I don't feel like I need to spoiler this because for non-book readers you are REALLY going to be thrown off If/When this character shows up but I'll do it anyways Spoiler In the books there is a character named ColdHands that is crucial in getting Bran to the cave, and I suspect that they'll use the character to get Bran and Meera to safety. Its suspected that Coldhands is sort of an un-dead version of Benjen Stark from season 1.... Ned's brother who was with the Nights Watch that went missing.... and I would suspect that the show will just show us its him rather than masking him, or keeping his hood on to mask his identity like he does in the books. He's an important character in the books because he provides a dump of exposition about the three eyed raven, the magic surrounding it, and the children of the forest etc. Since the show probably doesn't need that at this point, he didn't really have that use to get them there to the Cave, but getting them back home.... I think this is the perfect time to reintroduce Benjen/Coldhands, and use him as a way to expedite Bran's re-emergence to the fold with our other central characters That's the obvious answer to how they will get to safety. Also there is a shot in the trailer with Meera out in the woods looking up at someone that would look like this character coming to help. If it turns out to be the character that I suspected in the Spoiler section, book fans are going to go nuts FYI.
Ughh... depends on what you think is good. They will have a "I told you so" glow around them for sure. Thats if they unveil this characters identity which isn't a given. Look... SOMEONE is going to help them get back to the otherside of the wall. I can't think of anyone else that makes sense or is alive north of the wall to do so. Its not a crackpot theory at this point. Pretty much a safe bet. Then there is the fact that Bran is now marked by the Nights King. Can't believe more people aren't making a bigger deal about that. So maybe its best for the realm if he doesn't go back south of the wall. Take that as you will.
Is the marking a significant part in the books? I wondered whether it would allow the WWs to track him or if it just gave them his one-time location -- but you seem to imply that it would allow them to get to areas they are not supposed to be able to travel to. I wasn't aware of any magic on the wall that prevented them from entering? Perhaps I missed some stuff.
What does being marked by the Night King actually mean? Like a tracker on Bran that the NightKing will always know where he's at?
Spoiler reg Magic from info from the books although really this shouldn't be by now since its given from the show. Spoiler In the books, its said that the wall was formed when the COF and mankind made sort of a peace pact at the end of the Long Night. They formed the wall with magic... along with BRAN the Builder... assuming that its the same magic that kept the WW out of the cave since it was the COF's magic. GRRM has a name for the magic but I can't remember off the top of my head. So Bran going south of the wall could be devastating for the WW finally being able to go through it or possibly bringing it down. So I don't know if that mark is just a one time thing, but I'm assuming its not. We shall see.
LOL. You might be closer than you think. I'll just say that if they really are doing what they are doing, show only fans who aren't spoiled are going to be like WTF.
Spoiler Well, since show only fans don't really know about coldhands, I'm assuming you are talking about a certain dead mother?
Hmm. Interersting. The Night's Watch seemed to be legitimately concerned that the WWs would be able to break through and march south -- isn't that why they let the wildlings in? Because they will need all the help they can get once the WW attack -- I don't remember hearing about any magic related to the wall, but I guess I need to go back and do some research. Thanks for the tips.
Very likely that it will be Spoiler Benjen coming to the rescue. I'm interested in how this all will play out. GRRM has already said that Benjen isn't Coldhands though.
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An important aspect to the Bran scene has been missed. When Bran was first introduced to warging, it was very controversial to warg into another human. Bran is not the only person to be able to warg. Its understood that Bran wargs into Hodor while he's being transported. Essentially Bran warged into Hodor and forced him to sacrifice himself to hold the door.
Was talking about the same thing this morning at work..i really hope it is benjen..i dont care what GRRM says..this season they have been really good at giving closure from previous season..
Thought the revelation of the White Walkers being created by the Children of the Forest was lame. Will be interested to see if GRRM follows the same route.