Game of Thrones teased Bran Stark’s fate all along with a clue hidden in plain sight

After eight seasons filled with unpredictable power dynamics, character betrayals, and unnerving plot twists, Game of Thrones has done it all. Its most shocking - and to a large extent, controversial - moment came in its final episode when it was revealed that the youngest surviving Stark, Bran, would now rule as the king of Westeros.

While some may argue this choice was out of the blue, it can be said that Bran’s fate was hinted at long before, not through any speeches or fights, but because of his name.

Countless contenders emerged from the Iron Throne saga: Daenerys, Jon Snow, and even Tyrion. In the end, Game of Thrones chose the boy pushed from a tower in the first episode. While the progress of the physically weak child's transformation into the mystical Three-Eyed Raven was astonishing, it was not truly the central focus of the show's narrative during its later seasons.

This is why the crowning felt so divisive. However, upon deeper inspection, it becomes clear that George R.R. Martin had long since planted mythological breadcrumbs in Bran’s journey from the start.

Indeed, a significant clue to his destiny was hidden within a single word heard from the very first episode—a clue that is, his name.

A name that spoke volumes in Game of Thrones

Brandon Stark's character holds significance in the history of Westeros, not only as ‘Bran’ but also as a ‘Brandon,’ his full name, succinct as it is. Moreover, it has meaning outside of Martin's fantasy land, which perhaps only Welsh viewers would have understood.

In Welsh, the word ‘Bran’ means ‘raven’ in English. Now, this detail can be examined further in light of Bran’s transformation into the Three-Eyed Raven – a legendary being capable of viewing the entire history and every moment in time.

The character’s parallel to Bendigeidfran, or Bran the Blessed, from medieval Welsh legends is even more striking. Like Bran Stark, who now, without any personal drive and ambition, symbolically rules over Westeros as a detached figurehead.

Quite literally, Bran Stark somewhat parallels Bran the Blessed and is devoid of any personhood. There is a giant who was said to have had his head chopped off and was buried in his place in Britain. The Walkers’ army in the series also has a cauldron, which reflects the legendary, dead-raising cauldron that exists in the myths.

Bran’s name was not a mere example of drawing from mythology; rather, it served as a guide for Bran's journey. His literary undertones were so subtle that they made it seem as if Bran was just another Stark boy, but in reality, they were hinting at the assumption that he was being crafted into a far more crucial character in the Game of Thrones saga.

A king nobody saw coming

Given the hints of mythology sprinkled throughout the story, it was Bran’s character that surprised most fans, considering he had the most ‘off the throne’ expectations. Bran didn’t do much during Game of Thrones Season 5, and when he came back in Season 6, he did so as a stoic and cryptic version of himself. By Bran’s 8th appearance, he was oracularly, heavily disinterested in the world around him. Because of this, his “best story” speech had the same impact as Tyrion’s tipping off many fans.

Sure, Bran’s trek was unlike anything the world had ever seen, but just because something is new doesn't mean it hits emotionally. Bran’s storyline in the Game of Thrones series was underdeveloped, where nearly everything seemed disconnected from the emotional arcs core to the show.

The audience had emotionally invested in Jon’s birthright, Daenerys’s rise, and Arya’s coming-of-age. Throughout all of this, Bran seemed inactive, answering vague riddles while gaze-fogged. With all due respect, to label him as the most suitable monarch felt unforgivable from the show’s previously set pace.

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His transformation into the Three-Eyed Raven did not help at all, and remained poorly articulated—was he still Bran? Was he too playing the Game of Thrones? Was his rule a fated move or simply guided by strings from the shadows? These were the questions that the show intended to answer, yet it infused confusion and frustration due to not tackling them.

Considered mesmerizing foreshadowing by some and a weak closure by others, there still stands a clear realization—Bran was never just another Stark; he was the raven from the beginning.

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