What Bran Stark Taught Me About Disability

Geoffrey Bonn
Aug 24, 2017 · 3 min read

As with everyone else in the world, I’ve found many characters of the Game of Thrones ensemble which teach me lessons that are relevant and timeless. Danaerys teaches grit, Tyrion teaches cunning, and Jaime teaches devotion — as well as some other messed up cautionary points. But today I’d like to talk about Brandon Stark.

In the beginning, we loved him dearly - his daring, bravery, and incredible power to climb. I thought he would become an important adventurer in adulthood; but as we know, fate shattered those plans, as well as his lower spine.

Disabled, Bran sat in isolation for some time, bitter and indignant towards his new situation. Boy — do I relate to this phase. Sometimes I feel like I’ll never bust out of the stage of indignation. But moving on is necessary. Friends and family prove critical in this stage. They can help you move on, as the maester aids Bran, helping him continue old hobbies and find the good in things. You may find some people are more in tune with reality than others. You must hew close to those sages in your life.

Eventually, acceptance came, primarily modeled by his family and caregivers. They expressed empathy but affirmed he was still Brandon Stark. It may be a bitter twist of fate, but you can still make the best of it and work hard to shape your destiny. They built him a wheelchair and a specialized saddle so he could still enjoy his passion of riding. Whatsoever can be continued from your ‘old’ life ought to be consciously nurtured by both disabled and their caregivers. Do not give up your passions.

Then the long winding path of seeking his destiny came — losing his home, Winterfell, symbolizes the call to action every individual feels when one comes of age, in middle age, or at any time, really. Home (normalcy) becomes something which no longer sustains us and we need to move on to seek one’s destiny.

His path was long, exhausting, and deadly, sacrificing a friend to find his destiny; the Three Eyed Raven. When we seek our destiny, that which calls to us through our dreams, it is difficult. It is not easy pursuing that which you love and seek to understand. You must make sacrifices. At this point, Bran hardly even remembers that he has a disability. He has a job to do, and that mission is far more important than some physical handicap.

Though this essay is full of spoilers — I’ll refrain from describing exactly what happens at the tree where he finds the Three Eyed Raven. Under the tree of enlightenment, he emerges having blasted away his old sense of self. He now sees far, feels for many, and subtly does his part to nudge others’ destinies in the right direction. Bran comes back from the frozen waste strong and renewed; he is a counselor, a visionary, and still an adventurer — though he doesn’t climb mountains and fight walkers like we thought.

I guess I’ll sum this up by telling you a little bit about how Bran has impacted my real life. Like him, I see far — through Google Earth and the Internet, distance is rendered almost irrelevant for interfacing with people. I meditate regularly and practice mindfulness techniques, though I don’t belong to any tradition or temple. I counsel friends and take the time to hear the wisdom of older people whom Millennials may forget. And he has pushed me to go back to school to get certified in a nerdy passion of mine: GIS (geographical information systems). Time to time I work freelancing or write, practice my craft, and write again here to put my thoughts to the public.

Does Bran’s lesson of grit speak to you? Are there other GoT characters which seem to poke directly at your soul? Let me know what you think in the replies below or hit me up on Twitter @geoffinitelyill.

)

Written by

Writer, gamer, & chronically ill philosopher living the dream in the Pacific Northwest.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade