Textual evidence the Others are Crasters Sons?

[Prince of the North]

Yeah I don't really consider it a spoiler either

Yeah, I don't think it's a spoiler either. It simply confirms "on-screen" something that was only suggested or talked about in the books.

Not to derail the subject (I swear this pertains to what you all are discussing), but is Benjen Stark still a likely suspect for Coldhands' identity?

I see no reason why this has any bearing on the theory that Coldhands is Benjen Stark.

I don't think so. Leaf, who lives a long life as a COTF, says they killed him long ago, and Ben's been missing for about two years. Someone who lives a long life wouldn't say long ago for someone who has been missing only a few years.

I believed this when I read it in the series the first time. However, I have come to realize that the idea that because Leaf happens to be long-lived, her "long ago" statement automatically proves that Coldhands was killed so long ago that it surely rules out any possibility that he could be Benjen Stark is just as much an assumption as anything else. In the end, Leaf's "long ago" will mean exactly how long Martin intended it to mean ;)

[Rehn]

I mean, I can't really see any other reason they would collect babies when they could pretty easily just go after wildlings if they wanted a meal.

Also, The Other that carried the baby "north" totally had hair similar in cut to Benjen's in the show. :wideeyed:

[jentario]

That's kind of amazing that all the book readers who analyze everything so closely missed this.

In fact, it even implies that the GoT TV show scene isn't actually a spoiler - it's just showing something that was said or implied in the book (like Renly being gay, Theon losing his cock, etc)

It really is. GRRM is a mastermind of Foreshadowing. Makes you wonder, how many more of these gems are still unearthed?