Game of Thrones Showrunners Were Reportedly Told by George R.R. Martin That Bran Would Be King

Game of Thrones' series finale courted a bit of controversy with the show's fanbase, but it sounds like one of the most talked-about plot twists may have already been set in stone. In a recent interview on HBO's MakingGameOfThrones, series star Isaac Hempstead Wright was asked about the endgame of his character, Bran Stark. While some saw Bran becoming the Lord of Winterfell as a bit of a left-turn, Hempstead Wright claims that the decision had already been planned out by Thrones author George R.R. Martin.

"[Creators] David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] told me there were two things [author] George R.R. Martin had planned for Bran, and that was the Hodor revelation, and that he would be king." Hempstead Wright revealed. So that's pretty special to be directly involved in something that is part of George's vision. It was a really nice way to wrap it up."

Given all of the different characters that Thrones followed - and all of the different possibilities as to who would sit on the Iron Throne - the reveal that Bran would ultimately be Westeros' ruler definitely surprised some. While Hempstead Wright revealed that he was pretty taken aback by the news, he was quick to argue that it suits Bran's overall story arc.

"I had to physically get up and walk around my flat." Hempstead Wright continued. "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. But I think he is a great character to take on that role. You never thought of him in that way, but what more could you ask for in a king than to have no personal attachments, no agenda, but have a calm understanding of the entire universe? He's the ideal person to be in charge."

And if Martin really was the one who influenced Bran becoming king, that could certainly allude to some interesting things for the series' remaining books, which the author is still in the process of writing.

"How will it all end? I hear people asking," Martin recently shared on his blog. "The same ending as the show? Different? Well… yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes."

"There are characters who never made it onto the screen at all, and others who died in the show but still live in the books," Martin reminded. "So if nothing else, the readers will learn what happened to Jeyne Poole, Lady Stoneheart, Penny and her pig, Skahaz Shavepate, Arianne Martell, Darkstar, Victarion Greyjoy, Ser Garlan the Gallant, Aegon VI, and a myriad of other characters both great and small that viewers of the show never had the chance to meet. And yes, there will be unicorns… of a sort…"

What do you think of George R.R. Martin supposedly coming up with Bran's TV endgame? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!