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Why do so many readers assume Bloodraven is evil?


YNGWLF

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Also, if he was evil why would he train Bran. He is the reason Bran is there and has a plan for Bran. If he was evil he would just sit back and make bad stuff happen to people. He also wouldn't be with the Children of the Forest. They are the opposite of evil by all accounts.

Yes, he has a plan for Bran, but it could be an evil plan. And I don't think it has been proven that the Children of the Forest are the opposite of evil. I find them somewhat suspicious. They and Bloodraven could be manipulating Bran for their own evil purposes.

I haven't read the dunk & egg novels, so I am just going by what I read in the 5 ASOIAF books. Based just on those, I certainly don't trust the guy. I don't know if he is evil or not, but I would say it has yet to be proven conclusively either way.

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Obviously not evil because...

1. He sent the direwolves to the Starks

2. He has Bran

3.Sent the Reeds otherwise it would be a Howland miscue sooo not likely,

4.Saved Tarley (Coldands)

5.Letting Bran see and manipulate through the weirwoods

five should suffice for now

Let me just play Devil's Advocate here and give you a crackpot theory with your examples.

1. He does. He gets the ability to have more control over events through the dire wolves.

2. He does, but if his purpose and intentions towards Bran are nefarious that isn't a good thing for Bran. For example what if Brynden is planning on placing himself inside Bran upon his own death in order to live on to influence events or use him in some other way. Even if R+L=J is true, Brandon is the rightful heir to Winterfell and the old Kings of the North... That has to be a pretty powerful sacrifice.

3. He could be manipulating the Reeds. Jojen doesn't seem very happy about anything going on in those caves.

4. You could argue he used Sam to get Bran across the Wall without drawing attention to themselves.

5. I think we need to see more of these interactions between the two before we can make assumptions about what Bloodraven's intentions are.

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We've been given imagery likening Weirwood sap to blood too many times for this case to seem particularly significant. As for the idea that it must be Jojen's blood since his health has been failing, is a bit of a bridge too far for me. This is especially evident when you consider the fact that Bran is very familiar with the taste of blood, through Summer; so much so that I seriously doubt that he'd fail to identify it in this case.

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I think if anyone does think Bloodraven evil they're mistaken. As to reasons, how about?

1- "a thousand eyes and one" IOW, he knows a LOT. Maybe too much?

As Hand of the King to Aerys I he seems to have acted more like the Master of Whisperers.

As the Three Eyed Crow he was plugged into all sorts through the weirnet.

Other characters who seem to know a lot (Varys, Littlefinger in particular) seem to sometimes use that knowledge for not-so-good ends

2-his physical appearance is somewhat intimidating, whether in his prime (around the Dunk and Egg era) or in the modern 'weir root coming out of his eye' fashion.

3-he's indisputably badass to the max. Though I personally think that equates to being evil.

4-if you're a Blackfyre supporter, yeah he opposed them, and killed a few prominent ones.

5-he was misliked by Maekar I Targaryen, and spent some time in the Black Cells

BUT!

- he was forced to do a lot of unsavoury things in response to events that were out of his control;

The Great Spring Sickness and the drought that came afterwards

You can't blame him for that.

- he became Lord Commander of the Black Watch and was advised by Maester Aemon, who seems a decent chap.

-he SEEMS to be helping Bran become the new master greenseer

I kind of like him.

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everyone seems so confident that Jojen is dead its gonna be hilarious if it turns out he's fine.

I know right?

Bloodraven conjures the Evil Albino trope with some peeps i guess. Plus hes all wargy and stuff.

I think hes more true neutral. Hes more in touch with the COTF and the Old Gods and stuff and thats pretty damn neutral. But he was also a Targ bastard. So i guess peeps think hes evil.

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I know right?

Bloodraven conjures the Evil Albino trope with some peeps i guess. Plus hes all wargy and stuff.

I think hes more true neutral. Hes more in touch with the COTF and the Old Gods and stuff and thats pretty damn neutral. But he was also a Targ bastard. So i guess peeps think hes evil.

That and his "Embrace the darkness Bran" line defiantly makes him look suspicious...

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But there are no absolutes in this world - in some places darkness is portrayed positively, sometimes negatively and the same is true for light - daylight awesome, Mel's crazy people burning fires are pretty evil

Heh! Exactly! Remember Mel's speech to Davos about how the Lord of Light makes shadows, etc.? Well, maybe the TEC is acknowledging that there can be no shadows to fear in the dark ;) I think and hope that Mel has much to fear from the TEC, Bran, etc.

I think Bloodraven is Martin's version of a Merlin or Gandalf. I think he's working for the greater good but, of course, he's always been viewed with suspicion while doing it. Also, in Martin's ASoIaF in order for a realms-saving omelette to be whipped up quite a few eggs are gonna have to be broken along the way. When it comes to the magic of ASoIaF you don't get something for nothing.

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