(Warning: SPOILERS follow from this point on!) This past Sunday’s Game of Thrones episode not only marked the halfway point for Season 6, it also brought a heartbreaking twist that marked the end for one fan favorite character. While Hodor (Kristian Nairn)’s death came as quite the shock, it won’t be the last time fans are punched in the gut by what happens on screen. It seems there are more surprises ahead that come directly from the creator of this world, George R.R. Martin.
Two years ago in Santa Fe, the author of the Ice and Fire novel series upon which the show is based, sat down with the producers of this hit HBO fantasy series. He roughly sketched out a raw plan on how he intends to end his book saga. Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss have now confirmed with EW that from that meeting emerged “three holy sh- moments”.
Surprisingly, fans have already been witnessed to two of these moments. The first surprise actually came last year in Season 5. Unexpected audiences were knocked for a loop when Stannis Barathon sacrificed his daughter Shireen. The second uh-ho moment came this past Sunday, when Hodor‘s brain melting origin story was finally revealed. George R.R. Martin has always had this plan in place, since introducing the character in the first novel of the saga, A Game of Thrones. Though fans of the Game of Thrones TV show got their first, since Martin has not released the latest book in his series, which contains this heart wrenching scene.
But the third ‘shocking’ moment won’t come until the very end of the show. Game of Thrones Season 6 marks the first set of episodes that take place almost entirely beyond what has happened in the first five published A Song of Ice and Fire novels. The producers have long claimed that the show is not in danger of spoiling the books, though there will be some points of similarity between the two entities as they draw towards their inevitable conclusion. For the most part they will be different. Says Benioff of this concern.
“People are talking about whether the books are going to be spoiled – and it’s really not true. So much of what we’re doing diverges from the books at this point. And while there are certain key elements that will be the same, we’re not going to talk so much about that – and I don’t think George is either. People are going to be very surprised when they read the books after the show. They’re quite divergent in so many respects for the remainder of the show.”
One aspect that sounds like it is staying in tact is the big Hodor reveal. As well as the shocking twist ending that is being saved for the final episode. The book series will run seven volumes. So it’s doubtful that Book Seven will arrive before the final Game of Thrones season. That said, George R.R. Martin has promised a fourth big twist that is exclusive to the novel series, as the TV series has already killed off the character at the heart of this heartbreak.