The "Bran Stark Is Evil" Theory on 'Game of Thrones' Is Actually Very Convincing

For anyone who’s spent the past 48 hours scouring the internet for such dark and twisted Game of Thrones theories that real life has now lost all meaning, allow me to introduce another that’s guaranteed to blow your mind.

During the third episode, which featured the epic Battle of Winterfell, Bran Stark didn’t really do a whole lot. He was warging for almost the entire 78 minutes, while the rest of the world nearly came to an end and White Walkers learnt to make bridges over fire. Don't worry, Bran. You just take a nap.

At one point, it looked as thought Bran’s character was about to get the big moment we’ve all been waiting for, and that those theories of him secretly being the Night King all along would be proved correct. But hey, then Arya Stark came flying through the air with her dagger. Bran can’t be the Night King, because the Night King as defeated, right?

Hmm, maybe his shattering into a million pieces was actually a little too easy. Despite Arya’s victory over the Night King, Game of Thrones fans are speculating that things might not quite be as rosy they seem, and perhaps the real war is only just getting started. Just err… maybe don’t mention that to Jon, Brienne, Jamie, Samwell… they probably all need a nap first.

Reddit is big on the theory that Bran is evil. And I mean really evil. As one particularly astute user cleverly explains: “I think there’s more going on than what meets the eye. Why else was Bran warged for so long? Could it be going back in time to prevent all this bloodshed? Could he have been making a deal with the Night King?"

Referring to the Night King’s dramatic arrival at the Weirwood Tree, they continue: “When the Night King walked up to Bran, he looked like he accepted his fate. I just feel like the Night King is Bran, the Night King was going to kill Bran to destroy himself. I mean, the way the Night King just looked at Bran, it felt like he had to do it when he didn’t want to. Arya ruined the plans for Bran.”

The Night King certainly did seem pretty hesitant about killing Bran, and there was a drawn out silent/awkward/intense moment between the two. With that in mind, it's being theorized that, while warging, Bran bargained to give a piece of himself to the Night King (or the other way around), allowing the White Walker leader to appear to ‘die’—without really ‘dying.’ Y’know, Voldemort/horcrux style. Meaning that Bran technically really is the Night King.

Huh. But, let's be real, every theory I've believed so far has ended up very much not happening, so this one is probably the same. Instead, let's just enjoy this photo that actor Isaac Hempstead Wright shared on Instagram to mark the episode.

That's better.

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