Spoilers ahead, obviously.
As devastating as Sunday night’s episode of Game of Thrones was, you have to admit that the reveal that it was none other than Bran Stark who was ultimately responsible for Hodor’s disability — sending the gentle giant on the very path that would eventually lead to becoming his caretaker — was pretty damn clever. (Even if some of us are still reeling in confusion as to how Bran managed to double warg Hodor in both the present and the past in his vision.)
But the real question is, did George R. R. Martin have this planned out years and years ago when he first introduced book readers, then eventually television viewers to Hodor and the Starks? Or was the fact that “Hodor” sounds like “hold the door” just a happy and convenient accident as writers were plotting out this season?
While we may never know for sure, somebody had an idea. Over eight years ago (and over three years before Game of Thrones the series would make its debut on HBO), a user who goes by “Myrddin” over on the asoiaf.westeros.org fan forum had this theory in a thread speculating the meaning of the name Hodor:
So maybe Myrddin didn’t know that the whole thing would be all Bran’s fault, but you have to admit it’s uncanny nonetheless. Now if only we can get him or her to tell us exactly how and when Ramsay is going to die, we’d be set.