Could Mance have always been working for the Night's Watch?

[Avlonnic]

Bemused - very intriguing thoughts on Mance. He is an enigma.

[Avlonnic]

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/126820-mance-may-be-qorgyles-bastard/

Is this it?

[bemused]

Yes, it is.. thanks. :)

So, I hope I didn't derail this thread.. (the very thing some of us were trying to avoid on the other one).. my apologies if I did.

(I had a big house move in April, and by the time I was set up again, in any way,the search function wasn't working, or only erratically.)

But to bring this back to the OP, I don't think Mance has always been working for the NW, but I think he wants some of the same things.. even more so now, with the re-emergence of the others and the need to get his people south of the wall... And I think he was trying to adapt the NW leadership formula to wildling culture, so that what he had built wouldn't completely disintegrate when he died.

ETA: I should add that with the apparent re-evaluation that is going on about the NW oath, and the current LC not requiring any kneeling, I wouldn't rule out that Mance could be brought back into the fold.. but the fold itself may be different.

[nastydream]

I think that Mance coming to Winterfell to see the king could have only happened if Mance were with/near Benjin when Benjin got word... I think that Mance, Benjin, & Ned had plans to resettle the Gift with Wildings before the Others Returned, but they got caught offgaurd... Mance's job was to rally the Freefolk & prepare them for the migration.

But Ned doesn't believe in the Others,does he?(I mean he thinks they are either exctinct or don't pose a threat).