Who is Coldhands?

[smashedhalo]

It would stand to reason then. Royce was a son of a northern lord. Stands to reason he would have taken vows before a heart tree.

The next argument is how did he know info that was lost, i.e. the weirwood door, and speaking the old tongue. That could be a side effect once the affect wears off. Namely proximity to WW. The other 2 got to the wall, where as he wanderer off, got scooped up by a CoTF, maybe tasted weirwood paste. The CoTF then followed along with the ravens/elk to keep him in line on the way

[TheManIsStannis]

It would stand to reason then. Royce was a son of a northern lord. Stands to reason he would have taken vows before a heart tree.

He was the son of a Lord of the Vale, sorry/

[Aetta]

I'm hoping he is Brandon Snow, Torrhen Stark's bastard brother. Bran has a vision of him making weirwood arrows to kill Aegon's dragons.

I like this one, too. Interesting, if that's the case, that he is charged with bringing Bran to a "dragon" that was once in a band of archers and now lives in a wierwood.

[Bluecore]

I think he is either Night's King or the offspring of his consummation with the Other.

[stateofdissipation]

We know Coldhands was once a Black Brother, and we know he is now undead. However we don't know much more about him. Any speculation on where he fits in this world in the future? For all we know he will end up a forgotten plot device, however George rarely does that to us. So any theories on who he is?

My personal opinion is that Coldhands will eventually be revealed as the late Benjen Stark, mostly because I figure the Starks natural warging ability might make a dead Benjen a perfect vessel to be used by someone like Bloodraven to control when he needs a human for something. Pure speculation I know, but I have always had a feeling Benjen would show up in some form by the end of the series, and this is first time since ACoK where GRRM has given me hope that I was right. Now going against this theory is, you'd think Bran would recognize his own uncle even with a big scarf over his face, but you never know. Benjen has probably been at the Wall all of Bran's life with very few chances to visit, so Bran may barely know the man.

Bran's connection to Benjen being CH.

Bran states: the children of the forest will help him(Benjen), when Bran learns that his uncle is missing He is scolded for bringing up Old Nan's stories.

Bran sees a child of the forest she is helping Coldhands. When he first speaks with the child of the forest, he feels as if he has slipped into one of Old Nan's stories.

Benjen taught Bran all the forts on the wall. He mentioned that Bran knew them so well he could be first ranger. Later, Bran knows about the Nightfort's ice stairs but is not sure if Benjen or Luwin told him. Bran did know that Benjen told him the ice was too treacherous for stairs.

Coldhands has uncommon knowledge of the nightfort (location and operation of the black gate)

Bran comments that Benjen is first ranger and might know where the 3 eyed crow is.

Coldhands is a ranger that knows where the 3 eyed crow is.

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Similarities?

Match

Benjen is described "as gaunt as a mountain crag"

Bran describes coldhands as "thin and gaunt"

Unknown

CH covers the lower part of his face.

Match

CH wears mottled blacks and grays.

Benjen was with the NW for 15 years

Match

CH appears to have control over animals

Starks are known to be wargs

Unknown

Benjen had blue eyes

CH has black eyes.

(eye color change is part of becoming a wight)

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CH is recently deceased?

Clothing does not appear to be ancient and CH did not pick up new clothing from the traitors at Crasters.

(BR's blacks are all but rotted away in a couple of hundred years (give or take). Yoren's were worn to gray in about 30 (give or take). CH seems to fit between them.

CH surprised by wights under the snow. He was concerned when he reached the cave but continued on when he did not see the wights.

CH explains what happens to the body soon after death but not the long term effects.

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Things to cast doubt on Coldhand's age

Some (ravens) would fly to the ranger and mutter to him. It seemed to Bran that he understood their quorks and squaks. The time when men understood ravens has been forgotten by man.

When Coldhands slaughtered the elk he spoke a tongue bran did not understand.

Leaf said No. They killed him long ago

If CH is a warg his ability to communicate with the ravens need not be ancient.

The Old Tongue is the language is currently in use by the Wildings and known by some NW brothers. Bran does not speak the old tongue as Leaf learned the common tongue for him.

The statement was made in as a correction to Bran's concern that the wights were going to kill CH if they leave him outside the cave. The statement includes that Leaf knew about the death of person now known as CH's. Bran's concern includes that he did not. Leaf knew both CH backstory and that CH did not tell Bran.

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CH is not BR's meat puppet.

If BR warged CH, the elk, and the ravens, then ravens communicating with CH would be BR talking to himself. The elk was not as obedient when CH was not close.

BR knew about the wights under the snow outside the cave. CH did not.

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Finally, Bejen's mission in the lands of always winter has either taken place completely off page or Benjen is CH. If Benjen turns up in winds of winter with a weapon or information that will defeat the Others, all that Jon, Bran, and Stannis did was simply a diversion. If Bran and CH's do the same thing the battle against the others is at least decided in the text.

[The Kinkslayer]

Coldhands is Brandon Stark's monster.

It is known that time-traveling Bran is stuck in a groundhog day-style time loop, continously changing the past in order to forge a future in which TWOW is actually published, I mean, Ruhllor loses.

[stateofdissipation]

Coldhands is Brandon Stark's monster.

It is known that time-traveling Bran is stuck in a groundhog day-style time loop, continously changing the past in order to forge a future in which TWOW is actually published, I mean, Ruhllor loses.

BR is Brandon Starks monster...

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

(Coldhands) "A friend. Dreamer, wizard, call him what you will. The last greenseer." ...

"A monster," Bran said.

The ranger looked at Bran as if the rest of them did not exist. "Your monster, Brandon Stark."

"Yours," the raven echoed from his shoulder.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

It would stand to reason then. Royce was a son of a northern lord. Stands to reason he would have taken vows before a heart tree.

The next argument is how did he know info that was lost, i.e. the weirwood door, and speaking the old tongue. That could be a side effect once the affect wears off. Namely proximity to WW. The other 2 got to the wall, where as he wanderer off, got scooped up by a CoTF, maybe tasted weirwood paste. The CoTF then followed along with the ravens/elk to keep him in line on the way

Not really. First of all he was from the Vale, not the North (as someone else mentioned). But also, the faith of the Seven has spread northward. Not all of the Northmen still follow the Old Gods, though certainly a higher percentage of them do than the nobles of the other regions.

The next argument goes back to my pointing out that "they killed him long ago" rules out Waymar. Night's Watch newbies wouldn't have that kind of info, and I imagine it is just as hard for the dead/undead to learn a new language as it is for those of us who are living. So CH is more than likely someone who was alive a long time ago, knew about the Black Gate, and knew the Old Tongue.

Weirwood paste is an interesting point. I wonder what all that does. Could it give someone a greater talent for languages? That would change things regarding who all could be Coldhands.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

BR is Brandon Starks monster...

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

(Coldhands) "A friend. Dreamer, wizard, call him what you will. The last greenseer." ...

"A monster," Bran said.

The ranger looked at Bran as if the rest of them did not exist. "Your monster, Brandon Stark."

"Yours," the raven echoed from his shoulder.

Nice catch there. I didn't connect that myself. You're right, Bloodraven is the monster.

[WHiTeRHiNo]

alright bare with me here, ive only just barely finished ADWD and of course have watched the show. I think a few people here have it right that ColdHands is the Night's King. I think that after the NK 'gave his seed along with his soul' he became something less (or more) than human, giving him the ability to live an extraordinary length of time(undead?). It has been stated that the NK gave up his children to the Others (like Craster), which in the TV series it shows a White Walker with a crown on his head turning Crasters child into a WW. With the crowned WW in mind, I thought that maybe 'The Corpse Queen' of the NK was something along the lines of what passes for royalty among the Others, and the crowned Walker was either one of the NK's children or a descendant thereof.

When his reign ended by Joramun and Brandon the Breaker, he found that he was somehow (gave his soul up) able to live, and maybe has been helping the Night's Watch from the darkness to atone for what he did(which would make sense of why he cant go past the wall). How him and Bloodraven(Three-Eyed Crow) are connected im not sure about.

I really really don't think that Benjen Stark is ColdHands, though. I believe Ben is somewhere in the deep north with the answer to defeating the WW, or has some revelation but cant get back to the wall for some reason.

[Ser Charles of Rosehaven]

Random Ranger #14532.

No way!. I always tought he was #25832

[Connartist92]

I believe Coldhands is Nights King.

I have a few reasons why I believe the same.

1> Bran the Builder built the Wall. Then he builds Winterfell and becomes the first King in the North.

2> The 13th LC of the Nights Watch betrays his oath for a woman (described as the Others) and takes the Nights Watch as his personal army. Old Nan believes the name of the Nights King is Bran.

But I find it highly unlikely that Bran the Builder would raise a Wall fighting the Others and then fall in love with one of their women. So I think it his son or brother named Bran.

3> A stretch of land was once given to the Nights Watch called Brandon's gift. Some say this was given by Bran the Builder, the King in the North. Though the maesters say it was another Brandon Stark.

So there seems to be another Brandon/Bran Stark living around the time Bran the Builder lived. And it wouldn't be surprising that the Nights King as a Stark gifted this land to the Nights Watch.

4> Later he fell in love with a woman "with skin as white as the moon and eyes like blue stars", he chased 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.

If giving his soul away to the Others killed him, he could be among the undead. Coldhands is undead. "He died a long time ago...but seems to be living."

I don't think Brandon would have a brother named Brandon. If this theory is correct (I'm not sold, but I'm not against it either), I think it's more likely to be his son or grandson.

[Daendrew]

Brandon The Builder?

[Lady Blizzardborn]

I don't think Brandon would have a brother named Brandon. If this theory is correct (I'm not sold, but I'm not against it either), I think it's more likely to be his son or grandson.

Roy: I don't know, my brother Roy says it happens more than you think.

Brandon The Builder?

Unlikely that BtB took the black unless he is also LH and NK (and I actually thought that up before all those threads about it started showing up, but didn't get it posted fast enough). While NK as CH is a possibility, a lot of people have now dismissed that idea thanks to the show. Though since they cut out CH altogether they could still be the same, it's just that they would have to completely change his appearance (those knobby things on ShowNK's head do NOT make up for not having an elk). CH doesn't have blue skin or blue eyes, and as far as we know he doesn't have twelve buddies also in black.

It just occurred to me...the clothes worn by the NK in the show are not strictly NW uniform. Unless I'm remembering wrong he's actually in a Littlefinger style coat sort of thing, with a mandarin collar.

[Ser Brandon Badwater]

A bit tinfoilly but with Tyrion often singing hands of gold are always cold, and a Lannister shield hanging in the hall, i reckon he is a Lannister

[vuk]

Arthas Menethil.

Baron Morte

[Red Typer of Dorne]

(In a deep, raspy voice) 'I am coldhands...........no wait.......Batman! I am Batman)

[oursisthefury69]

Nights King

[Lady Blizzardborn]

A bit tinfoilly but with Tyrion often singing hands of gold are always cold, and a Lannister shield hanging in the hall, i reckon he is a Lannister

He could be. That would certainly be interesting. I wonder how many Lannister joined the Watch in the early centuries.

[Scorpion92]

For some reason,I believe the purpose of Coldhands is to show the future of Jon Snow and how he will appear. In particular,what kind of being he is going to become once he is resurrected. I don't think we will learn who Coldhands is,but when we will see the description of resurrected Jon,we will picture Coldhands right away and understand what George wanted to tell us right there.

When I picture resurrected Jon I somehow picture him walking as a cold undead being that has a mind of his own. His body will be very cold to the touch due to time spent in ice cells of the Wall. And I don't imagine Jon's eyes turning blue like of a wight or White Walker. He will completely different entity.