Coldhands Theory

[Lord of the Watch]

Note: Haven't read through all the topics, so I'm not sure if this has been previously posted.

I've been re-reading the series and Coldhands has got me really interested. Initially I assumed it was Benjen Stark, not sure why, but just kind of figured if anything could fight of the wights mindlessness it would be a Stark. But re-reading and noticing that Leaf says he's been dead a long time I started re-thinking my theory. I started to think that Cold Hands was warged into by Bloodraven, which I noticed was a popular theory around here. This got me thinking, usually to warg into something you need to have a bond, and it's even more difficult to warg into a human, Bran doing it with Hodor seems to be the perfect fit since 1. They have a bond and 2. Hodor is simple minded so can't put up much fight. With Coldhands (presumingly) being a wight, the lack of brain power is there, but it's also shown that the wights do retain some memories i.e. the dead nights watchmen knowing where Mormont is. So I was thinking that even with a wight a bond would still be (somewhat) necessary to fight off the Others magic hold and therefore I think Coldhands could be Ser Duncan the Tall.

[Ser Greg of House House]

If it were Dunk, I guess Bran's POV would probably say something about he being very tall. I don't remember it.

You could say his height would go unnoticed because Hodor is also big and the rest of them are children/small cranogmen. But still...

[Schmedes]

I do believe that it was mentioned that CH is tall/large. I can't confirm this but I do believe they mentioned his large stature. The only problem is that Dunk died at Summerhall and I don't know how he would've gotten so far North.

[Flayed Starkman]

It's also unlikely that Ser Duncan and Bloodraven had a "bond". Maybe CH is a brother who was alive when Bloodraven was Lord Commander

[Dornish Whine]

Bloodraven and Dunk knew each other, so a bond of sorts could exist. But I don't see this theory as being likely. I believe Sir Duncan died in a fire a very long way from the wall.

[Corvo Attano]

Didn't Duncan die at Summerhall?

My most favoured theory is that Coldhands = The Night's King

[Schmedes]

I'm assuming Coldhands is the man who had his throat slashed in Bran's weirwood vision. Who that is, we might not find out for a while.

[RightfulHeir]

In the World of Ice and Fire, I was skimming through the parts about the Targaryen kings and I read something interesting. It was a page recovered from the Tragedy at Summerhall that Maester Gyldwan had written, though only bits of it could be read since ink had spilled on it. The legible pieces said:

"...the blood of the dragon gathered in one...

...seven eggs to honor the seven gods, though the king's own septon had warned...

...pyromancers...

...wild fire...

...flames grew out of control...towering...burned so hot that...

...died, but for the valor of the Lord Comman..."

So we know that the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard (Dunk) did a valorous deed, but somebody of note died. I think that Dunk got separated from the king, but tried to evacuate as many people as he could and then went to get Egg. Once Dunk finally got to him, he was barely alive. By the time they had almost escaped the premisis, Egg was dead. And since Targaryen tradition dictated that Egg be cremated, Dunk laid Egg to rest amoungst the flames. Ashamed of himself, Dunk decided that he would head North to live out his days in at the Wall, punishment for killing the king. He then shed his armor and cloak, "proof" of his death.

I believe that the piece of paper was a letter to King's Landing informing them of the incident. The full sentence mentioning Dunk originally went something like this:

"Nearly everyone present at the palace would have died, but for the valor of the Lord Commander there were survivors."

The ink spill was probably Bloodraven who skinchanged into a crow or something to scare the Maester and make him spill. He saw Dunk as a potentially useful ally, and needed to prevent people from investigating Dunk's death. If he was remembered as the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, that was fine. But if he was remembered as the "Hero of Summerhall" there is a possibility of those who went to investigate the fire looking into Dunk's death.

[Dorian Martell]

That is a whole lot of someone else's story you wrote right there. wouldn't it be simpler if Dunk died?

 

[Magnar of Skagos]

I don't recall Coldhands as having been described as anything near the stature as Dunk. That's what I remember anyway. I feel like that's the biggest obstacle for this theory.

[The Skinner]

It seems more likely that if bloodraven were warging this deceased brother of the watch and that such a bond was required coldhands would have been a member of the Ravens Teeth, who went north to the wall with bloodraven and maester Aemon. He would have fought in the Blackfyre rebellion together (perhaps more than one) with BR and North of the wall. 

However I don't fully buy into the theory that BR is wargingcoldhands, I personally think that coldhands was a warg who's body was raised as a wight but his spirit returned to his body afterwards. But that is a discussion for another thread. 

[desire]

Either just a dead ranger brought back the same way the others do or a member of the ravens teeth does it matter? I doubt we will see him again 

[SevasTra82]

I think the identity of Coldhands is not going to be some big revelation to the story that many people hope....and that speculators are just building themselves up for disappointment.  Not every mystery in this story is going to be be some huge, earth-shattering revelation after all.

Coldhands is more then likely going to be a minor character from Bloodravens past, or a past Nights Watch Commander, or something of that sort.  Maybe even someone that hasn't appeared in the story yet (a cameo for a future dunk/egg story perhaps?).

Either way, I don't think his identity, regardless of who he is, will be a major pivotable moment in the series.  It will be more of a "huh, that's kinda cool" type of reveal, rather then a "OMG This is Awesome!" kind of one.

[Butterfreak]

Yeah, I don't think Coldhands' identity is supposed to be a huge mystery.  I don't see a narrative purpose for him being Dunk; it doesn't really do anything for Dunk's character or the story as a whole.  Coldhands is probably just a random member of the watch.

[VenezuelanLord]

I think CH is one of BR personal guards, the ones who went with him to the wall.. thats your bond

[King Viserys Targaryen IV]

I always got the feeling that Coldhands was a Warg himself that may have left his body when he died but returned after he had been resurrected by the Others.

 

[Ser Vampyr]

I still think that could hands WAS Benjen Stark and is no longer Benjen that explains the editors notes which asked IS Coldhands Benjen and George wrote No because COldhands is no longer Benjen similerly that LS is no longer Catelyn.

[Red Man Racey]

I still think that could hands WAS Benjen Stark and is no longer Benjen that explains the editors notes which asked IS Coldhands Benjen and George wrote No because COldhands is no longer Benjen similerly that LS is no longer Catelyn.

That still doesn't answer the "died long ago" part of Coldhands' backstory. The only real evidence towards Coldhands being Benjen is that they're never seen together in the same place.

A problem I have with the Benjen theory is that it's entirely likely that Sam heard Benjen speak at least once or twice, and definitely saw him, but there's no recognition whatsoever that anything is familiar. Even though Coldhands voice has probably changed from what it was during his life, it seems like there would be something that Sam might pick up on if it were Benjen. But we get no indication that Sam finds any of his behavior, mannerism, voice, etc at all familiar. But we know from AGoT that at least Othor kept enough of his former self to know his way around Castle Black and Coldhands seems way more sentient than him.

[Tijgy]

I believe he is just a corpse who is being warged by Bloodraven and the corpse used to be one of his Raven's Teeth.

[Ser Vampyr]

That still doesn't answer the "died long ago" part of Coldhands' backstory. The only real evidence towards Coldhands being Benjen is that they're never seen together in the same place.

A problem I have with the Benjen theory is that it's entirely likely that Sam heard Benjen speak at least once or twice, and definitely saw him, but there's no recognition whatsoever that anything is familiar. Even though Coldhands voice has probably changed from what it was during his life, it seems like there would be something that Sam might pick up on if it were Benjen. But we get no indication that Sam finds any of his behavior, mannerism, voice, etc at all familiar. But we know from AGoT that at least Othor kept enough of his former self to know his way around Castle Black and Coldhands seems way more sentient than him.

Sam wouldn't remember a once off conversation or hear a guy speak once or twice and remember a year or two later nor would her remember his mannerisms and forgive me if i'm wrong but  Lady Stoneheart doesn't speak like Catelyn (voice). it could be argued that Coldhands retains his identity as a nightwatchman as he calls sam brother.