What happened to Benjen Stark?!

[Cold Hands Luke]

I never thought of that as a possibility either, but it's an interesting idea. They do have some sort of a mysterious deal going on with Craster though, so it's possible that they are capable of taking hostages and having negotiations. We don't actually know what they do with the baby boys either. It would be amazing to have a Benjen POV as a prisoner of the Others, though I seriously doubt it will happen.

I've always theorized that Craster's babies become Others but they could eat them for all we know. We are long overdue learning more about them and it would be an awesome way to learn through a Ben POV, but like you I doubt it.

[Northbound]

Hanging with the Goddess of Tits and Wine?

Seriously, this is one of the hardest things to speculate on. We haven't heard a peep from him, since aGoT. His name hasnt really been brought up that much, since book two. I really believe, that he is alive north of the Wall. He could also be Coldhands. He could be with Rickkon. Or hanging out at Greywater Watch.

[Night knight]

What we need is a pov in the lands of always winter, can't think of a better character than benjen stark for this. But a prisoner of the others pov would be awesome

[mankytoes]

That's an interesting theory I never considered, kudos. I will say the Others don't seem like the type to have hostages. That would suggest they negotiate and they don't seem to care about such things, but then we know very little about them.

I guess it depends on what the Others are like- we don't know. I'm pretty convinced Martin wouldn't include an evil race in the story, it wouldn't fit the tone, and I think it would be much less interesting from a storytelling perspective. So I feel they would take prisoners, but if you see them as pure evil that's unlikely.

[Sweet-N-SourRobin]

Benjen was struck down by the famous "I Know Who Jon's Mother Is" Curse.

How many more people must we lose to this dread disease before we take action? :crying:

[Maestor Tarly]

I don't think he is Coldhands.. Bran would recognize him

I don't think his dead... He is listed as "Feared Dead" in the Appendix of SoS

GRRM said we will go further north in the next two books so I am guessing we will see him spying on Others or he will come across Bran and Bloodraven. I am hoping he has a paul revere moment and has a midnight ride back to the wall to warn the Nights Watch "The Others are coming!"

[Dornishwoman's Husband]

I am the supporter of the Ned Stark's mother from Skagos theory. I imagine that Benjen will show up in the Davos chapters in WoW on Skagos. If the woman who prays for the Old Gods for a son to avenge her is a Stark grandma, then Benjen shall be the one who will avenge her mother for something.

[deady neddy]

Um duh, he's obviously Coldhands I mean he's helping Bran and he's dressed as a ranger.

actually Benjen Stark cant be Coldhands. When Bran finally meets the 3 eyed crow he asks about coldhands and bran is told that Coldhands has been dead for a very long time.....so it is more likely that benjen will appear later and I think it is safe to say that this issue will be resolved because all the characters that are dead have {} around their names in the appendix of the book except Benjen stark it just says that he is missing beyond the wall and assumed dead. Although George R.R. Martin could just get lazy and drop benjen stark from the plot........

[Ours if the Fury]

Valar Morghulis

Like this, very very much

I agree WHERE THE BLOODY HELL IS HE!!!

[Shireen Shireen]

My most likely theory he's a captive of the Others. Waymar Royce fought, what if Benjen yielded? We need someone in their camp, I can't think who else it would be.

They might need a Stark prisoner. There's secret passages, like the one that Sam takes Bran and Co through, that need a particular person to open them.

OK, and now to crack the pot totally. There are secret passages out of the North, and secret passages into Winterfell. Maybe the Others are going through one of these passages, skipping the wall altogether and coming out at Winterfell. I know, I know, its tinfoil, but I just want Ramsay (assuming he still holds Winterfell) to bump into an other on his way to the loo in the morning.

[Petite Psycophant]

Wherever he is, I hope he's not a wight. Then again that would seem a waste people would set him on fire regardless. He must be a prisoner or surely he would have found his way back by now? I'm not certain The Others take prisoners though. Maybe he got captured by giants. ;) Maybe he found the underground caves and tunnels and is trying to find his way out.

[jentario]

I don't think he's alive and well. His two ranging buddies became wights and his horse returned to Castle Black without him. So he's either dead, or taken captive by the Others. There's no way he'd survive being alone beyond the Wall for two years, and if he was free he'd already have come back by now.

[MasterJack]

I think he is a Prisonier too. "There must always be a Stark at Winterfell" the Others will need him to unlock the crypt secret. I dont think the others are some savage beast, they fight with sword and accept duels.

[Shireen Shireen]

I think he is a Prisonier too. "There must always be a Stark at Winterfell" the Others will need him to unlock the crypt secret. I dont think the others are some savage beast, they fight with sword and accept duels.

Which crypt secret is this one?

[MasterJack]

Which crypt secret is this one?

there was an old documented theorie about how the source of winter was locked under the crypt of winterfell. It was on the Dance of the Dragon forum but i cant find it.

[Shireen Shireen]

there was an old documented theorie about how the source of winter was locked under the crypt of winterfell. It was on the Dance of the Dragon forum but i cant find it.

Cool, thanks.

[Steve Stark]

He's waiting for the right time to show up with an army of Children of the Forest, who helped him recover from injuries incurred during his fight with the Others. He'll show up with hundreds of them, all armed with bows and obsidian arrows.

Maybe not. But one thing is for sure. Benjen lives!

Howland Reed will tell Bran about Jon's mother when Bran pays his respects to Howland in regards to Jojen's death, and Benjen will tell Jon himself upon his return.

[Aarick]

anyone think he has something to do with the wildlings. mance rayder apparently had a source in the nights watch and that is how he new about king bob going to winterfell. he could have been helping them escape the others.

[Steve Stark]

anyone think he has something to do with the wildlings. mance rayder apparently had a source in the nights watch and that is how he new about king bob going to winterfell. he could have been helping them escape the others.

Definitely possible, for a variety of reasons. For one, he could be a good man, and realize that they are people just like those north of the wall and thus helps them out. Additionally, for every man not on the other side of the wall, he knows they will eventually become additional minions of the walker army. His duty to the NW and to the realm would be to eliminate the threat of the White Walkers when he could, and removing the wildlings from the area would eliminate the threat of them turning into wights.

As the First Ranger, he's been north of the wall more than most on his rangings and had known about the walker's return for some time. It wouldn't be surprising if he was preparing and doing what he thought was best for the NW/Realm without asking for the permission of the Lord Commander. Also, he may simply not have had a chance to notify the Lord Commander of his actions. If he hadn't been held up (for some reason) and had notified Mormont, it's possible that Mormont wouldn't have "gone investigating", and the Fist of the First Men massacre would have never happened.

In short, yes. I think he has dealings with the Wildlings, with Mance, and with the CotF. That is his job north of the wall, after a fashion. But with his two buddies found dead, there is the possibility that he too is dead. I highly doubt it though.

[Queen Alienor]

I firmly believe that Benjen knows about R+L=J, so it would be a waste of opportunity if he was just dead. My little crackpot is that he is with the wildlings at Hardhome (I believe that's what it's called? The ones Jon wanted to save)