The Theory No One Had Spoken Of? Hello Colhands

[Jaqen H'Ghar Is The Doctor]

Hey everyone, so I debated a lot about making this post because I hate being one of those people who are always going on about being first and what not.  I'm making everything after this book spoilerish

Spoiler

That being said I've seen a lot of discussion going on about the Benjen reveal in the TV show.  Whether or not he is actually Coldhands from the book (because of Martin's annotation) and whatnot.  So I thought I would give ya'll my idea and show where it comes from.  I will say this though if you haven't read the books and plan to then don't read ahead because some of this stuff is definitely worth encountering for the first time in the books (because the show has not handled it on the level that Martin has or will).  Okay to start off I tried doing a search but I can't find the search feature on the fhese forums.  Am I missing it and it's really obvious and I'm gonna feel dumb?  

So basically what happened was last year as I was going back through the books and I started to really take an interest in Coldhands.  Partly because he is one of my favorite bit characters from the books.  Partly because I was still upset about not having him in the show lol.  It was really bugging me that there were no good theories on who Coldhands was.  All the major theories had been disproven (at least on the wiki page) with only Benjen being left and then we got the manuscript evidence.  It wasn't compelling to me because I figured Martin knew that was going to end up in the public's hands and there is no reason he would put a spoiler in it.  Still I decided to operate on what if and came to the conclusion that Coldhands was either Benjen or a long dead Stark who was being warged by a future Bran who had become powerful enough to warg/ into the past.  I'll attach screenshots that show me fleshing out theory and timestamps to prove it was before the show but basically I had the idea that Bran would be warging as the three eyed raven down, that he was the one that sent Coldhands to rescue him. 

http://i.imgur.com/766qarr.png
http://i.imgur.com/jlBVOMX.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/I0N0qI7.png

So yeah I'm not exactly sure what this means for the story overall I don't know how Bran will use this to help but I'd hoped posting this would lead to a discussion about it.  Also I have another crazy theory that someone may have already put down as well but I believe that at least in the show Hodor will show up as a wight, that Bran will try to warg into him and he will then somehow access the ability to speak to the Night King.  (probably not true, but hey I thought my Bran warging into the past was crazy).
 

If someone had already posted this then just delete.

[Wyman Manderly's Meat Pies]

I personally think Coldhands is the Night's King who is revealed to be a Stark. There's nothing to support it, but I think it'd be an interesting turn of events if Bran the Builder was the Stark Lord Commander who became the Night's King.

I think Benjen being Coldhands on the show is purely fan-service. Though I like it. If George gave D&D the confirmation on Hodor's origins, that had Bran warging into the past. I suppose in theory the idea that Coldhands is being controlled by Bran in the future has some precedent now. 

 

[Jaqen H'Ghar Is The Doctor]

On 6/7/2016 at 2:44 AM, Wyman Manderly's Meat Pies said:

I think Benjen being Coldhands on the show is purely fan-service. Though I like it. If George gave D&D the confirmation on Hodor's origins, that had Bran warging into the past. I suppose in theory the idea that Coldhands is being controlled by Bran in the future has some precedent now. 

 

Yeah what I worry about is that the show is spoiling a whole lot more than what they are letting on so an not to anger book fans.  That being said if the leader of the Walkers isn't the Night's King like he is in the show then I could totally agree with your theory (though I would still believe that Bran is controlling him).  When I didn't think it was Benjen, I figured it was a long dead stark (the one Bran sees through the eyes of being sacrificed) that Bran was controlling.  I mean there are theories out there now that Bran the Builder is actually Bran.  I wouldn't say Bran himself but I could see Bran having great influence on the Starks through the years.

I actually think that Bran will be more powerful in the books than on the show because George can show more in the books just by being able to be inside his head as a reader. 

p.s. love your username btw

[The Fattest Leech]

Tv Coldhands is Benjen for fan service only. The chances of it being a book spoiler are slim to none as GRRM has said "no" to this a few times. 

In the book, chances are Coldhands is a Ravens Tooth. After all, he died "long ago", and he is not quite a wight, not quite undead, yet not quit living. 

In the books, chances are Benjen is Ned-dead. I almost suspect that Benjen found the cache that Ghost led Jon to back at the Fist and he buried it hastily because Benjen was under attack by the Others and/or wights for what he found. If you remember, Jon says it was in a shallow hole and seemed hastily buried. 

Anyway, the show and the books are wildly different the last few seasons, with the current season having the most blatant divides. I'm not sure there is enough in common to compare and contrast info. 

[The Wull]

I've always assumed Coldhands was just a nondescript NW brother.  I'm not a fan of every person having a secret identity (one character is fine).  I don't think it matters who Coldhands is.  His mission was to get them from point A to point B, and now that he has, he can go away.  I don't blame the show for making him Benjen, it's just fanservice so whatever.

Not trying to rain on the parade, I just don't think there's a grand reveal for every character. 

[The Fattest Leech]

1 minute ago, The Wull said:

I've always assumed Coldhands was just a nondescript NW brother.  I'm not a fan of every person having a secret identity (one character is fine).  I don't think it matters who Coldhands is.  His mission was to get them from point A to point B, and now that he has, he can go away.  I don't blame the show for making him Benjen, it's just fanservice so whatever.

Not trying to rain on the parade, I just don't think there's a grand reveal for every character. 

I agree. Coldhands is just a nameless loyal follower of Brynden Rivers from back in the good old days.