Look, I hated the ending of Game of Thrones, so I'm aware this theory isn't "real" but thinking about this makes it funnier to me. Obviously I'm just talking about the show. The books are masterpieces and, if GRRM ever finishes them, they'll be magnitudes better than what we got with the show. Even if this theory isn't true, I honestly prefer it to taking the story at face value. At the very least, I think this theory makes later GOT seasons less painful to watch.

Spoilers for all of Game of Thrones, the ASOIAF books, and Westworld below.

With D&D's cameo in Westworld, I choose to believe that Westeros is a park in the world of Westworld and all the characters are Hosts except for Bronn. He's an actual human park visitor. The whole world was just an amusement park for him to enjoy.

(In case you forgot, in season 3 of Westworld, the showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss make a cameo where they appear as engineers working on a half-finished host dragon that looks just like Drogon)

I know this was the joke that they were making in the show, haha we're both made by hbo :), but I think it actually adds a layer of subplot to the ending of Game of Thrones that makes it, if not good, at least improved. That spiral symbol that the White Walkers were leaving everywhere had no payoff whatsoever. It had no explanation in Game of Thrones, but there is a similar sort of enigmatic symbolism in Westworld: it's the maze that's supposed to lead to the hosts achieving consciousness. In a similar way that some of the hosts of Westworld are on the path toward sentience, the symbols they leave could hold a similar kind of ritual significance to the hosts of Westworldos. I mean Westeros.

The reasons I say Bronn is a human and not a Host are:

• Somebody has to be.
• It has to be someone who has no real connection to the plot, nor any family, just shows up out of nowhere like the guests do in Westworld.
• They also have to be directly involved with the main plot, even when it doesn't make sense. If the plot isn't directly driven by them, they should still have full control over their own choices.
• Any possible guests can't have gotten to know each other during the story, or else they would have potentially realized and been able to talk openly about the real world.
• Finally, hosts can't harm guests, so it has to be a character (or characters) who make it through the entire show, not only alive, but basically unharmed.
• This eliminates the vast majority of characters in Game of Thrones. I'll mention a few characters that could be contenders as guests of the park, in ascending order of likelihood.

Howland Reed

We don't know too much about Lord Reed. We know he went on an adventure in his youth, which I understand to be odd for crannogmen, and met several popular hosts at a tournament. He got bullied by some squires, which is unusual behavior for a guest but I'm not here to knock anyone's kink. He later served in a war and somehow saved Ned Stark from being killed by Arthur Dayne. That's really the only reason I'm bringing him up. It seems to me that Howland was in a storyline with his favorite NPC, Ned Stark, and they came up against the Final Boss that's supposed to wipe his entire team. Howland, using his invincibility against hosts, saved him. In the books I firmly believe that Howland threw a frog at Arthur, but going by the show's depiction, I think the best explanation for the events is that Arthur Dayne was programmed to be unable to hurt Howland Reed. He does have two kids, which is a point against him, but maybe he brought his actual, real life kids on a vacation? But then they end up going North with Bran, which is arguably the worst single plotline offered at this park. (to live through, not to read) So, maybe not.

Tormund Giantsbane

This man is ridiculous. He's so over the top that it's like he's doing a parody of how the wildlings are programmed to behave. In fact, that's exactly what he's doing: Tormund is a hardcore wildling LARPer. He has done this storyline so many times that they've basically written his character into it. In the show, when Jon is first being introduced to Mance Rayder, he bows to Tormund first. In this theory, it's not just a mistake he makes. Tormund is deep into the wildling storyline and previously had the choice given to take control from Mance or serve him faithfully. On this playthrough, he's doing Mance loyalist, but Jon hasn't been updated with that information, so he bows to the human guest first just in case. The amount of bullshit this man survives is so long that I'm not going to explain all of it, but I will list some things he probably shouldn't have lived if he wasn't a guest:

• The rear assault on Castle Black
• Hardhome
• Battle of the Bastards
• That stupid fucking expedition to capture a wight
• Being on top of Eastwatch when Wight Viserion started burning it and still being there while it was exploding
• The Very Short Long Night

The only real point against him is that Brienne chooses Jaime over him, which would be extremely unusual behavior for hosts programmed to entertain guests, not each other.

Daario Naharis

Daario is on the same path as the Man in Black in Westworld. In his initial playthrough, he met his favorite NPC: Daenerys Targaryen. He followed her the whole way through. They fought the White Walkers together, he killed Jon for her and they ended up on the Iron Throne. Good ending. Except the whole way through, he thought he could see something in her. The way she talked, the way she looked at him, he started to believe she was real. Then, when his vacation was over, he left triumphantly. Some time later, he returned and found her again. Just like William and Dolores, she doesn't remember him. This crushes him. He goes on a rampage. This is referencing a book theory, but I think on one playthrough his behavior is the basis for the new final boss host that would later be introduced: Euron Greyjoy. What we see in the show isn't that playthrough, though. I think this is years later, he's gotten over some of his issues and has new ones and he's doing another playthrough with Dany. This time, though, he's jaded. He doesn't want to do the White Walker storyline again. He doesn't go with Dany this time, because after she leaves him in Meereen at the end of the sixth season, he goes to the forbidden area of the park to find the real mysteries: Daario goes to Asshai. The only reason this post isn't focused on him is because he's only in seasons 3-6.

Bronn

Bronn is introduced in season 1 as an unemployed sellsword staying at the Inn at the Crossroads and finishes the story in season 8 as Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Reach, Master of Coin, and the founder of his house. How? Speedrunning.

He's basically the perfect example of what we'd look for in a park guest playing a game. He shows up out of nowhere. He has no family anywhere that anyone knows of. His backstory is vague when it exists at all. Bronn has no last name. He claims he's been beyond the Wall already. He claims he's been in a city under siege. He immediately inserts himself into the plot and follows it through to the end without suffering a single defeat or even serious setback. In a world of characters who are wrapped up in family intrigue, conspiracies, and having to serve a role within a feudal society, Bronn makes his own choices, unfettered and independent, more than any other character. Bronn is playing the Game of Thrones likes it's Skyrim.

From his introduction, Bronn seems intent to follow Tyrion's plotline while still doing the main quest, but note that Bronn could have chosen to leave at any time with no negative repercussions against him. All of these things were his choice.

Season 1

• He offers his room to Tyrion.
• When Catelyn arrests Tyrion, he joins with her until there's another opportunity for him to join Tyrion.
• He almost effortlessly kills Ser Vardis Egen for Tyrion.
• He survives the confrontation with the hill tribesmen with Tyrion.
• He's almost "killed" by them but the Lannister NPC he's on a quest with steps in to save him.
• He survives the Battle of the Green Fork unharmed.
• He follows Tyrion to King's Landing.

Season 2

• He serves as Tyrion's bodyguard, enforcer and later commander of the City Watch while he's Hand of the King.
• He survives and somehow quells the "Riot in King's Landing" event.
• He not only survives the Battle of the Blackwater, his involvement in the victory is so impressive that he's knighted by King Joffrey and awarded the "of the Blackwater" title. That's something you can be proud of on any playthrough.
• He's dismissed as commander of the City Watch by Tywin, but that's just because it's a branched plot and if you choose to stay with Tyrion, it locks you out of the "Tywin's Commander" route.

Season 3

• Bronn does very little in season 3. He's kind of hanging around King's Landing but doesn't really do much. I don't really know why. Based on my research, I'd guess it's because he was hanging out in brothels the whole time. If I had to come up with a reason, that would be it. And honestly? Honestly, that might be it.
• I don't know what to say about them making Podrick a sex god in the show but I feel like I should say something. That has to be relevant to this theory, I just don't know how yet.

Season 4

• At this point, Bronn has been with Tyrion for three seasons. That's a big investment of his playtime and this park is expensive. He's starting to get bored. That's why he branches out into Jaime Lannister's storyline.
• After the "Joffrey's Assassination" event, he has to make the decision of whether to keep following the "Tyrion's Best Friend" plotline or go down the "Cersei's New Friend" plotline. Obviously, as a guest, the Mountain would be incapable of harming him at all, so his excuse to Tyrion that he might not be able to beat him is bullshit. The real reason he turns him down is because he's after his next title: Lord Bronn, which he plans to get by marrying Lollys Stokeworth.
• The show incarnation of Lollys is entirely separate from the book. The only thing that Tyrion mentions when Bronn tells him that they're getting married is that she's apparently "dim-witted". This makes the match between Bronn and Lollys way, way more unlikely than it is in the books. Show Bronn is marrying a highborn woman, per Cersei's arrangement, entirely upon his merits. That's fucking crazy and sounds more like the main character of Fable marrying Lady Grey than anything in ASOIAF.

Season 5

• This is where the book plot ends, but the show keeps going. In the books, Bronn marries Lollys and becomes a much smaller part of the story, but this theory isn't about the books. This is about the show. This is Gamer Bronn.
• Bronn is simply vibing in Castle Stokeworth. He's clearly planning to follow this subquest of killing Falyse, but he forgot that he triggered the Jaime Lannister plotline earlier last season which locks him out of the Lollys Stokeworth plotline.
• He chooses to go with Jaime on an incredibly stupid quest to fight their way into Dorne in order to check on Myrcella, who is fine.
• Wait, no, she's not fine, but that might be their fault actually. I think you're supposed to turn Jaime down on this quest to get the good ending for the Lannisters.
• He apparently gets poisoned by Tyene Sand, which you'd think would be a problem because she's harming a guest, but what actually happens to Bronn? His nose bleeds and he feels dizzy. Westworld is a sci-fi show. He's not actually poisoned, it's just a very realistic simulation. He'd be fine either way, but if he takes the antidote he doesn't lock himself out of the "Bad P*ssy" ending.
• I like this theory because it means that line of dialogue is bad writing both in- and out-of-setting.
• He's almost "killed", again, and is saved by the Lannister NPC he's on a quest with, again. This is just a motif of the family of quests and personally I like it. Areo Hotah slaps him but whatever

Season 6

• He continues to follow Jaime Lannister to Riverrun for the siege, but he's not liking this plot much better than where Tyrion's was going. Either he messed up the Dorne plot somehow or it's just bugged, but he got nothing out of that and now Jaime is just going to another siege.
• He starts complaining to Jaime that he was promised "a castle, lands, and a wife". He's not leaving the park without his Lord title and he basically just hangs out with Jaime all season to make sure of it. He's not even involved with the siege of Riverrun, he's just there and hangs out until the event is over.
• He gets back to King's Landing to collect quest rewards, but the "Great Sept of Baelor Destroyed" event happened so all the early game quests are canceled, like trying to order a burger when they got the breakfast menu.
• I've been writing this for too long.

Season 7

• Bronn knows it's the endgame and his vacation is almost over.
• He continues Jaime's questline as they sack Highgarden and there's no quest reward of lordship in sight. If he wants to leave with that title, he's going to either have to switch teams real quick or double down and make this investment worth it.
• Back home, all of Bronn's friends have already finished the game as lords, but none of his friends have become lord of Highgarden yet. It's just such an out-of-the-way plotline. You have to wait until so long before they even get involved with the main plot and they usually die so early that it's usually just Hightower and Redwyne hosts by the time you get there.
• He pitches it to Jaime and he doesn't seem to like the idea. Bronn still needs to increase his reputation with this faction.
• He laughs at Dickon Tarly's name, which all but confirms that he's a guest because Dick and Dickon are normal names in ASOIAF without any innuendo because that's not slang for phallus in this universe. It only makes sense that Bronn isn't from this universe.
• The "Field of Fire 2: Electric Boogaloo" event happens. Bronn doesn't want to lose all his progress with the Jaime host, so he tries to get him to go back to King's Landing. Bronn gets on a ballista and noscopes a bloodrider. He takes some shots at a dragon, but it destroys the ballista but not him. His favorite host then tries to die by charging directly at the dragon, so Bronn uses his guest invincibility again in order to save him from certain death. Anyone but a guest would have died here.
• Because he advanced both Tyrion and Jaime's plots far enough before the endgame started, he gets to see the "Reunion" scene beneath the Red Keep and gets additional dialogue during the dragonpit scene. He's also unlocked a secret ending: "Qyburn's Assassin".

Season 8

• So, Qyburn has a plot where if you sufficiently advance both Tyrion and Jaime's plotlines, and the Queen Cersei event is active, he will offer you a quest to kill both Tyrion and Jaime.
• This comes with a castle, lordship, and highborn bride, which is what Bronn is after.
• He skips the entire Battle of Winterfell event and shows up afterward. In this theory, Tormund was the only guest actually present during the event. Since he was on a wilding only run, he didn't save any of the hosts that can actually die during the battle. Hosts that you can save and that can die during the battle, given different choices, include Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon, Khal Drogo, Robb Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Oberyn Martell, Jorah Mormont, Nimble Dick, and others. As Howland Reed was already back home in the real world, Daario was in Asshai doing something evil, Bronn was achievement hunting, and Tormund was LARPing, they let most of these optional NPCs die on this playthrough. It's very sad. Anyway, that's my explanation of why nearly every single main character survives the "Long" Night.
• You know that part in RPGs where you have to infiltrate a fort full of enemies, but if your stealth is high enough you can just crouch-walk past everyone and get to the end of the dungeon without anyone seeing you?
• That is what Bronn does at this point. Bronn makes his way up to a tavern near Winterfell, big-ass crossbow in hand, punches Tyrion in the face and demands they give him Highgarden. They begrudgingly agree and Bronn leaves the story until the last scene.
• Now, obviously if this wasn't just a game that a guest was playing, there would be consequences for something like that not related to being given Highgarden, such as arrest and execution. This, by comparison, can be done without consequence because Ser Bronn is an upjumped, landless cutthroat with no army to back him or family who will miss him. There is literally nothing to lose by having him killed, or sent to the Wall or whatever they want to do with him. There is similarly nothing whatsoever to gain from giving him one of the most powerful titles on the entire continent.
• Further, why the fuck does he want Highgarden? It was sacked by the Lannister army that Bronn was a part of at the beginning of Season 7. It wasn't shown the extent of the devastation, but given how they were carting away as much wealth as possible from there and then got attacked by dragons, there's not that much valuable stuff there. It's good farmland, but what part of Bronn's history makes it seem like he's planning around making things best for his descendants? The real valuable land in the Reach after the fall of House Tyrell are the Arbor and Oldtown, which are occupied. The Hightowers would certainly be better positioned to take the title of Lord Paramount than a newly-landed knight ruling out of a husk of a formerly verdant castle. He's very much set himself up to fail. It really only makes sense if he doesn't actually want to live there, he just wants the achievement of saying he had it.
• But he does want Highgarden, and they give it to him, so the show ends with Bronn, Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Reach, sitting on the small council as Master of Coin. This doesn't make any sense in the world as it had been established.
• ... But it does make sense as the end result of an achievement-hunting speedrunner's playthrough of Westworldos.

yeah that's basically it i might have misremembered some parts