So I realized today that I have spent nearly 0 time talking about Bran this season. I briefly mention him in one of my last posts. Well, his scenes definitely deserve another look at and discussed. Let's begin.
When we first see Bran this season, he's being trained by the 3 Eyed Raven (in the books, he's Bryndon Rivers, a bastard Targaryan). We're introduced to how Bran can travel through time. At first it's fun to watch him walk around and see his father Ned and Ned's sibilings. We meet Lyanna Stark for the first time and (sob) Hodor before the incident. I noticed something rewatching this scene in episode 2. Hodor responds to Bran as if he has full brain function but only says "Hodor". So when Bran says, (looking at Hodor)
"Willis? That was your name?"
Hodor replies, "Hodor." Quietly, like saying, "yeah."
Then Bran goes on. "You could talk. What happened?"
Hodor looks at Bran with this very sad expression and says, "hodor." As if to say, "you happened." HEARTBREAKING! HOLY BALL SWEAT DO I LOVE THIS SHOW!
Anyway, next time we see Bran is at the Tower of Joy flashback Part 1! This scene is AWESOME! Ever since the flashback in the finale I have wanted to go back and see this episode again. Arthur Dayne is truly a great swordsmen! Book readers, did you notice that Ned picks up Ser Arthur's sword Dawn in this first part, and then has it with him when he sees Lyanna in the tower? I'm going to do a post about ancestral swords of Westerosi Houses, like Dawn and the Stark's greatsword Ice.
This scene shows us that even as a spirit (or whatever the hell he is. A ghost?), he still can influence the past. Now, that does NOT mean he can change the future. This is what is a called a "closed Time loop". There can be no alternate future if Bran does something while in the past. Now there is a theory floating around that Bran may be the reason King Aerys II became known as the "Mad King". Could Bran go back in time and disturb the past in a way that Aerys goes crazy? Or maybe every few Targaryans carry the "mad gene".
Next Bran stuff is in episode 5 The Door. Yeah. That door. Poor Hodor. Poor door Hodor. HA! Sorry. We get to learn about the origins of the White Walkers! Cool. I'll get more into them another time. Bran, once again, is able to interact with wherever the weirwood tree takes him. It's not clear, but it seems as though Bran is whisked away to someplace that will help explain a piece of the plot at a perfect time for the audience to know. I love this device. I love that moment when you are reading or watching something and a big piece of a mystery falls into place. Yeah, that's some good shit. ANYway, the Night King is not only able to see Bran, but touch him too! This dude must be CRUH-AZY powerful! And now we're heading towards a showdown between Bran and the Night King possibly on the astral plane? That's like Professor X fighting the Shadow King!!!! Did I mention that I love this show?
Lastly is the Tower of Joy flashback part 2. Lovely. Jon or maybe Jaeharys Targaryan (more on that another time ;-) ) is born and Bran sees it all. He knows who Jon's real parents are!!! What is he going to do with that information! My wife is a strong believer in the theory that Meera Reed is actually Jon's sister. I also believe this to be true. Season 7 could potentially start off with a close up of a young Ned Stark looking down at a baby Jon while he sits next to his now dead sister. Suddenly, a baby cries, but it's not Jon. Ned looks over to see the handmaid with a baby girl. Since Howland Reed had no problem stabbing Ser Arthur Dayne through the back of the neck, I bet he'd be down to adopt a baby girl. There is some solid evidence to back that theory up too. Just look at Meera. She looks exactly like Jon. She is also the same age. A fact that is in the books, but you can roughly judge how close in age they are despite them never sharing screen time.
So where does Bran go from here? We know he is at the Wall, and because of Benjen Stark, we know that magic helps protect the Wall and all beyond it. Maybe Bran goes through the Wall like he does in the books, by way of a magic door in the Night Fort. That would be pretty cool. Or maybe he goes through at Castle Black like everyone else has done. There he meets Dolores Edd, who sends a raven to Winterfell addressed to the new King of the North. Holy shit this show is so great, I can't believe I have to wait another year to see new episodes.
Thanks for reading! The first 2 parts of my new podcast The Good Shit is now available on soundcloud.com the link is here: soundcloud.com/mike-milnes-802160554/good-shit-official-episode-1-part-1-jun-23-002
See ya next time!
No comments:
Post a Comment