--- title: 'Game of Thrones' Kristian Nairn Cried at Hodor Death Scene description: Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn, who plays the loyal Hodor, had tears in his eyes as he watched his character die in a shocking scene. canonical: https://time.com/4344559/game-of-thrones-hodor-kristian-nairn/ author: Melissa Chan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-05-23T12:12:33.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-06T09:17:57.327Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: 'Game of Thrones' Actor Reacts to Shocking Death Scene og:description: "I couldn’t have asked for a better goodbye to a character I love" og:url: https://time.com/4344559/game-of-thrones-hodor-kristian-nairn/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt015719ed2230a8d0/6988945a428a9eac63cd2bbe/hbo-game-of-thrones-hodor.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1920 og:image:height: 1080 og:image:alt: hbo-game-of-thrones-hodor og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 'Game of Thrones' Actor Reacts to Shocking Death Scene twitter:description: "I couldn’t have asked for a better goodbye to a character I love" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt015719ed2230a8d0/6988945a428a9eac63cd2bbe/hbo-game-of-thrones-hodor.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # _Game of Thrones_ Actor Teared Up Watching His Shocking Death Scene > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: A History of Dragons [Watch (HLS stream): A History of Dragons](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/aX3EGE0r.m3u8) (2:51)  _Published 2016-04-22. Professor Christopher Fee discusses the history of dragons in our culture and their relevance today._  by [Melissa Chan](https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan May 23, 2016 12:12 PM UTC Professor Christopher Fee discusses the history of dragons in our culture and their relevance today.  by [Melissa Chan](https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan May 23, 2016 12:12 PM UTC [_Game of Thrones_ actor Kristian Nairn](http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/22/game-thrones-hodor), who plays the loyal Hodor on the hit [HBO show](http://time.com/4336764/game-of-thrones-emilia-clarke-nude/?iid=sr-link2), had tears in his eyes as he watched his character die in a heartbreaking and shocking scene on Sunday. Nairn, who lives in Belfast, got emotional as he watched the farewell scene on Sunday for the first time with the rest of the world, he told _Entertainment Weekly_. “I had tears in my eyes. I don’t see myself on screen, I see Hodor. I always talk about him in the third person. I just saw the character die and it was very sad,” he said. The oversized companion and protector of Bran Stark died a hero after saving Bran and Meera’s lives. Hodor’s tragic end, which came after fans learned why the only word he can say is his name, was fit for the show known for its twists, Nairn said. “I couldn’t be happier how he has gone out,” the actor told _EW_. “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](http://time.com/4344393/game-of-thrones-white-walkers-bran-hodor/?iid=sr-link1). 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.” [_Read the rest of the story at EW.com_](http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/22/game-thrones-hodor) ## Transcript [00:02] Well, dragons never seem to go away do they? They [00:06] occur in culture after culture. They occur in story after [00:10] story. The idea of. Of being able [00:14] to live in world full of magical creatures well that offers [00:18] a certain excitement and joy and curiosity. Dragons [00:22] are like a canvas upon which we paint our fears and [00:25] desires as a culture and I think they remain relevant [00:28] because they change with us. [ MUSIC ] [00:35] Well in today's world we often define a dragon as a [00:38] giant, scaly, winged reptilian beast, often can breathe [00:43] fire. In the ancient world this wasn't always the case. [00:46] They were very often giant serpents of various kinds. [00:50] And they could be also multivalent. In the Asian world [00:54] for example, dragons are often Symbols of good luck, [00:57] good fortune. While in the biblical tradition, on the [01:00] other hand, dragons are clearly evil. In the middle [01:03] ages, dragons were indeed emblems of greed, [01:08] avarice. Most people in America today would know that [01:10] through the Hobbit and Smaug the dragon who was [01:13] clearly developed on that exact theme and that In [01:19] the Arthurian tradition, dragons are associated with the [01:22] rise of a mighty, powerful, royal house, as well with [01:26] omens and portents having to do with their demise. It [01:29] seems to me that in Game of Thrones, this association [01:32] with royalty and portents comes most clearly from [01:37] the Arthurian tradition which Dragons might represents [01:39] [ UNKNOWN ] [ MUSIC ] One [01:46] of the ways that dragons myth spread was through [01:49] travellers coming back with stories of dragons. So [01:51] imagine if you will that, you travelled to North Africa [01:56] from England When the 12th to 13th century and you [01:59] saw a crocodile wouldn't that appear to you to be a [02:03] monstrous, demonic beast? In [02:08] our culture, dragons tell us about that which we fear [02:12] not just out on the world like a crocodile but within [02:15] ourselves like greed. Game of Thrones Plays [02:19] with our sense of light and darkness, the best of [02:23] humanity and the worst of humanity. And this tension is [02:26] developed fully in the symbol of the dragon. Because [02:30] the dragon, Dragon represents great power, but it also [02:33] represents greed and destruction. And this bring [02:37] together of these ideas tell us something about [02:40] ourselves. Both what we fear, what we want, and what [02:43] we would like to be. 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