ASOIAF Theory: Coldhands' True Identity

Hello everyone! Today I'm going over theories as to the true identiy of the mysterious, undead Coldhands in #asongoficeandfire, as well as speculating on its role in the story to come. What do you think? Is there anything I missed? What do you think of #houseofthedragon so far? Be sure to leave a comment, as well as like the video and subscribe if you enjoy. More #asoiaf content is on the way!

Thank you all for watching! Character art in this video is by TheMico! The art in the thumbnail is by EvaMarieToker.

Ashley's Channel: @ashleyofnaath

00:00 Secret Identities
00:42 Coldhands' Introduction
01:34 Crossing Paths
01:54 The Journey Northward
03:04 Leaf's Insight
03:28 Who is Coldhands?
04:04 Benjen Stark
04:43 Why not Benjen?
06:02 Prologue Characters
06:37 Stonesnake
06:56 The Raven's Teeth
08:39 Bloodraven
08:58 The Night's King
10:27 Your monster, Brandon Stark
11:05 Brave Danny Flint
12:38 DICKON TARLY
12:46 Coldhands' Role
13:19 Conclusions and Channel Updates

[Kidd-In-Charge]

Turns out Coldhands is a “Wind of Winter”, the first revealed member of a secret society of undead in the books who are committed to making GRRM go sleepytime whenever he sits down to write about them.

[status_quo_post]

The theory that Coldhands' name is Brandon Stark sounds so stupid yet genius. He just reveals his name but no one takes notice. I Iove it.

[MistyWarden]

Coldhands just being a rando also named Brandon Stark is an amazing surreal anticlimax 😂

[WillowGardener]

I'm on team Raven's Teeth, personally. It just makes sense that Bloodraven would revive one of his loyal companions. Brynden's last ranging has "Last Hero" vibes, so I figure all of his guards died one by one as he sought the children beyond the wall.

[jlworrad]

The Danny Flint theory is my favourite but the Raven's teeth makes the most sense to me. Does every mysterious figure have to be someone we've heard of?

[ianlachey]

There’s another piece of evidence saying that cold hands is much older than any living character at the start of the story. When his gigantic elk dies of exhaustion or something like that, coldhands speaks the old tongue over it as a sort of eulogy. My theory is that he has to be ancient, like thousands of years ancient. We will probably never get an answer in the future books but I think he was one of the original founding members of the watch that fought alongside Azor ahai or the last hero. David lightbringer has a great theory on this.

Basically the founding members of the nights watch were all undead since the wall is in such a remote place, how big it is, and how much food living people need is crazy if all the forts were manned. Also there is a quote from Dolores ed where he complains that “even if I die they’ll just pick me back up again and put me back on my post, we won’t even be able to quit when we’re dead jon.”

[sardonically-inclined]

I would add that if he were Benjen, he would likely show encouragement to Bran in what he's about to undertake with Bloodraven, and come across as a bit more protective. Similar to his talk with Jon on the wall about doing what's necessary, especially since would still be a frightened boy, more so than Jon.

[philippjansen]

Coldhands was a member of the Nights Watch who went north with his Lord Commander Bloodraven. I doubt George will ever give us his real name nor that it is important.
I personally think there is more than one Coldhands and that Bloodraven has a few loyal undead crows serving under him as his "force on the ground"

[AmeshaSpentaArmaiti]

Coldhands is obviously a corpse being warged by ser pounce. Aka the prince that was promised.

[InquisitorThomas]

No Cold Hands is Arthur Dayne, who asexually spawned Jon Snow through mitosis.

[monkeywizard]

I like the Danny Flint one. Haven't heard of it yet. But let's face it, Coldhands is obviously Euron, who is secretly Quaithe, as well as Howland Reed, Bloodraven, Patchface, Moqorro, Jaquen H'ghar, the ghost of High Heart and of course Balerion the Cat at the same time.

[Justin-twfe]

Maybe the real coldhands is the Frey pies we’ve eaten along the way.

[nealfirstofhisname]

Coldhands being unable to open the Black Gate proves that dying ends Nights Watch service, even if they are resurrected later. (Possibly foreshadowing Jon no longer being seen as part of the watch after resurrection.)

[whitewolfofthewhills]

The "Long Ago" comment can easily be thought of as Leaf using the term from Bran's perspective, as she's talking to him at the time and giving him conext. That being said, even from Bran's perspective, Benjen's disappearance hardly qualifies as "long ago".

[dcblunt]

I’d lean more towards nights king than any other options presented. He uses an ancient tongue when killing the elk, so being thousands of years old aligns with that. Also, in regards to coldhands having to be “killed” by the others - The nights king gave part of his soul to his other bride and so “died” by the others similarly to how obi wan claims anakin to have “died.” Not a literal total death - GRRM has played this trick with the Elder brother claiming Sandor to have “died”

The nights kings story is lost to legend - This is GRRM we’re talking about here. Do we really think the actual historical figure would be a cut and dry evil villain? The nights king may still be (and always have been) extremely loyal to the NW. Maybe a pact with the others could be seen as something in full interest of the realm - perhaps the reasons for the nights king actions were truly inline with the vows of the nights watch (at least by his own perception). It mirrors Jon’s actions with making peace among the wildlings, and furthermore how others have judged those actions by Jon. The nights king was cast down for a pact with the enemy - and so was Jon. Those who would record history and write songs from a lens opposed to Jon’s actions would likely even sing of his romance with the enemy - ygritte (yet another mirror of the nights king). But if coldhands is nights king, he still lives, resurrected, just like Jon.

[ryanstephenson]

I'm still with theory that the Coldhands is one of Blood Ravens followers that went to the wall with him and then went ranging North. Died and then was resurrected by Blood Raven or the children of the forest. Either way by the power of the old gods

[dawhandaonli]

I actually really like the idea of him being the Night’s King. If he gave a part of his soul to an Other that could certainly be an explanation as to how he’d keep his sentience, and to me really implies death and resurrection

[ryanstephenson]

Correct me if I'm wrong but those brothers he kills were the mutineers and if Blood Raven can see through Mormont's crow, then that's how Coldhands would know to kill them.

[ashleyofnaath]

Thanks for the nod QTGM. Myself and another fan discussed Ch=Brave Danny in the comments on another channel (Bend the Knee) months ago; they saw our comments and did a video on it too, and furthered the theory in the best way...

We know Dany is a 'Flint', but it's unknown which of the four House Flints she comes from. Two of the House Flints have very curious heraldry- House Flint of Widow's Watch has a pair of blue eyes floating at the top of their sigil; House Flint of Flint's Finger has a grey stone hand in the middle of their sigil. Might GRRM have been trying to tell us something by having the only two House Flints with given heraldry each feature details that tie to Coldhands/the Others? If Ch is actually Danny Flint, might her new name derive from the sigil of her house (Flints of Flint's Finger) because a stone hand and a cold hand are effectively the same thing?

This was an awesome video. Thanks again for the shout-out :).

[ianmcgregor]

I believe that the Coldhands we know is a long-dead skinchanger that has been warging recently-killed bodies for a long time (that way he doesn’t lose his humanity). Right now, he’s in Benjen’s body