What happened to Benjen Stark?

[@InDeepGeek]

This is an updated version of a video first published in August 2021

[@LLl-zi1ef]

Want a revised version of deleted videos Things that would be same in show as well as books

[@stephaniespain9849]

Thank you for the update

[@ThommyofThenn]

Thank you for the update.

[@E_T_31]

Do you set the videos you're redoing to private or not-listed? It would be so cool if you'd provide a link to the old versions under the new ones :)

[@ThommyofThenn]

@@E_T_31 see, i think that's a neat idea. Cheers

[@curtisboyter9350]

Another possibility is that Benjen split up his party and sent Othor and Jafer back to the wall while he continued on. This would explain why he hasn’t been sending any messages back, he is under the impression that he did send back a message.

[@MariaVosa]

That's a solid theory.

[@H41030v3rki110ny0u]

​@@MariaVosasimple, but equally as realistic

[@dfailsthemost]

Excellent point.

[@artemesaulkov2010]

❤❤

[@artemesaulkov2010]

❤

[@striker8961]

Benjen epilogue in The Lands of Always Winter at the end of Winds of Winter would go so hard.

[@PiscatorLager]

To see him die? Nooooooo

[@d_randy]

OH YEA 🤞🏼

[@striker8961]

@@PiscatorLager only thing yeah, would be an absolute tragedy.

[@TravisMac42]

It could start with a Benjen flashback of what went down when he died. Then move to the current point in the story if the children bring him back in the books. I would enjoy that lol.

[@ArchitCSE]

But I'm not sure if WoW will even come 😢😅😂

[@axelminus]

A crazy reveal would be if suddenly a chapter starts with benjen as a pov character, and that is how we go further north than ever before

[@dereinepeterpan5637]

I suspect he will be the prologue pov in Winds

[@HizzayLoves]

@@dereinepeterpan5637 i always liked the theories suggesting it will be the westerling’s maester, but this would be really interesting too

[@axelminus]

@@dereinepeterpan5637 I would almost prefer if it is somewhere in the middle of the book where nobody is expecting it. You just turn the page, and suddenly it's Benjen

[@dereinepeterpan5637]

@@axelminus Would definitely be a moment that would chain me to the book

[@jessjess23brooks89]

He would have the most revealing thoughts if George just allows him to think them for us.

[@gtr5973]

He’s alive in some form. George wouldn’t pass up the chance to describe the gruesome death of a named character.

[@morgott13]

He'd have to start writing again first

[@K1ngAlexander]

@@morgott13sadly he’s more focused on the prequels, he’s up there in age and I’m doubting he finishes it at this point

[@morgott13]

@@K1ngAlexander he claims to be almost finished with the next book. I remember there were two more books and now there is just one. I think HBO ruining the end may have something to do with it in light of his recent comments about source material.

[@K1ngAlexander]

@@morgott13 honestly I hope you are correct but at this point i don’t know he’s been working on this book for 14 years now and sometimes would update he’s 2/3 done and then give the same update much later lol… last update I read was that he’s distracted by the spin offs…but I truly hope he gets it done im a big fan of his work, obviously.

[@weslynch2052]

Is there anyone GRRM works with or is close to that could take up the mantle?

[@pigreat6985]

I've always been of the opinion that the means through which we'll see "further north than ever before" is with Benjen as the Epilogue PoV in TWoW. Jon's parentage will probably be confirmed at that point so there's no reason to keep him off-page anymore, and he's most likely so far north that reconvening with any PoV character is out of the question. Giving him an epilogue to both meaningfully confirm his ultimate fate and push the story forward with regards to Jon and the Others seems like a pretty efficient way to handle that particular dangling thread.

[@pokeman5000]

I'm gonna be real with you. GRRM absolutely HATES resolving things unless absolutely necessary. There's a reason Benjen and Howland Reed have been kept out of the story thus far. There's a reason Ned and Robert get got in book 1. Theres a reason Illyrio Mopatis is used sparingly. These characters know too much about plot specific characters and its far easier for GRRM to keep the "game" going. Benjen is gone and he ain't coming back sweetness. But hey here's another Areo Hotah chapter. Isn't Dorne RIVETING?

[@stevendorries]

Benjen is in a secluded valley that has volcanic hot springs, he is building a hot-house based farm there

[@michaelwilson5866]

A Song of Ice and Fire Stardew Valley play through, I bet.

[@osterianio]

He's building a hot tub time machine, actually.

[@intellectic9155]

Ghey.

[@Levacque]

​@@osterianiothe pools in Winterfell are already a hot tub time machine, didn't you know? Hodor uses them to go back and become the very tall man in Bran's weirwood vision, making himself his own grandpa just like Phillip J Fry. (Like Fry! Like Fry!)

[@ahmedshaharyarejaz9886]

Probably with a beautiful Wildling woman at his side.

[@thelasonj]

I always thought Benjen was so interesting and I hope we'll get his POV chapters in the next books. I'd like to hear about his journeys, his training, and his sister. I think he's "alive". 😊

[@dromankass8655]

I mean in a way on the channel Robert already tells us stories of Benjen's childhood - his close bond with his sister, their adventures and schemes together, complete with one of their greatest pranks when at the Tourney of Harenhal Benjen helped Lynna get a horse and armour and she played the roll of the Knight of the Laughing Tree. Robert even describes that he thinks Lyanna told Benjen that she didn't want to marry Robert Barathron, and was happy to go off with Rheyger instead, and that he should keep this a secret from their other brothers and father. And then, when Brandon got arrested by the Mad King, and their father had to go to the Red Keep, and both died, Benjen realised, too late, that he should have said something. But now he had news that Jon Arryn had raised his banners against the Mad King, the Stormlands and the Riverlands were bring brought into the civil war, and ravens arriving at Winterfell from his older brother Ned telling him that he must prepare their men for war, and that Ned would be arriving back in Winterfell soon to formally call their own banner men to war. Young Benjen must have felt terribly conflicted, guilty for what had happened to his father and brother, and worried for his sister, yet knowing all the time that she hadn't been abducted, and that this war engulfing the continent was build on a lie. And then Ned arrives back at Winterfel, has to call the banners, deal with the stroppy Northern Lords like the Great Jon and Roose Bolton, and organised their armies to march south to war and death, all the while trying to work out where Lyanna may be hidden and how to rescue her. And in the middle of all this, young Benjen has to go up to Ned in Winterfel, and say; 'Um . . . there's something important I need to tell you . . . ' And then everything changes. But it's too late to stop the war, and now they are committed, the two brothers agree that they must keep this a secret, fight the damn war regardless, as the Mad King will never backdown now, and that it's either him or them. But thanks to Benjen at last telling Ned the truth, they have a good idea where Lyanna may be found, and that there's a possible chance she may be pregnant or have given birth, so when Ned goes to get her, he had better take only his most loyal as most trusted companions with him, in case they need to cover up what has occurred. While Ned is doing that, Benjen will need to remain as the Stark in Winterfel, and command the North (sending re-enforcements and re-supplie where possible) but privetly the poor boy feels so guilty about what his silence has cost he vows that upon his brother and sister's return to Winterfel he will take the Black and serve on the Wall as penance.

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

I agree that even if he is still alive we won't see him for a long time because of what he knows. And not just the parentage of Jon. I think that Ned promised to protect Jon would mean not telling anyone, including his brother. But that didn't matter because Benjen already knew, or worked it out, because he knows a bigger secret. He know that the whole rebellion was built on a lie, Lyanna wasn't kidnapped, she ran off with Rhaegar voluntarily. He knows what really happened at the tourney of Harrenhall. This revelation would mean more than learning about Jon's parentage, or even that he's legitimate, it would mean uncovering the behind the scenes manipulation, Littlefinger, the Maesters, Rhaegar's plot, everything.

[@carlrood4457]

That knowledge really would only be of use to Jon and the Starks. No one in the south would have any reason to care or believe. Certainly, the two Targaryean invaders won't give a crap without something more substantial than it coming from a Stark and a Crannegman. Those revelations need to come from Rhaegar's side of things for it to carry any weight. Jon's parentage may technically be meaningless to some, anyway, since Aerys had already removed Rhaegar's children from succession

[@ryankline1164]

Why would Benjen know the taking of Lyanna was consensual? He might be aware of them up to and including hooking up, but he wasn't present at the taking .She could have just as easily said, "No Rhaegar" given her personality and any thought of what her brother Brandon (or indeed Robert) might do about it.

[@tardcore4life]

​@@ryankline1164 He would know because while Brandon and Ned were sent off to foster with other families, Benjen and Lyanna were at Winterfell. He was much closer to her than the other brothers and was far more likely to have known what her plans were.

[@connorhudock1950]

"Robert's rebellion was based on a lie" is the biggest crock of shit. Okay, let's say everyone knew that she ran off. What happens? The honorable Starks say "oh yeah, our daughter eloped with a married man, this is fine." Bullshit. They would still go to Aerys, and he would still kill them. Nothing changes at all, not even John's status as a bastard

[@Libellulaire]

@@connorhudock1950 Anything you said doesn't counter the fact it was based on a lie. Robert's reason for going against the Targaryens was that Lyanna, the woman he lusted after, was kidnapped and he was demanding that she'd be returned. If Lyanna ran away willingly then his demands have absolutely zero value, the whole reasoning behind his anger and rebellion are wrong and thus Houses wouldn't join him. And kinda same for the Starks: they wouldn't be able to act all angry and demand anything, they'd instead be partially responsible of what their daughter did. Both Rhaegar and Lyanna would be the culprits then, so both Houses would be involved in the same way rather than one House being the "bad" and the other one the "victim."

[@guichogf5636]

My question is why he took the black in the first place. He was Ned's only surviving sibling. It would have made sense for him to stick around and help his brother in the North. I always felt there was something we weren't being told. In the books, Benjen didn't approach Ned about Jon taking the black. He talked to the maester instead. Seems odd. He also was not seated with the family at the feast for Robert. If there must always be a Stark in Winterfell, the more Starks the better. Did he do something, like maybe cover up the Lyanna/Rhaegar tryst and cause a lot of House Stark's woes. That would be good reason to force him to take the black.

[@SoBlissedOut]

The Starks have a duty to man the wall. Benjen and Jon were doing their duty as Stark men.

[@ARandomGuy24]

I feel like he took it out of guilt. He and his sister were very close. He might have helped with her mystery knight thing which probably lead to Rheager looking for her and meeting her, developing their relationship which lead to the confrontation that got his father and brother killed. And a war that killed tens thousands of others killed including the civilians.

[@theophrastusbombastus1359]

Ned and Benjen fell out because he helped keep R+L hidden, which in turn led to a civil war He would've either taken the black because he didn't want to participate in Ned's lies, or Ned forced him for possibly a couple of reasons

[@GarrettPetersen]

In real history you often have these kinds of unanswered questions. GRRM is so good at creating a world with the same texture as real life. That's part of what makes it so compelling.

[@COMMANDandConquer199]

It's a crying shame we'll never have answers to all of the questions we have about this series.

[@tooslow4065]

friggan a'. well never see the next book. grrm will die of diabetes before then

[@christopherjohnson2171]

@@tooslow4065 Considering his age and health and how long he's been delaying this book....yeah this series won't be finished in his lifetime. Hell, the next book may never even come out.

[@AndrewK23777]

Great vid as always Robert. Personally i do think Benjen died or more accurately nearly died pursuing the facts around Waymar's disappearance and seemingly came across the Others & their wights in the process. At some point likely at the same time his companions were killed , i suspect Benjen was mortally wounded and saved with CotF / green magic & wighted to their side. Potentially was a tug of war (if thats possible) between competing magics as to wighting to their side. Perhaps the CotF magically wrestled him away while in process of being wighted by the Others or the CotF simply came across him as he was dying. And realistically venturing that far North (if he did) learning more about the Others and how to defeat them. Even someone as resourceful as Benjen -on his own , in such a cold , harsh , barren area ; one would basically have to be a wight to survive. I ultimately think like Coldhands , seemingly what Jon will become , possibly the original Night's Watch might have been wights (some of the mythos' language could be interpreted that way) ; Benjen would be yet another example of a wight on the side opposing the Others. And that such wights are absolutely vital in that fight ; they don't have to eat , drink or sleep and could survive harsh elements / weather. Even more vital if venturing to the extreme far North is part of the killing / defeating formula.

[@andrewbolton5492]

One note - I’m not sure how much it matters, but I do think Benjen visited Craster, and Craster lies to Lord Commander Mormont about having seen him. When asked about Waymar and his company, Craster replies in the affirmative: he did see them, he didn’t like Waymar, but Gared was alright (for a crow). He also notes that the heard Gared got his head lopped off - but how could he know this? News from the south isn’t likely to make it to Craster’s Keep, except by Nights Watchmen. As you mentioned, the three ranging parties sent to look for Benjen didn’t go to Craster’s, and we are given no information about any other rangings. So for Craster to know about Gared, it seems to me that he must have been told by Benjen and his party, since Benjen had just traveled south to Winterfell immediately after Gared’s death.

[@toms169]

Interesting point you raise there, but I don‘t see why he would lie. There could easily have been other rangings that were simply not mentioned in the story. And there seems to be some limited exchange of news between Night‘s Watch and Wildlings through whatever means. So he may have found out.

[@Libellulaire]

He could have known them from before then. They could have not stopped at Craster's that time since no need to, but other times before they could have. After all, the Night's Watch knows about Craster's, what he does, and even have some sort of deal with him. Since Benjen and both his men were very experienced, it's not crazy to think that over the years of defending the Wall and going out on ranger missions they'd been to Craster's a few times.

[@SmuckingAwesome]

There is a significant connection between the starks and the white walkers. The way Ned would insist "There must ALWAYS be a Stark at Winterfell" suggests this. I think its obvious the Stark family is the Ice to the Targarians fire.

[@TinfoilMaester]

I think he's in Bloodraven's cave. Basically, Benjen was Bloodraven before Bloodraven was Bloodraven. The Great Bastards didn't exist until after ACOK was published. But Bran was already getting magic messages from a "crow." I basically think the CotF/Weirwood hive are using Benjen as a way to connect to Bran. Benjen disappears on his ranging, gets picked up by the CotF who open his third eye. Bran's first visit from the Crow comes *right* at the same time Benjen goes missing. When Jon gets word that Bran woke up, he at first thinks the news is going to be about Benjen's disappearance. But then in 1999 George decided he wanted to have Bran train with the tree-puppet. So Bran coming face to face with his captive uncle and realizing the CotF are kinda horrifying had to wait. To forestall that reveal, he creates a new tree-puppet character to be Bran's teacher. To ease this retcon, Brynden copy-pastes a lot of Benjen traits. A (former) First Ranger. From a magic Old Gods bloodline. Leads his Crows on an ill-fated ranging, which crosses paths with old magic beings. Even his name makes Bran think "Like my uncle!"

[@theophrastusbombastus1359]

The only person sending Bran magic messages in Bran's dreams is Magic Bran

[@BLooDCoMPleX]

Benjen is certainly dead, but while the other companions of his were just wighted he was probably used for some other cause we do not know of by the Others because of his Stark blood. I think we will discover only when we discover what the relationship between the Starks and the Others. My guess is that he has become one of the Others and will give us a window into seeing what they are and what they want.

[@mukke9728]

It was a Stark that build the wall after all. So maybe their blood is needed to tear it down (instead of with stupid dragon fire like in the show). Because that in general will certainly happen, but I would anticipate Bran to be involved. After Bran the Builder built the wall, Bran the Broken breaks it down. Kind of poetic, I guess.

[@green_dragon_knight]

That would be fascinating

[@jannogalvez7228]

he becomes a wolf. starks has a power to transfer their spirits into wolfs

[@AskMia411]

I’ve always been fascinated by the Shade of the Evening trees and their similarities to weirwood, I think it’d make for a cool video!!

[@Levacque]

I think he's got a video cooking for sure. He mentions his fascination with the analogues fairly often, whenever Shade of the Evening, warlocks, or Euron come up.

[@JohnMishler-Elmore]

We will sadly never find out, I fear.

[@habituallinestepper8839]

Yup

[@HistoricInaccuracy]

Correct

[@celiaruschinzik5270]

I Hope not .. put yeah

[@Warmaker01]

This is what's going to happen. A Dance With Dragons was published in 2011. The Game of Thrones TV show started that same year and ended SIX YEARS AGO. We still don't have the follow up. The ASOIAF books are never going to be finished.

[@duderino6171]

The books might already be done and he's not releasing them until he's dead just out of spite lol.

[@JohnTorres1987]

He went so far north and west that he ended up in furtherest east of Essos. You can’t go back to Westeros because only a shadow binder is able to open the way when you are let into Essos. Either Benjen has been slowly but surely crossing Essos to get back to Westeros or he is trying to gain a shadow binder’s trust to either open the way or to teach him to be one so he can open the way. The shadow binders are hesitant to help because the great other comes from there so they don’t want the door opened for any reason.

[@GsoNice]

I wish we had more information on the Fist of the First Men site ☹️

[@Levacque]

Open speculation time? Probably the first human stronghold to fall to the Others in the buildup to the first Long Night. I could definitely see the Fist being a sort of northern extent of humanity when they thought the Children were the biggest threat they would ever face, pushing into the cold north to root out the underground lairs of the Children. Then, like so many other military campaigns on a frontier, they stretched their supply chain too long and got overrun by the enemy, in this case the Others.

[@richardtabor8686]

The way you pitched him being alive, I think he's going to be the ending POV to Winds...The cliffhanger that shows us a bunch of information, then he dies, then we wait for Dream...

[@PinkGrapefruit22]

I'm thinking that we'll see Benjen again once GRRM is ready to reveal why the Others seem to be searching for men with the Stark look. Great update to your previous video!

[@dannycolwell8028]

Wait, when was it said they were looking for stark looking men?

[@PinkGrapefruit22]

@@dannycolwell8028 It wasn’t, but it is a common theory that Waymar Royce was targeted by the Others for looking like a Stark, possibly because they are looking for Bran.

[@dannycolwell8028]

@@PinkGrapefruit22 ohhh I see what you’re saying and that would make a lot of sense

[@awesomehpt8938]

Instead of getting cold feet he got cold hands.

[@HOTD108_]

Isn't Cold Hands confirmed to be very old in Dance? Ben wasn't exactly a young man, but he definitely wasn't old, let alone very old. Cold Hands is clearly someone who died many years ago, before the story begins.

[@paulsarnik8506]

In Show. Book might wind up differently. I hope most of it does. 🤓😎✌🏻

[@mcoupe69]

Tbf he used a fire flail so his hands were probably less than cold :)

[@nicovideotube]

I think Benjen is going to be a POV in TWoW.

[@CSNA_Gaming]

For the show being so condensed I think it was easier to combine characters when it would still work for the plot. Especially when some of the characters are not too important.

[@BlondeBarbarian]

Just imagine: It's 2046 and you have Winds of Winter in your hands. You turn the page, and you just see "BENJEN" at the top of the page... I would lose my shit.

[@thomaslance5428]

LOL.

[@mori1bund]

At that time I'm so old that I'll probably lose my shit regularly anyway. ^^

[@InvisibleJiuJitsu]

optimistically quick

[@thecocktailian2091]

2046?!?! Be surprised if GRRM makes it to 2026. The publisher is going to publish the current iteration of a Dream of Spring to whichever it is he is working toot sweet. They have a gold mine on their hands that they can only access when GRRM buggers off.

[@AesirUnlimited]

@@thecocktailian2091he hasn’t even started a dream of spring yet.

[@whitewolfofthewhills]

I have a theory, one that I do think is very unlikely, but it's a fun possibility. Much like your theory, I like to think that Benjen chose to head North, into the Lands of Always Winter and likely learned something of great importance for the cominv conflict. But I also think it's possible that since then he's been heading back south to share this information, and ended up in Hardhome as the only safeish place North of the Wall he could reach (likely not openly as Benjen, because everyone would there hate him as a Crow) From here, it's possible he could reenter the story through Davos' POV who may go to Hardhome after Skagos in his story. Alternatively (and here's the more outlandish but fun theory), what if Benjen was among the people that were taken by slavers from Hardhome? This could open up the possibility of Benjen reentering the story through Arya's POV, as one of the slaver ships was captured by Braavos.

[@Levacque]

The only flaw I can find in your final idea is that the slavers were only taking women and children. Or am I mis-remembering? Were there slavers AND Braavosi ships present?

[@whitewolfofthewhills]

@@Levacque no, you're right. The slavers pretended to be just helpful sailors and took women and children "to safety". There were no Braavosi ships at Hardhome. The slaver ship was intercepted later by Braavosi ships. Though there were other ships who presumably weren't captured by Braavos. In any case, maybe that does rule out the Benjen to Braavos possibility. But there's always the slim possibility of something happening that we weren't aware of (Benjen bribing his way as a passenger to leave Hardhome or something. But that goes waaay too far into speculation territory, I think). I still think Benjen being at Hardhome and reentering the story through Davos' POV could happen though.

[@Levacque]

@@whitewolfofthewhills ahh, ok, that sounds familiar. One way or another, the fate of the passengers on the Braavosi galleys will surely be interesting. I forgot about the details that they had been rescued. We'll have to see how that all falls out in Arya chapters, considering that there is a large King's Landing delegation there as well. I just think it's very interesting that we've reached a point in the story where there are many ways for many different factions to start crossing paths. Benjen could very well be at Hardhome and Davos could go there, Arya could see him in Braavos (and the Iron Bank might take interest in an adult Stark)... The list of possibilities is long, but the way that the story is contracting makes the possibilities all the more likely.

[@Chuulip]

I like to believe that he survived and made it his mission to find out what exactly is going on there. He is probably already deep inside the secrets of beyond the wall and either can't or doesn't want to head back yet because he is still trying to get more information. I'd love to see him again in later chapters!

[@8440k]

It has been over 13 years since the last release of book 5, A Dance of Dragons, and over 5 years since season 8 ended. I don't think George R. R. Martin will finish the series. He is an intelligent man; he can make far more profit with the spin-off series than from his book sales. Winds of Winter may be released in a few years."May". I doubt if he will ever start a dream of spring. We will have to be content with the season 8 finale, despite its flaws, for closure on the series. Many of the mysteries in the series will remain mysteries, and the theories will remain theories.

[@Laketwig]

lol he is set for multiple lives like he gives a shit about profit.

[@OfficialChrissums]

@@Laketwig so are most rich authors, business people, actors, etc. and yet they continue to pursue it.

[@rustygray5058]

Don't worry, Brandon Sanderson has our backs

[@Laketwig]

@@OfficialChrissums so are most rich authors, business people, actors, etc. and yet they continue to work

[@kyos8462]

"flaws" season 8 is nothing but 1 giant flaw. Acting, Cinematography, writing, = massive Flaw. Literally did a Lost style last season. Made watching it all over again pointless as you know how awfull season 8 is.

[@ParanoidMarvinMk2]

It would be GRRM's style for Benjen to be a Chekhov's Gunman (to use the TV Tropes terminology), but not in the way we expect. My guess is that he will return, but instead of being the reveal for Jon's parentage, he will reveal... something else.

[@troymcclure6629]

I always thought Howlin Reed would be the one to confirm Jon’s parentage, not Benjen. It would be crazy if he was a wight and the only time we see him is from Jon’s perspective when he realises the wight he’s fighting is Benjen

[@ParanoidMarvinMk2]

@@troymcclure6629 I think so too re: parentage. Especially if H+A=M is also true. My guess is that Benjen will be a critical element of the plot re: defeating the Others. How exactly, I don't know, but I hope it will be a bit more than just showing up and info dumping.

[@mylesrobinson6513]

Howlin' Reed was an underrated bluesman

[@GustavoGplay]

Benjen will appear on the last book with an army of fish men from Sothorios. He went so far north, he's now at the south of the world gathering forces to fight the dead

[@Despondencymusic]

He headed to the Southlands and became Adar.

[@julianponce1854]

What if he warged into an animal before his body died, but then warged back into his body after it was reanimated by the Others

[@mankytoes]

My personal theory is that he's a prisoner of the Others. They know who he is and have a wider use for him, mainly related to the special qualities in Stark blood. I think it would be very cool to see the Others from a prisoner's perspective.

[@Laketwig]

I always had the idea since someone pointed out the theory that The others are looking for a Stark based on the prologue, that they got Benjen and killed the others.

[@Levacque]

Ehh. To be honest, whenever I watch that guy's videos, I find myself frustrated by his willingness to mix empirical observations directly from the books with openly speculative theories and then present them as equally valid sources when building his own theories. He has a lot of good stuff, but it's overshadowed by his (in my opinion) inconsistent filter. He follows ideas based on whether he thinks they are interesting and then finds evidence that MIGHT support it, instead of gathering evidence and using it to build the idea. The "looking for Stark" theory is incredibly thin, as a perfect example. I'm embarrassed to say that I'm completely blanking on his name.

[@BlacksmithFilter1]

Back in 2011 or 2012 I stumbled across an interesting theory saying that basically the White Walkers were the "good guys" but we don't realise it because we see the story from another perspective (the POV characters'). I don't remember any details or how this was justified, and I never found that theory again (or never really bothered tbh), but nevertheless it was interesting. So, what if Benjen reached the Lands of Always Winter, figured out that the Others are on the right and decided to join them? Or the Others' Big Boss (the Night King or whatever) being impressed that someone ventured so far north, decided to spare him and sat him down and explained their side and Benjen joined? Sort of "Jon Snow joining the wildlings" parallel. I know that it's quite far fetched and it's probably not true, but at this point anything's a possibility. Also, the moment we see a White Walker conversing with a POV character, I'll start running naked in the streets...

[@Milton2k]

4:20 Quite a fan of your videos, and I mostly agree. Yet not with this one. Leave a trail on the snow? That trail would have been erased in less than a day for sure with that weather.

[@ForeverWog]

I really enjoy your readings from the book. You’d be a really good audiobook reader.

[@The_DarthWonka]

This channel continues to be the greatest. Thanks for this. I always wondered what Benjens journey was.

[@pax6833]

If Benjen went to the Heart of Winter, there's no way he could get there still alive. Not only is it too cold, he wouldn't have enough food. GRRM has always tried to keep his books grounded, I don't think he'd uncharacteristically just handwave the difficulties of arctic exploration away (seriously, read some history books on it, those trips could be nasty and perilous as all hell). It seems likely Benjen is like Cold Hands, not alive and not dead, so probably also working for Bloodraven, able to make the journey and come back with knowledge even Bloodraven might not be able to get.

[@ARandomGuy24]

They can be perilous but as a ranger he is well equipped for it as you reasonably could expect. And dire wolves are a thing in this world known to be beyond the wall. Who knows how many animals with plenty of fur are out there surviving the blistering cold in that weather.

[@jde-jj1lu]

Great stuff Robert

[@thedonkeypuncher2395]

Who left the dragon glass and horn wrapped in the Night's Watch cloak at the Fist of the First Men?

[@richardtabor8686]

Nice. I'm interested to hear what you have to say here. Ty so much for the great and thought-provoking content.

[@WBSlashH]

I’ve felt for a long time that Benjen will show up during a battle with the others as a wight and Jon has to kill his uncle

[@colbyr.3221]

One possibility is a mix between the second and third theories, where maybe during the initial attack he is wounded and saved by the children of the forest, like Coldhands, and then is brought into the service of Bloodraven. Then after that, he might be tasked with going north and finding out more information about the Others or helping him some other way. That would then explain why he never contacted the Night’s Watch and keep him relevant in the story, as he might reconnect with Bran in tWoW.

[@KiefsChingdom]

The words of House Martin are “Winds of Winter is coming”

[@dvan7500]

Benjen is one of my favorite characters. I hope we get more out of him in the books

[@emrek99205]

Not this topic, but related. There is evidence to suggest that Will was a warg. Of his group he was the best tracker. It is possible that HE didn't see the dead wildlings but that his dire wolf had, so being shocked that they weren't there was genuine. He may have hidden this talent from the Night's Watch. While not heresy, warging is somewhat frowned upon by those south of the Wall. Except at Winterfell which is where he was headed with his wolf. Only to have it killed just before turning himself in at Winterfell. Yes, he wasn't captured by the Stark's men but arrived on purpose with a message about the Others. Having his wolf killed would mess with his head, so too is the story he brings a bit unbelievable. We didn't hear the conversation between Will and Ned and that may be on purpose. His wolf was found not far from where Will was being detained and would explain how a dire wolf would be so many miles south of the wall and just happen to be in the same area. The wall normally prevents warging ability across its border - happened with Jon and Ghost, and with Bran and Hodor at Bloodraven's cave - but doesn't happen if both travel together through one of the many forts or the Night's door. It is possible that he brought his wolf as a type of commonality to the Starks that he wasn't crazy; knowing, or believing, that they too are wargs. Only when it is killed that makes his entire story into even more crazy talk. As I said, not related to Benjin, but would answer how a dire wolf got south of the wall and why it was so close to be found by Ned and his family. As a final note. The wolf could not be warged into by Bloodraven and made to go to Winterfell. At some point it would have to cross the wall. Wolves aren't climbers and even if it snuck through a gate that connection would be lost unless the warg was with the animal. Summer and Ghost have no problem with this because they aren't being controlled at the time. Once on the immediate south side Bloodraven would have no way of connecting to the Dire wolf again and direct it to Winterfell. However having Will bring it would definitely work.

[@jackcoogan310]

Call me crazy, but George’s note about Benjen seems unbelievable. Coldhands’ identity comes up too much for him to be anyone but Benjen. We take the notation from George as gospel, but the rest of his hints contradict that one note.

[@alesanchez87]

Yes! This! If ever we get to read the resting books, I want desperately to know what happened to him.

[@thebabylonian109]

Him just being turned into an ice white seems too simplistic for Martin's style, does not seem like this much effort would have been spent on it unless there is a lot more to it. But that is just my feeling, no evidence sadly.

[@sgauden02]

I think it's entirely possible that Benjen will return similarly to how he did in the show, reappearing to help Bran get back to Winterfell, but it WON'T be as Coldhands. I think Benjen has been in the Lands Of Always Winter, learning more about the Others. G.R.R. Martin did say that we'd go farther north than ever before, and Benjen could be the key to that.

[@Mn-yh2bp]

I was always under the impression that cold hands was dead Benjamin Stark

[@NoahJohnson1981]

Personally, I enjoyed Robert of IDGs impression of the Raven. It sounds a lot better than in my head. Great video, I’ll bet my hat we’ll get a pov benjen chapter at some point.

[@ThePatrickakes]

Whenever I listen to your videos, I think you'd do a wonderful voice reading of the books. Roy Dotrice is the goat of course, but I feel you'd bring a special something given your in-depth knowledge of the history and theories

[@jonathanyaloussa]

What if that weirwood tree was some sort of portal? Perhaps the [the weirwood trees] have other magical properties we don't know yet?

[@Outrider74]

I could very easily see Martin leaving this one up to the reader to decide, whether or not Benjen is alive. Frustrating to be sure, as Benjen, like Ned, is a very likable and noble character. I did appreciate him essentially assuming the role of Coldhands. I'd rather see him not harmed at all, but they did a good job bringing him back for the most part.

[@carlrood4457]

Benjen's knowledge of Jon's parentage might be of use to Jon and the other Starks, but his word wouldn't carry much weight in greater Westeros. Neither would Howland Reed's, for that matter. Both would be seen as clearly biased and in Howland's case he's a lord who was picked on by squires. Crannegmen aren't exactly well respected. For Jon's parentage to be taken seriously, it would have to be coming from a Rhaegar loyalist, probably Ashara Dayne (possibly Arthur if he's alive).

[@gregnelson9532]

Do we ever get an explanation for how othor and jaefer were able to exist as ice wights past the walls magical barrier?

[@RonTHenschell]

The wall prevents them from passing..they were carried to the other side

[@whiteforestfox]

Excited to watch the video! I was looking for your Robert’s Rebellion videos the other day and couldn’t find them, are these being updated as well?

[@theboomman]

How would he even send a message if he was north of the wall and couldn’t go back to the watch?

[@rustygray5058]

He had 4 other rangers with him. And there are likely messenger crows even north of the wall

[@sambolton5244]

Benjen is a stark and possibly has warg abilities. I like the idea that he has warged into a wolf or a crow. Sort of like your John snow prediction

[@anthroposmetron4475]

If one day George walked out into the wilds of northern Canada, disapeared for years, then re-emerged in like 2030 with Winds and A Dream of Spring completed, that would be pretty badass and I think we'd all forgive him.

[@ccreel64]

There’s nothing to forgive in my opinion. GRRM gave us one of the most fascinating and complicated fantasy worlds since Tolkien. For that, I’m grateful, even though I’d love to see the series completed.

[@royceflores23]

If Ben is from the north, and gets revived by the children, and is a zombie, does that make him a type of coldhands? Does that make barec dondarrian hothands?

[@KicktheSky34]

You are taking for granted the idea that just because they reappeared at the same time that Othor and Jafer died at the same time too. It's possible that Othor was killed in that previous hypothetical attack and didn't reanimate until after everyone went their separate ways. Knowing Jeor well enough to safely assume he would send search parties after them, I don't think Benjen would continue north without trying to get word to Castle Black, even if the message was just "Don't follow me." I think a plausible scenario is that Benjen sent Jafer back to the wall with their findings, only for Jafer to be ambushed by Othor on his way south.

[@flykhai9672]

He will definitely be involved in the show if we’re lucky enough to get it 💯

[@tedcruz212]

I would be fascinated to see if Benjen managed to make his way to the lands of always winter, that or perhaps more interestingly if he managed to strike some kind of deal with the others. Perhaps they recognized an opportunity to gain more intelligence from a more experienced nights watchmen, or something about benjens ancestry caused the others to choose to let him live.

[@roberthummell3701]

He joined with the wild folk and their gathering army in the north

[@BlazeBuds]

Well in the show last we saw he is a ww now, he said he can't pass the wall anymore because of the wall and the cotf helped bring him back when he was basically dead

[@Skimbleshanks73]

Im expecting a pov chapter from benjen near the end of winds, as he's finding out something important way up north and decides to get back to the wall

[@Cappy-Bara]

I always figured Othor and Jafer were sent to the wall to pass a message, but were killed on the way. Since they had a task when they died, they continued on their path, and luckily the point about the dead walking still got through. Perhaps is Benjen is alive, he is unaware the message didn't get through and we are missing some critical detail.

[@Chewbacca55]

If Benjin says he cannot pass the wall because of magic, how was Othor able to be brought over the wall into Castle Black in the undead state? At least in the series Sam says that there is no smell of the dead so something already had to happen by the time they were brought beyond the wall, right? If that is possible Benjin could have just waited in front of the gate for his brothers and have him carried beyond the wall?

[@dblackesquire]

The better question is whether the Others had anything to do with Jaffer and Othor. The injuries that killed them don't appear to be from the weapons of Others.

[@arcanics1971]

He's a Stark. Perhaps he's warged into something and is trapped- or needs a reminder of who he really is.

[@ashmeadowphoenix]

I think the incident with Waymar Royce, where the White Walker tests him for...something...and then and only then kills him suggest to me that the White Walkers are looking for someone specific, and personally I think that specific person is a fated Stark descendant. Personally I think that they are looking for Jon, and finding Benjen may have been closer to their goal than ever before. I think if we see Benjen again, he won't be a wight...he'll be a white walker.

[@mtverv]

Using Occam’s Razor we come to the 2 conclusions that are the most likely to be true. 1) He’s the best Ranger in the Watch by far and he used those abilities to make it to the Eastern Coast, got on a ship, and Deserted to Essos to live the rest of his life. 2) Either the wildling tribes or the Others captured or killed him

[@Rockwall69]

I wonder how many people are here that watched the tv show but never read the books and are all "what are you talking about? He died saving Jon after he got left behind by Dany!"😂

[@quickredf0x143]

I forget if we got Coldhands' backstory but I kinda assumed that he was Benjen. It has been a long time since I read these books though.

[@numathurman2372]

I do believe Benjen Stark went up North as he might have meet or seen not only the White Walkers but maybe the Night King. I might be wrong, of course, but there's no better moment to go see where these Night King comes from up North while that king is actually busy going south. There would be no better chance to go see the place they're coming from and understand what's happening.

[@Ralph_Roberts]

I think it's sometimes better to leave things unanswered. In The Walking Dead for example, both Morgan and Merle find the others again. In these types of dangerous worlds people would just disappear and you'd never find out.

[@TheCbot88]

I think it's Waymar Royce's jeweled sword hilt that makes an appearance in Dance when the wildlings give up their wealth to pay for food/passage through the wall

[@EarnestTargenfyre]

I'm so happy that he won't be Coldhands in the books. That makes his story more interesting to look forward to in the WOW.

[@anthonylaviale3021]

There is a connection between the Starks and the Others (night's king, winter is coming, winterfell, ice...) and the others appear quite interested in Starks: they tested waymar royce and killed him when they realised his sword was normal, Craster was very interested in Jon looking Stark... My opinion is the others are looking for somebody with very specific blood, Jon, either as a lagic battery, magic key or, my favorite, a host to control/possess. An undead Ben possessed by the leader or progenitor of the Others would make for a formidable antagonist. If he's alive, like when Bran is skinchanging Hodor, it would have even more impact.

[@carlschultz1538]

I think Benjen was saved by Coldhands, brought to Bloodraven's cave, and sent on an assignment up north with Dark Sister to protect him from the Others on his journey--which may explain why it hasn't been seen or referred to in the cave. We may even get a POV chapter from him--despite GRRM saying otherwise. At this point, who knows what he may be writing?

[@BWBDCan]

My reasoning why bran saw family when he firat went into the tree network, is that he was following his roots like a trees roots.

[@simbol5638]

Great video as always

[@ThatElfTorunn]

I cannot even explain how fast I put this on the telly.

[@IDieHardForever]

If no one's told you, of all the Tolien channels your voice is the easiest to listen to at length. Nerd of Rings and Men of the West are both solid too

[@Omnifarious0]

I always thought Benjen was Coldhands as well until I realized that Bran would've recognized him.

[@magalengo]

Maybe meet up with Stonesnake. Last seen ranging north of the wall.

[@miguelitomarques8]

He's my favorite character. I miss him.

[@jonnylawless6797]

They had to make Benjen Coldhands in the show, I assume cause they had to make stuff up as they went after probably midway through S6

[@soxcelts34]

Is there any explanation of how Will got south of the Wall if he never stopped by the nights watch when he fled?

[@TH3DUDE0075]

Wouldn’t those trails be covered up by any snows that happened in between?

[@elendor3428]

What happened to your older video on Benjen? I watched it about a year ago

[@aedanohara6080]

I’d personally always believed Benjen was coldhands, but I suppose the George RR Martin note proves otherwise. I’m not sure Bran would recognize Benjen, it’s been many years since he’d have seen him. And Bran and Benjen don’t have much contact overall.

[@glamourweaver]

Coldhands seems clear to me to be one of the Raven’s Teeth who took the Black with Bloodraven.

[@dfailsthemost]

I always figured the raven was warning them about the dead approaching.

[@carlrood4457]

If he went further north, he'd have needed a reason to do so beyond just finding out there are more Others and wights. One has to presume that even an experienced ranger would have trouble finding food and unfrozen water in a place called "The Land of Always Winter". Any trip back will likely take longer with winter coming. Also, what the point of being a ranger if he never reports back? We come back to the line from Star Trek II. "He is unable to respond. He is unwilling to respond." At this point, if he's alive and whole, the latter is more likely. There's nothing to indicate prisoners are something the Others are interested in. The only reason I can think of is that he thinks he knows a way to halt the invasion and is travelling north to stop it, not just get information. After at least two years, it seems unlikely he'd make it back in time for any information to be of use. If he's just another wight, it's unlikely we'd ever find out because he'd be just one of tens of thousands. If he's an agent of Bloodraven and the Children of the Forest like Coldhands, then his loyalties become suspect.

[@tonette6592]

I doubt that we will ever know because I doubt that GRRM will finish the series. I think what happened to the end of the show disheartened him.

[@Faretheewell608]

It is Martin's fault the show ended up the way it did.

[@TonyBlacksmith0001]

Also possible that some weird magicry happens when a stark becomes a wight