Even Bran Stark Thought Bran Becoming King in 'Game of Thrones' Was a Joke 

Bran Stark is king of Westeros and nobody saw it coming (except the Vegas betting odds somehow). Now, even Bran actor Isaac Hempstead Wright admits that when he first read the Game of Thrones finale script he thought it was some kind of prank, though he eventually came around to the idea for an interesting reason.

In an interview for HBO’s Making Game of Thrones blog, Wright revealed his initial reaction to learned that his character would become king:

“I had to physically get up and walk around my flat. I said, ‘What?! You’re joking.’ It was the very last thing I expected to happen. I was convinced they had sent a script to everyone in which they become king or queen, so I still didn’t believe it until the read-through.”

Eventually, however, Wright says he came to terms with the decision and actually thinks it makes a lot of sense. After all, as the chillest omniscient boy wizard in Westeros, Bran is uniquely qualified to rule.

“He’s the ideal person to be in charge,” Wright said.

Wright adds that the Game of Thrones finale could be seen as a “real victory for the quiet thoughtful people of Westeros.” He continued that Bran’s not the type who’s “going to come in on horseback and save the day,” which might just be the actors subtle way of shutting down those rumors that he warged into the white horse that saved Arya at the Battle of King’s Landing.

Finally, Wright confirmed that King Bran really was planned by George R.R. Martin, and the same thing will happen in the author’s final book in the “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, A Dream of Spring (if it ever comes out). The actor revealed that Martin shared two key details about Bran’s story with Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss: King Bran and that heartbreaking Hodor/hold the door scene from Season 6, which will happen in the upcoming novel Winds of Winter.

Beyond those two plot points, Wright had to work with Benioff and Weiss to fine-tune Bran’s character as he transformed into the Three-Eyed Raven.

“By Season 8 I had really relaxed into it,” Wright said, “and judging by the reactions, people have enjoyed it, and found him funny and strange, not just irritating. Which is what we hoped.”