Spoiler Alert! Guess Which Games of Thrones Character Won't Appear in Season 5?
We're pretty bummed.

If you're a Game Of Thrones fan who doesn't like a spoiler, look away now! We've got bad Game of Thrones news with a silver lining: Bran will not appear in season 5. Fortunately, it's just an intermission. We first got wind of this when Kristian Nairn, who plays Hodor, told a reporter that he and his co-star Isaac Hempstead Wright, a.k.a. Bran, had the next season off. Now, writer and executive producer David Benioff has confirmed the claim and explained the reasoning behind the decision.
"Ideally that wouldn't have gotten out and it's unfortunate it did," Benioff told Entertainment Weekly. "The fact is, even though we're making changes to the books and adapting as necessary, we're trying to keep the various storylines the same as the books and trying to keep them roughly [chronologically] parallel. And last year we caught up to the end of Bran's storyline [in George R.R. Martin's most recent A Song of Ice and Fire novel, A Dance with Dragons]. So if we pushed him forward this season, then he's way ahead of where the other characters are."
At the end of season four, Bran, Hodor, and Meera (Ellie Kendrick) found the cave containing the Three-Eyed Raven, who is supposed to help Bran master his occult powers.
"It made sense to stop where we did," continued Benioff. "Bran's now entering a training period which is going to take quite some time, much of which isn't particularly cinematic. So rather than being stuck in a cave for a year, we figured it would be interesting to leave him out for a little bit, so when you see him again…"
Of course a Game of Thrones writer knows just how to keep us hanging... We're bummed about Bran, but know that absence only makes the heart grow fonder. The show returns to HBO Spring 2015.
Related Links:
The Hot Guys of Game of Thrones
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
The 7 Moments That Got Us Hooked On Game of Thrones
Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.
-
Why Prince William's Exes Attended His Wedding to Kate Middleton
The exes were invited "due to a more peculiar upper class British tradition."
By Amy Mackelden
-
Why Prince William "Stepped in" for King Charles at the Pope's Funeral
The seating plan was described as a "master plan" of "big egos."
By Amy Mackelden
-
A Vintage Fendi Baguette Is Bella Hadid's Plus-One
The model paired her skintight capri jumpsuit with pointed-toe heels.
By Amy Mackelden
-
Sophie Turner Says She Was "Widely Misquoted" After Discussing Being a Single Mother
"I applaud single mothers doing it alone."
By Amy Mackelden
-
Sophie Turner Just Went Instagram Official With Peregrine Pearson After Joe Jonas Divorce
The actress shared some sweet snaps of her new boyfriend days after finalizing her divorce.
By Amy Mackelden
-
Emilia Clarke Was Scared She'd Be "Fired" From 'Game of Thrones' Over Brain Injuries
Heartbreaking.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
'Boy Meets World' Star Trina McGee Is Pregnant at "Tender Age of 54"
She is expecting her fourth child.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Travis Kelce Lands First Major Acting Role in a Forthcoming Ryan Murphy Horror Series
Will Kelce follow in celebrities like Kim Kardashian’s footsteps and use a Murphy-produced project to launch an acting career?
By Rachel Burchfield
-
During a Rare Television Interview, Princess Beatrice Gives a Health Update on Her Mother, Sarah Ferguson
The Duchess of York was diagnosed with skin cancer in January after beating breast cancer last year.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Taylor Swift \201cWants a Happy Ending\201d with Travis Kelce, and Hopes \201cHe Doesn’t Get Freaked Out About the Fame\201d
The couple just returned from a private couples’ getaway with friends Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Reese Witherspoon Wonders If the Era of the A-List Actor or Actress Is Over
\201cAre there opportunities for people to really emerge as a star?\201d
By Rachel Burchfield