Why Bran Wasn't On Stage With His Fellow Game of Thrones Castmates During the Emmys

Game of Thrones was honored on stage for its final season at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards.
Fans were wondering one question, though: Where was Bran?
His absence was actually very easily explained.

The 71st Annual Primetime Emmys aired for three hours on Sunday night, and the majority of the show's three-hour runtime was spent on three things: shtick and bits, handing out awards, and eulogizing Game of Thrones. But during the first of those excessive tributes to Thrones, fans and "fans" (because let's be real, we can't exactly call a lot of people who viewed the show's last season "fans" anymore) had a question: where's Bran?

Specifically, at one point the show brought out cast members from Game of Thrones in a lengthy pseudo-"in memoriam" moment for the show, including speaking moments and a video tribute. Cast members Sophie Turner, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Gwendoline Christie, Carice Van Houten, Peter Dinklage, Alfie Allen, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , and Emilia Clarke all appeared on stage to take a bow for the ending of what was undoubtably one of the biggest shows of all time.

But fans and followers of the show saw this grouping of people on stage, and quickly began to wonder where the hell the realm's newest ruler was.

And those people were right. Actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright, who played Bran Stark on the show, was nowhere to be found. Given how Bran ended up being the victor of the show's literal Game of Thrones, this caused quite the confusion.

Bran is the actual winner of the Game of Thrones and they literally did not put him on the stage???? Kate Halliwell (@katehalliwell)

Question: Who has a better story than Bran the Broken? Answer: pic.twitter.com/0Y00zoP1c5 The Goggles, They Do Nothing (Geoff) (@thegogglesdo)

So they made bran KING and hes not even up there with them? #Emmys pic.twitter.com/7GfrPz4Xbl Ria (@BarstoolRia)

I'm sorry but how did the sexy old witch get to go on stage with the main cast while King Bran the Broken, Ruler of the Six Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm get put in the nosebleeds with Library Boy? #Emmys2019 pic.twitter.com/GTxOF3oFKu omri (@Omri_Rawrlan)

Wheres Bran? new king of the 6 kingdoms. Warging perhaps in carice van houtens get up?!? I drink and I know things (@Greenhill605)

As Time reported, though, the answer to this conundrum is pretty easily explained: The actors who were featured on stage were only those were nominated for acting honors for the final season. With such an expansive cast, they couldn't possibly fit everyone up there. For reference, co-stars John Bradley (Samwell Tarly) and Liam Cunningham (Ser Davos) were seen near Hempstead-Wright in the crowd shots, so he wasn't the only one left out of the fun. (A similar tribute for Veep saw the entire cast take the stagenot just the nominated starsbut I digress).

Tyrion Lannister (played by Dinklage, who won his fourth Emmy for playing the character) famously (and, inciting much debate) asked in the last episode, "Who has a better story than Bran the Broken?" While Tyrion was largely considered the most intelligent character in Thrones, well, it sure seems like the Emmy voters might have closed their run out with one last disagreement.