Bran

[jarl the climber]

In regard to Theon,he made avow to himself in a ACOK to never leave the sight of the sea for the rest of his life.Should havde kept it.

[Free Northman]

It's not about gaining influence with Stannis. Much as many Stannis fans may not like it, the fact is that Stannis isn't part of Bran's/the Old gods' plans.

He is merely a placeholder, to fill the gap in the middle of the series until Jon arrives as the Last Hero.

The greenseers don't give two hoots about Stannis's quest for the realm. Stannis is a false hero, as Mellisandre is fast finding out in her visions where Jon is starting to replace him as her "king".

So whatever Bran is trying to achieve, it is not about Stannis. It may well be about some mystical bloodmagic spell - possibly Stannis's kingsblood being spilled to generate some uber greenmagic needed to ressurect Jon. Remember, only death can pay for life, and maybe only Kingsblood can pay for the life a the true king - Jon.

So as Stannis is sacrificed, so Jon is resurrected, in order to continue his fight to save the world. I have always been uncomfortable with Jon being resurrected by Melisandre, when his gods are the Old gods of the North.

I think Bran will resurrect him, maybe by exchanging Stannis life for his.

[chrisdaw]

I don't think Bran intends to save Theon, not in this life anway, it's the method of his death that he's attempting to control.

[voodooqueen126]

I personally wouldn't forgive Jamie under any circumstances, and I love the chracter, but that I think may be the whole point of Bran, where Lady Stoneheart will not forgive, for the sake of the realm of men Bran will, and where Jon could not sacrifice (Arya), for the sake of the realm of men Bran will.

I don't think Bran intends to save Theon, not in this life anway, it's the method of his death that he's attempting to control.

Since both Theon and Jaime have the blood of kings in them (Casterly Rock and the Iron Islands) they would be great human sacrifices that could either be used to increase the power of the green seers (instead of jittery ravens' in half sentences and random dreams, they could control people directly, see everywhere and communicate with anyone) or even to resurrect Jon (if Stannis doesn't fulfill this role)

[Ygrain]

Since both Theon and Jaime have the blood of kings in them (Casterly Rock and the Iron Islands) they would be great human sacrifices that could either be used to increase the power of the green seers (instead of jittery ravens' in half sentences and random dreams, they could control people directly, see everywhere and communicate with anyone) or even to resurrect Jon (if Stannis doesn't fulfill this role)

It would depend if the royal blood works for every kind of magic, or only for the fiery one - we never see anyone else perform a similar ritual.

[Xosh]

well the best thing Bran can do right now with his all new Green-Seerness is play "inception" with whomever he likes to. lolz.. Isn't that how bloodraven got to him first? Get into their dream world and manipulate them from the inside.

As for ravens calling out Theons' name.. its queer.. but as far as Asha asking Stannis to execute her brother in weirwoods is concerned, I have a strong feeling Asha has an escape plan for her brother in mind. She hasn't been subdued by her days in captivity to abandon all hope.. she is still very strong and she has shown great intention of playing Torgon the Latecomer. And it is obvious that to do it she needs Theon alive.

[Xosh]

I remember reading something by GRRM that said Bran would have the most chapters in TWoW over the other characters.

so we can assume twow is not going to be released anytime sooner coz his chapters take longest for grrm to complete.. :/

[chrisdaw]

Pretty good point about Asha, I'm not sure I can see her standing idly by, but then if there were ever a hopeless situation this is it, and a choice between being burnt alive and having your throat slit pretty much chooses itself.

[Winterfail]

so we can assume twow is not going to be released anytime sooner coz his chapters take longest for grrm to complete.. :/

We're still waiting for Lord of the Night to provide citation for that. It looks like he might have been mistaken.

[alienarea]

It would depend if the royal blood works for every kind of magic, or only for the fiery one - we never see anyone else perform a similar ritual.

Bran could play it save and sacrifice both Stannis and Theon, one the old gods style and one by fire - just in case. Hey, if the plot depends on Jon you can't take chances.

[Eddward Stark]

Then greenseer starting his flying thing again, which is not even remotely flying at all, and we dunno if Bran thought that was worth it. As I'm no Ser says, it's not like they can leave if they felt it wasn't worth it. There's nothing but wights between them and the wall.

If only there was a fast moving, flying, firebreathing creature that Bran could warg into to come get them. That would work.

Interesting that you mention warging into the raven as the way in which Bran "flies" and also make a joke about a dragon in the same post.

Don't you guys think that BR meant something more by "but you will fly" than simply warging into a raven? That wouldn't be particularly special for a warg, because supposedly ravens are easy creatures to warg into (recall: different animals are more difficult than others for wargs to enter/become/whatever).

I think the manner in which Bran "flies" is still to be learned. He could either (1) warg into a dragon, and possibly be the first person in Westeros to ever do so (recall that dragons are very stubborn, proud, intelligent, and magical creatures, so probably not easy bait for wargs), or (2) he could be one of the dragon riders. Let's face it: despite much speculation about the identities of the dragon riders, it is all just speculation. we don't really know what will happen nor how. To reiterate, I think the part about Bran "flying" is significant in this story, and warging into a raven is not very significant.

[kephv]

and warging into a raven is not very significant.

Sure it is. If that was Bran manipulating events at the end of the chapter, that shows a very real example of how significant something like that could be. That's not to say it won't go beyond that, though. We shall see.

[DurararaFTW]

Bloodraven himself said he won't be able to interact with people. I think he will, but only because he's better at it the Bloodraven. Either way, this is an unexpected bonus, just looking at stuff throiugh weirtrees is what Bran gave up being a person for.

[Free Northman]

I think Bran will fly through some kind of astral projection. Bloodraven has stated that he will eventually be able to see well beyond the weirwood trees, once his powers have grown.

Like his dream where he flew high above the Narrow Sea, and saw the ship struggling to cross the stormy waters. His mind will be able to travel beyond the weirwoods eventually and he will be able to view any location at will.

Remote viewing, is the psychic term for it, I think.

This is much better than actual flying. You can be in any place instantaneously, and gather any information you might require.

[chrisdaw]

Or he could just mean he'll see beyond the trees because he can warg a raven and then go anywhere.

[slayer420]

Or he could just mean he'll see beyond the trees because he can warg a raven and then go anywhere.

It that was the case he could already do that. and a regurlar skinchanger can do it. BR said you will do it someday. Why would he have to be a greenseer and train, because he can allready do that. It has to be something more than just warging a raven

[chrisdaw]

Well really I think it's the omnipresence BR is describing, the same as Jojen describes to Bran when he says few are given the gift in life and that Varamyr experiences as he dies.

[Eddward Stark]

Sure it is. If that was Bran manipulating events at the end of the chapter, that shows a very real example of how significant something like that could be.

If that was Bran, that would be very significant, but still something tells me that raven warging is not what BR meant, even if it's speaking through birds from far away....

I think Bran will fly through some kind of astral projection.

Again, maybe just wishful thinking on my part, but I think we're still going to find out the manner of how Bran will "fly." I think he has a big future! Also, he's still young...even though he's crippled and surrounded by wights, I wonder if he will ever leave after his training to go do great things in the 7 Kingdoms (in person) before retiring to become part of an immortal tree.

It has to be something more than just warging a raven

Sure hope so!

[chrisdaw]

The second Bran chapter of AGOT (where he is pushed by Jamie) is thick with foreshadowing of things that have come to pass in ADWD, and may also hold some information still for the future.

To a boy, Winterfell was a grey stone labyrinth of walls and towers and courtyards and tunnels spreading out in all directions. In the older parts of the castle, the halls slanted up and down so that you couldn't even be sure what floor you were on. The place had grown over the centuries like some monstrous stone tree, Maester Luwin told him once, and its branches were gnarled and thick and twisted, its roots sunk deep into the earth.

When he got out from under it and scrambled up near the sky, Bran could see all of Winterfell in a glance. He liked the way it looked, spread out beneath him, only birds wheeling over his head while all the life of the castle went on below. Bran could perch for hours among the shapeless, rain-worn gargoyles that brooded over the First Keep, watching it all: the men drilling with and steel in the yard, the cooks tending their vegetables in the glass garden, restless dogs running back and forth in the kennels, the silence of the godswood, the girls gossiping beside the washing well. It made him feel like he was a lord of the castle, in a way even Robb would never know.

It seems quite clear his climbing is a metaphor for awakening his greenseeing gifts, his climbing leads him where only he can see so much of Winterfell. To go into a bit more detail, he sits amongst gargoyles, a gargoyle is a protective watcher, well meaning but of an evil appearance. What he views of Winterfell may be representative of what he'll watch with his gift, men drilling for warfare, the glasshouse for food stores for the LN, beasts more self explanatory and the gossipers for information. The impression here is that Winterfell is being used to represent the realm.

It taught him Winterfell's secrets too. The builders had not even leveled the earth; there were hills and valleys behind the walls of Winterfell. There was a covered bridge that went from the fourth floor of the bell tower across to the second floor of the rookery. Bran knew about that.

First sentence is straightforward, the knowledge is only for Bran. The second perhaps not much more so, he can see outside the walls where the builders had not touched and the ground lay in a more natural state, meaning seeing beyond the wall and what secrets lay there. And the bell tower, a tool for raising alarm, connected to the rookery most likely representing his ravens.

And he knew you could get inside the inner wall by the south gate, climb three floors and run all the way around Winterfell through a narrow tunnel in the stone, and then come out on ground level at the north gate, with a hundred feet of wall looming over you. Even Maester Luwin didn't know that, Bran was convinced.

The bolding is mine, as I believe it makes little doubt that there's reference to the wall. I see a few possible meanings or relevancies for this half of the paragraph.

There is a strong possibility of another battle for Winterfell, should this happen Bran's knowledge of Winterfell may be of assistance to a side in the fighting. Theon also may be of some use in this regard, and it could be his best hope of avoiding death from Stannis. Additionally Theon could be some kind of conduit for Bran to pass on this knowledge.

The secret tunnels hint strongly at a secret way to pass through the wall, however this could mean the path already travelled and known to BR and Coldhands. Running all the way around Winterfell may suggest further passageways leading to other areas about the realm.

His mother was terrified that one day Bran would slip off a wall and kill himself. He told her that he wouldn't, but she never believed him. Once she made him promise that he would stay on the ground. He had managed to keep that promise for almost a fortnight, miserable every day, until one night he had gone out the window of his bedroom when his brothers were fast asleep.

He confessed his crime the next day in a fit of guilt. Lord Eddard ordered him to the godswood to cleanse himself. Guards were posted to see that Bran remained there alone all night to reflect on his disobedience. The next morning Bran was nowhere to be seen. They finally found him fast asleep in the upper branches of the tallest sentinel in the grove.

As angry as he was, his father could not help but laugh. "You're not my son," he told Bran when they fetched him down, "you're a squirrel. So be it. If you must climb, but try not to let your mother see you."

Unsure what this means, perhaps it means nothing or perhaps it relates to his warging of Hodor. Worryingly, Meera is described as like a squirrel.

Bran did his best, although he did not think he ever really footed her. Since his frther would not forbid it, she turned to others. Old Nan told him a story about a bad little boy who climbed too high and was struck down by lightning, and how afterward the crows came to peck out his eyes

This I think is very likely foreshadowing the future. Climbing again referring to his greenseeing. Struck down by lightning could mean a defeat by Stannis (Stormlord), a Dondarrion (although afaik the only known one in the books is finally dead for good), Dany (Stormborn) or possibly many others with lightning connections that I haven't thought of. Crows pecking out his eyes suggests me the destroying of the weirwood faces, by the Night's Watch.

[alienarea]

To me it seems most likely that Bran will fly on the back of a dragon.