If Bran does not play some sort of significant role in the ending or the "next beginning" (if that makes sense), then I'm going postal. And nobody will care, lol.
Agree. I've been saying this for the last 3 weeks. If Bran doesn't have some sort of "oh shit" moment in which things start to make sense for his character arc I'm going to be super pissed. All the time spent developing this mystic warging, 3ER, greenseeing, omniscient character with literally nothing to show for it except a confusing bait tactic against the NK and the "big reveal" that Sam could have done himself with a little reading.
Nothing proves the showrunners' failure to understand the genre they're working in as much as Bran's continued uselessness.
Bran as the 3ER is obviously supposed to be a foil to the Night King (or just The Great Other, in the book universe), but it was generally a failed story line. It was intriguing at first, but only because the promise of revelation was there. But they ended up not giving us that; no explicit motivation or domineering theme... just setting up a guy that can prove Jon's parentage and then act like bait.
I thought the next logical step to the above (failed) plot line would have been setting up Bran as the best potential ruler of Westeros when the dust settles. I've said it several times in my predictions, but I figured his abilities made him the perfect dude for Jon to leave in charge, especially since Jon doesn't even want to rule... but the show ruined that, too, by not developing any connection between the two once they both reunited in Winterfell.
Jon could have discussed the weight of history with Bran, and through dialogue could have come to the realization that the best ruler is not Dany, but instead the dude that is omniscient, but is also sure to leave all emotion out of his decisions as ruler... but instead he was just like "LOL sit there in your Professor X chair and wait for the Night King... We're gonna get him so good!"
I guess Bran could still end up ruling, but it would feel kind of empty and undeveloped, which says a lot about the show I guess, when you consider how much screen time was dedicated to getting him North of the Wall and then back South of the Wall.
My money is on Sansa as the ruler, since they seemed to have developed her storyline as a plotter and schemer, as well as a stubborn Lady Ruler, in a much more deliberate sense.
