Not everything can be solved with a hug, unfortunately. The Night's King touched Bran on Game of Thrones and he has been marked, now, forever. What does this mean? It reminds me of a moment in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (the novel, not the movie) in which the Good Witch of the North kisses Dorothy as a means of protection. Unfortunately, I don't think that the Night's King's mark is meant to protect Bran. According to the Raven, this means that the White Walkers can find him and follow him no matter where he goes.
Why are they after Bran? I'm not sure. Possibly just because he is human. Perhaps they can see his potential as a seer. That (and the end of the episode, which I am too sad to think about) also confirms that Bran is more than a witness to his vision. So Ned Stark may have heard him call out "father" as he was running into the Tower of Joy — I wonder what consequence that is going to have?
This also means that Bran and Meera are on the run. Will the Night King keep pursuing Bran? What does he want from him? What else is going to happen to Bran now that he's been marked? This episode had a frantic ending, but I feel as though Bran's adventure is just getting started.
Image: courtesy of HBO
