Game Of Thrones' Most Tragic Scene Was Almost So Much Darker
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Game Of Thrones' Most Tragic Scene Was Almost So Much Darker

Amelia Brooks
Updated July 3, 2024 12 items

Game of Thrones became famous for the way it would kill off beloved characters, from the Red Wedding to a certain trial by combat. But if there is one demise that stands out above all others for fans, it's Hodor's tragic fall in the episode “The Door.”

It's one of the most brutal and poetic moments in the fantasy series' entire run, giving a heroic death to a character we've come to love but also giving us a key piece of that character's history in the most stunning, ironic way. It's hard to think about, much less want to watch again.

But as awful as that moment was, it could have been even worse, according to the episode’s director Jack Bender - the original plan was to have Hodor ripped to pieces by the undead, Walking Dead style. But showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss thought better of it, arguing that an overly gruesome death would take away from the emotional impact of Hodor's loss for the audience.  

Check out the article below for more on what went into the cave battle, the demise of the Three-Eyed Raven, the possible extinction of the Children, the death of Summer, the rise of Bran, and the Hodor death scene that we never need to talk about again.

  • It Could Have Been Even Worse for Hodor

    It Could Have Been Even Worse for Hodor
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      • HBO
    “The Door” director Jack Bender was going to show viewers Hodor being ripped to pieces by those wight arms, “pulling at his clothes and pulling at his flesh.” But something happened when Bender was standing next to actor Kristian Nairn, directing him to look horrified and in agony as the stunt actors clawed at him. 
     
    “I talked about it with Dave and Dan a lot. I said, ‘What the dead would be doing to Hodor would be ripping his clothes off once they got through that door. They would be ripping his flesh off. If the dead can go through wood, they’re going to be tearing Hodor apart.’ And they said something to me that really stuck. Which was ‘If it’s too horrific, we’re not going to feel the loss of Hodor.’”
     
    Thanks for not taking the Walkers-rip-Noah-apart-in-a-revolving-door route. 

  • Kristian Nairn Knew the End Was Coming Before He Got "The Call"

    Nairn actually heard about Hodor's fate from others before David Benioff and Dan Weiss called him with the news. “First, I heard from friends, people who had read the script, some other cast members. I think I said laughingly, ‘So did I survive?’ They just gave me a look, and I was like, ‘Whaat?’ Then I had the call from David and Dan, the fateful call everyone gets when your number’s up."

  • What Did Nairn Think of Hodor’s Final Scene?

    What Did Nairn Think of Hodor’s Final Scene?
    Nairn will forever be proud of it. “I loved the scene. I can’t think of a better way to go, really. He doesn’t give up. He never lets go of that door. For all costs, he’s going to stop them from getting to Bran.”   

  • Did Hodor Resent That His Entire Life Was Built Around One Moment?

    Did Hodor Resent That His Entire Life Was Built Around One Moment?
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      • HBO
    Nairn said, “No. Hodor does not resent – not my Hodor. He doesn’t have that emotion. I don’t think he's very fond of the warging, but he sees the bigger picture. He’s not the most intelligent guy, but I think he can sense when things are important. He knows whatever Bran does is essential; it gets them out of some pretty tight situations. I think he’s more sad about what happened because he’s not going to see his friends again. But he also knows if he doesn’t hold that door for a second longer, they’re going to die.” 

  • Bender Really Felt Terrible About Killing Summer, But It Was All About Hodor

    Bender Really Felt Terrible About Killing Summer, But It Was All About Hodor
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      • HBO
    Fans were just as upset that the beloved and faithful direwolf was brought down by a bunch of stinking wights, and that he got such a quick end. 
     
    Bender explains, “Well, first of all, I’m a dog person, okay? My wife and I, we live with six dogs. In fact, way back on Lost at the end of Season 1, when the Vincent swam after Walt going out on the raft, that was something I just decided to do and surprised Damon and Carlton with. It worked great, so being a dog person, even a wolf or a direwolf person—I remember all the way back to Season 1 when Sean Bean had to kill that puppy [Lady]. It was like, ‘Oh my God. Seriously?’ My objective [with Summer] was not to take anything away either rhythmically or dramatically from what Hodor was about to do. 
     
    "As much as the direwolf sacrifice was upsetting, I didn’t want to spend too much time on it. I felt like we were building toward and literally racing toward Hodor. I felt it was very important to spend the time to tell that part of the story but not dwell on it.”

  • Did Hodor Come Back as a White Walker, or Did He Get Away?

    Did Hodor Come Back as a White Walker, or Did He Get Away?
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      • HBO
    “I couldn’t be happier how he has gone out,” Nairn said. “The interesting thing is it’s kind of left open. You don’t actually see him [die]. It’s implied. So who knows? He may come back as a White Walker. Maybe he got away. But it’s a really good way to do it. I couldn’t have asked for a better goodbye to a character I love.”