'Game of Thrones' Finale Leaks May Confirm a Stark Gets the Throne

The Game of Thrones series finale is imminent, and everyone has their own favorite theory for who will end up on the Iron Throne. The strongest contenders are probably Jon Snow and Daenerys thanks to their shared Targaryen blood, followed by Gendry Baratheon (his dad was king) and Sansa Stark. (she’d nail it, but it seems unlikely). However, a new Game of Thrones finale leak may throw a wrench in all of our theories if this dark horse contender really does end up on the Iron Throne.

Warning: Possibly huge Game of Thrones series finale spoilers ahead.

Game of Thrones leaks are nothing new. Even more irksome than the leaks happening is the fact that most of the major leaked details have come true. So, as bizarre as some of these claims may be, there’s no reason to doubt their legitimacy.

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Over on Reddit’s Game of Thrones community r/freefolk, a master sheet of Season 8 leaks contains some big spoilers for the Game of Thrones finale. A quick look confirms that may of these claims have already come true (including the timing and results of Cleganebowl). So what’s coming next? Well, apparently Bran Stark will end up on the Iron Throne.

Yes, you read that right. Creepy little Bran (aka the Three-Eyed Raven) will become ruler of Westeros in the Game of Thrones finale if this final leak is real. Here’s a breakdown of the moment in question via Reddit:

Grey Worm has Tyrion and Jon as his prisoners. The *council is (led by Sansa) tells Grey Worm to release Jon back to them, but he refuses. That’s when Tyrion says that the new King or Queen should decide what happens to Jon. Sam suggest for a democratic vote for the new King. Tyrion calls that idea stupid. The council votes and decide Bran Should be the King. Bran picks Tyrion as his hand.

Bran becoming king apparently happens after Tyrion resigns as Dany’s Hand and Jon subsequently kills her, leading to their arrests. There’s been speculation for most of Game of Thrones Season 8 that Tyrion and/or Jon would turn on Dany at some point, so that’s not much of a surprise. No, the most confounding part of these leaks (and believe me, there’s plenty more) is that Bran becomes king.

Bran, the guy who’s never had a leadership role in his life. Bran, the guy who warged out to who knows where during the Battle of Winterfell and didn’t really tell anyone why he did it. Bran, the dude who has literally repeated time and time again that he wants nothing, he lives in the past, and he just wants to sit and be the Three-Eyed Raven. Bran, the man who didn’t even thank Meera Reed for pulling him around on a sled and protecting him for years. Yeah, this is the bro that some of the most sound, intellectual minds in Westeros choose in their hour of need.

On the other hand, perhaps the evidence for why Bran would be a good king has been staring us in the face all along. In Season 8, Episode 4, Tyrion tells Bran he should become the Lord of Winterfell, arguing that his knowledge of everything that’s ever happened would make him a capable leader. Bran could theoretically use this knowledge to avoid repeating past mistakes, but as he makes clear to Tyrion, he really has no interest in ruling at all.

Putting Bran on the Iron Throne may be frustrating to fans who only know the version of the character we’ve seen in Game of Thrones as a useless, superpowered weirdo with barely a shred of humanity left. But assuming that the show is still following George R. R. Martin’s basic blueprint, the ending we get will likely be the same one offered by the final books — if they ever come out at all — just with enough time for character development so that when Bran does end up on the Iron Throne, we all won’t be left scratching our heads in disbelief.

Or maybe this leak is just plain wrong.

The Game of Thrones series finale airs Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. Eastern on HBO.