How Much Does Benjen Know?

[FranklynFowler]

In Jon's first POV chapter when he's talking to Benjen, Jon said "I'm not your son!" and Benjen said "More's the pity"

This got me thinking, When Ned returned to the North to Rule Winterfell with his Sister's bones and a Bastard son, would he have lied to his brother and told some fake story about both of them. Or would he have told Benjen the truth about either Jon or Lyanna.

If he told him the truth (depending on which theory you subscribe to) would that have contributed to Benjen joining the Night's Watch as way to keep Ned's secret and therefore making sure someone knows the truth who's not in a dangerous position aka, warden of the north or hand of king and someone who isn't too far away like Howland Reed to tell Jon in case something goes wrong (like ned losing his head).

If this is true, i'm hoping that means Benjen will return in shape or form to tell Jon in the next 2 books.

[BRANDON GREYSTARK]

Benjen like Jon and sgt. Shultz knows nothing .

[Chilli]

I think GRRM has made Benjen missing in the story because he knows too much about Jon's past (he could have guessed things) and he might have discovered something about the Others.

[The Wolfswood]

:agree: And also the NW would have made him Lord Commander ahead of Jon, which would not fit the Ides story.

[Bryanfury]

Benjen knows much and more. In the same chapter when Benjen sits down next to Jon he says "My brother looks unhappy" rather than "Your father". I'd go through more of what Benjen says but I'm on my phone atm so it's a bit difficult.

[Dmerle]

I think Benjen and Ned were the people who knew about Jons true parentage, (whether that be R+L or his birth mother.) I also think he'll return, in WoW or DoS.

[SnowHeart]

I like the idea that Benjin could be the one to do the big Jon reveal, as it's getting less and less likely that we will ever meet howland reed.

Apart from the small, insignificant detail that he's been MIA beyond the wall for 4 books now...

[Lord Fred of Mole's Town]

Benjen knows the Stark's role in the wall's history and the treaty with the CotF/WWs. After Ned beheaded Gared, Ned knew that something was amiss and he sent for Benjen to discuss his mission and to tell him about Jon. After returning to the wall, Benjen put Jon in Mormont's care then went on his ranging mission to meet with the CotF and WWs (NK?) and determine the course of North's action (if he survived). I think he knows a lot of things, including who CH is, and TWoW will hopefully let us know if his mission was successful or not. Jon needs to know what Benjen knows and hopefully they will meet again (or maybe Ghost and Benjen will meet).

[Petyr Patter]

The question ultimately rests on whether Eddard would lie to one sibling about the fate of the other. I don't think he would. He'd lie to wife, but Benjen deserves to know the fate of their sister. After all, they are the only Starks remaining except for a new born or two.

Of course, Benjen is also probably dead, but everyone knows characters with speaking roles are never killed off-page.

[Muggle]

Ned would not disrespect Benjen and not tell him the truth. Lyanna and Ben were extremely close growing up.

[PrinceHenryris]

I seem to recall some posts here that theorized Benjen helped Lyanna run away to Rhaeghar.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

I'm very sure the first thing Ben asked Ned when he returned home was "what happened to Lyanna?". Ned wouldn't lie to him about the fate of his sister.

[Isobel Harper]

Given Benjen's relationship with Lyanna and his status as a member of the NW, he would have both the right to know the truth of Jon's parentage as well as the political neutrality to not abuse the truth behind it. I'd like to think that Ned truly told no one (except perhaps Howland Reed who was at the ToJ), but I can see telling Benjen the truth as not being unwise.

[Lord Sapna]

The question ultimately rests on whether Eddard would lie to one sibling about the fate of the other. I don't think he would. He'd lie to wife, but Benjen deserves to know the fate of their sister. After all, they are the only Starks remaining except for a new born or two.

Of course, Benjen is also probably dead, but everyone knows characters with speaking roles are never killed off-page.

Vargo Hoat lives!

[The Mother of The Others]

Benjen knows that brains are tasty. Which is more than Jon Snow knows.

[Theon {HUNGRY WOLF} Stark]

R+L=J was the biggest Atom Bomb of ASOIAF created by Martin. It may have been revealed early in third book {when Martin was writing early parts of AGOT, including Eddard I, and series was still three books} As for Benjen's knowledge I think Benjen, NED, Howland are only three people in whole of Planetos who know the whole story behind R+L=J. Out of three one gets a pov {whose inner monologues never get decisive,kind of foggy about the whole scene at ToJ}, One goes missing after 100 or so pages and is pesumed dad{HE IS NOT}, while the third is yet to appear in books as a character.

[Targaryen loyalist]

I think that Benjen knows a lot about Jon, Lyanna, Rhaegar etc.

In my opinion he discovered the truth about Lyanna and Rhaegar during Harrenall's tournament but he somehow failed to tell the truth to his father and brothers. This led Rickard and Brandon to rush to KL and die.

Benjen, feeling guilty, reveals the truth to Eddard (Lyanna is in love with Rhaegar). After the war Benjen feeling guilty for having caused the War and his father and brother's deaths decide to take the Black to atone for his "sins".

[Luthien Targaryen]

If Benjen hasn't known all along, I think he's smart enough to work it out for himself.

Even if he wasn't at the Tower of Joy, he knows his siblings. He's grown up alongside Lyanna as was probably as privy to her views on Robert Baratheon and Rhaegar Targaryen as Ned was, if not more so. He knew that she was a headstrong and wilful girl who was unlikely to be taken anywhere against her will without a fight. He would also, I like to think, know Ned well enough to realise that he was the kind of guy who took his responsibilities seriously and didn't break his word if he could possibly help it. I've come to the conclusion that Jon can't be Ned's son since Ned is and wasn't the kind of guy to sleep with another woman if he knew he had to marry a girl or cheat on his wife shortly after they were married, no matter how little he knew her. Benjen must have the same thoughts. Although thinking about it, I can just about see something happening, after all, Robb might have been better advised to love and leave Jeyne Westerling for his Frey bride...but Robb is younger than Ned was at the time and isn't best mates with Robert Baratheon.

Anyway, if I were Benjen and my brother had just turned up with a baby (and presumably I'd be aware that his actual, legitimate child was still at Riverrun with his mother) I'd ask where he'd got the child and who the mother was. Ned doesn't seem to be very good at making up cover stories, so I guess he just brushes Benjen aside, but I wouldn't leave it there.

Lyanna is dead, Ned's got a baby that probably isn't his because he's not the kind of guy who cheats on his wife, and he's not in the habit of kidnapping other people's kids. I'm sure Benjen could have inquired further and would have come to the conclusion that Jon was Lyanna's son. People in Winterfell are going to talk, and aren't going to stop talking because the lord says he wants them to, they'll just make sure he doesn't hear them.

I wonder if Benjen had to join the Night's Watch just to shut him up.

[PlainJeyne]

I think that Benjen likely knows, but I doubt that Ned told him. I think he probably knew something was up with Lyanna and Rhaegar since Harenhall or maybe knew that Lyanna eloped with him rather than was kidnapped. The guilt of knowing these things may have lead him to join the NW.

[Roose on the Loose]

When Jon tells Benjen he wants to join the Watch, Benjen says something like If you only knew what you were giving up. I originally thought he was talking about sex. But now I suspect he was thinking about Jon's claim to the IT.