros think would be handy-dandy for him include:
- More lore about the Children or the White Walkers, along with some manner to crush them
- A Dark'south Watchmen in the by figuring out some of the raised-expressionless's weaknesses
- A closer look at Hardhome, since he had a lot of flashes at that place anyway
- A closer expect at Aerys, since he had a lot of flashes there, so maybe it's of import
- Some backstory on Shogun, maybe something that explains how the White Walkers are no longer in the Children's control
- Some backstory on Max von Sydow
- More near the state of war between the men and the Children for some context
- A vision equally far north as his little vision-feet can conduct him
- The Steven Universe episode "Mindful Didactics" so that he can learn de-stressor techniques that will carry him through this war
- George R.R. Martin still typing The Winds of Wintertime with two fingers
Don't go usa incorrect, what he does find out is important, probably to the outcome of the war, simply he has literally no way of knowing this. The point was that the haps in The Towah was a mystery to him. Unless he has the scripts now, because that'south what it means to exist the Three-Eyed Raven.
Magic?
So, with the knowledge of what will please the audience all-time in-hand, Bran touches a nearby tree and goes back…TO THE TOWAH! Nosotros blame Max von Sydow.
We choice right back where we left off, with Ned Patrick Harris about to sew together The Towah steps as Lyanna is screaming . Presumably because there is a human coming out of her vagina and there won't exist chloroform until Jo[h]n Snow figures out its utilize every bit an coldhearted.
All the same, Ned Patrick Harris must actually take spent his energy on the fight with Dawninator, because by the time he reaches the acme of the stairs, the baby is already cleaned up and wrapped in a blanky.
Lyanna is not at all in good shape, and the sheets are just soaked in blood. Too bad Nurse Wylla didn't lookout man Call the Midwife and learn those tricks for changing them while the female parent is still lying downwards. Perhaps she's still hemorrhaging or something. Information technology's as well clear that her fever has set in and is basically killing Lyanna Now. Which is…we guess it's as well nitpicky to get into the timing of puerperal fever, and maybe she was screaming from fever delirium while Wylla counted Jonny's lil' toesies or something. Though seriously, those sheets! To be fair, it's equally weird fever/soiled sheets timing in the books. But perchance that'south because information technology's a fucking fever dream of Ned'south and these events shouldn't be taken completely literally.
Ned Patrick Harris, earlier annihilation, sets down Dawn, and we get a significant shot of information technology. Because information technology'south so important.
Lyanna is pretty happy to see him, but she's too dying and junk, and so that takes abroad from the moment. Her broseph yells to get h2o, because apparently this didn't occur to Wylla (she is and so incompetent), but Lyanna is all like, "nah I'm out of here anyhow."
We remember yous're pretty gr8 though.
This isn't poorly done, by the fashion. Lyanna's thespian is great, and conspicuously scared to be dying, while also urgently trying to inquire her brother to do something. In fact, she calls Ned Patrick Harris closer, and this is what we can make out:
"If Robert finds out, he'll—you know he will. Y'all accept to protect him. Promise me, Ned. Promise me."
Guys. Information technology'southward an iconic line from A Song of Ice and Burn down that D&D didn't change. Exercise y'all know what a rare, rare gift this is? Forget Olly fetching a sword… nosotros actually accept the characters who are supposed to be maxim this doing so in somewhat of the same context. Minus the whole fever-dream aspect.
In the heart of Lyanna'south dying request, Wylla decides to shove the perfectly clean baby into Ned's arms, and Ned Patrick Harris has this actually adorable expression on his face. Kind of like a man who'southward never held a baby before, only really wants to protect the thing:
Oh, also Bran'due south here. We get like, 2 reaction shots of him looking sad, but they are sort of blink-and-you lot'll-miss information technology.
And then. We zoom in on the little infant'southward face, potentially with Photoshopped optics, and the scene crossfades to JONNY CARDBOARD! The baby is Jon! Jon is the babe!!
And then information technology's over!
Now, before we jump off of this scene into our concluding thoughts, there is something we feel the demand to point out: Bran never found out whose kid this is, or who the kid becomes. He could easily infer, since it's clear Sansa knew [Robert'southward version of] the story of Rhaegar kidnapping and raping Lyanna, and "oh hey if my dad is protecting a baby, information technology's probably that one he came home with and said information technology was his bastard." But this could have at to the lowest degree been explicated in some manner, especially since the show-watcher-only audience was so confused by this that HBO had to release a period chart explaining information technology.
Rhaegar wasn't fifty-fifty mentioned in this scene, and at that place was not an insignificant number of people that causeless this meant Jon was an incest infant between Ned Patrick Harris and his sister. We tin can't even arraign them for that? The vision in the Winterhell courtyard very intentionally paralleled lil' Ned with Jonny Cardboard. Which yes, isn't stupid because of course adoptive parents have influences on their kids. Just and then coupled with the reveal that Ned Patrick Harris is secretly sooooo dishonorable, bragging almost that Dawninator kill that involved sneaky backstabbing, it could hands exist inferred that the point of Bran's arc this year was at to the lowest degree in part to reveal the hypocrite that Ned is. And what ameliorate way than to give him an incest babe subsequently his reaction to learning the truth about Ballad and Larry.
Even ignoring D&D's mysterious need to tear downwards the reputation of a character who's been dead for 5 seasons, at that place's the fact that Bran—ya know, the protagonist of this plotline—didn't get a damned reaction shot to this reveal. Nosotros saw him looking vaguely sad that his aunt was dying, but nothing later on the baby was brought onto the scene. Supposedly this is his first stride as the Three-Eyed Raven. And it was just…what? To finish watching a home video?
What makes this worse is that and so the episode gain to do absolutely nothing with this reveal. Unless information technology's trying to imply that Jonny is truly the rightful king? But, this actually gives him even less merits as King in the North (not that it matters, since it'southward non similar the Northern Lords were privy to this crossfade).
In that location is just absolutely no reason why this scene should be in this episode, particularly when information technology would have made a lot more sense for Max von Sydow to desire to show him this dorsum during the army attacking the cave sequence. Since you know, they had time for one more crucial piece of data, and Jonny's parentage would have significant implications for the "war to come".
And actually, if Bran's showtime solo human action every bit the Three-Eyed Raven had involved creating a time paradox that injured someone he cared near, information technology would have at least fabricated a petty more sense in the context of his arc. Like…he's beingness thrust into this position before he'southward fix, and the consequences are too much to handle, so moving frontwards into Flavor 7, it will exist an ongoing struggle for him. Non that it wouldn't erase the ableist implications of what happened to Showdor. It's just more, if they were going to for it anyway, might every bit well accept information technology in a more than logical context.
Nosotros're also mystified why this Jonny reveal needed to be saved for the concluding episode. Wouldn't it have allowed for a scrap more dramatic irony when he faced off against Ramsay, beingness chosen a "bastard" when this is the dude who might take the best merits to the Iron Throne? Or it would have allowed for a moment where Deadpan bemoans her status as final Targaryen (maybe in that Hand of the Queen conversation with Saint Tyrion), and the audition is similar, "oh girl. We know things!"
Is it only this weird rule D&D read once that Shocks™ must occur in either the ultimate or penultimate episode of a season? Which to that nosotros say…yep. Their obsession with preserving the mystery of Jonny'due south parentage explains their entire arroyo to this plotline, which is why nosotros were treated to a goddamn direct reenactment of a fever dream, forth with a split sequence that simply served to muddy the already opaque Rhaeger + Lyanna waters. At least the dude had been mentioned by proper noun to Dawninator in Episode iii!
Determination
We normally begin these concluding sections with some brief recap of the main character's sloppy treatment. But truthfully…what even is there to say about Bran? What was his arc? He becomes the Three-Eyed Raven, but how? Actually how? What did he do to earn this, and what obstacles were in his fashion? (And no, zombies are not an obstruction in his arc. They're just a complication in the plot.) And if we're seriously supposed to conclude that Max von Sydow brought him to the Winterhell courtyard-vision then that he could create that time paradox as the final steps in condign the Three-Eyed Raven, and then that makes Showdor's treatment even worse . Because why the fuck was his suffering a prerequisite? Too, nil nearly this was e'er explained, then they could have had a sequence where Bran levitated a rock with his brain, and Max von Sydow alleged him the Three-Eyed Raven, and we'd exist none-the-wiser.
Bran was treated every bit a convenient window. The most nosotros always saw from him was his 1 scene of impatience when he chucked piddling bones at Max von Sydow. And one time he was mildly upset that he didn't get to watch the terminate of a home movie. Seriously, Areo Hotah is fashion ameliorate adult than this.
Nosotros mean, to be super, super generous, Bran did have a moment of maxim that he didn't want to exist like Max von Sydow. And so he went from that to proverb "I am the 3-Eyed Raven" in the final episode. So…growth? We still have no idea what the fuck this ways on any level, merely we should just take it at this point.
It'due south not like there's other contenders for protagonists here either. We struggle to list over three adjectives that describe Meera, and one of them is "chocolate-brown-haired." She's kind of moody? Or it could just exist D&D literally forgetting how they scripted her from scene-to-scene.
No, instead it's only that at that place seems to exist no effort put into these characters beyond their exposition potential. A lack of reaction-shot by Bran in his final scene rather proves this point. The focus is on what he's seeing, non why , and certainly non what information technology means for him .
Though little trouble: information technology doesn't mean anything for anyone but the audience. Assuming they tin effigy it out. These reveals had no event on anybody else's arc this season, though we're sure it's going to exist awesome when Bran gets turned into a homo encyclopedia for the rest of the serial. Because we seriously tin can't think of how else they'd use him, but to pop up in conversations to provide some handy knowledge. Poor Batfinger will be out of a job!
Nosotros've certainly expressed our discomfort with hold-the-door-gate (hold the gate?), but it does also deserve mention that Bran has a physical disability. And while he isn't stripped of his bureau in the same way as Showdor, there's clearly a lack of involvement that D&D take when it comes to his character. In the end, how is he less of a prop than Showdor? It's only that he'south a Doylist 1, rather than Watsonian.
If you enjoyed Julie'southward thoughts on this plotline, so exist sure to check out the Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire podcast starring Julia and Kylie, Unabashed Book Snobbery! You can subscribe/heed on iTunes, subscribe to our RSS feed, search for "Unabashed Book Snobbery" in whatsoever podcast app, or observe a consummate list of UBS episodes on Kylie's personal blog. The episode on Bran'south Flavour six plotline is available here.
Images courtesy of HBO
Source: https://www.thefandomentals.com/bran-retrospective-season-6/
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