Brandon Stark, known as Bran, is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of epic fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation Game of Thrones, where he is portrayed by English actor Isaac Hempstead Wright. Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Bran subsequently appears in A Clash of Kings (1998) and A Storm of Swords (2000). He is one of a few prominent characters that are not included in the fourth novel A Feast for Crows (2005), but returned in the fifth novel A Dance with Dragons (2011). Bran is the second son and fourth child of Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn Stark of Winterfell, the ancient capital of the North of the kingdom of Westeros. Bran dreams of becoming a knight since childhood, but is rendered paraplegic by Jaime Lannister in the first novel after stumbling upon the latter's affair with twin sister Cersei Lannister. Awaking from a months-long coma, he is subsequently plagued by dreams of a mysterious figure beckoning him to travel north beyond the Wall. Bran's journey alongside a variety of companions lead him deeper into the lore and magic of the North, where he begins to discover various mysterious powers and abilities. Martin told Rolling Stone in 2014 that Bran's momentous chapter with Jaime and Cersei is what "hooked" many readers early in the first novel. Bran's characterization in later seasons of the show, including his relationship to the White Walkers and the Night King, has generated many theories in the fandom, as well as significant critical interest. Character overview The youngest point of view character in the novels, Bran is in the very first chapter and was set up by Martin as a young hero of the series. Mikal Gilmore of Rolling Stone noted in 2014 that the moment in A Game of Thrones in which Jaime Lannister pushes Bran to his likely death "grabs you by the throat". Martin commented in the interview: In 2000, Martin called Bran the hardest character to write: Booklist cited Bran as a notable character in 1999, and the Publishers Weekly review of A Game of Thrones noted, "It is fascinating to watch Martin's characters mature and grow, particularly Stark's children, who stand at the center of the book." Noting Bran's absence in 2005's A Feast for Crows, James Poniewozik of Time wrote in his review