Game of Thrones season 8: Bran Stark actor on Night King theories

Is Game of Thrones season 8 going to reveal that Bran Stark — or the Three-Eyed Raven — is actually The Night King? Given the inherent connections that the show has established between Bran’s visions, the show’s central villain, and how long the White Walkers and the Children of the Forest have been around, we understand how this theory originated in the first place. There’s also the idea that after going back in time to stop the Night King’s birth, he is basically turned into that very monster by the Children. This was always a confusing theory, one that seemed more constructed out of the “wouldn’t it be awesome?” camp more so than any real logic.

While it’s possible that this theory is still somehow right (Game of Thrones season 8 hasn’t started filming yet), even the man behind Bran Stark is skeptical as to whether or not there is any legitimacy to it. Speaking to Vulture on the subject of this topic, Isaac Hempstead-Wright presented his own interpretation of the theory, including that he considers the Night King to go almost hand-in-hand with the Three-Eyed Raven, even if they are two separate entities:

“I think it’s less that they’re the same person and more that they’re two of the ancient beings of Westeros. The Three-Eyed Raven has been around for God knows how long, and White Walkers have been reported since the beginning of time. As we’ve seen, they were created by the Children of the Forest, so we can’t get much more ancient than that. Perhaps we can think of it as these are two characters with a huge amount of power, but one is a Frankenstein’s monster who is driven by nothing but hatred and violence. Then there’s Bran, who uses his powers for good.”

One of the reasons for so many Night King theories, at least for us, stem from an inherent desire to try to give this unspeakable evil some sort of voice. Everyone wants to understand the character better, and with that in mind, there’s some logic to thinking that maybe he will eventually speak through the lens of someone else. Nobody quite knows why he’s doing what he is, though one thing does feel very much clear at the moment: Everyone south of the wall is seemingly screwed. After all, the Night King just took his Ice Dragon down there and blew it all to pieces. Now, he and his army can march towards Winterfell and other cities. Bran is one of the only lines of defense against them, since he is the one who can tell them that the army is on the way long before anyone else.

Oh, and of course we also still want to know whether or not Tormund is actually still alive.

What do you think about the Bran Stark – Night King Game of Thrones season 8 theory? Be sure to share your thoughts on it in the comments!

Also, be sure to check out our recent discussion as to whether or not the Game of Thrones ratings will top those of The Walking Dead soon. (Photo: AMC.)