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[ADWD SPOILERS] Bran 3


Xray the Enforcer

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JDD:

Did anyone else catch what Leaf said about The Giants and the Mammoths and finally the Direwolves?

Yes, I thought that was interesting, especially the part where she speaks of how the Giants were both their bane and their brothers. I wonder what the details behind that are.

In AGOT didn't Ned speak about his children and how some were more Stark and others more Tully. I wonder if the Starks being first men have some blood of the COTF mixed in? I bet that is where the warging ability comes from. I also bet its hereditary and that not every Stark can do it, some seem to have the gift but it must be worked at.

Well, Robb and Sansa looked more like Tullys than Starks, that we know, and both of their wolves have been killed. I expect that is no coincidence. Similarly, it is these two who seemed not warg with their wolves, unless I am forgetting something about Robb. I mean, Grey Wind loved him, but I don't recall Robb warging with him. That may be because we never got to see his POV.

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^

You're right, there was no evidence that Robb could warg apart from vicious Frey rumors. I don't think Robb could warg into Grey Wind so much as GW was a protector to Robb. Jon, Arya and Bran have all had wolf dreams and must have some sort of warging ability. Rickon is a question mark but given his relationship and similarities to Shaggydog, I'd have to think he'll warg too.

Somone once posted here that Robb Stark's biggest weakness was that he was a Tully through and through who tried to act like a Stark. Jon is far more of a Stark than Robb ever was and Arya is the spitting image of Lyanna. I just thought those were interesting developments.

I am looking forward to seeing if there is a connection w/ the Starks and the COTF and I assume that will be revealed through Bran and the godswoods.

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Theory: Bran is never leaving where he is and will become what is basically an Old God of the North. He is all knowing and seeing now. Wouldn't it be interesting to realize that all of the whisperings and odd behaviors of some of the animals (Mormont's Raven) since book 1 were all Bran? He can look back in time now and whisper to people. Could he warg into creatures of the past and change events? Like the way the raven was waiting for Jon and flew to his shoulder to make him lord commander of the wall?

Could the 3-eyed crow have been his way of telling himself to go beyond the wall?

At least to me this shows that Bran is not a head of a dragon but will become even more powerful than anyone could have imagined. He is becoming a god-like figure.

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I absolutely loved this chapter. The world that Bran is falling into, and the power that he already seems to have and can develop, are just amazing. I definitely think that while he will never be a Lord of Winterfell or anything else in that sense, he will be of immense significance in the series. The old realm, so to speak - the children of the forest, the old gods, the magic - is reawakening. (And I definitely see a connection to the Celts and Picts - the old people, the old gods, having been pushed back to the fringes by the oncoming of Germanic tribes, and later the Norman French, which eventually leads to fiefdoms and kingdoms, knights and chivalry, institutionalised religion and power).

The flashback sequence was amazing too; that had me on the edge of my seat. Yep, further evidence to support that R+L=J. But the imagery of it, and the 'sacrifice' (if that's what it was) with the scythe... (and Bran screaming out 'no' as he watched - what the significance of that? 'no' because he is still a child seeing that violence, or 'no' because he sensed something evil and wrong or foreboding about the whole thing?)

And Bran seeing Ned in the godswood - so, so sad.

I feel Bran will have a very lonely life, but has the courage and inner gift to withstand it.

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First time Poster

This chapter was so dark, but Bran's chapters have been going this way for a long time.

I couldn't help feeling that Bran's unawareness of his families various fates was heartbreaking, but also his only chance at avoiding living out his life with the COTF. Obviously as a greenseer he will be able to learn of all their fates, either though witnessing them or hearing second hand (perhaps learning about Red wedding.)

Bran is passionate about his family and the shock of these revalations may make him emboldened to leave.

Not saying the COTF wont be emboldened to stop him though.

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Also, meant to add- I think Bran seeing Eddard will be a brilliantly emotional scene if it makes it to HBO, after seasons of wandering lost and pretty much alone. Would be a beautiful, quite heart-wrenching moment when he cries out then gets brought back to the cave.

It was weird seeing and hearing Ned again after all that has happened since his departure. I realized in that paragraph how much I missed him as a character.

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Ned tells Arya she reminds him of Lyanna in both attitude and looks.

:agree:

And in a previous book, Littlefinger says that Sansa looks like a young Cat.

Since Cat is a Tully, it would be hard to say how Lyanna looks like a Tully.

GH

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Mysterious and unknowable fantasy, that we can barely understand ourselves? No, greenseers who warg and see from trees, and let's give some statistical figures on how often they appear, and how long they live to make magic 'logical' and 'structured'. Wasn't there some sinister, malevolent feeling to the vision of a thousand crows sitting on trees speaking around Coldhands in the dead of night? Well lets' try to give this an explanation. Meanwhile, Bran, an otherwise interesting character with an otherwise great story arc - the broken boy who wants to be a princeling and a knight, who once worried about being the lord of his father's castle, who's in love with a girl that he's afraid to talk to, seems bound to end up with one of the most bleak, dark, and depressing fates of all the characters. I truly wish for something good to come to Meera and Jojen, I really like them. Is it too much to ask for at least some characters to have a good ending?

Bran's fate has been sealed ever since Jaime pushed him out the window.

Bran has always wanted to be a Knight who could "Save the princess." He'll be in a much better place here as a greenseer to fulfill his dreams, then as a cripple lord of Winterfell.

And the TEC showed Bran something that was terrible that Bran believes he has to fight. This was when he was unconscious after the fall. Bran knows what he has to fight. He just has to be taught the skills he needs to be able to fight.

It is sad that Bran won't be able to lead a full life like BloodRaven, but, since the fall, he wouldn't be able to live a very full life, anyways. This gives his life more meaning than any other role.

It looks like Rickon is meant to be the Lord of Winterfell, since Jon is LC, and Bran will be here.

GH

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:agree:

And in a previous book, Littlefinger says that Sansa looks like a young Cat.

Since Cat is a Tully, it would be hard to say how Lyanna looks like a Tully.

GH

Cat was catelyn stark (she was a tully) Arya now uses her mothers nickname Cat. Littlefinger was saying Sansa looked like a youger version of her mother.

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Cat was catelyn stark (she was a tully) Arya now uses her mothers nickname Cat. Littlefinger was saying Sansa looked like a youger version of her mother.

That was my point. Sansa looks like Cat(elyn) Tully. Arya looks like Lyanna Stark. Therefore Arya does not look like Sansa.

GH

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I'm now epically worried for Bran's fate. Is anyone else hesitant about trusting the Children of the Forest?

I mean, I know the flashbacks are interesting, but out of that chapter I started to get really concerned about Bran's path. I want him to return to Winterfell, but did I get the impression he never will? That he'll be like the three-eyed crow and live forever under the hill?

...I don't like that at all. the Children seem slightly sinister to me, they're dying out, so what purpose do they have with Bran?

From the Faery folk lore I know, trying the fae is one of the worst things you can do, so I just have this huge hesitancy around it and have this desire for Bran to get out of there, and get out fast.

Anyone else thinking the same?

Also, out of the flashbacks, the one scene of importance I think was the heart tree needing to be sacrificed blood, which coincides with the mention of entrails on a heart tree made by another character earlier. I just don't know why we need to know these things yet, I suppose we'll find out soon.

I don't think the Children are working against man, otherwise why would they have supplied the Nights Watch with 100 dragon glass daggers each year(IV: 80)? I suspect that whilst this might not be in the best interest for Bran, it is in the best interest for the world, and that Bran (as well as us all) will have to come to terms with that.

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Not so sure Bran will remain there forever. My first thought was that it's Jojen who will remain, and that he knows this very well and has known since the start of their journey north. Meera suspects it but doesn't know for certain, just that something's wrong and Jojen doesn't talk to her about it. Just a thought. Bran-as-Hodor still has a part to play on the outside IMO.

Never thought of this- it would explain Jojen's sullen behaviour long before they were short of food, and allow for that happy ending between Bran and Meera. One GRRM, all I ask for is one. Then Ramsay can kill him.

(not sure what fire does to Others).

Surely this is addressed in AGoT, with Jon in the Lord Commander's tower? Fire seemed to consume that Other, although I don't have the book to hand - Ghost didn't intervene once the wight was on fire did he?

Well, Robb and Sansa looked more like Tullys than Starks, that we know, and both of their wolves have been killed. I expect that is no coincidence. Similarly, it is these two who seemed not warg with their wolves, unless I am forgetting something about Robb. I mean, Grey Wind loved him, but I don't recall Robb warging with him. That may be because we never got to see his POV.

This is epitomised at the RW, Robb had no idea anything was wrong where clearly Grey Wind did. Great observation. Rickon's development will be interesting, because to me he appears a 'Stark' Stark child, but he was too young to really tell.

Theory: Bran is never leaving where he is and will become what is basically an Old God of the North. He is all knowing and seeing now. Wouldn't it be interesting to realize that all of the whisperings and odd behaviors of some of the animals (Mormont's Raven) since book 1 were all Bran? He can look back in time now and whisper to people. Could he warg into creatures of the past and change events? Like the way the raven was waiting for Jon and flew to his shoulder to make him lord commander of the wall?

Could the 3-eyed crow have been his way of telling himself to go beyond the wall?

Wow, all of this wow. If I hadn't just had a re-read I'd be trying to see if it fit, but even from your examples I think that probably has/will happen in places, which would/will be awesome!

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Bran's fate has been sealed ever since Jaime pushed him out the window.

Bran has always wanted to be a Knight who could "Save the princess." He'll be in a much better place here as a greenseer to fulfill his dreams, then as a cripple lord of Winterfell.

Exactly. I came out of reading this chapter feeling more hope, promise and joy for Bran than sadness. In a perfect world, I would love for Bran to have a full life with his brothers and sisters rather than living out his life in a cave melding into the roots of a weirwood with the possibility of none of his living family knowing his fate. However, Bran was not going to live a full life as a cripple in this type of a world. He would most likely die at the hands of someone wanting to finish off the Starks.

Bran has been given an amazing gift. He is going to be able to see and know just about everything from the past and present. He will live longer than he would in his mortal crippled body and will be able to watch over his brothers and sisters and their offspring (hoping they have some when this is all over). As a warg, he will be able to leave the confines of the cave, just not in his own body. Now that we know he can whisper through the trees and possibly use other vessels to communicate, Bran really has unlimited powers and influence.

So, I was really excited and happy that this is Bran's future. The only thing that makes me sad is that in reading this thread this morning I now know this is the last Bran chapter in the book. Now that is a bummer.

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The pregnant woman sounds like belonging to the fourth D&E story too, having been reveales that one of the wolf women of Winterfell will be pregnant from his dying husband.

Not to mention a Young Knight Taller the Holdor is Ser Duncan the Tall if he anyone we know

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Exactly. I came out of reading this chapter feeling more hope, promise and joy for Bran than sadness. In a perfect world, I would love for Bran to have a full life with his brothers and sisters rather than living out his life in a cave melding into the roots of a weirwood with the possibility of none of his living family knowing his fate. However, Bran was not going to live a full life as a cripple in this type of a world. He would most likely die at the hands of someone wanting to finish off the Starks.

Bran has been given an amazing gift. He is going to be able to see and know just about everything from the past and present. He will live longer than he would in his mortal crippled body and will be able to watch over his brothers and sisters and their offspring (hoping they have some when this is all over). As a warg, he will be able to leave the confines of the cave, just not in his own body. Now that we know he can whisper through the trees and possibly use other vessels to communicate, Bran really has unlimited powers and influence.

So, I was really excited and happy that this is Bran's future. The only thing that makes me sad is that in reading this thread this morning I now know this is the last Bran chapter in the book. Now that is a bummer.

Me too! I just hope in time he comes to enjoy his gift and stop mourning the lost dreams of being a knight.

When Ned looked up and asked who was there, I was reminded of something Osha said to Bran in book 1 or 2? He was praying in the godswood I think and the leaves started to rustle. Osha said that it was the gods answering his prayers. Could be him or the TEC looking out from weirwoods.

I'm interested to learn who the others he saw were as well. If nothing it's just an added reminder of how important the Starks are to the north.

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Well, Robb and Sansa looked more like Tullys than Starks, that we know, and both of their wolves have been killed. I expect that is no coincidence. Similarly, it is these two who seemed not warg with their wolves, unless I am forgetting something about Robb. I mean, Grey Wind loved him, but I don't recall Robb warging with him. That may be because we never got to see his POV.

You are forgetting something about Robb and Grey Wind: Robb used Grey Wind to discover the alternative route around the Golden Tooth, allowing him to surprise the Lannister army training in the westerlands. This was implied in dialogue, though of course we don't have Robb's POV.

Something else which is forgotten: Bran is also more Tully than Stark, just like Robb and Sansa. And he is one powerful warg.

Moreover, Martin has confirmed all the Stark kids are wargs period, though with various levels of control (Sansa appears to have none, so far).

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I think that living out the rest of his life in the cave can be a positive thing for Bran. He's 'broken' as we all know and Westeros isn't exactly hospitibale to disabled folks. In this situation he could potentially use the tree throne as a permanant life support system while he wierwood hops, takes the bodies of other people, etc. Without having to nourish his physical body, his potential is almost limitless if he can keep his sense of self intact. It would be pretty cool if all the emphasis on flying throughout his 3EC dreams, etc. is leading up to a takeover of one of Dany's dragons as some other posts have hinted at.

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