@RedSky I like your speculation regarding:
Benjen. Unless it all turns out to be convenience (or like everybodys speculation regarding Arya after being stabbed) - the thought that Benjen could be a villain is a great theory.
-He gets stabbed by a WW and left to turn. When else does that happen? Dont WW just kill everybody? Why Benjen, of all people, to be the only one to turn as an adult? - maybe there were more but that would be random - and then he gets saved by the Children (which is strangely not mentioned to Bran except by Benjen).
Also Benjen knows what Bran saw in his vision? If he was told by 3ERaven, then maybe 3ERaven was in on it? Probably not. lol.
But hes been taken to the Wall, which has magical powers stopping WW. But Bran being marked could take that down? Highly suspicious.
It could all be just luck however haha.
For further depth read below (it's pretty long sorry). I spent a while posting this and watched back most of the Bran storyline (this season) on youtube. The links are easy to find but let me know if you want them.
BloodRaven = Three Eyed Raven
1. The Rescue
Extremely convenient time to rescue them. It just so happens that he manages to find Bran and Meera a few seconds before they were killed. This happens to be of course Uncle of Bran, a man that was killed by a White Walker yet lived (no Harry Potter reference). A man that was assumed dead for 5 seasons and rides in to save the day. A man that Bran will have no problem trusting. That's a lot of good fortune! How did he even know where to look? Bran and Meera could have headed in any direction? He was a Ranger, so tracking isn't difficult for him. But he also arrives from a different direction. If he was told by BloodRaven then why wasn't he told to meet them by the Door. Alternatively, Bran and Meera was never in danger and it was simply a setup to ensure that they'd both trust their rescuer. A man they'd already have little reason to mistrust given the family ties and yet he is undead. Watching him slay a few zombies surely put all doubt out of their minds however.
2. The Three Eyed Raven Sent for Me
Benjen: "The three eyed raven sent for me".
If you rewind back to Episode 5 you will see no mention of it. It's a logical assumption that BloodRaven would have contacted Benjen directly after Bran gets the Mark. However if you read the dialogue he has a brief conversation with Bran and they both go back in time and thus starts the Hold the Door scene. One possibility is that BloodRaven knew his death was going to happen, hence why there was no doubt when he told Bran the Night King touched him. This suggests he knew Bran was going to get the Mark and could have warned Benjen before the event took place. Having said all that, wouldn't BloodRaven have warned Benjen well in advance to ensure that he was present when Bran was marked? Surely that was an unnecessary risk? Also why no mention to Bran that he sent for help? The other conclusion is that Benjen is simply telling a lying, BloodRaven didn't ask for him at all.
3. He Lives Again...
Meera: "The three eyed raven is dead"
Benjen: "Now he lives again."
Now this could be simply bad dialogue, but how exactly does Benjen know that Bran is the new Three Eyed Raven? Bran hadn't even spoken at that point, so how would he know? One possibility is the BloodRaven told him, it's feasible. Alternatively he knew because the Night King knows Bran is the new one having killed the old one.
4. Benjens Death
Benjen: "The White Walker stabs me in the gut with a sword of ice. Left me there to die, to turn, the children found me, stopped the walkers magic from taking hold."
Bran: "How?"
Benjen: "The same way they made the Walkers in the first place. You saw it yourself."
Bran: "Dragonglass. A shard of Dragonglass plunged into your heart"
An interesting story. The question here is why didn't the Children tell Bran that they rescued his Uncle? You'd think that would come up as a discussion point during the months they lived there? Were they protecting Bran? Or is this simply another lie? The second line is even more interesting though. How did Benjen know that Bran had been shown the White Walker creation scene? To know this he must have spoken to BloodRaven who was present. But for that to happen they must have been in detailed conversation with one another? So why hasn't this been brought up? So were both the Children and BloodRaven unaware that Benjen was Brans Uncle? Or did they just not bother telling Bran the truth? Alternatively, you could suggest that the big pause before Benjen started his story was him thinking about what he planned to say.
5. To the Wall!
Bran: "I didn't have time to learn, I can't control anything."
Benjen: "You must learn to control it before the Night King comes, drink, one way or another he will find his way to the world of men and when he does you will be there waiting for him and you will be ready"
He doesn't exactly tell Bran to go to the wall it must be said. But he certainly implies it! Tells Bran that the Night King is heading for the world of men (The Wall) and tells Bran that he needs to be there waiting for him. He doesn't exactly lay it out on a map, but he certainly encourages Bran to head that way. Given that Bran could be the Key this is something that the Night King will want.
5. Benjen and the Wall
Benjen: "The walls not just ice and stone, ancient spells were carved into its foundations. Strong magic, to protect men from what lies beyond it and while it stands the dead cannot pass. I cannot pass."
Now we have Benjen providing us with another history lesson. This time he admits that because he's dead he can't pass the wall. Watch his line delivery of "I cannot pass". You could say this is simply him telling the truth and being honest. Granted highly possible. One explanation to Benjens history knowledge is that he's been told by BloodRaven and the Children while he was 'saved', again highly possible. I find it interesting however that he fails to ever mention the Mark though. I also find it interesting that he never once asks how the White Walkers found BloodRaven and how he was killed.
6. Benjens Goodbye
Benjen: "I wish you good fortune."
Yeah he doesn't really seem to mean that. It might be simply bad acting on his part or simply misdirection, but from my opinion that was the coldest and most unloving goodbye. Well I guess he is the undead and they're not famed for being too loving. But it could also simply be an undead agent who really doesn't give a shit.
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Obviously most of this could be explained away with the simple "the dialogues shit mate". But lets assume/hope the dialogue isn't terrible. Its certainly a viable theory. There's so many holes in what Benjen tells us, I simply don't believe that neither the Children or BloodRaven would have forgotten/not bothered/didn't want to mention that Benjen was actually still alive. BloodRaven knows Bran is a Stark, Benjen must surely have said his full name. So why did BloodRaven not tell Bran? What possible reason would there be? Benjen seems to know an awful lot about the history of this world too, information that I don't think Sam knows and he's read a lot of books! So he must have spoken to BloodRaven to get this information (unless he's in league with the White Walkers).
The final point being that lets assume Bran is the Key and he's needed to cross the Wall to destroy the Magical Barrier. You would (I assume) need him alive to do this, but the White Walkers can't exactly march up to it and push him, he'd need to do it willingly. The only way to do this is to force him in that direction and provide him with the means and opportunity to survive the conditions. Enter Benjen.
1. The Rescue
Extremely convenient time to rescue them. It just so happens that he manages to find Bran and Meera a few seconds before they were killed. This happens to be of course Uncle of Bran, a man that was killed by a White Walker yet lived (no Harry Potter reference). A man that was assumed dead for 5 seasons and rides in to save the day. A man that Bran will have no problem trusting. That's a lot of good fortune! How did he even know where to look? Bran and Meera could have headed in any direction? He was a Ranger, so tracking isn't difficult for him. But he also arrives from a different direction. If he was told by BloodRaven then why wasn't he told to meet them by the Door. Alternatively, Bran and Meera was never in danger and it was simply a setup to ensure that they'd both trust their rescuer. A man they'd already have little reason to mistrust given the family ties and yet he is undead. Watching him slay a few zombies surely put all doubt out of their minds however.
2. The Three Eyed Raven Sent for Me
Benjen: "The three eyed raven sent for me".
If you rewind back to Episode 5 you will see no mention of it. It's a logical assumption that BloodRaven would have contacted Benjen directly after Bran gets the Mark. However if you read the dialogue he has a brief conversation with Bran and they both go back in time and thus starts the Hold the Door scene. One possibility is that BloodRaven knew his death was going to happen, hence why there was no doubt when he told Bran the Night King touched him. This suggests he knew Bran was going to get the Mark and could have warned Benjen before the event took place. Having said all that, wouldn't BloodRaven have warned Benjen well in advance to ensure that he was present when Bran was marked? Surely that was an unnecessary risk? Also why no mention to Bran that he sent for help? The other conclusion is that Benjen is simply telling a lying, BloodRaven didn't ask for him at all.
3. He Lives Again...
Meera: "The three eyed raven is dead"
Benjen: "Now he lives again."
Now this could be simply bad dialogue, but how exactly does Benjen know that Bran is the new Three Eyed Raven? Bran hadn't even spoken at that point, so how would he know? One possibility is the BloodRaven told him, it's feasible. Alternatively he knew because the Night King knows Bran is the new one having killed the old one.
4. Benjens Death
Benjen: "The White Walker stabs me in the gut with a sword of ice. Left me there to die, to turn, the children found me, stopped the walkers magic from taking hold."
Bran: "How?"
Benjen: "The same way they made the Walkers in the first place. You saw it yourself."
Bran: "Dragonglass. A shard of Dragonglass plunged into your heart"
An interesting story. The question here is why didn't the Children tell Bran that they rescued his Uncle? You'd think that would come up as a discussion point during the months they lived there? Were they protecting Bran? Or is this simply another lie? The second line is even more interesting though. How did Benjen know that Bran had been shown the White Walker creation scene? To know this he must have spoken to BloodRaven who was present. But for that to happen they must have been in detailed conversation with one another? So why hasn't this been brought up? So were both the Children and BloodRaven unaware that Benjen was Brans Uncle? Or did they just not bother telling Bran the truth? Alternatively, you could suggest that the big pause before Benjen started his story was him thinking about what he planned to say.
5. To the Wall!
Bran: "I didn't have time to learn, I can't control anything."
Benjen: "You must learn to control it before the Night King comes, drink, one way or another he will find his way to the world of men and when he does you will be there waiting for him and you will be ready"
He doesn't exactly tell Bran to go to the wall it must be said. But he certainly implies it! Tells Bran that the Night King is heading for the world of men (The Wall) and tells Bran that he needs to be there waiting for him. He doesn't exactly lay it out on a map, but he certainly encourages Bran to head that way. Given that Bran could be the Key this is something that the Night King will want.
5. Benjen and the Wall
Benjen: "The walls not just ice and stone, ancient spells were carved into its foundations. Strong magic, to protect men from what lies beyond it and while it stands the dead cannot pass. I cannot pass."
Now we have Benjen providing us with another history lesson. This time he admits that because he's dead he can't pass the wall. Watch his line delivery of "I cannot pass". You could say this is simply him telling the truth and being honest. Granted highly possible. One explanation to Benjens history knowledge is that he's been told by BloodRaven and the Children while he was 'saved', again highly possible. I find it interesting however that he fails to ever mention the Mark though. I also find it interesting that he never once asks how the White Walkers found BloodRaven and how he was killed.
6. Benjens Goodbye
Benjen: "I wish you good fortune."
Yeah he doesn't really seem to mean that. It might be simply bad acting on his part or simply misdirection, but from my opinion that was the coldest and most unloving goodbye. Well I guess he is the undead and they're not famed for being too loving. But it could also simply be an undead agent who really doesn't give a shit.
-----------------------------------------------------
Obviously most of this could be explained away with the simple "the dialogues shit mate". But lets assume/hope the dialogue isn't terrible. Its certainly a viable theory. There's so many holes in what Benjen tells us, I simply don't believe that neither the Children or BloodRaven would have forgotten/not bothered/didn't want to mention that Benjen was actually still alive. BloodRaven knows Bran is a Stark, Benjen must surely have said his full name. So why did BloodRaven not tell Bran? What possible reason would there be? Benjen seems to know an awful lot about the history of this world too, information that I don't think Sam knows and he's read a lot of books! So he must have spoken to BloodRaven to get this information (unless he's in league with the White Walkers).
The final point being that lets assume Bran is the Key and he's needed to cross the Wall to destroy the Magical Barrier. You would (I assume) need him alive to do this, but the White Walkers can't exactly march up to it and push him, he'd need to do it willingly. The only way to do this is to force him in that direction and provide him with the means and opportunity to survive the conditions. Enter Benjen.
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