If Bran Stark is the Three-Eyed Raven, then Jojen Reed was at least the Raven-Symoné of “Game of Thrones.”
Although he didn’t possess the all-powerful capabilities of Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright), Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s Jojen saw glimpses into the future and did his best with the information he received. He also had a best friend named Chelsea ― er, rather, a sister named Meera (Ellie Kendrick) ― to possibly help him deal with his premonitions. That’s so Raven.
We lost Brodie-Sangster and his visions in season four, thanks to some lame-as-heck ice zombies ― but, hey, Raven’s psychic character made a comeback on Disney with “Raven’s Home.” Maybe there’s hope for Jojen? While talking with Brodie-Sangster about his new dystopia film “Maze Runner: The Death Cure,” we also asked if HBO had contacted him about possibly returning to “Game of Thrones” in season eight ― considering Bran has time-traveling powers and all.
“No, I never have. I quite like the idea of that as well, like kind of come back like an Obi-Wan spirit, kind of cool. No, I haven’t heard anything from HBO,” Brodie-Sangster said.
Perhaps Jojen is gone for good. Nonetheless, the actor graciously shared his thoughts on where the show might be headed. Brodie-Sangster subscribes to the idea that the old Three-Eyed Raven (Max von Sydow) we saw on “Game of Thrones” is actually future Bran.
That’d mean these two dudes are the same person:
Throughout the show, there have been hints this may be the case.
In season six, episode five, the Three-Eyed Raven says it’s time for Bran “to become me.” Cue Bran’s shocked/concerned face.
In season seven, episode three, Bran explains to his sister Sansa (Sophie Turner) that he can see everything because the Three-Eyed Raven taught him. She says, “I thought you were the Three-Eyed Raven,” and rather than just say something like, “Oh, there was another Three-Eyed Raven before me,” Bran says, “It’s difficult to explain.”
Sansa gives a look like, “I came out in the snow for this crap?”
And in season three, episode two, during Jojen’s first appearance, he comes to Bran in a dream and says the raven “is you.”
On the theory that the old Three-Eyed Raven was actually future Bran, Brodie-Sangster told us: “Yeah, I kind of went with that one. I like the theory of multiverses and different parallel universes working together in time. I just quite like that theory. I went with that and like the idea of that.”
“You got to be careful you don’t lose people ― what people love about a certain show,” he said of the idea of time-travel theories. “But, like I said, I like all that.”
The eighth season of “Game of Thrones” isn’t coming until 2019, so there’s plenty of time to speculate. In the meantime, Brodie-Sangster opened up about his character Newt’s big “Maze Runner” moment, whether there’s a secret “Game of Thrones” texting thread, and a disturbing trend we’ve noticed in his projects that he’s very aware of.
(Warning! Spoilers for “Maze Runner: The Death Cure,” “Godless” and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”!)
I think I saw one of your “Maze Runner” co-stars, Will Poulter, call you “Thomas Brodie-Gangster” in an interview.
It was a nickname I had at school. “Sangster” didn’t go unnoticed that it rhymes with “gangster,” and I was probably the least gangster person at the school, which is why everyone found it rather hilarious. So I’ve heard that one for a while, but I quite like it.
Why do you think it was important not to break up this last “Maze Runner” movie into two films, like other franchises have done?
Well, [director Wes Ball] has always said that, right from the very first movie, that if we got to make all three, he would only ever want to do three. He doesn’t like the idea of pulling a story apart and just elongating it and stretching it out. I think he just likes the pace of a proper trilogy. Something about three just kind of works. I’ve always thought there were two middle movies, [but] middle movies tend to not be so good anyway.
I was holding out hope that Newt would make it, but then we get a death scene that’s different from the one in the book. Did it change at all from what we ended up with?
Yeah, it did change. One of the first things we did, me and Dylan O’Brien, when we landed, was to go through this fight choreography for this scene. So we kind of got that down and then we were just kind of working. Wes really wanted, and I wanted, to also be in and out of crank, and Newt turn the fight into an internal fight... kind of struggling with controlling it, as opposed to just being another fight sequence with a zombie.
Of course, on the day, it all changes. And Wes goes, “Actually, that doesn’t work here.” So it was, as it always is on “Maze Runner,” a bit spur-of-the-moment as you work with your impulses and stuff. It was a fun thing to shoot ― quite tiring, middle of the night, I had horrible contact lenses as well, but I was happy with it.
Was it always supposed to end that way, thinking it’s a little ambiguous and then finding out Newt got stabbed?
Yes, to keep it open. And I like the way it turned out, a bit sloppy as well.
So why are you always dying by getting stabbed?
I know! You’re the first person that mentioned that, and I’m quite conscious of it, too. I seem to be dying a lot recently, and it’s all from being stabbed.
Yeah, “Maze Runner,” “Game of Thrones” and “Godless.” Are you trying to be the new Sean Bean with all the death scenes?
I don’t think I’m quite up to his level yet, but I’m working on it. I know, even the Western I did [“Godless”], I was expecting to get shot in that. And I got stabbed.
I know! A lot of people were upset when you died.
I always like it when good characters die. I would have personally liked to get a couple shots off. Yeah, like kill one guy and then get killed.
As a former member of the First Order in “Force Awakens,” how do you feel about your boy Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) running things now in “Star Wars”?
I haven’t seen the new “Star Wars” yet.
Oh no! So I spoiled it!
[laughs] No, I do need to see it.
Well, as a member of the First Order, how are you feeling?
Oh, yeah. I feel I was key in the storytelling of the last one.
For sure.
My thoughts are: Damn! Blast!
What’s it like that every project is always like a “Game of thrones” reunion?
It’s been great for British actors actually. You’re bound to kind of pop around and see people in other projects.
“Harry Potter” actors have an ongoing texting thread. Is there one for “Game of Thrones”?
No, there isn’t for “Game of Thrones.” Well, not that I’m involved in, anyway. There is a “Maze Runner” one.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
Are you all going to continue that?
Yeah, it started on the same movie and it’s the same chat.
Who’s worse: Littlefinger or Janson?
Ooh. They’re very similar, actually. Both quite conniving, quite backstabbing. I think Littlefinger is more so, so I’d say Littlefinger probably. He’s very untrustworthy, but Aidan Gillen knows best.
“Maze Runner: The Death Cure” is in theaters now.
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