Bran Has Inspired A Goofy Theory Even Though He Didn’t Appear In The Latest ‘Game Of Thrones’ Episode

[Spoilers for Game of Thrones season eight, episode five below]

Tired: Bran is the Night King. Wired: Bran is a horse.

In the final seconds of the second-to-last episode of Game of Thrones, “The Bells,” Arya wakes up from a concussion (I assume) among the dusty ruins of King’s Landing to discover a white horse. There were many possible explanations for the magical equine — including the right one, which we’ll explain in our Thrones discussion post later this morning — but the most popular theory involved Bran. As in, Bran warg’s himself to King’s Landing in the guise of a horse to save his sister. Is there any truth to this In a word: no.

For one thing, the horse, which is not a figment of Arya’s imagination, appeared earlier in the episode (it’s the one ridden by Harry Strickland, the leader of the Golden Company, er, former-leader of the Golden Company). Also, co-showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have been increasingly less interested in the more “magical” elements of the Thrones universe, especially now that the Night King has been defeated; Bran’s warging abilities could have come in handy during the battle against the Army of the Dead, but all he did was briefly turn into a crow. Or as Vanity Fair‘s Joanna Robinson put it, “Bran is not: the Night King, the voice in Aerys’s ear, or THAT WHITE HORSE AT THE END. Get a grip, people.” Sometimes, a horse is just a horse, of course.

But that hasn’t stopped the “Bran = horse” truthers.

— Michael Tannenbaum (@iamTannenbaum) May 13, 2019

If this is bran warging into this horse is like finally he did something this season #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/aGLgjzjqeO

— Cool cabin (@Cool_cabin) May 13, 2019

So did bran warg into the horse instead of being lazy @IGN

— Cam Heyward (@CamHeyward) May 13, 2019

they only way I care abut this horse is if Bran just warg-ed it to her. #GameofThrones #gameofsnark

— marines (@mynameismarines) May 13, 2019

Y'all think that horse was Bran I feel like it was.

— She-Wolf (@ebdoubleU) May 13, 2019

Bran for sure the horse at the end

— Daniel (@Captain_Christ_) May 13, 2019

DID YOU REALIZE THAT THE HORSE IS BRAN #gameofthrones pic.twitter.com/EQVkolLXJ4

— L (@luuciapeerezal) May 13, 2019

Was Bran warging that horse! #GameofThrones

— Fantasia’s Side Swoop (@MasterPharaoh92) May 13, 2019

— Jackie (@Jackieannroth) May 13, 2019

I legit believe that the horse is Bran coz i really don't understand how it survived or got there (Well, Only Bran knows) #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/OUQZUyvTf6

— Eugene ejay (@Ejayarrmani) May 13, 2019

Just saw a tweet saying that white horse that Arya rose out on…was Bran… #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/eZi9obTIwf

— Brandon Lubrano (@B_Lubrano9) May 13, 2019

i’m calling it, that horse is bran #gameofthrones pic.twitter.com/MFWhhkr7gq

— Joanna Thissen (@JoThis) May 13, 2019

Bran is the horse. The horse is Bran.

You're welcome. #GOT #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/390B2vHJSF

— Nicholas (@KanyesBFF) May 13, 2019

I know, somehow, Taylor Swift is to blame (thank) for all this.

— katherine || d&d take a dagger to the heart (@aryagndry) May 13, 2019