Three-eyed crow and the last Blackfyre pretender

[Dave of Summerhall]

Okay I just reread ADwD and all of the Dunk & Egg stories. Here are my predictions for TWoW:

1. Three-eyed crow is obviously Bloodraven

2. "Aegon" is a son of Illyrio and a female of the Blackfyre line. We will find this out through JC's POV. The fact that there is a time gap between "Aegon's" fake death and meeting up with JC supports this

3. The Golden Company still has the Valyrian sword Blackfyre

Bloodraven spent his entire life fighting the Blackfyre pretenders, and will continue to do so preventing "Aegon" from ascending the Iron Throne. Once "Aegon" is dead, Bloodraven will die and Bran will be the last greenseer.

[lysmonger]

perhaps Bloodraven is actually rooting for the Blackfyres. He was put in jail by the targaryeans and all tarts became insane during his time... He has other things to be worrying about

[Prince of the North]

Nah, Bloodraven is a Targaryen loyalist through and through (and, even more than that, I think he's loyal to the kingdoms). Remember, he wasn't imprisoned by all Targaryens. He was imprisoned by one Targaryen, King Maekar I. This was mainly for the crime of being appointed Hand by King Aerys I (Maekar's brother) when Maekar thought the position should have been his.

[Crown]

Do we actually know why Bloodraven joined the Night's Watch?

[lysmonger]

Bloodraven may actually have his loyalties lie somewhere else.... It would be so easy for him to kill Aegon. Why would he kill Aegon? A guy who is 125 years old is not got going to kill somebody for thinking he's a Targ if thats the case. Bloodraven also definitely suspect Daeron the goods kids aren't real targs-they all got sick. YOu think Varys would pull something like this without bloodravens help?

[King Bolton 1990]

I think Aegons the real deal and that his story really doesn't have much of anything to do with Bran's story

[Magjee]

Do we actually know why Bloodraven joined the Night's Watch?

He was in the Black Cells, when Maestar Aemon departed for the wall Egg cleared the dungeons and sent all the prisoners to the wall with him.

That included Bloodraven

[Urien the Ragged]

i have to disagree with the depiction of the Blackfyres as "pretenders". I mean, Perkin Warbeck was a pretender, the Blackfyres actually had a strong claim to the throne, Daemon was legitimized by Aegon IV and was a kind and honorable man as well as a great warrior. Being the legitimized son of two Targaryens made his bid solid.

[7V3N]

Do we actually know why Bloodraven joined the Night's Watch?

He was in the Black Cells in King's Landing, but I believe he was sent to the Wall as part of (Maester) Aemon's guard after Aegon "Egg" was crowned.

To the OP: You should put your reasons for your beliefs so we can have a real discussion and debate the legitimacy/possibility of your theories.

[Ferrous]

Bloodraven is a Targ loyalist however the Blackfyres are a Targaryen line.

With all the legit Targs dead (and Dany unable to produce an heir), then Aegon may be the only way for a Targaryen dynasty to hold the Iron Throne.

Whilst a Targ is better than a Blackfyre, a Blackfyre is better than a non dragon.

[Athanasius Pernath]

Hello to everyone. I'm new, i'm italian (my true name sounds really braavosi), so please don't yell at me if my english sucks and i write m'lord instead of my lord :)

i think Bloodraven is a cool enough guy to be the subject of my first post, so:

I actually don't think Bloodraven care about the Blackfyre folks. We know from his words that there had 'a brother he loved, a brother he hated'. I don't know what most of the readers think, but it's pretty obvious to me that the 'beloved one' was Daemon, the one he had to kill. So why he HAD TO kill him?

I suppose Bloodraven during his life simply was another of the men dancing at the music of 'the song of ice and fire', the prophecy of the Prince W.W.P.

Just like Egg, and Jeaheris, and maybe Aegon the Conqueror himself. So, he probably knew that the Prince 'd be born from the lineage of Daeron, and that with Daemon (even if Bloodraven thought Daemon was the best possible king) on the Iron Throne and Daeron dead, the Prince would have never been born (<- god, i hate that kind of construction. please correct me when i fail, it's a good exercise for me^^)

So actually we don't know if Bloodraven is aware of Jon identity as the Prince..but i'm quite sure he is. By the way, now the Prince is born, so there is nothing important about who sit on the iron throne. Not at all. Ok, maybe when he was still 'human' he could have cared a little about "ehi, i wonder if that Aegon is a fake or a real relative of me.." but now, no way he can care a shit about things like that. When dead men, and worse, come hunting for us in the night, do you think it matters who sits on the Iron Throne? :)

[Crown]

He was in the Black Cells in King's Landing, but I believe he was sent to the Wall as part of (Maester) Aemon's guard after Aegon "Egg" was crowned. To the OP: You should put your reasons for your beliefs so we can have a real discussion and debate the legitimacy/possibility of your theories.

Why was he in the Black Cells? I'm not that good at the Targaryen history.

[Athanasius Pernath]

Why was he in the Black Cells? I'm not that good at the Targaryen history.

Maekar puts him. They always had a..complicated relationship :)

Maekar was very Stannis-like in his view of Bloodraven. He thought that it was unfair for Aerys I to choose Bloodraven as Hand instead of him. There's a dialogue in the Mystery Knight between Bloodraven and Egg:

"I have half a mind to take you back to King's Landing with us," Lord Rivers said to Egg, "and keep you at court as my ... guest."

"My father would not take kindly to that."

""I suppose not. Prince Maekar has a ... prickly ... nature"

plus, Bloodraven was the Imp of his time. Everything that went wrong in the realm at the eyes of the people was his fault. 'Cause you know, he was an albino, a bastard, and a kinslayer..so he was despised by everyone. Probably (just a possibility) Maekar thought that he really was behind the death of king Aerys. Or that he really used to 'control' the king with his lies and sorceries. we don't know WHY Maekar immediatly send him to the black cells, but i think that Bloodraven and Egg (Aegon V) understood each other well, and were allies in the search of the Prince Who Was Promised. So when Aegon V become king immediatly set him free. Maybe he just needed a good excuse for the 'public opinion' (people loathed Bloodraven) and so he uses the Aemon trip to the wall and made him a NW brother :)

[Crown]

Maekar puts him. They always had a..complicated relationship :) Maekar was very Stannis-like in his view of Bloodraven. He thought that it was unfair for Aerys I to choose Bloodraven as Hand instead of him. There's a dialogue in the Mystery Knight between Bloodraven and Egg: "I have half a mind to take you back to King's Landing with us," Lord Rivers said to Egg, "and keep you at court as my ... guest." "My father would not take kindly to that." ""I suppose not. Prince Maekar has a ... prickly ... nature" plus, Bloodraven was the Imp of his time. Everything that went wrong in the realm at the eyes of the people was his fault. 'Cause you know, he was an albino, a bastard, and a kinslayer..so he was despised by everyone. Probably (just a possibility) Maekar thought that he really was behind the death of king Aerys. Or that he really used to 'control' the king with his lies and sorceries. we don't know WHY Maekar immediatly send him to the black cells, but i think that Bloodraven and Egg (Aegon V) understood each other well, and were allies in the search of the Prince Who Was Promised. So when Aegon V become king immediatly set him free. Maybe he just needed a good excuse for the 'public opinion' (people loathed Bloodraven) and so he uses the Aemon trip to the wall and made him a NW brother :)

Thanks, explains a lot. Haven't read The Mystery Knight yet.

[7V3N]

Bloodraven ruled by instilling fear in his subjects. The people of Westeros truly believed he had eyes everywhere (which he did), that he was a powerful sorcerer (which he was), a great warrior (which he was), and--most importantly--ruthless (which he was).

Not to mention he had the wisdom of Jojen, and the wits of Aemon (or I guess Aemon had the wits of BR).

[gogorath]

If I had to guess, I suspect Bloodraven -- who fought for the loyalists against the Blackfyres -- is somewhat past those politics now. He's 125 years old and has knowledge of a much greater conflict brewing. So I figure he's past the whole Blackfyre-Targaryen thing. Except where it may intersect with the larger fight (PtwP, etc.).

I think there's a chance Bloodraven asked to go to the Wall. Perhaps in prison he took to reading a lot of prophecy.

I do think "Aegon" is a Blackfyre and not Aegon.

[Dragon-Wolf]

Hey All,

Interesting paralels, The whole "A brother he loved and hated" (presumably Daemon and Bittersteel) would suggest that Bloodraven didn't have an unconditional opposition to Blackfyres.

Maybe just that he knew that TPWTP (Jon imo) would descend from Daeron through to Rhaegar's line and so fought on Daeron's side

I think he has stayed alive for as long as he has to aid Jon through Bran somehow, the part in dance where the raven sqauks "King" to Jon.

I dont think that 125 year old tree man will have anything to do with "Aegon's" story. The three eyed crow seems to be more to do with the impending fight to come with the others than the fight for the iron throne.

[7V3N]

Hey All,

Interesting paralels, The whole "A brother he loved and hated" (presumably Daemon and Bittersteel) would suggest that Bloodraven didn't have an unconditional opposition to Blackfyres.

Maybe just that he knew that TPWTP (Jon imo) would descend from Daeron through to Rhaegar's line and so fought on Daeron's side

I think he has stayed alive for as long as he has to aid Jon through Bran somehow, the part in dance where the raven sqauks "King" to Jon.

I dont think that 125 year old tree man will have anything to do with "Aegon's" story. The three eyed crow seems to be more to do with the impending fight to come with the others than the fight for the iron throne.

That's the one you picked out? What about Mel asking to see AA and all she sees is Snow. What about his dream of killing undead on the Wall with a flaming sword? What about how he just died and have smoke coming from his wound?

[Guest]

Interesting paralels, The whole "A brother he loved and hated" (presumably Daemon and Bittersteel) would suggest that Bloodraven didn't have an unconditional opposition to Blackfyres.

I'm only just now getting caught up on my Targ history. Is this Deamon the very Daemon whose rebellion he brings down?

[7V3N]

I'm only just now getting caught up on my Targ history. Is this Deamon the very Daemon whose rebellion he brings down?

Yes. Daemon was encouraged by Bittersteel (and many other powerful lords) to rebel. Bloodraven and his Raven's Teeth rained arrows on Daemon and his sons. This is when Bittersteel rushed Bloodraven and was able to take his eye.