As the end of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” draws near, fan theories are flying faster than ever. Heck, I’ve even tossed a few out myself. One I’m seeing more frequently, however, is that “Bran is the Night King.” The case for this theory typically centers on his ability to exist in many different times (an ability I do think will be important to the story’s end) but I’m not a subscriber. It makes little sense to the narrative–Bran has already watched the creation of the Night King, after all–but more importantly, the Three-Eyed Raven outright told Bran he’ll never walk again. The Night King walks. So, debunked.
Another theory says “The Night King is a Targaryen.” This one also makes little sense, especially since Targaryens didn’t exist in Westeros when the Night King was created. The “evidence” for this theory is pretty much just that the Night King rides a dragon–something only Targaryens can do. But I’m confident the Night King’s ability to ride his undead dragon is due to his command over dead things–and to the core ability behind much of Westeros’s magic: The ability to warg.
[Continue reading]
