After the three escaped the cave, Ellie yelled at Hodor to “hold the door” in order to give her and Bran enough time to escape. The words echoed down through the past, via Bran, causing Wylis to fall to the ground and seize while yelling “hold the door!” over and over again, until brain damage set in and the three words slurred into one: “Hodor.” In the present, Hodor seemingly dies holding the door so that Bran and Meera can get away.