Your Monster, Brandon Stark

[Cydal]

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.

Speak for yourself. Like Benjen Bloodraven was also a crow and unlike Benjen he actually rose to be Lord Commander.(So he's better on the crow department) now this was someone always known to be a bit of a wizard who also happens to be a warrior.

The fact that he's been around for a long time makes him better as it makes sense he's learned a lot & consequentially, knows a lot. It would have been cheesy if Benjen knew a lot after only leaving a few years before.

[Free Northman]

I just find it unfortunate that you need to have read the Dunk and Egg novels to have a true understanding of such an important figure in this series.

It's almost like Martin is trying to promote these other works through subtle references that means nothing to the rest of us, but leaves us frustrated and wanting to know more. Like the stupid tall knight in Bran's Winterfell hearttree vision. This is supposedly some guy called Duncan the Tall, but he has no bearing on the story so why should I care about him in the slightest?

Only Aemon refers to him, and Old Nan, and now we have the Bloodraven connection as well.

Stop shoving some insignificant peripheral story down my throat already, for Pete's sake.

The Three Eyed Crow should have been some northman hermit living in the depths of the Wolfswood, not some prancing southron jackanape with a Targaryen connection.

[Cydal]

I just find it unfortunate that you need to have read the Dunk and Egg novels to have a true understanding of such an important figure in this series.

It's almost like Martin is trying to promote these other works through subtle references that means nothing to the rest of us, but leaves us frustrated and wanting to know more. Like the stupid tall knight in Bran's Winterfell hearttree vision. This is supposedly some guy called Duncan the Tall, but he has no bearing on the story so why should I care about him in the slightest?

Only Aemon refers to him, and Old Nan, and now we have the Bloodraven connection as well.

Stop shoving some insignificant peripheral story down my throat already, for Pete's sake.

The Three Eyed Crow should have been some northman hermit living in the depths of the Wolfswood, not some prancing southron jackanape with a Targaryen connection.

It's possible that he wrote the Dunk & Egg stories as a sort of backdrop to the ASOAIF, besides you don't need to have read them to understand DWD. Bloodraven was only in The Mystery Knght sparingly towards the end of it, yeah there's a bit of story about him but it's nothing you need to know to understand the ASOIAF books.

Bottom line is he isn't shoving anything down your throat. You don't need to read them, But it's a good read nonetheless.

[knownothing]

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

I agree

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."

I agree

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

This where I disagree. He is referring to the Three Eyed Crow as "Monster". These dreams have been a nightmare for Bran with the TEC being the" Monster", because he doesn't UNDERSTAND what this is all about. The dreams frighten him. When Meera refers to "go with your monster" I don't think she is referring to Coldhands (who is not Ben Jen Stark !!!). She and Jojen understand about whargers and dreamseers and "get" that this Coldhands is a vehicle for the Three Eyed Crow (Bran's "monster).

At least that is what I think.

not sure what happened with the quote boxes and my "I agree" is supposed to follow the first two quotes.

[Cydal]

I agree

This where I disagree. He is referring to the Three Eyed Crow as "Monster". These dreams have been a nightmare for Bran with the TEC being the" Monster", because he doesn't UNDERSTAND what this is all about. The dreams frighten him. When Meera refers to "go with your monster" I don't think she is referring to Coldhands (who is not Ben Jen Stark !!!). She and Jojen understand about whargers and dreamseers and "get" that this Coldhands is a vehicle for the Three Eyed Crow (Bran's "monster).

At least that is what I think.

not sure what happened with the quote boxes and my "I agree" is supposed to follow the first two quotes.

Monster refered to Coldhands because Meera had just described Coldhands as never eating, never sleeping and afraid of fire

[Free Northman]

Monster obviously refers to Coldhands. It is very clear in the text. I never for a moment thought it was referring to Bloodraven.

[Dragons Dancing]

I thought the monster was 3EC when I read it and I haven't been convinced otherwise by this post. Bran's monster has been the 3EC bedeviling him in his dreams. Coldhands is simply a tool of Bran's monster.

I don't think it matters who the monster is.

[Miriamele]

I just find it unfortunate that you need to have read the Dunk and Egg novels to have a true understanding of such an important figure in this series.

It's almost like Martin is trying to promote these other works through subtle references that means nothing to the rest of us, but leaves us frustrated and wanting to know more. Like the stupid tall knight in Bran's Winterfell hearttree vision. This is supposedly some guy called Duncan the Tall, but he has no bearing on the story so why should I care about him in the slightest?

Only Aemon refers to him, and Old Nan, and now we have the Bloodraven connection as well.

Stop shoving some insignificant peripheral story down my throat already, for Pete's sake.

The Three Eyed Crow should have been some northman hermit living in the depths of the Wolfswood, not some prancing southron jackanape with a Targaryen connection.

Funny, I've always considered the Dunk&Egg stories as part of ASOIAF and not "other works" like the Wild Cards or Fever Dream. They show Westeros during the Targaryen regime, and some everyday life when it's not wartime, they make the world richer for me.

They are quite good, and we have to wait years for the next novel anyway.

What is Coldhands BTW? Is he a wight? Can't he be a friendly Other? It would be cool. I know the COTF woman says they killed him long ago but who knows.

[Free Northman]

Coldhands is probably a wight resurrected through the "good" necromancy of the greenseers, as oppossed to the "bad" necromancy of the Others. I don't recall him having blue eyes, like Other-generated wights, for example.

[Bran's flight dummy]

He did have blue eyes.

Since I believe that the wights are the reanimated dead being warged by the others, go back to the attack on the fist when Sam became the Slayer. When that other was killed his control over his wight was lost, that allowed 3EC to take over control or for him to have come back Cat style wonders around then the 3EC finds and helps him come to grip with his new reality and sends him on the quest to get Bran.

If the 3EC is warging Coldhands he is speaking third person and calling himself his monster but anyways its 3EC thats the monster either way.

[MinotaurWarrior]

I'm fairly certain Coldhands is something else entirely. So far, we have five types of undead: the wights, the others, the uns, and the frankens. Others are independent, magical, and can generate wights, and can only go out in the cold of night. Wights are subservient to the others (though not via skinchanging) , and don't need all their body parts to function. Uns are resurrected via unreliable fire magic, resume normal life function, and retain parts of their pre-death personality. Frankens don't need all their body parts, aren't independent, and are resurrected by secular sorcery. Coldhands is independent but aligned with the Singers, doesn't have normal life functions, is animate during the day, rides a living moose, and has a human personality.

[Cory Lee Hill]

I just find it unfortunate that you need to have read the Dunk and Egg novels to have a true understanding of such an important figure in this series.

It's almost like Martin is trying to promote these other works through subtle references that means nothing to the rest of us, but leaves us frustrated and wanting to know more. Like the stupid tall knight in Bran's Winterfell hearttree vision. This is supposedly some guy called Duncan the Tall, but he has no bearing on the story so why should I care about him in the slightest?

Only Aemon refers to him, and Old Nan, and now we have the Bloodraven connection as well.

Stop shoving some insignificant peripheral story down my throat already, for Pete's sake.

The Three Eyed Crow should have been some northman hermit living in the depths of the Wolfswood, not some prancing southron jackanape with a Targaryen connection.

Except Old Nan never mentioned him in the books only the Show. He is mentioned in Ser Barristan's page in the white book and has been referenced several times as the Lord Comander of the King's guard before the White Bull. If you don't know who he is how is he more bothersome than the kid cutting branches or the naked pregnant lady or the folks making the sacrifice.

As to their needing to bemore background on Bloodraven, yeah I think Aemon mentioning him as lord Comander is the only time in the series proper he gets mentioned before he shows up so I believe he could have used a few more background mentins like some of the other historical figures get. How many times has his uncle the Dragon Knight been mention? His half brothers Daemon and Bittersteel have ahd several referances but I can only think of the one for him. That being said, do you meen the 3EC should have been in the Haunted Forrest? He's always been stated to be north of the Wall so he was never going to be in the Wolfswood.

[Bran's flight dummy]

I'm fairly certain Coldhands is something else entirely. So far, we have five types of undead: the wights, the others, the uns, and the frankens. Others are independent, magical, and can generate wights, and can only go out in the cold of night. Wights are subservient to the others (though not via skinchanging) , and don't need all their body parts to function. Uns are resurrected via unreliable fire magic, resume normal life function, and retain parts of their pre-death personality. Frankens don't need all their body parts, aren't independent, and are resurrected by secular sorcery. Coldhands is independent but aligned with the Singers, doesn't have normal life functions, is animate during the day, rides a living moose, and has a human personality.

I don't believe the others are dead I see them more as nightelves the way they are all tall, gaunt but glide and move with silence. They have their armor that is translucent and changes with the background as camo, they have magic swords that glow and are so thin as they disappear when seen on edge yet destroy good steal. They also speak in foreign tongues. They have emotions like when it mocked Sir Waymar. I see them as another species not dead.

[hotweaselsoup]

I'm not convinced the Bloodraven is the Three-Eyed Crow. He seemed a little confused when Bran first asked him about it. I'm starting to believe that Bran himself is the Three-Eyed Crow, what with this idea cropping up that somehow Bran is a reiteration of Bran the Builder.

[Daeron Targaryen]

Well he appeared only once to Bran as a crow, perhaps he didn't remember it at first, or he is so used to being called the last greenseer that he is surprised by his "new" nickname.

[Dolorous J]

It's just so weird .

Do we have any theories yet what green-seers are and that purpose they serve ?? Are they people who just sit in the roots of Weirwood trees for 100's of years and oversee the goings-on around the realm ?? Are they the true "gods" of the north ??

[iamthedave]

Coldhands is probably a wight resurrected through the "good" necromancy of the greenseers, as oppossed to the "bad" necromancy of the Others. I don't recall him having blue eyes, like Other-generated wights, for example.

'Good' necromancy?

Have we seen any evidence of 'good' necromancy anywhere? Remember Beric's comment about the fire magic necromancy the r'hllor practitioners use? And apparently Coldhands casually butchered a bunch of Nights' Watchmen. Coldhands is good because Bloodraven wanted Bran. If Bran had been an enemy Coldhands would have murdered him just as coldly.

[Ser Smartypig]

I haven't seen anything to suggest Others are undead

[MtnLion]

I haven't seen anything to suggest Others are undead

Agree, the impression I have is that Others are another lifeform, one that abhors the warmblooded forms.

[gonzoaster11]

My theory, CH is in fact Benjen, but a "brought back" Benjen. Recall what Bloodraven said after Bran's first foray into the past, I'm paraphrasing here but, "Your father is dead, do not bring him back." I expect there's some magic greenseers can exert, not unlike the wights or the R'holllar undeads, which can bring back the dead. I do believe Bran will use the Weirwoods to look back and see Benjen die, but will somehow bring him back, thus giving meaning to the "Your monster" comment.