Your Monster, Brandon Stark

[AnOther]

Bran: "Who sent you? Who is this three-eyed crow?"

Coldhands: "A friend. Dreamer, wizard, call him what you will. The last green-seer."

Bran: "A monster,"

Coldhands: "Your monster, Brandon Stark."

What do you make of this exchange?

Surely Bran is the last Greenseer? So if Coldhands is answering the first question maybe Bran sent Coldhands himself and not the 3EC? I think Bran appears to be more powerful than Bloodraven- he seems to be able to get the attention of people in the past through the trees, so maybe this is something he alters in the past from the present?!

I don’t think the idenity of Coldhands is important. He’s just a dead crow. However I think Bran is responsible for Coldhands consciousness.

[Dolorous Rob]

I think Coldhands just meant that Bloodraven was the last trained Greenseer. At that point Bran hadn't linked up to the tree yet and really didn't understand what a Greenseer truly was. As far as the 'Your monster' comment, he meant Bloodraven was an ally.

[Shrave]

Does anyone else think this is just all weird crazy crap? I mean c'mon, there are magical people out in the haunted frozen forest who have lived there for who knows how many gazillion years. Then there is this ancient magic dude who can see everything, anytime, anywhere. He can warg into pretty much anything.

Anyone getting a little weary of this buildup of crazy magic?

[Argilac]

Does anyone else think this is just all weird crazy crap? I mean c'mon, there are magical people out in the haunted frozen forest who have lived there for who knows how many gazillion years. Then there is this ancient magic dude who can see everything, anytime, anywhere. He can warg into pretty much anything.

Anyone getting a little weary of this buildup of crazy magic?

It's a fantasy series. And magic isn't anything new to ASoIaF...it's become more and more prominent since the hatching of Dany's eggs.

[CrypticWeirwood]

I think Coldhands just meant that Bloodraven was the last trained Greenseer. At that point Bran hadn't linked up to the tree yet and really didn't understand what a Greenseer truly was. As far as the 'Your monster' comment, he meant Bloodraven was an ally.

Throughout Dance, Martin often has one person refer to another as their monster. My copy is a dead tree, but someone with an electronic copy should grep out all such references for us.

[Lord Jon Connington]

That line (Your Monster, Brandon Stark) gave me chills when I first read it for some reason.

[Bran's flight dummy]

The 3EC is warging Coldhands so when he speaks he is talking of himself.

Bran: "Who sent you? Who is this three-eyed crow?"

This is Meera's line not Bran's

[Crow's Eye]

Does anyone else think this is just all weird crazy crap? I mean c'mon, there are magical people out in the haunted frozen forest who have lived there for who knows how many gazillion years. Then there is this ancient magic dude who can see everything, anytime, anywhere. He can warg into pretty much anything.

Anyone getting a little weary of this buildup of crazy magic?

As someone else said - it's a fantasy series. "Magic" as a concept isn't exactly new to the genre. And the magical elements we see in this series aren't anywhere near as crazy or prevelant as most every other fantasy series.

Besides, the 3-Eyed Crow has been around since the beginning of AGOT. Putting a face to him now isn't exactly changing much.

[Fleet]

When he was described as looking at Bran as if the rest of the Realm didn't exist, I thought at that moment Coldhands was telling Bran he is going to be the next Green-seer.

he could have meant, if Bloodraven is a monster, then you one as well Bran Stark

[Suzette]

I read it as CH is Bran's monster. What that means... IDK.

did Bran conjour up CH? Is Bran somehow responsible for CH? Not sure.

[Cydal]

Bran: "Who sent you? Who is this three-eyed crow?"

Coldhands: "A friend. Dreamer, wizard, call him what you will. The last green-seer."

Bran: "A monster,"

Coldhands: "Your monster, Brandon Stark."

What do you make of this exchange?

Surely Bran is the last Greenseer? So if Coldhands is answering the first question maybe Bran sent Coldhands himself and not the 3EC? I think Bran appears to be more powerful than Bloodraven- he seems to be able to get the attention of people in the past through the trees, so maybe this is something he alters in the past from the present?!

I don’t think the idenity of Coldhands is important. He’s just a dead crow. However I think Bran is responsible for Coldhands consciousness.

I'm pretty sure that's not how it went. Bran called coldhands a monster and he said "Your Monster". as in i am your monster not that bloodraven is a monster.

[Argilac]

I'm pretty sure that's not how it went. Bran called coldhands a monster and he said "Your Monster". as in i am your monster not that bloodraven is a monster.

I don't see how you interpret that as Bran calling Coldhands a monster...

Coldhands is describing who sent him (3EC), and Bran adds "A monster" as his own way of describing 3EC. Then Coldhands responds that 3EC, not himself, is "Your monster."

[Arristan the Old]

Coldhands is describing who sent him (3EC), and Bran adds "A monster" as his own way of describing 3EC. Then Coldhands responds that 3EC, not himself, is "Your monster."

Reasonable, but not the only interpretation. Meera actually sort of interrupted Bran to ask about the 3EC as Bran was talking about how Coldhands was some sort of a creepy dead thing that can't go past the Wall (like wights). After CH describes the 3EC to answer Meera's question, there is also a door that bangs open to reveal a murder of ravens. Only after this distraction does Bran mention a monster. Maybe he's not responding to Coldhands about the 3EC; he could simply be returing to his original line of thought and referring to Coldhands. Granted, it's not impossible he meant the 3EC... if we only consider those lines.

For me though, the the clincher is a couple sentences later at the very end of the chapter, when Jojen says, "We go with the ranger. ...<snip>... We go with Bran's monster, or we die."

So it seems like Jojen for one assumed Bran was talking about Coldhands, and not about the 3EC.

FWIW, Bran is wrong - how could the Last Hero ever be a monster? :o)

[LordManderBlee]

That would be pretty cool, if either unconscious bran or future bran summoned cold hands to help them out

[AnOther]

That would be pretty cool, if either unconscious bran or future bran summoned cold hands to help them out

Yeah it would result in some sort of crazy timeline with Bran affecting different parts of his past/present/future- a bit like Doctor Who really!!

[AnOther]

Reasonable, but not the only interpretation. Meera actually sort of interrupted Bran to ask about the 3EC as Bran was talking about how Coldhands was some sort of a creepy dead thing that can't go past the Wall (like wights). After CH describes the 3EC to answer Meera's question, there is also a door that bangs open to reveal a murder of ravens. Only after this distraction does Bran mention a monster. Maybe he's not responding to Coldhands about the 3EC; he could simply be returing to his original line of thought and referring to Coldhands. Granted, it's not impossible he meant the 3EC... if we only consider those lines.

For me though, the the clincher is a couple sentences later at the very end of the chapter, when Jojen says, "We go with the ranger. ...<snip>... We go with Bran's monster, or we die."

So it seems like Jojen for one assumed Bran was talking about Coldhands, and not about the 3EC.

FWIW, Bran is wrong - how could the Last Hero ever be a monster? :o)

Thanks this clarifies Coldhands as the subject of the sentence!

[TippsBlackandWhite]

Perhaps it is possible, especially if WeirBran was also the one who helped open Jon's third eye in ACoK. Unless that was just a dream, but the description of a weirwood with Bran's face seems to just fit too well.

[Dolorous J]

Does anyone else think this is just all weird crazy crap? I mean c'mon, there are magical people out in the haunted frozen forest who have lived there for who knows how many gazillion years. Then there is this ancient magic dude who can see everything, anytime, anywhere. He can warg into pretty much anything.

Anyone getting a little weary of this buildup of crazy magic?

It's definitely weird . I was hoping the three-eyed crow was going to be a still alive Benjen Stark. It would have been clever because warging is called using your third eye , and men of the nights watch are called Crows.

Instead we get some weird old dude from the DUnk and Egg stories who's still alive , sitting in the dark attached to a tree? Ummmm, ok.

Hopefully Martin ties it all in with a meaningful and believeable back-story about who green-seerers are, how and why they exist , and what purpose they serve , but so far it's the only thing in the series that struck me as over the top.

[MillerEP]

Hopefully Martin ties it all in with a meaningful and believeable back-story about who green-seerers are, how and why they exist , and what purpose they serve , but so far it's the only thing in the series that struck me as over the top.

I'm pretty sure there will be a lot more information about this all in the next two books and the Others start coming. Since it's sort of obvious that Bran replacing Bloodraven will help somehow in the great battle to come.

[Cydal]

I don't see how you interpret that as Bran calling Coldhands a monster...

Coldhands is describing who sent him (3EC), and Bran adds "A monster" as his own way of describing 3EC. Then Coldhands responds that 3EC, not himself, is "Your monster."

You might need to read the book again friend, cos i'm pretty sure you are wrong. Bran was refering to Coldhands when he said "Monster". I'd type out the entire passage for you... I just don't care enough to