Game of Thrones season six has been full of major revelations so far, but one of the most shocking (and heartbreaking) reveals came during episode five, "The Door." Fans are likely still recovering from the episode's dramatic final moments, and now, Hodor actor Kristian Nairn is speaking up about what went down.
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Hodor has uttered his final Hodor, sacrificing himself to save Bran and Meera from an undead army. However, while the character's death was shocking and heartbreaking, the origin of his name proved to be the real tear-jerking moment.
While Bran explored a vision of Winterfell's distant past, the Three-Eyed Raven's sanctuary is invaded by the Others and an army of white walkers. Bran wargs into Hodor while still present in the past in order to save himself and Meera, only to see that his actions are actually the reason for Hodor's mental state. As Meera screams, "Hold the door!" to Hodor in the present, the Hodor of the past hears it, essentially frying his brain. He yells out, "Hold the door, hold the door" over and over again, until it eventually devolves into "Hodor."
More than a few tears were shed by fans. While Nairn wasn't crying, he does say he recently saw the incredibly sad scene for the first time.
"I couldn't have asked for a better goodbye to a character I love," Nairn tells EW. "My favorite part is it ties up the question of why is Hodor 'Hodor.' Why does he say the word 'Hodor'? Only George R.R. Martin or David and Dan could have come up with this. It's incredibly sad. The minute you finally learn something about Hodor, they kill him! I had tears in my eyes. I don't see myself on screen, I see Hodor. I always talk about him in the third person. I just saw the character die and it was very sad."
He goes on to recall the moment he knew his time on the show was up.
"I got The Call. [Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss] gave me the call," he says." You know what's going to happen. Some of my friends got the scripts before I did, so I sort of got the hint it was going to happen. With Game of Thrones nothing is ever certain, and that I made it this far is pretty good. Ned Stark only made it to episode nine!"
Bran actor Isaac Hempstead Wright also had a few words to say about Hodor's sacrifice.
"It's so sad!" Hempstead Wright says. "We learned Hodor really is this vulnerable soul, who had such potential to live a happy life. First, through [Bran's] selfish actions, going to the White Walker vision in the first place, I've screwed him over. He didn't pick up that he should get out of the dream. And then Hodor sacrifices himself. He's been through all this and he's still having to do this."
What's next for Bran and Meera is uncertain, but it will certainly be lonely without Hodor along for the ride.
