The time to theorize about Game of Thrones is almost over, and fans are throwing out a doozy right before the show ends. There's a theory that Bran gets the Iron Throne on Game of Thrones, and it's hugely popular. USA Today Sports reported that Bran is the number one Iron Throne choice for Vegas oddsmakers. If that sounds wild, because right now Bran is in Winterfell and has no real claim to the throne, just know this theory didn't come from nowhere.
You may have noticed that Bran and Tyrion had an important conversation about wants in season 8, episode 4. That was the same episode in which Varys later said to Tyrion, "Have you considered the best ruler might be someone who doesn't want to rule?" Varys was speaking about Jon Snow, but Tyrion knows another who doesn't want at all: Bran.
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Earlier in episode 4, Tyrion told Bran that his ability to know the whole history of Westeros would come in handy for Bran as Lord of Winterfell. "I'm not Lord of Winterfell," Bran quickly answered. Tyrion replied, "You're the only surviving trueborn son of Ned Stark." But then Tyrion paused and realized, "You don't want it." Bran said, "I don't really want anymore."
Jon Snow made it clear as recently as episode 5 that he doesn't want the throne, but Bran doesn't want anything. Since becoming the Three-Eyed-Raven, he's too busy wrestling with the history of Westeros in his head that he isn't focused on minor, personal struggles or titles or circumstances. If Varys is right that the best ruler is someone who doesn't want, someone who can't get caught up in the thirst for power or be overcome by anger, Bran is a pretty good choice. Isaac Hempstead Wright described this new version of Bran to Making Game of Thrones as "agenda-less." What better ruler to have than someone who doesn't have their own agenda?
It's notable that Tyrion had the wants conversation with Bran and then later, Varys told Tyrion that the best ruler could be someone who doesn't want it. Now that Varys is dead, Tyrion is the only one who still has this idea in his mind, and he could be the one who suggests Bran should rule. Let's be real, Dany is probably going to get killed by Arya (or someone), and Jon doesn't want to be king. Even though Bran has no claim, maybe he will be chosen by a group of leaders throughout Westeros or even the nation's own people.
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He can rule with all of history to reflect on. He wouldn't repeat the mistakes of the past, because he's seen how they have turned out. Or… would he? In an interview with the New York Times, Hempstead Wright made several comments that suggested Bran may not be a good leader after all. While Bran doesn't have an agenda, he's equally unable to entertain anger or selfishness as he is sympathy or empathy.
"The Three-Eyed Raven doesn’t see things in terms of personal sadness. He just sees things in terms of the way things must unfold, or the way time goes," the actor said. "If you look back in time, Bran isn’t bothered by the death of Hodor, because that’s what had to happen to allow him to get away from the White Walkers. Bran views them as a necessity for the greater good, not for himself, but for the world, for time, for history."
The actor added that the Three-Eyed-Raven "doesn’t sit there judging. He doesn’t sit there advising. He just sits there keeping an eye on history and time."
He would, in that case, be a pretty absentee leader without the ability to understand any suffering his people might endure. And, his ability to see negative actions (like Hodor's death) as part of the "greater good" could quickly go badly for the people of Westeros.
Then again, at this point is anyone up for the task of running Westeros correctly and justly? There's Jon Snow, but he doesn't want it. There's Sansa Stark, but she's in the north. There's so Bran, but he'd actually probably be terrible. Good thing there's only one episode left until we find out for sure if those Vegas betters knew what they were talking about.
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