115 replies to this topic

[Menos Grande]

3 people cross my mind:
1) That king of night watch, that was doomed to "Do his watch for ever" , even though it's a little different of what ghosts should look, also Bran told the tale of this king just before meeting with cold hands... could be coincidence could be that George Martin put the reference before just so that we were lost thinking in him and not seeing his true self.
2) Benjamin Stark... he is gone, and he knows secrets of the wall and night's watch, and wants to protect Bran... this would also explain how he survived in the last winter being left alone across the wall.. if he already knew the Three-eyed-crow he should be safe in his cave.
3) One of craster's sons made into a Walker (he uses the dead horses like a walker, and is cold and dead) that turned sides . The problem in being Ben is that Coldhands stated that he is a long time gone (dead) and Ben is only lost for a short amount of time

Edited by Menos Grande, 29 April 2012 - 09:19 PM.

[Francisco R. Fonseca]

I don't recall that story, can you recap it? The big story that seemed to be told was Meera's about the tourney. That is a good theory though.

[TheDrawback]

i guess we'll never know

[theguyfromtheVale]

Francisco R. Fonseca, on 29 April 2012 - 09:53 PM, said:

I don't recall that story, can you recap it? The big story that seemed to be told was Meera's about the tourney. That is a good theory though.

slightly abridged quote:

Quote

He had been the thirteenth man to lead the Night's Watch; a warrior who knew no fear. And that was the fault in him, for all men must know fear. A woman was his downfall, a woman glimpsed from atop the Wall, with skin as white as the moon and eyes like blue stars. Fearing nothing, he chased her and caught her and loved her, though her skin was cold as ice, and when he gave his seed to her he gave his soul as well.
He brought her back to the Nightfort and proclaimed her queen an himself her king, and with strange sorceries he bond his Sworn Brothers to his will. For thirteen years they had ruled, Night's King and his corpse queen, till finally the Stark in Winterfell and Joramun of the wildlings had joined to free the watch from bondage. After his fall, when it was found he had been sacrificing to the Others, all records of the Night's King had been destroyed, his very name forbidden.

There are parallels to several mythological and actual figures in the ASoIaF universe.
First of all, both the Night's King and the Last Hero were the thirteenth of their group, with all the other members dying first. They also both gave up something essential: everything, or at least their soul.
Then there's Stannis, who has been giving his seed and shadow and hence arguably his soul to Melisandre, who is often called his real queen.
Lastly, there's Craster, who sacrificed to the Others, too...

[GreenDream]

I just realized this was in the still reading section... not sure if my comment was appropriate or not for this forum. Sorry.

Edited by GreenDream, 19 May 2012 - 11:45 PM.

[phantomofthekingsguard]

I read the chapter this afternoon, and the first thing I thought was it must be Benjen Stark.
I tried to spoil myself, flicking forward to find the next Bran chapter - THERE ISN'T ONE!!  Not in this book anyway.  Talk about a bit of a cliffhanger
I thought it was a great chapter though, Sam going to find Bran, then realising he's Jon's brother.

[Francisco R. Fonseca]

I thought the same thing....I wanted to know what was next and then realized that there is quite a wait. I can't wait to know more about this Coldhands too.

[TheSwordOfTheEvening]

I have a good feeling it's Benjen Stark. Nights Watch characters consistently mention him throughout the book, but his body is never found. I'm not saying GRRM plays him out to be a MAJOR character, but one that should stay relevant. Benjen also has had very few parts in the book: all he does is come while Robert's visiting Winterfell, have a big convo with Jon, and then travels with them to the wall.

But the character himself is so mysterious and intriguing, coldhands could very well be anything...

[erolyn]

I'm hoping it's Benjen. His disappearance seemed like a big deal in the first book, but then we didn't hear much about it, so I'd like to think GRRM hasn't forgotten and has had him around as Coldhands.

[Prince of the North]

ETA: On second thought maybe I won't link that in this forum because of spoilers.  Just be aware that there are many threads on this topic in the other forums but, of course, beware spoilers!

Edited by Prince of the North, 23 May 2012 - 12:43 PM.

[Ser Ineedalife]

I suspect Coldhands is Benjen Stark, who is a like Bran, a Warg. I haven't figured out how he died and yet still possesses his original body, but he does. Maybe he was in a beast when his body was "killed" and he was able to re-enter his body.

[Ser Ineedalife]

I suspect Coldhands is Benjen Stark, who is a like Bran, a Warg. I haven't figured out how he died and yet still possesses his original body, but he does. Maybe he was in a beast when his body was "killed" and he was able to re-enter his body.

[Ser Ineedalife]

I suspect Coldhands is Benjen Stark, who is like Bran, a Warg. I haven't figured out how he died and yet still possesses his original body, but he does. Maybe he was in a beast when his body was "killed" and he was able to re-enter his body.

[Ser Ineedalife]

I suspect Coldhands is Benjen Stark, who is like Bran, a Warg. I haven't figured out how he died and yet still possesses his original body, but he does. Maybe he was in a beast when his body was "killed" and he was able to re-enter his body.

[TheLightningLord7]

I believe him to be the "Night's King" because Bran was telling the story of him before he was sent to meet him, and also he was stationed at the Nightfort, which is where they were, and also it's said it had been abandoned for 200 years so who else would know of that secret entrance other than him? From what i understand as well is that he said he has been long dead, so it all points to him IMO.

[LampreyPie]

theguyfromtheVale, on 02 May 2012 - 02:49 AM, said:

There are parallels to several mythological and actual figures in the ASoIaF universe.
First of all, both the Night's King and the Last Hero were the thirteenth of their group, with all the other members dying first. They also both gave up something essential: everything, or at least their soul.
Then there's Stannis, who has been giving his seed and shadow and hence arguably his soul to Melisandre, who is often called his real queen.
Lastly, there's Craster, who sacrificed to the Others, too...

That Stannis link is very interesting! It never occurred to me before. A king, giving his "soul" to a magical sorceress type woman (though the one in the story is blue/ice while Melisandre is red/fire). I'm beginning to suspect for a number of reasons that Melisandre is only pretending to work for Rh'llor and in fact has something to do with the Other and perhaps by extension the Others. And Stannis' men do go to the Wall, so there's a kind of connection there. I don't know what this might be the beginnings of, but it seems like something.

Edited by LampreyPie, 08 June 2012 - 01:27 PM.

[justashadow]

I hope this is revealed in later book.

[Masonity]

*snip*. Didn't see which forum this was in. Don't think there were spoilers, but just in case.

Edited by Masonity, 31 July 2012 - 07:15 PM.

[The Lord Of Castamere]

My guess would be Benjen too but something tells me that's too obvious to actually be true.

[Torque]

Crown, on 20 March 2012 - 08:57 AM, said:

There is no chapter title that is even close to Coldhands.

Oh Oh, its on!

I have to agree with him.