Not All Heroes Wear Capes -Hodor, GoT

Hodor. Hold the door. Hold door. Hodor.

Game of Thrones‘ beloved gentle giant appears to have perished at the hands of the White Walkers after Bran Stark “warged into” (took control of) his body during the attack on the cave where they’d been hiding out. It’s a gut punch since Hodor was one of the few sources of joy in a deeply depressing show.

In episode five of Game of Thrones season six, we finally learn the origin of the name Hodor, and it’s because of the most tragic Back to the Future-type of scenario. During one of his many warg-ing trips to the past, the White Walkers attack the tree. Bran is oblivious to the attack while watching a flashback of his father and young Hodor.

So Bran wargs into Hodor — but crucially, he does it while he’s still observing the past. Bran is watching the past and controlling Hodor’s body in the present at the same time. So by seizing control of Hodor’s mind in the present, just before his death, Bran screwed up his mind decades in the past. Bran created Hodor as we’ve known him on the show. Bran is responsible for the destruction of Hodor’s mind.

RIP Hodor—the only truly selfless hero on Game of Thrones.