[ADWD SPOILERS] Bran 3

[lady_winterborn]

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'm not concerned about the children but just like you I want Bran to be back at Winterfell some day and not rotting at the roots of an old Weirwood Tree. Not sure what to think about this SL at the moment...

But besides of this, although I found the "Old Gods" very interesting and likeable during the first books, this "religion" or what really is behind this religion becomes creepier for me with each Bran chapter.

I came here excited about this chapter and the story as it will continue, only to discover this is the last Bran chapter in this book??? Are you kidding me?

:tantrum:

Agree!!! :D

[stealthvoodoo]

I think there was a major point to the flashbacks:

The two children fighting were, IMO, Lyanna and probably Benjen. I think that it was written this way to show just how "Stark" Lyanna looked.

The biggest thing about all of the Stark children was that Jon looked "Stark" where Robb didn't. If Bran mistook Lyanna for Arya at first and R+L=J, it would be easy to say that Jon took after his mother, who was very "Stark" looking.

[Alstruction]

I've got a theory. I believe someone in the forums stated this before, but it got me thinking: Could Coldhands be Benjen Stark? It's easy to see how he could have become an agent for Brynden. And I'm almost certain the COTF got Coldhands to supply the NW with dragonglass gear. It also helps explain why he wouldn't show his face to Bran.

[imnotsheila]

OMG, Im thinking of the same thing. Coldhand is Benjen.

[Fat King Robert]

It was very sad and he SHOULD have crawled toward her. As for the white haired woman, i (respectfully) disagree. It seems to me that they were performing a human sacrifice to the Old Gods, and by the time the Targ's came into Westeros, human sacrifice was not performed. The white haired woman, i assumed, is what we would consider a hedge witch, or at the time a priestess of some sort. Or perhaps...who knows

ps. is your dog's name really daenarys?

That white haired woman...couldn't that be that little dwarf woman? The one who Lem Lemoncloak and Tom o' Sevenstrings meets with? She's old as crap and I do believe she has white haired?

[lady_winterborn]

I've got a theory. I believe someone in the forums stated this before, but it got me thinking: Could Coldhands be Benjen Stark? It's easy to see how he could have become an agent for Brynden. And I'm almost certain the COTF got Coldhands to supply the NW with dragonglass gear. It also helps explain why he wouldn't show his face to Bran.

I read somewhere that the CotF said that Coldhands was murderered alongtime ago. Can't quote it now but well, read it somewhere.

Also someone mentioned that Bran would have recognised Benjen's voice.

But I'm not sure if it's totally impossible that Benjen is Coldhands.

[Qhorin Halfhand and Yoren]

Theory time. COTF are the COTF who remained COTF. The Others are the COTF who transformed themselves for revenge. They are going to try to revenge mass murder and eradicate men.

[Born by Fire]

I'm looking forward to learning more about all these flashbacks. And, after some searching on the forums, it's obvious I'm going to have to read the Dunk & Egg stories.

Greenseer = Brynden Rivers = Bloodraven...must go outside the SOIAF to get this straight, and it's pretty clear this is about to be an important story line.

[Crown]

It was really awkward to have Eddard Stark say a line again, nevertheless it was heartbreaking.

[DirtyRobes]

I just did my re-read and it also struck me as odd the amount the moon is referred to as "crescent, thin and sharp as the blade of a knife" not sure if its supposed to be a reference to bran losing track of time OR (which i really hate after reading these forums) the looming image of death throughout the chapter and the obvious change in mood from jojen who seems to believe he has completed his task and has stopped mentioning "the day i die".

+blood paste + bran could "taste the blood"

Please NO Jojen-PASTE!!!

Now that being said i also noticed at the end bran has only one Tree-vision On his throne And infront of BR. but has a Bunch more when he returns to some alcove in the ground to rest. Now what I (possibly) took from that was that BR wasnt trying to push Bran thus 'you've seen through a tree that'll do for today' possibly implying it didnt just Come to BR when he first arrived either, hence training. Now the point im dancing around is GRRM trying to point out JUST how powerful Bran is already, only to get stronger through tree/throne/body connection

OR

that perhaps Bran is going to have a power that even BR does not possess? Access to the Weirnet without a throne??? thus not forcing him to be forever trapped in a mountain in a cave in a tree???

its probably just me being hopeful but id really love him not to be trapped there forever.

Im also getting the feeling Bran may be in a bad way the next we meet him

"his life flowed out of him in a red tide, Brandon Stark could taste the blood"

When i re-read this i took it as all these visions hitting him @ once was NOT supposed to happen the way it did and his body couldnt take it and was shutting down or something. Please dnt let GRRM start the nxt Bran chapter with "as branches broke from his chest cavity, Brandon Stark knew he had made the right choice"

Sorry for the long post Congrats if u made it this far. Is there any evidence that BR was a Warg/skinchanger, NOT just a sorcerer, when he lived his real life? I no he would Technically BE one seeing as he is a Greenseer but i mean did he have a special pet or any affinity with animals the way other skinchangers we know do?

[Plem]

I can't believe this is where Bran is supposed to end up. It makes me sad and if this is the bittersweet ending GRRM was talking about then I'll be crying like a baby by the end of A Dream of Spring :( I don't trust Bloodraven and the CotF at all. This whole chapter had a sinister feeling to it, like GRRM was trying to warn us. I don't know, maybe I'm just in denial because I want Bran to have an actual life for once. He's been on the run for so long and now that he's at his destination he has to become something others expect him to be. I don't think he really understands what he's giving up. It's easy to forget that he's just a little boy.

[Wah-Tah]

I love the description of the fight between the Stark girl who looks like Arya (which, I'm assuming is Lyanna) and her brother (probably Benjen?). I just felt like it was such an Arya thing to do, and it made me miss her character more and more.

Loved hearing from Ned again. I wish that Bran would have been able to communicate with him though. It was so heartbreaking, because Bran so obviously misses Ned :(

Definitely think that Jon is not really Ned's bastard after this chapter. I mean, I've been leaning towards that theory for a while now, but just that Ned says, he wants him to grow up as brothers seems to indicate that they're not really brothers.

[Ygrette]

HEY! What's with all the long faces and talk about doom here? :D

Bran is receiving education of the most awesome kind. The kind that has the potential to make his broken body more or less irrelevant. For now, he cannot interact, but it was his first lesson! Just imagine what he will be able to do after 1-3 years? When a young boy is sent off to be squire it takes him years of serving and jousting until he can finally be a knight. And Bran is learning how to warg and to see green at the same time and you all expect him to just pick up some skill in a week or two and then head off home again? Have some patience! Have some trust!

I'm sure the "tree dude" knows what he's doing. And Bran will either be free again once he learned whatever he needed to learn or he will not have to travel anymore, because he'll just warg into whatever seems convenient. Maybe he'll just warg into a giant that carries his body to Winterfell. Or he'll ride Summer. Or warg into three dragons and burn down the wall.

Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be worth the wait. It is quite likely that the little boy will change. But remember, the boy we know is very unhappy right now. So change is not always for the worst.

I also think the children of the forest are neither good nor evil. They just are.

[N. Baratheon]

Crazy Theory: Based on Davos's last chapter, I don't think Bran's survival is going to stay a secret for that much longer. Once the world learns he's alive, it's possible that he could be crowned the new King in the North by any houses still loyal to the Starks, and that he could use his powers to fight the Lannisters, Ironmen etc.

[Ygrette]

Hm, but in order to crown someone, you'd still have to find him, no?

[N. Baratheon]

Hm, but in order to crown someone, you'd still have to find him, no?

I'll admit it's a very flawed theory, that is why I called it crazy ;)

But, I do think that the knowledge of Bran and Rickon's survival won't remain secret for very long because if Davos successfully brings back Rickon, then Rickon will definitely want to have his older brother found.

[Tyrion the lmp]

I was wondering, according to the three eyed crow, past, present and the future are all a moment to a weirwood, so is it possible bran could see the future as well as past?

[episodenone]

Does Brans little trip to the Godswood of winterfell confirm that R+L=J. I can't see how else we can reconcile things. Also seems a convinient plot device for GRRM to be able to go back and view events of the past, even if all protagonists are dead.

Can someone please let me in on what R+L=J means? I'm always the last to know...

EDIT: Found it

[episodenone]

HEY! What's with all the long faces and talk about doom here? :D

Bran is receiving education of the most awesome kind. The kind that has the potential to make his broken body more or less irrelevant. For now, he cannot interact, but it was his first lesson! Just imagine what he will be able to do after 1-3 years? When a young boy is sent off to be squire it takes him years of serving and jousting until he can finally be a knight. And Bran is learning how to warg and to see green at the same time and you all expect him to just pick up some skill in a week or two and then head off home again? Have some patience! Have some trust!

I'm sure the "tree dude" knows what he's doing. And Bran will either be free again once he learned whatever he needed to learn or he will not have to travel anymore, because he'll just warg into whatever seems convenient. Maybe he'll just warg into a giant that carries his body to Winterfell. Or he'll ride Summer. Or warg into three dragons and burn down the wall.

Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be worth the wait. It is quite likely that the little boy will change. But remember, the boy we know is very unhappy right now. So change is not always for the worst.

I also think the children of the forest are neither good nor evil. They just are.

Also -- my thoughts exactly.

One of those things where you have a fave character and ideas of what he'll end up as -- and when it seems to turn out differently - you are bummed. I get that -- jeez - that's how I felt when Ned got his head whacked off.

Anyway -- Little Rickon can rule Winterfell -- and everyone can fall in love with his character someday.

But I am:

#1 - totally fine with this development for Bran

#2 - not sure why anyone thinks the CotF are so bad -- I didn;t get that at all

[episodenone]

Bran's ultimate fate will depend on what happens at the end of the series.

ain't that the truth!