Kristian Nairn, who plays Hodor on Game of Thrones, received the most love during the show’s panel at San Diego Comic-Com on Friday.
He said he hadn’t expected the outpouring of love since (spoiler alert) his character met a shocking demise on the show. “It has been overwhelming,” he said. “I was in L.A. a few days ago at the hotel and all their doorstops said Hodor on them. I went, ‘Really?'”
Co-creator David Benioff confirmed Hodor’s name and death had been A Song of Ice and Fire writer George R.R. Martin’s idea. “It’s George’s fault!” he told the audience.
At the end of the panel, one fan asked what Hodor would say to Bran if he could talk.
“What would the first words be that you said to Bran if Hodor could suddenly speak? It would be ‘no.'”
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Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com