Who is Coldhands?

[Leif]

Arthas Menethil.

[Ghost's Shadow]

Redwyn, a ranger who met the Children of the Forest.

“This,” he said reverently, “is the account of a journey from the Shadow Tower all the way to Lorn Point on the Frozen Shore, written by a ranger named Redwyn. It’s not dated, but he mentions a Dorren Stark as King in the North, so it must be from before the Conquest. Jon, they fought giants! Redwyn even traded with the children of the forest, it’s all here.” Ever so delicately, he turned pages with a finger. “He drew maps as well, see...”

[Leto]

Thats an interesting theory, do you have any evidence to that or are you just speculating too?

There is no proof to back up any theory about his identity. Speculation is all you'll get. Benjen is the oldest theory but the basis for that is just that coldhand could be an explenation to what happened to him.

[Usrnmhsnomning]

Redwyn, a ranger who met the Children of the Forest.

I like this.

[Wisenan69]

I believe he is Benjen. The fact that Bran didn't recognize him does not mean anything. Bran was not familiar with him. Besides, Coldhands has his face mostly covered with the scarf. He would not want to reveal himself to save Bran the terror, also, BR probably instructed him against it.

[MissingNo]

He is the OG last hero. All of his 12 companions and his dog (direwolf?) died on their expedition beyond the wall and the children took pity on him and helped him. By helped I mean resurrected.

[MissingNo]

Also this topic has been debated to death... (get it? tehehehe...) seriously though an identical thread to this one is started every two weeks.

[MissingNo]

I believe he is Benjen. The fact that Bran didn't recognize him does not mean anything. Bran was not familiar with him. Besides, Coldhands has his face mostly covered with the scarf. He would not want to reveal himself to save Bran the terror, also, BR probably instructed him against it.

He would recognise his own uncle's voice.

[The Bastard of Summer]

I am among the believers that the NK is Coldhands. Just seems righf. As for his clothing Im sure he was allowed a change after a couple hundred years. Especially since Im sure his clothes would have rotted by now. Plenty of dead rangers to scrounge from to be seen in updated clothing.

[Morienthar]

Redwyn, a ranger who met the Children of the Forest.

Interesting,would fit in with "They killed him a long time ago" statement.

[Roadside Rose]

I believe Coldhands is Nights King.

I have a few reasons why I believe the same.

1> Bran the Builder built the Wall. Then he builds Winterfell and becomes the first King in the North.

2> The 13th LC of the Nights Watch betrays his oath for a woman (described as the Others) and takes the Nights Watch as his personal army. Old Nan believes the name of the Nights King is Bran.

But I find it highly unlikely that Bran the Builder would raise a Wall fighting the Others and then fall in love with one of their women. So I think it his son or brother named Bran.

3> A stretch of land was once given to the Nights Watch called Brandon's gift. Some say this was given by Bran the Builder, the King in the North. Though the maesters say it was another Brandon Stark.

So there seems to be another Brandon/Bran Stark living around the time Bran the Builder lived. And it wouldn't be surprising that the Nights King as a Stark gifted this land to the Nights Watch.

4> Later he fell in love with a woman "with skin as white as the moon and eyes like blue stars", he chased her and loved her though "her skin was cold as ice", and when he gave his seed to her he gave his soul as well.

If giving his soul away to the Others killed him, he could be among the undead. Coldhands is undead. "He died a long time ago...but seems to be living."

[Tywin Smokin a Blunt]

I believe Coldhands is Nights King.

I have a few reasons why I believe the same.

1> Bran the Builder built the Wall. Then he builds Winterfell and becomes the first King in the North.

2> The 13th LC of the Nights Watch betrays his oath for a woman (described as the Others) and takes the Nights Watch as his personal army. Old Nan believes the name of the Nights King is Bran.

But I find it highly unlikely that Bran the Builder would raise a Wall fighting the Others and then fall in love with one of their women. So I think it his son or brother named Bran.

3> A stretch of land was once given to the Nights Watch called Brandon's gift. Some say this was given by Bran the Builder, the King in the North. Though the maesters say it was another Brandon Stark.

So there seems to be another Brandon/Bran Stark living around the time Bran the Builder lived. And it wouldn't be surprising that the Nights King as a Stark gifted this land to the Nights Watch.

4> Later he fell in love with a woman "with skin as white as the moon and eyes like blue stars", he chased her and loved her though "her skin was cold as ice", and when he gave his seed to her he gave his soul as well.

If giving his soul away to the Others killed him, he could be among the undead. Coldhands is undead. "He died a long time ago...but seems to be living."

Very interesting, though Im not sure how that fits with the larger story, but maybe it was never meant to. Definately a possibilty though.

[Daniel Snow]

im pretty sure he's the Night Kings son. born of the NKs other wife

[A Crow Come Over]

I'm hoping he is Brandon Snow, Torrhen Stark's bastard brother. Bran has a vision of him making weirwood arrows to kill Aegon's dragons.

How in 7 Hells do you know thats Brandon Snow?

[tevans13]

tbh i think that coldhands is half human half white as he can speak but resembles a white. i think that he is a child of the night's king because if what i say is right ( im not saying it is) the nights king fell in love with a white " Later he fell in love with a woman "with skin as white as the moon and eyes like blue stars", he chased her and loved her though "her skin was cold as ice", and when he gave his seed to her he gave his soul as well" so that's my theory.

[TSORG]

did anyone catch this piece in aDwD?

no said bran no don't but they could not hear him, no more than his father had. The woman grabbed the captive by the hair, hooked the sickle round his throat and slashed. And through the mist of centuries the broken boy could only watch as the man's feet drummed against the earth... but as his life flowed out of him in a red tide, Brandon Stark could taste the blood.

notice how the perspective shifts from Bran to the dying man in the end of that quote. The man got executed, his throat got slit and coldhands got killed a long time ago according to Leaf, and he never shows his neck or anything above. and already before coldhands had reffered to himself in a similar ambigious fashion when he said " Your monster, Brandon Stark"

[Dead Wolf]

Coldhands is the first Lord Commander of the Night's Watch

[mindchap]

Coldhands is slowly turning into Boba Fett. I think Syrio is losing his title. :)

[Martini Sigil]

Well whoever he is, you know what they say.....

Coldhands, warm heart.

Christ I'm a hack.

[Fab Loras]

If Coldhands is not Benjen, then where is Benjen? JRRM is happy to kill characters, but he tells you when does. If Benjen wasn't meant for something why not just have his corpse show up as one of the White Walkers attacking Jon Snow or the Mormont's raiding party to add to the menace of land beyond the wall. That would have been pretty epic actually.

I think that Benjen died beyond the wall, but as a Stark he had a connection to the Old Gods and was able to resist the corruption of becoming a mindless white walker and is instead a mindful white walker.