WARNING: There are spoilers for the latest episode of Game of Thrones in this story! You still have time to bail out, though, since you'll have to scroll past this gif of Tormund and Brienne being adorable to see the rest of the article.
The mindblowing end (and beginning) to Hodor's story in this week's Game of Thrones episode came direct from author George R.R. Martin himself. But now that the television series has outpaced his books, you might think your beloved characters are safe from Martin's fatal twists. Nope!
Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss revealed to Entertainment Weekly that, in a meeting two years ago, the author filled them in on three "holy shit moments" he was planning for future books. The first was Stannis Baratheon sacrificing his daughter to turn the tides of war in season 5 and the second was the secret behind Hodor's name. The third you'll have to wait a bit longer for, since it comes "from the very end", Benioff said.
A massive twist right at the end to rival all the others that came before it? There's really only one direction this could go, if you ask me: season 8, episode 6: in the midst of an apocalyptic final battle against the White Walkers the screen cuts to Ned Stark's sleeping face. He opens his eyes, blinks a few times, turns his head to see Catelyn sleeping peacefully by his side, and slowly rises from bed. It was all a dream.
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Image: HBO