Valar morghulis. All men must die, even if the man in question is a Three-Eyed Raven. This week’s Game Of Thrones episode saw the omniscient tree man kick it, along with Leaf and her fellow Children Of The Forest; Hodor, whose tragic backstory is revealed and happens at the same time; and Summer, who joins several of her direwolf brethren in dog heaven. Here’s your weekly guide to the recently deceased:
Hodor
Who died? Hodor, born Wylis, died at the cave of the Three-Eyed Raven after it came under attack by the Night’s King and his army of wights. Hodor was what is referred to in Westeros as “simpleminded” and was unable to say any word other than what was long thought to be the nonsense syllables “Hodor,” which is how he got his nickname. The great-grandson of longtime Stark servant Old Nan, Hodor grew up in Winterfell and worked as a stable boy at the castle, both before and after the traumatic seizure that caused his disability. After Bran Stark was paralyzed, Hodor became his constant companion, carrying the young lord on his back. After Winterfell was seized by Theon Greyjoy, Hodor was among the small band that fled the castle and accompanied his master all the way north of the Wall so Bran could begin his training with the Three-Eyed Raven. Gentle and sweet of disposition despite his enormous size, Hodor was a beloved companion who died as he lived: protecting the Starks.
How did they die? Presumably overpowered by the army of undead wights swarming the cave after their numbers grew too large for even a strong man like Hodor to hold the door to the cave closed.
How shocking was it? We don’t see Hodor’s death on screen, so the real shock was in the circumstances surrounding it, which explain how Hodor became Hodor in the first place. Basically, when the Night’s King arrived at the cave, Bran was warging back to Winterfell before Hodor became disabled. While attempting to warg into Hodor to help his friends escape in the present, Bran accidentally entered Wylis’ mind in the past as well, giving the young man a vision of his own death. The shock of the incident was so great that Wylis went into a seizure, and while writhing on the ground he repeated the words he heard echoing from the present—“hold the door”—and shortened them to “Hodor.” For the emotional impact, Hodor gets a 4 on a scale of “died peacefully in their sleep” (zero) to “eyes squished like grapes inside their skull” (5).
How awesome was it? It’s awesome that Hodor was able to give Meera and Bran enough time to escape, but we’re very sad to see him go.
How much do we care? Seven Hells, a lot. Hodor has always been a fan favorite, and it’s been assumed that without Hodor to literally carry his broken body, Bran Stark would die. Plus, that origin story was a real punch in the gut. On a scale of “nameless mercenary” (zero) to “Jon Snow” (5), Hodor earns the rare 5.
What does this mean for the show? With only Meera, who lacks Hodor’s immense physical strength, to help him move around, Bran is at a significant disadvantage north of the Wall. Frankly, we’re not sure how he will survive. On the bright side, actor Kristian Nairn’s DJ career can now continue apace.
The Three-Eyed Raven
Who died? The man known as the Three-Eyed Raven died during a siege upon his home, a cave underneath a weirwood tree deep in the haunted woods north of the Wall. His background is unknown; in his human form, he appears as an elderly man, though he frequently presents himself as his namesake bird in dreams and visions. A follower of the Old Gods Of The Forest, he was a master of Greensight, the ability to see faraway places and distant times. This power allowed him to travel through space and time, though physically his body had fused with the roots of the tree under which he lived. He was teaching young Bran Stark, who was also born with this ability, how to increase and control these powers when he died.
How did they die? Stabbed through the heart by the Night King, who was able to enter the cave after Bran accidentally touched the monstrous commander in a vision.