[ADwD Spoilers] The Hooded Man at Winterfell

[Flea Bottom]

Sorry if I've missed this discussion elsewhere, but I haven't seen it in any of the posts that I've gone through. During one of the Theon chapters he is wandering Winterfell and comes across a hooded man who knows who Theon is. Later, we find out one of the Freys is killed at Winterfell and the spearwives who arrived with Mance insist that it was not them. I'm assuming the hooded man is the guilty one, but did I miss something about his identity?

[Lurker of the Forest]

There's speculation in another thread that perhaps this man Theon meets, striding confidently in the opposite direction like a reflection, is in fact a split personality of Theon.

[Kaitscralt]

I don't subscribe to the split Theon idea. Those chapters were the best in the book and felt like classic ASOIAF to me. Dark and gritty and real. I don't think there was any weird trickery going on with Theon's thought processes. But I won't say it's not possible.

Here are some theories I've read (some crackpot, by the way):

1) Harwin, sent North by the Brotherhood to kill some Freys.

2) the Blackfish, plotting his next move.

3) Reynald Westerling... um...

4) a literal ghost from the Crypts

5) Howland Reed... um...

6) Mance, despite Theon's interaction with Abel

7) An Umber

[Duskfire]

I would say either the Blackfish or Mors Umber are the best candidates. We know Umber is basically camped right at their walls; it wouldnt be too hard in that blizzard to sneak in and cause some havoc. And the Blackfish is well.. the Blackfish. He is awesome personified, and I could imagine him trying to save the daughter of Catelyn.

[Lord of War]

It's Maester Luwin no doubt

[Galen M]

Sorry if I've missed this discussion elsewhere, but I haven't seen it in any of the posts that I've gone through. During one of the Theon chapters he is wandering Winterfell and comes across a hooded man who knows who Theon is. Later, we find out one of the Freys is killed at Winterfell and the spearwives who arrived with Mance insist that it was not them. I'm assuming the hooded man is the guilty one, but did I miss something about his identity?

It's most likely either Smeagol!Theon or Big Walder. However, there is a whole thread about this, like 10 pages long, but the last post was almost 10 days ago. It's called "The Ghost in Winterfell" or "Winterfell murder mysteries." They may have merged it.

[darrylzero]

It's most likely either Smeagol!Theon or Big Walder. However, there is a whole thread about this, like 10 pages long, but the last post was almost 10 days ago. It's called "The Ghost in Winterfell" or "Winterfell murder mysteries." They may have merged it.

Here's that thread:

I think one of Manderly's men may well have killed Little Walder, and I think Theon is a possibility too (those are the two strongest motives, as I see it). It could be Big Walder too, but that doesn't really grab me. Lady Dustin could be secretly on Manderly's side and involved somehow, or she could be a secret triple agent spilling Manderly's secrets back to Roose... we really don't have much to do on there.

However, regardless of all that, I think there's a good chance the hooded man is not just Theon losing his shit. And if the hooded man is a real person, I think it's going to be someone interesting. Harwin is the most narratively satisfying choice for me, and I pushed that case pretty hard in that other thread. Others raised some sensible objections -- Theon really should recognize Harwin, the hooded man isn't necessarily surprised to find Theon alive -- but I still have hope that it's true (though Theon Durden would be cool too, as long as there's a plan for where to take that in the future).

If Manderly got Little Walder to save his granddaughter from the little, budding Ramsay-lite, good for him, but even if that's the case I still feel like the hooded man is significant, which says to me it's either a sign of Theon's crazy or it's someone we don't already know is there. And I think it's about time the BwB branched out from Frey/Lannister targets to Boltons (assuming, of course, Mance doesn't already have that all taken care of).

[Red Dirt]

Theon Durden

Nice reference on Theon Durden :thumbsup:

[Lord Godric]

There's speculation in another thread that perhaps this man Theon meets, striding confidently in the opposite direction like a reflection, is in fact a split personality of Theon.

Woah. What?

[darrylzero]

Nice reference on Theon Durden :thumbsup:

Thanks, but I can't claim any credit there, others absolutely got there first.

[Flea Bottom]

Thanks for recapping the early responses to this. I was having trouble with the search function for the boards and I just finished reading yesterday, so I knew that I missed out on some discussions. I'm leaning towards someone from the Brotherhood (as they seem to specialize in eliminating Freys), but like the Theon split personality theory a lot

[Free Northman]

I thought it was Bran, exercising some weird powers through the godswood, maybe warging into these people and making them kill themselves as punishment for defiling Winterfell.

Alternatively, the ghost of one of the Kings whose sword was stolen.

[milliniar]

another thread gave me a new candidate.

Last we saw of Hallis Mollen, Captain of the Guard at Winterfell, Catelyn had sent him north from Riverrun to deliver Eddard Stark's bones to the crypts. This was in Clash. IIRC he and his party were mentioned in the Stark appendix in SoS. And in DwD, we hear Lady Dustin (who has shot pretty high up on my hate list) say that the bone party was on its way north before the Ironmen took Moat Cailin. Which means they're stuck somewhere in... the Neck. Who is Lord of the Neck? Why our good friend Howland Reed, Mr. has-all-the-answers.

George is not one to leave even minor plot threads hanging like that, especially when he keeps hinting at it with Lady Dustin and the like. I see a potential prologue POV with Hal showing up at Greywater after getting thrown back at Moat Cailin, and getting the story from Howland Reed. Lady Mormont and some others were heading to Greywater too. Hell, maybe they've all been there this whole time secretly planning an attack on the Twins.

I think we have a new candidate for the hooded man.

[HotPiesBastard]

I suspect its ramsay or roose bolton

[The King Who Knelt]

another thread gave me a new candidate.

I think we have a new candidate for the hooded man.

No. The whole point is that he never made it above the neck. If he had, the bones would be with him in Winterfell, which they are not.

[milliniar]

No. The whole point is that he never made it above the neck. If he had, the bones would be with him in Winterfell, which they are not.

But the bones weren't there because moat cailin was closed off and when it was taken and the bolton's heading to winterfell at some point he got into the lines of men, more than likely the manderlays after hearing the rumors of them and the frey's.. Sure its crackpot but hey its someone that would know the castle and could likely find a hiding place

[Maester Luwin]

It's Maester Luwin no doubt

Agreed ;)

[Lummel]

I would say either the Blackfish or Mors Umber are the best candidates. We know Umber is basically camped right at their walls; it wouldnt be too hard in that blizzard to sneak in and cause some havoc. And the Blackfish is well.. the Blackfish. He is awesome personified, and I could imagine him trying to save the daughter of Catelyn.

The Blackfish, last known to be swimming in a river, would first need to find out that 'Arya' was going to be married in Winterfell to Ramsey, then he needs to decide it's better to rescue a girl he's never since before and couldn't recognise rather than Edmure or go to support his Sweet Robyn in the Vale (where presumably he has friends), then he has to get there and final to decide that rather than rescue Arya afterall he's just going to murder some people instead.

And if Mors Umber can get in, why doesn't he bring in some more men do something more destructive like barricade the doors of the Great Hall from the outside and set fire to it's new roof? Why just be satisfied with murdering three (or possibly just two) people?

[RAAM]

i dont think its mor anyway, hes an umber so if he had gotten into the castle, he wouldve gone straight for bolton

[Dio Forel]

I still think it was Theon. There has to be relevance to his extended periods of blacking out. After all he went through a personality split is a huge possibility. He is battling inside with his identities regardless.