Hodor, played by Kristian Nairn, had only ever said his own name throughout Game of Thrones until season six episode The Door in 2016 finally explained why. While Bran Stark wargs into the younger Hodor in the past, Meera's present day instruction to hold the door reaches him across time, collapsing into the single word he repeats for the rest of his life. The reveal became one of the show's most discussed twists, and the phrase quickly spread online as a shorthand for selfless, doomed holding actions.