Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Six seasons of Hodor's single word are answered in one scene, and the answer is a command he obeys until it kills him, the show's cruelest twist. It turned a gentle running gag into a tragedy and turned "hold the door" into shorthand for a selfless last stand. Fans still say it when someone buys the others time, and quietly wince.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Game of ThronesShow the scene
In "The Door" (Game of Thrones, season 6, episode 5, aired May 22, 2016; written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss), the Night King's army attacks the Three-Eyed Raven's hideout beyond the Wall. While Bran is lost in a vision of Winterfell, Meera Reed tries to save his body. Hodor shuts the hideout door behind them to hold back the wights, and Meera repeatedly orders him to hold the door while the wights tear him apart. In the vision, young Wylis hears her through Bran, convulses, and slurs the words into "Hodor".
Sources (1)
- Wikipedia: The Door (Game of Thrones)Lead, Plot (Beyond the Wall) and Production sectionsReference checked
Context reviewed
