Warning: This post contains potential spoilers for season eight of Game of Thrones.

After seven long seasons of Game of Thrones, it’s safe to say we still have a lot of unanswered questions.

With season eight well underway, fans are beginning to analyse every single frame of the new season in search of possible clues.

But while fans have mulled over bizarre theories including Littlefinger still being alive or that Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen could have a baby on the way, there’s one popular fan theory that has stood out among all – the theory that Bran Stark is the Night King.

Hold tight – this is complicated.

We unpacked everything that happened in the season premiere of Game of Thrones on our Mamamia Recaps podcast. Post continues after audio…

This theory, which was first created by a Reddit user last year, claims that Bran might try to go back in time to stop the White Walkers from existing by stopping the creation of the Night King.

But according to fans, it won’t go as planned…

The theory speculates that when Bran goes back to watch the birth of the Night King, he will try to intervene in the process by warging into the man who was set to become the Night King.

But in doing so, Bran himself accidentally becomes the Night King.

via GIPHY

Honestly, we’re a little bit stumped at this point – but although it all sounds completely wild, a lot of fans do believe it.

But while the theory is definitely popular among fans – especially with Bran and the Night King sporting similar costumes and even face shapes on the show – there’s a lot of evidence for why it’s (almost definitely) not true.

Why Bran (probably) isn’t the Night King.

The theory that Bran is the Night King largely draws back to *THAT* horrific scene involving Bran and Hodor in season five of Game of Thrones.

In the episode, Bran accidentally became past-Hodor, leading fans to question whether Bran had the power to change the past – and potentially stop the creation of the Night King.

Although Bran did change the past in this case, it’s widely believed that the mishap which changed Hodor’s life forever was just a one-time mistake by Bran.

After all, he didn’t change the past – he just fulfilled a chain of events which was already destined to happen.

via GIPHY

Another hole in the theory is that as far as we know, it’s simply impossible for Bran to be in both his own body and the body of the Night King at the same time.

Let’s be honest, there’s just not enough episodes left in this season to explain how this could be possible. It’s as simple as that. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Fans have also questioned why the Night King would attack Westeros if he’s actually Bran. After becoming the Night King, why would Bran decide that killing all men is the best idea?

It just seems like… a stretch.

Speaking to The Independent, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who plays Bran on the show, admitted that he’s not a fan of the Night King theory.

“I tell you what isn’t my favourite theory; the Night King one,” he said.

“I can’t seem how there have been any clues for it.”

On the second episode of season eight of Game of Thrones, Bran suggested using himself as bait  to lure the Night King out of hiding in Winterfell.

For seasons on end, the Night King has been trying to capture Bran – and now we finally know why.

As Bran explained during the episode, the Night King's real goal isn't to rule Westeros, but to erase it.

How will he do that? By erasing Bran.

"Memories don't come from books," Samwell Tarly explained in the episode.

"Your stories aren't just stories. If I wanted to erase the world, I'd start with you."

With just four episodes of the season to go, we're sure to learn the fate of Bran and the Night King soon enough.

Catch up on all our Game of Thrones recaps, right here:

For more on this topic:

• Here's how dramatically the Game of Thrones characters have changed since the first episode.
• There's a feature-length Game of Thrones documentary coming to fuel our addiction.
• If you’re a genuine fan of Game of Thrones, you should take annual leave on the 20th of May.
• Game of Thrones Season 8: The 7 convincing fan theories you need to know.