A character i can't wait to see more of

[sophocles]

Originally Posted by AryaUnderfoot

I think that theory is merely wishful thinking...

Right

Originally Posted by TK-421

But yes, he is D-E-A-D. (although I think Sophocles wasn't really serious about this).

Also Right

[JohnSnow]

tongue, cheek, humor....

One of the earliest debates regarding aSoIaF was whether or not Eddard was still alive. Directly after the first book came out, it still seemed slightly plausible. Eddard was barely recognizable at his beheading. He was gaunt, dirty, and broken legged.

I believe after the third book, all potential of an Eddard return was unequivocally silenced.

Hey Boaz,

I don’t know any more than anyone else. But Cersei is gonna bite it!

*snow*

[Gazz]

I think that Coldhands is actually Howland Reed.

And a Ned flashback PoV would be amazing and better than anything else I could come up with, so you win there!

[Werthead]

The chances of Coldhands being Howland Reed I'd say are somewhat less than 1%. It wouldn't make much sense. OTOH, it would be a good (if surreal) Martinesque twist.

Coldhands is much more likely to be Bloodraven than anyone else, even Benjen, though Benjen is a possibility. To be honest, I think more than anything else, Coldhands is just going to turn out to be some random mystical bloke working with the Children of the Forest.

[Trey Greyjoy]

I like the whole Bloodraven idea....for another author though, not for GRRM. Once he crosses the line of introducing a "nigh-immortal" character I think he cheapens the experience we've had to date, and ASOIAF becomes closer to being just another fantasy series.
Just my personal opinion though.
Martin being Martin, Rhaeger could be Coldhands

[the smiling weirwood]

Who is Bloodraven and why would he have cold hands wandering around in the wilderness north of the wall?

[Funky Cthulu]

Originally Posted by the smiling weirwood

Who is Bloodraven and why would he have cold hands wandering around in the wilderness north of the wall?

Cos everything goes cold that far of the wall! Seriously, I am still a little sceptical of the Wildlings ability to live there for that long...
Bloodraven was a Targ bastard as I recall, mentioned in the Hedgeknight story who was rumoured to be a sorcerer with unnatural powers - but even at that time he would have been 70 +. But there might have been another Bloodraven - its a popular name.

[the smiling weirwood]

How did we come by the idea that Coldhands is Bloodraven? No offense, but where the hell did that come from?

[timekiller]

who the hecks bloodraven?

[AryaUnderfoot]

Originally Posted by Funky Cthulu

Cos everything goes cold that far of the wall! Seriously, I am still a little sceptical of the Wildlings ability to live there for that long...

Hey, if primitive peoples survived the Ice Ages and did the whole land bridge walk from Siberia to Alaska, I think the Wildlings can hack it, too.

[TK-421]

Originally Posted by Funky Cthulu

Cos everything goes cold that far of the wall! Seriously, I am still a little sceptical of the Wildlings ability to live there for that long...

Have you ever been to the Arctic, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon? I have. There are people who live up there. They are mostly called Inuit. I guess in Australia, they don't get those kinds of temperatures as in the great white north. I'm not the least bit skeptical.

[Funky Cthulu]

Originally Posted by TK-421

Have you ever been to the Arctic, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, the Yukon? I have. There are people who live up there. They are mostly called Inuit. I guess in Australia, they don't get those kinds of temperatures as in the great white north. I'm not the least bit skeptical.

Yes, I have travelled, but I freely admit I'm not an expert. The thing is, those places have 4 seasons in a year - I understand some of those peoples mentioned were nomadic, so they could move to better places and areas after stockpiling fish and foodstuffs for the winter. If a winter in Westeros sets in and lasts for 10 years or longer, the waters there would all be frozen to a deep level - thus, no fish. Sure, they could eat shadowcats and their dogs, I suppose, and any birds they could take down. Did GRRM mention any other food sources? Been a while since I read those chapters.
Its not that I'm doubting the concept - I'm sure GRRM has done his home work, I guess what I'm trying to say is I would have liked to hear more about where the wildlings came from and how they lived - specifically, how they survived the really long winters. We probably won't hear about it, but I sometimes wonder how they'll adapt to living in Westeros. And hopefully they can give some decent advice to Jon about the Others.

[AryaUnderfoot]

Well, I think that may be part of the reason that many of them raided below the wall when they could.

[TK-421]

It's OK. King Bran will settled them in the Gift.

[the smiling weirwood]

NO! Death to the Wildlings!