Where Could Uncle Benjen Be?

[Curled Finger]

One of the most hotly debated mysteries of ASOIAF is the location and state of Benjen Stark.  All we really know for certain is that he is not Coldhands as many suspected until editorial notes were released in the form of a marginal q & a wherein GRRM answered NO when asked.  We learned in AGOT that Benjen was a skilled and trusted First Ranger.  He embarked upon a ranging expedition to the Haunted Forest in search of Waymar Royce or some evidence of his fate. 

"He said he'd be back by my name day," he admitted. His name day had come and gone, unremarked, a fortnight past. "They were looking for Ser Waymar Royce, his father is bannerman to Lord Arryn. Uncle Benjen said they might search as far as the Shadow Tower. That's all the way up in the mountains."  "I hear that a good many rangers have vanished of late," Lannister said as they mounted the steps to the common hall. He grinned and pulled open the door. "Perhaps the grumkins are hungry this year."  AGOT Jon III

The Shadow Tower is pretty far out of the way of the Haunted Forest, clear on the other side of The Wall, but this ranging does seem to be a pretty important one to LC Mormont. Along the way (sort of) Benjen would have happened upon Craster’s Keep. 

"I've not seen Benjen Stark for three years," he was telling Mormont. "And if truth be told, I never once missed him." A half-dozen black puppies and the odd pig or two skulked among the benches, while women in ragged deerskins passed horns of beer, stirred the fire, and chopped carrots and onions into a kettle.  "He ought to have passed here last year," said Thoren Smallwood.   ACOK Jon III

Still, Jon does find a curious package thanks to Ghost at the Fist of the First Men even further northwest from Craster’s Keep, far from Benjen’s supposed target of The Haunted Forest.  While the source of the package is uncertain, it is not impossible that as Jon supposes, Benjen himself left it there.  

 Sam came puffing up as Jon crossed the camp. Under the black hood his face was as pale and round as the moon. "I heard the horn. Has your uncle come back?"  "It's only the men from the Shadow Tower." It was growing harder to cling to the hope of Benjen Stark's safe return. The cloak he had found beneath the Fist could well have belonged to his uncle or one of his men, even the Old Bear admitted as much, though why they would have buried it there, wrapped around the cache of dragonglass, no one could say.  ACOK Jon V

The long asked question is how could Benjen survive this long?  A Storm of Swords offers two very interesting possibilities for Benjen’s whereabouts if not his condition, which I surmise is injured in either case. 

Jon's eyes widened in disbelief. "That can't be so."  "It was. When your father learned the king was coming, he sent word to his brother Benjen on the Wall, so he might come down for the feast. There is more commerce between the black brothers and the free folk than you know, and soon enough word came to my ears as well. It was too choice a chance to resist.”  ASOS Jon I

Mance later tells Jon a story about being attacked by a shadow cat and taking shelter with a couple of Wildling women who give him succor and repair his black coat with red silk thread.  While Benjen may not have been as fortunate as the sympathetic and charismatic bard, he may well be a hostage in an ice cave or something like that. 

A notion that only became apparent during this research and wouldn’t until one reads A Dance With Dragons is option B which is uncovered when Bran recalls a conversation he had with Uncle Benjen… 

"There are abandoned castles along the Wall, I've heard," Jojen answered. "Fortresses built by the Night's Watch but now left empty. One of them may give us our way through.  "The ghost castles, Old Nan had called them. Maester Luwin had once made Bran learn the names of every one of the forts along the Wall. That had been hard; there were nineteen of them all told, though no more than seventeen had ever been manned at any one time. At the feast in honor of King Robert's visit to Winterfell, Bran had recited the names for his uncle Benjen, east to west and then west to east. Benjen Stark had laughed and said, "You know them better than I do, Bran. Perhaps you should be First Ranger. I'll stay here in your place." That was before Bran fell, though. Before he was broken. By the time he'd woken crippled from his sleep, his uncle had gone back to Castle Black.   ASOS Bran III

While Benjen may well be dead or semi dead or something entirely different I think it’s foolish to write him off entirely without evidence of his demise.  I’ve no doubt overlooked many places he may be hidden, but hope this little bit of text incites you to look yourself for Benjen alive and breathing and ready to help!

 

[Lady Stonehearts Simp]

He is probably dead or undead at this point. Someone posted in another of these topics awhile back that he believed Crastor had him killed and ate him. And then served him to Jon and the NW when they came through. Another theory I have is that Benjen, whose of Stark blood, was killed and resurrected to lead the Others.

[Curled Finger]

3 minutes ago, King Benedict Justman I said:

He is probably dead or undead at this point. Someone posted in another of these topics awhile back that he believed Crastor had him killed and ate him. And then served him to Jon and the NW when they came through. Another theory I have is that Benjen, whose of Stark blood, was killed and resurrected to lead the Others.

Thanks so much for reading all that research

[Corvo the Crow]

2 minutes ago, King Benedict Justman I said:

He is probably dead or undead at this point. Someone posted in another of these topics awhile back that he believed Crastor had him killed and ate him. And then served him to Jon and the NW when they came through. Another theory I have is that Benjen, whose of Stark blood, was killed and resurrected to lead the Others.

Lol, At the very least Gilly would've let Jon known that his uncle was killed by Craster.

 

[kissdbyfire]

He's dead, sadly. IMO.

ACoK - Jon IV

"Yes," said Jon, "but . . . what if . . ."

". . . he's dead?" Mormont asked, not unkindly.

Jon nodded, reluctantly.

"Dead," the raven said. "Dead. Dead."

"He may come to us anyway," the Old Bear said. "As Othor did, and Jafer Flowers. I dread that as much as you, Jon, but we must admit the possibility."

"Dead," his raven cawed, ruffling its wings. Its voice grew louder and more shrill. "Dead."

Mormont stroked the bird's black feathers, and stifled a sudden yawn with the back of his hand. "I will forsake supper, I believe. Rest will serve me better. Wake me at first light."

[Lady Stonehearts Simp]

8 minutes ago, Curled Finger said:

Thanks so much for reading all that research

lol. I do think we’ll see him again whatever his fate was. It’s too big of a mystery to be left as vague as it is

[kissdbyfire]

13 minutes ago, King Benedict Justman I said:

He is probably dead or undead at this point. Someone posted in another of these topics awhile back that he believed Crastor had him killed and ate him. And then served him to Jon and the NW when they came through. Another theory I have is that Benjen, whose of Stark blood, was killed and resurrected to lead the Others.

Jon's too smart to accept guest right from the likes of Craster; he never ate or drank there, nor took shelter at Craster's keep.

[KingStoneheart]

I think he’s too important to Jon to just leave as a loose end to be missing and if he died (and stayed dead) we’d never really find out. It would be interesting if he’s now some sort of undead leader because of his Stark blood and that’s why he’s been staying away from the Wall - he needs to wait for it to be brought down / broken through

Other than that, he may be a good undead guy working for the Three-Eyed Crow, similar to Coldhands

[Lady Stonehearts Simp]

2 minutes ago, KingStoneheart said:

I think he’s too important to Jon to just leave as a loose end to be missing and if he died (and stayed dead) we’d never really find out. It would be interesting if he’s now some sort of undead leader because of his Stark blood and that’s why he’s been staying away from the Wall - he needs to wait for it to be brought down / broken through

Other than that, he may be a good undead guy working for the Three-Eyed Crow, similar to Coldhands

If he is dead, I think we’ll see his death from Bran’s POV

[Curled Finger]

47 minutes ago, kissdbyfire said:

He's dead, sadly. IMO.

ACoK - Jon IV

"Yes," said Jon, "but . . . what if . . ."

". . . he's dead?" Mormont asked, not unkindly.

Jon nodded, reluctantly.

"Dead," the raven said. "Dead. Dead."

"He may come to us anyway," the Old Bear said. "As Othor did, and Jafer Flowers. I dread that as much as you, Jon, but we must admit the possibility."

"Dead," his raven cawed, ruffling its wings. Its voice grew louder and more shrill. "Dead."

Mormont stroked the bird's black feathers, and stifled a sudden yawn with the back of his hand. "I will forsake supper, I believe. Rest will serve me better. Wake me at first light."

I am always interested in the why of your thinking and appreciate your point of view.  I found a raven quote pretty early on in the research.  The raven parrots Mormont saying he was a fool to send Benjen on the quest in the 1st place.  I doubt you place it all on the raven so cough it up.  Why is Benjen absolutely dead?  

[Curled Finger]

25 minutes ago, KingStoneheart said:

I think he’s too important to Jon to just leave as a loose end to be missing and if he died (and stayed dead) we’d never really find out. It would be interesting if he’s now some sort of undead leader because of his Stark blood and that’s why he’s been staying away from the Wall - he needs to wait for it to be brought down / broken through

Other than that, he may be a good undead guy working for the Three-Eyed Crow, similar to Coldhands

Like Coldhands then? 

[sweetsunray]

1 hour ago, King Benedict Justman I said:

He is probably dead or undead at this point. Someone posted in another of these topics awhile back that he believed Crastor had him killed and ate him. And then served him to Jon and the NW when they came through. Another theory I have is that Benjen, whose of Stark blood, was killed and resurrected to lead the Others.

I proposed indeed that Benjen ended up as one of Craster's "wight blood sausages" : craster's black blooded curse

[LongRider]

I have seen it proposed that the phrase 'black blood' indicates death, well perhaps.  However, there is this; 

Yoren has an interesting conversation with Arya and Ned when he arrives at WF on his way to KL for new NW recruits:   

"A Game of Thrones - Arya III

"My daughter often forgets her courtesies," Eddard Stark said with a faint smile that softened his words. "I beg your forgiveness, Yoren. Did my brother Benjen send you?"

"No one sent me, m'lord, saving old Mormont. I'm here to find men for the Wall, and when Robert next holds court, I'll bend the knee and cry our need, see if the king and his Hand have some scum in the dungeons they'd be well rid of. You might say as Benjen Stark is why we're talking, though. His blood ran black. Made him my brother as much as yours. It's for his sake I'm come. Rode hard, I did, near killed my horse the way I drove her, but I left the others well behind."

"The others?"

[Curled Finger]

10 minutes ago, LongRider said:

I have seen it proposed that the phrase 'black blood' indicates death, well perhaps.  However, there is this; 

Yoren has an interesting conversation with Arya and Ned when he arrives at WF on his way to KL for new NW recruits:   

"A Game of Thrones - Arya III

"My daughter often forgets her courtesies," Eddard Stark said with a faint smile that softened his words. "I beg your forgiveness, Yoren. Did my brother Benjen send you?"

"No one sent me, m'lord, saving old Mormont. I'm here to find men for the Wall, and when Robert next holds court, I'll bend the knee and cry our need, see if the king and his Hand have some scum in the dungeons they'd be well rid of. You might say as Benjen Stark is why we're talking, though. His blood ran black. Made him my brother as much as yours. It's for his sake I'm come. Rode hard, I did, near killed my horse the way I drove her, but I left the others well behind."

"The others?"

I had that one, too.  I had everything where Benjen's name was mentioned.  What struck me with this one was the love Yoren expressed for his brother.  It gets us all differently, doesn't it? 

[Curled Finger]

33 minutes ago, sweetsunray said:

I proposed indeed that Benjen ended up as one of Craster's "wight blood sausages" : craster's black blooded curse

I tried, sweetsunray, I did!  As usual, it's over my head.  You really think that nasty so and so ate him? 

[LongRider]

1 minute ago, Curled Finger said:

I had that one, too.  I had everything where Benjen's name was mentioned.  What struck me with this one was the love Yoren expressed for his brother.  It gets us all differently, doesn't it? 

Yoren did think of the NW brothers as his brothers.  

Rode hard, I did, near killed my horse the way I drove her, but I left the others well behind."

"The others?"

hmmmmmm

[Curled Finger]

Just now, LongRider said:

Yoren did think of the NW brothers as his brothers.  

Rode hard, I did, near killed my horse the way I drove her, but I left the others well behind."

"The others?"

hmmmmmm

Yah, there are a few "others" mentions in the text I found.  I was on a mission to try to find him alive, so there is my bias here.  My favorite was the ghost castles.  I'm all for him popping up in some dark corner and scaring the hell out of some well meaning Free Folk trying to set up house as the new Nights Watch!

[sweetsunray]

3 minutes ago, Curled Finger said:

I tried, sweetsunray, I did!  As usual, it's over my head.  You really think that nasty so and so ate him? 

I do think he's dead and ended up as food in some way.

I know people argue about the notches he made in the trees north of the Shadow Tower, but then his trail goes "cold in the Frostfangs". Yeah, "cold" and "frosty fangs" don't sound reassuring to me, especially when we have another "biting" and "eating" reference for icy teeth in the "frosty fangs" (Frostfangs) in Jon's chapters while he's there with Qhorin.

[Curled Finger]

3 minutes ago, sweetsunray said:

I do think he's dead and ended up as food in some way.

I know people argue about the notches he made in the trees north of the Shadow Tower, but then his trail goes "cold in the Frostfangs". Yeah, "cold" and "frosty fangs" don't sound reassuring to me, especially when we have another "biting" and "eating" reference for icy teeth in the "frosty fangs" (Frostfangs) in Jon's chapters while he's there with Qhorin.

Again I thank you for the further elaboration.  You always make me think bigger and in this case, more depressing!  

[LongRider]

12 minutes ago, Curled Finger said:

Yah, there are a few "others" mentions in the text I found.  I was on a mission to try to find him alive, so there is my bias here.  My favorite was the ghost castles.  I'm all for him popping up in some dark corner and scaring the hell out of some well meaning Free Folk trying to set up house as the new Nights Watch!

I want to see Benjen alive as well, however, the phrasing in this quote is quite interesting, I thought. Black blood and out running others, tricky GRRM!