The Potential for Bran to Warg into Humans: Insights from A Song of Ice and Fire

In George R.R. Martin's epic series A Song of Ice and Fire, the ability known as warging is a cherished and mysterious gift. Bran Stark, the youngest son of Lord Eddard Stark, possesses this rare and powerful ability. This article delves into the potential of Bran to warg into humans beyond his current known companion, Hodor, by examining the abilities and limitations of warging as described in the books, particularly through the character of Varamyr Sixskins.

Branson's Potential and the Themes of Control and Identity

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Branas powers are still developing, and his connection to the weirwoods and the mystical elements of his abilities suggest that he may have the potential to warg into other humans. The central themes of control, identity, and the consequences of power in the series are closely tied to the nature of warging and the characters who possess this ability. It is reasonable to speculate that Bran might have the need or opportunity to warg into others, serving various plot purposes such as exploring themes of agency and the consequences of manipulating others.

However, George R.R. Martin has not provided clear indications of Bran warging into other humans beyond Hodor as of the last published book, The Reckoning. The complexity of Branas abilities and the narrative's direction leave room for speculative scenarios.

The Process and Limitations of Warging

Warging, or the ability to shift into animals, is a practice that demands significant training and a strong bond between the warg and the animal. This process is first introduced through the character of Varamyr Sixskins, a wildling from Beyond the Wall.

The Prologue of A Dance With Dragons: Varamyr Sixskins

During the prologue of A Dance With Dragons, readers are introduced to Varamyr Sixskins, a warg who controls six animals simultaneously: three wolves, a snow bear, a shadowcat, and an eagle. This ability earned him the nickname "Sixskins." His journey with warging began with the guidance of Haggon, an elderly warg who taught Varamyr the proper techniques and the rules of the ability.

No longer a mere one-wolf warg, Varamyr progressed to control multiple creatures through years of training. He became known for his immense battles, riding into battle on the back of a 13-foot-tall snow bear. However, his full training and mastery over warging led him to consider the prospect of warging into other humans.

Training and Control

The prologue of A Dance With Dragons is crucial in understanding the depth of warging and its limitations. Varamyr Sixskins, a character used to illustrate the potential of warging, shows that years of training are required for a warg to control multiple animals and even other humans. His varied experiences with multiple transformations and the loss of control due to the eagle's death and the near failure to take over a human body highlight the difficulties and risks associated with warging.

"Once a horse is broken to the saddle, any man can mount him. Once a beast’s been joined to a man, any skinchanger can slip inside and ride him. But the joining works both ways, warg," Varamyr says to Jon Snow, establishing the reciprocal nature of warging and the complexity it brings.

Despite these limitations, it is plausible that Bran Stark, with his holistic understanding of the weirwoods and deep-seated connection, could also achieve similar feats with the right training and exploration, thus working towards the ability to warg into other humans.

Conclusion

While it is uncertain whether Bran Stark will warg into other humans in the future, his journey and the lessons learned from the warging tales of Varamyr Sixskins offer insights into the intricacies and potential of this mystical ability. George R.R. Martin's storytelling leaves room for speculation, and the ongoing narrative of the series promises further explorations of these characters and their abilities.