Bran = Night King is the wildest 'Game of Thrones' theory yet

Warning: Contains many, many spoilers for

Game of Thrones. Proceed at your own risk.  Despite his limited time in the show, Bran has always been at the centre of much speculation and wild theories, including one which sees him warging into icy Viserion.

But — rest assured — the latest theory to make the rounds on social media is the most mind-blowing to date.
What if Brandon Stark is actually the Night King? What if everything that has ever happened in Westeros is Bran's fault?
Even if you hate Ned Stark's son, this theory — which has actually been popular for a while — is pretty wild, isn't it? Let's begin by piecing together all the evidence.

In Season 6, if you recall, the Three-Eyed Raven taught Bran how to finesse his Greenseer abilities to drift freely through time — past, present and feature — at will.
Bran has also the ability to warg into people's consciousness, just like he did with Hodor.
According to some fans, those two abilities — greensight and ability to warg — make Bran even more powerful to the Three-Eyed Raven.
However, the Three-Eyed Raven — that omniscient killjoy — promptly warned Bran that "the past is already written" and "the ink is dry". Also, he warned Bran that the more time you spend inside someone else's body, the more difficult it is to leave.

"It is beautiful beneath the sea; stay too long and you drown," he says.

Now, if you remember the Tower of Joy flashback in Season 6, episode 3, it seems pretty clear that Bran has the power to influence the past as well as watch it.
As explained by Mashable's very own Sam Haysom, just look at the confusion on Young Ned Stark's face after Bran calls out to him:
The Three-Eyed Raven certainly looked nervous in the flashback when Bran yelled "father;" it was as if he knew what the consequences of the boy's actions could be.

Other evidence, in both the books and show, point to the fact that the Mad King, Aerys Targaryen, became mad after Bran attempted to warn him about the White Walkers.
"Burn them all," was the Mad King's final order, which might be Bran warning him about the White Walkers.

Other theories about Bran and time travel

suggested he may in fact be one of the legendary Brandons he hears about in Old Nan's stories (Brandon the Builder — who built both the Wall and Winterfell to shield off the White Walkers, Brandon the Shipwright, etc.). In a nutshell, according to these theories, Bran keeps travelling back and forth in time in a bid to fix things, and destroy the White Walkers once for all.
But the most important piece in the puzzle is when Bran has the vision of when the Night King was Born, as explained by YouTuber Game of Theories a few months ago.
Thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones take place, the Children of the Forest were at war with the First Men, who almost wiped them out of their sacred weirwoods.

In desperation, they captured one of the First Men and inserted dragonglass into his chest with a ritual on a weirwood tree. That's how the first White Walker, the Night King, was created.

As noticed by many commentators, Bran's real body in the Three-Eyed Raven's cave winces and clenches his fists. As if he's experiencing the pain. As if HE is in the Night King's body.
Bran warged into that man in an attempt to persuade them not to go through the process that would create the White Walkers. But since "the ink is dry" that means he cannot change the past  through time travel, only fulfil it:

Image: reddit/screengrab/turm0il26

From that moment, Bran got stuck in the past and became the Night King, while the future Bran keeps moving in time in a desperate attempt to warn people about the Long Night.
The theory would explain how the Night King is always at the right place and the right time:

Image: REDDIT/SCREENGRAB/TURM0IL26

All the events happening in Game of Thrones, then, just originate from Bran, and will lead to Daenerys and Jon Snow fighting together to defeat him stuck inside the Night King.
This is how the show will end, according to the Redditor:

This theory also parts with Jon snow being the prince that was promised, who eventually has to kill his little brother Bran (Night king cannot kill Jon Snow at Hardhome then, can he?), giving us a bittersweet ending.

Still not convinced? Well, this guy wrote a Medium post on "Why Bran Stark Is not the Night King". Good luck with that.

Game of Thrones season 7 finale title revealed – but what does it mean?

The title of this year's Game of Thrones season finale has been revealed, sending fans into a flurry of excitement: The Dragon and the Wolf.
Fans have been quick to suggest that it could refer to Jon "the White Wolf" Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys "Mother of Dragons" Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), with more than one guessing that it could mark the blossoming of a fully-fledged romance between the characters following the build-up of their relationship through the series. The fact that Jon is Daenerys's nephew isn't necessarily an obstacle – Game of Thrones has certainly never shied away from incest in the past.

 However others have pointed out that it could just as easily refer to Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, Jon Snow's parents.  The finale could see another flashback, revealing more of the events surrounding Jon's birth.

There would be a precedent for this: the finale of season six featured a flashback to the Tower of Joy, in which the truth about his parentage was revealed.
On the other hand, it's possible – though unlikely – that the title has a more literal meaning. This week's episode saw the death of Daenerys's dragon Viserion, which has since been brought back to life by the Night's King. If ice-dragon Viserion (or one of its siblings, Rhaegal and Drogon) is the dragon of the title, could the wolf be an actual wolf? After all, the whereabouts of Jon's direwolf Ghost are currently unknown.
 One thing's for certain: this season finale will give viewers plenty to get their teeth into. HBO have announced that the episode will clock in at a weighty 79 minutes, making it the longest finale in the show's history

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (MOVIE 2017)

• RELEASE DATE: September 22nd, 2017

With their headquarters destroyed and the world held hostage, members of Kingsman find new allies when they discover a spy organization in the United States known as Statesman. In an adventure that tests their strength and wits, the elite secret agents from both sides of the pond band together to battle a ruthless enemy and save the day, something that's becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy. Kingsman 2: The Golden Circle is the second exciting chapter in the Kingsman trilogy.

AMERICAN ASSASSIN (MOVIE 2017)

• CATEGORY: Action

• RELEASE DATE: September 15th, 2017

American Assassin tells the story of legendary CIA agent Mitch Rapp. Long before he began hunting terrorists, Rapp was a gifted college scholar/athlete. Then, tragedy struck and Rapp was recruited into the nation's most elite covert operations program. After completing training designed to teach the kind of lethal skills necessary to target our most dangerous enemies, here and abroad, he is a man reborn with a mission of retribution.

IT (2017) MOVIE

• RELEASE DATE: September 8th, 2017
• CATERGORY: HORROR

In Stephen King's IT, when children begin to disappear in the town of Derry, Maine, neighborhood kids band together to square off against Pennywise, an evil clown whose history of murder and violence dates back for centuries.

Death Note (NEW MOVIE) 2017

• CATEGORY: Drama

• RELEASE DATE: August 25th, 2017

In Death Note, Light Turner, a bright student who stumbles across a mystical notebook that has the power to kill any person whose name he writes in it. Light decides to launch a secret crusade to rid the streets of criminals. Soon, the student-turned-vigilante finds himself pursued by a famous detective known only by the alias L.

New 'Game of Thrones' leak hits season seven

It's been a tricky few weeks for one of the world's hottest TV shows.
Another episode of "Game of Thrones" was released on Tuesday, the second confirmed leak to hit season seven.
Production company HBO said the episode was mistakenly made available on its streaming platforms in Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.
"We have learned that the upcoming episode of Game of Thrones was accidentally posted for a brief time on the HBO Nordic and HBO España platforms," said Tom Nielsen, a spokesman for HBO Europe. "The error appears to have originated with a third party vendor and the episode was removed as soon as it was recognized."
Episode six is due to air on Sunday. It has reportedly been copied and shared online on multiple sites.
The fantasy series is one of the most popular and acclaimed shows on television. Over 16 million viewers tuned in for the season premiere in July, according to HBO.
Indian police said Tuesday they had arrested four men suspected of leaking a different episode of "Game of Thrones" before its scheduled release on August 7. The suspects were connected with Star India, which has the rights to air the series in the country.
The man all worked for Prime Focus Technologies, an independent firm that handles Star India's data, police said.
According to Star India and HBO Europe, neither leak was connected with a cyberattack on HBO last month.
HBO, which like CNN is owned by Time Warner (TWX), said in late July it was investigating a hack targeting its shows.
HBO CEO Richard Plepler said at the time that the attack resulted in "some stolen proprietary information, including some of our programming."
It's unclear what information the hackers stole. According to Entertainment Weekly, which first reported the attack, hackers published the alleged script to a new "Game of Thrones" show and episodes of two other shows.
Season seven is not the first to be blighted by leaks. In 2015, the first four episodes of the fifth season were leaked shortly after the premiere. The leaked episodes originated "from within a group approved by HBO to receive them," HBO said at the time.

CLAWS: SEASON ONE (2017) DVD COVER

At the Nail Artisan of Manatee County salon in Central Florida, five diverse, hardworking manicurists try to make ends meet in a staid economy while managing perilous personal lives awash in drama. Amidst all the silk wraps, pedicures and polish treatments, salon owner Desna, who lives with and cares for her mentally ill twin brother, leads a staff that includes best friend Jennifer, now sober and raising two kids from a previous relationship; enigmatic Ann, who provides security for the salon; mild-mannered preppy and ex-convict Polly; and Virginia, who becomes easily bored and impatient with her job. Also hanging around the salon are shady redneck Roller; ambulance coach Bryce, Jennifer's husband who is also newly sober; and Uncle Daddy, a dangerous, deeply Catholic and actively bisexual crime boss.

CAMERA STORE (2016) DVD COVER

Ray and his salesman Pinky are trying to make it through the biggest shopping day of the year, again. Two decades ago, their camera store was a thriving neighborhood business. Now, they barely keep the store alive for their wealthy, amoral, and absent boss, Mr. Bibideaux. With the arrival of an old friend, Ray gets word of a big change coming to the business, and he must act immediately to save himself from the sinking ship before he loses the little chance he has for a better life.

As You Are (2016) DVD COVER

Set in the early 1990's, "As You Are" is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation.

Another Forever (2016) DVD COVER

Alice's life has been filled both with great joy and bitter disappointment. She has persevered because of love. The love she shares with one man, a man that has made it all worthwhile, until the unthinkable happens. Completely shattered, Alice embarks on a journey to find herself, taking us from the depths of despair to the wonders of the world, reclaiming her life and rediscovering her soul.

12 FEET DEEP (MOVIE) 2017 DVD COVER

Inspired by true events, two sisters are trapped under the fiberglass cover of an Olympic sized public pool and must brave the cold and each other to survive the harrowing night.

Nicki Minaj unleashes the Official Video to “No Frauds” featuring Drake & Lil Wayne | Watch on BN

Nicki Minaj has dropped the much awaited video to her “No Frauds” track which featuresDrake and Lil Wayne. The track was released as a response to Remy Ma’s diss tracks and Nicki has gone one step further to release the visuals.

Can Wizkid crack the US without Drake?

Wizkid, new RCA Records Signee recently released the video for ‘Come Closer’ featuringDrake. The video has been a record-breaking hit for Wizkid despite Drake did not feature in the video.

Osagie Alonge on Facts Only looks into how Drake’s absence affects ‘Come Closer’, Wizkid’s ability to break into the North American music market and much more

#ClipTease: A Peek At The New Season of Power

As we await the premier date, this will keep you on your toes

etween Queen Sugar and Power, our summer TV schedule is just about set. First, we got a premiere date for the Bordelon siblings’ return.

Up next, thanks to the Courtney Kemp and the crew, we know have a special clip of the new season of Power.

In the clip, Tasha St. Patrick, played by Naturi Naughton, makes a few discoveries of her own by way of Ghost’s lawyer, portrayed by Jerry Ferrara.

Google and Symantec clash on website security checks

Search giant Google and security firm Symantec have clashed over the way websites are kept secure.

Google claims Symantec has done a poor job of using standard tools, called certificates, that check the identity of thousands of websites.
It will change its Chrome browser to stop recognising some Symantec certificates, causing problems for people who visit sites using them.
Symantec said Google's claims were "exaggerated" and "irresponsible".
The row concerns identity checks known as "security certificates", which underlie the HTTPS system that ensures data is encrypted as it travels to and from a website.
Symantec is one of the biggest issuers of basic security certificates as well as their extended versions, which are supposed to give users more confidence in the security of a site.

'Strong objection'

Google alleges that Symantec has not done enough to ensure that these basic and extended certificates are being issued correctly. It claims to have evidence that over the past few years 30,000 certificates are suspect.
In a bid to tackle the problem, Google said it would change the way many versions of Chrome display information derived from Symantec certificates. This could mean many users get warnings that sites are insecure or are blocked from visiting them.
In response, Symantec said it "strongly objected" to the way Google had acted, saying its decision was "unexpected".
Its statement added that Google's statements about the way it issues certificates was "exaggerated and misleading". It threw doubt on the claim that 30,000 certificates had been issued incorrectly and said only 127 had been identified as wrongly issued.
Symantec said it had taken "extensive remediation measures" to improve the way it issued certificates and noted that many other certificate issuers had not gone as far.
It queried why it had been "singled out" by Google when other certificate issuers were also at fault.
"We are open to discussing the matter with Google in an effort to resolve the situation in the shared interests of our joint customers and partners," it concluded.
source: BBC

PepsiCo, Walmart, Starbucks join Google boycott after ads appear next to ‘appalling’ videos

 

PepsiCo, Walmart, and Starbucks have joined the international boycott against Google’s YouTube and suspended advertising on the video-sharing service over mounting concerns that their ads may have run next to “appalling” videos.

Some advertisers said they won’t return to YouTube until they are certain Google has the situation under control.
“The content with which we are being associated is appalling and completely against our company values,” Walmart said in a Friday statement.
The company, alongside PepsiCo and several others, said they will also stop buying ads that Google places on more than two million other third-party websites, AP reported.
Verizon and AT&T, along with UK retailer Marks and Spencer and L'Oreal, pulled ads from YouTube earlier this week. AT&T said it is removing the ads from the non-search inventory on Google because its “ads may have appeared alongside YouTube content promoting terrorism and hate,” the company wrote in an email, Reuters reported.
If the search giant fails to win back advertisers, this could potentially result in a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. “The bigger risk is this seems to be a backlash against programmatic advertising in general,” analyst Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research told Reuters on Thursday. “There's this worry that you no longer have control over where ads appear,”he added.
Moody’s Investor Service predicted the backlash won’t last long because Google is “laser-focused” on cleaning things up on YouTube, AP reported.
The Wall Street Journal found that Google’s automated programs placed their brands on five videos containing extremist content.
Speaking at a press briefing at the start of Advertising Week Europe in London on Monday, Google apologized for tainting some brands, and pledged to ensure the ads will not appear alongside extremist videos.

“It is a good opportunity for me to say, first and foremost, to say sorry this should not happen and we need to do better," Google's EMEA president of business and operations, Matt Brittin, said.
Google relies mostly on automated programs to place ads in YouTube videos. The company’s EMEA president of business and operations, Matt Brittin, said 400 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube each minute, adding that 98 percent of “removals” take place within 24 hours, NBC reported.
Ensuring brand safety, however, is a real challenge, Brittin noted. “It is not as simple as it might seem, so you might say: Why don't you just exclude content that relates to war or that relates to politics? Well actually if you were to do that you would exclude important news content or documentary content.”
“It's not our job to be a censor, it's for the government,” Brittin said, as cited by Business Insider.
“So, you will find online content that you violently disagree with, that you find incredibly distasteful, but that is a legitimate point of view and not illegal. And that is one of the joys of the web and the voices that are there. That's different to the issue of what's safe for advertisers, which is more tightly defined.”