Brynden Rivers

Brynden Rivers
Biographical information
Died	303 AC The cave of the Three-Eyed Raven, beyond the Wall
Political information
House(s)	Targaryen (legitimized)
Affiliation(s)	Children of the Forest
Title(s)	Three-Eyed Raven
Personal information
Also known as	Bloodraven Great Bastard
Culture	Valyrian Riverman
Religion	Old Gods
Father	{Aegon IV Targaryen}
Lover(s)	{Shiera Seastar}
Sibling(s)	Paternal half-siblings: {Daeron II Targaryen} {Daenerys Targaryen} {Daemon Blackfyre} {Aegor Rivers} {Shiera Seastar}
World of Westeros
Series	Game of Thrones House of the Dragon
Season(s)	Game of Thrones: 1 · 3 · 4 · 6 House of the Dragon: 2
Appeared in	12 episodes (see below)
First seen in	"Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things" (vision(s))
Last seen in	"The Queen Who Ever Was" (vision(s))
Died in	"The Door"
Portrayed by	Struan Rodger (Game of Thrones: Season 4) Max von Sydow (Game of Thrones: Season 6) Joshua Ben-Tovim (House of the Dragon)

"You will never walk again... but you will fly."

―Brynden Rivers to Bran Stark

Brynden Rivers was the last greenseer, a human living among the last of the Children of the Forest beyond the Wall. Under the guise of a Three-Eyed Raven, he appears in Bran Stark's dreams, following his fall and injury, prompting his quest beyond the Wall and guiding him to the cave in which his real human body resides. There, Bran is trained in the magic of the Sight.

Biography

Background

Brynden was a bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen. On his deathbed, the king legitimized all of his bastard-born children, causing a crisis of succession that later led to all-out war. During the Blackfyre Rebellion that followed, Brynden Rivers sided with his half-brother King Daeron the Good and fought against Daemon Blackfyre at the Battle of Redgrass Field, killing him with an arrow volley.^{[citation needed]}

At some point Brynden went north of the Wall and became the Three-Eyed Raven, a revered greenseer among the Children of the Forest. A great-uncle of Maester Aemon, he may be the oldest living human in Westeros and perhaps the world.

House of the Dragon: Season 2

While Ser Alfred Broome is talking to Daemon in Harrenhal's godswood, Alfred hears Brynden's voice calling him a traitor.

Brynden sits within the roots of a weirwood tree.

When Daemon touches the sap of the weirwood tree at Harrenhal, he has a vision of his future great-grandson Brynden sitting in the roots of a weirwood in a cave, before a Three-Eyed Raven flies into Daemon's view and changes the vision.

Game of Thrones: Season 1

Brynden, along with his siblings, is mentioned in the House Targaryen entry of the book The Lineages and Histories of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms.

After his fall from the tower and awakening from the subsequent coma, Bran Stark sees a Three-Eyed Raven multiple times in his dreams. In them, it appears as Bran is about to fire an arrow and causes him to stop before he shoots. Then, the raven lands on the head of a direwolf statue, cries once and then flies deep into the Stark family crypt. After having the dream again, he becomes convinced the raven is guiding him to the crypts in order to somehow find his father there, even though he is supposed to be alive and well at King's Landing. Anxious to find out, he asks Osha to take him down to the crypts. There, they are surprised by Rickon, who admits to having had the same dreams. Outside, Osha is still trying to tell Bran that it could be a coincidence when a saddened Maester Luwin appears, holding a letter announcing Eddard's death.

Game of Thrones: Season 2

Bran asks Osha about the significance of the Three-Eyed Raven, but she does not divulge anything.

The Three-Eyed Raven watches Maester Luwin send ravens as Theon is attacking Winterfell.

Game of Thrones: Season 3

The Three-Eyed Raven guides Bran to a tree in his dreams.

While traveling north, Bran dreams once again of the Three-Eyed Raven. In the dream, he is able to walk, and attempts to shoot at him with a bow and arrow. A strange boy then appears in the dream, and tells Bran that he cannot kill the raven, because Bran is the raven. Another day, this same boy, Jojen, and his sister Meera encounter Bran and his companions in real life, and Jojen explains the prophetic powers of the Sight to Bran. Jojen explains that he also saw the Three-Eyed Raven and it was Jojen himself in the dream (not just a prophetic vision of him), as the power of the Sight, conferred by the raven, allowed his mind to enter Bran's dreams.

Game of Thrones: Season 4

When Bran touches a weirwood in the haunted forests beyond the Wall, he sees flashes of the Three-Eyed Raven from his dreams at Winterfell, flying through the crypts. Among his other vision is a single giant weirwood on a hill, with a voice that whispers, "Look for me... beneath the tree... north!"

Bran meets the Three-Eyed Raven in his real form.

Bran and his group eventually reach the giant weirwood tree on the hill, but are attacked by a group of wights hiding beneath the ice. Jojen is fatally stabbed and Meera attempts to save him, but Jojen tells her to leave him for dead. They are helped by a child of the forest, who leads them into a cave. She explains that the wights cannot enter, as the magic that reanimates them has no power there. She then leads them deep into the cave to the Three-Eyed Raven, who is revealed to not be a bird but Brynden Rivers, a very old man whose body is fused to the roots of the weirwood tree. Bran states that he is the Three-Eyed Raven, and Brynden tells them that he has been many things but is now what they see. Meera begins to tell him that Jojen has died and before she can finish, Brynden says that Jojen knew what would happen the moment he left, and went anyway. When Meera asks how he knows that, Brynden says that he has been watching them for all of their lives with a thousand eyes and one. Brynden tells Bran that the hour is late, and Bran replies that he did not want anyone to die for him. Brynden states that Jojen died so that Bran could find what he lost. Bran asks if Brynden will help him walk again. Brynden answers that Bran will never walk again, but he will fly.

Game of Thrones: Season 6

Brynden monitors Bran as he experiences a vision of Winterfell during the childhood of Lyanna and Ned Stark that reveals Hodor's true name, Wylis. He tells Bran that it is time to go, but when Bran expresses a desire to remain in the happy memories, Brynden pulls him out of the vision. He warns Bran to resist the urge to only view those happy times, and reminds him that as powerful as the Sight is, the past is still the past, and cannot be changed.

Brynden is with Bran when the latter is viewing the events that occurred at the Tower of Joy at the end of Robert's Rebellion. He identifies young Ned's second-in-command as Howland Reed, Meera's father, and also confirms that Ser Arthur Dayne is a better swordsman than Ned is, explaining to a confused Bran that there is a difference between history and what actually happened.

Brynden continues to guide Bran.

Bran calls out to his future father in desperation – to his shock, Ned seems to hear him, but dismisses it and continues into the Tower. Brynden pulls Bran out of the vision, and reprimands him again for trying to interact with the past. Brynden says he has waited a thousand years for Bran, as the weirwood roots have grown into him. He assures Bran that he is not destined to share his own fate, but warns that he must learn before he leaves. When Bran demands to know what it is he needs to learn, Brynden declares, "Everything."

Eventually, he and Leaf decide that Bran is ready to learn the truth about the White Walkers. Brynden accompanies Bran into a vision of the distant past, thousands of years ago, during the war between the Children and the First Men, in which they witness a group of Children led by Leaf approaching a captured man, and magically insert a shard of dragonglass into his heart, which transforms him into the Night King, the first and greatest of the White Walkers. Awakening, Bran realizes that the White Walkers were created by the Children to use as weapons against his ancestors.

Later, whilst Brynden and Bran's companions are resting, Bran interacts with one of the weirwood roots, triggering a vision in which he witnesses a large army of wights, idly standing in the frozen wastes of the Land of Always Winter. Wading into their midst, Bran stares incredulously at the creatures, ultimately finding himself standing before the Night King himself, and three of his Lieutenants. Unlike the Wights, however, the Walkers take note of their guest. The Night King meets Bran's gaze, and materializes beside him, seizing his arm. Awakening in terror, Brynden reveals to him that the Night King has marked him; he knows where he is, and will come for him. The mark likewise neutralizes the magic wards around the cave which bar the Walkers and their minions from entering. Brynden tells him that he and his companions must leave.

While Meera and Hodor pack their belongings and the children prepare the cave's defenses, Brynden takes Bran into the past one final time, again to his father's childhood at Winterfell, this time witnessing a young Eddard departing for the Vale, as the castle's denizens look on, including Wylis and Old Nan. Soon, the Night King and his three lieutenants arrive with an army of wights to launch their attack on the cave. Though Leaf and the Children attempt to hold them off, their attempts are in vain, as the Walkers and their wights breach the cave. Still within the vision, Brynden remains motionless in the roots as the defenders are slaughtered, and Bran, Meera, Hodor, and Leaf make their escape through the back of the cave.

Brynden turns to dust in Bran's vision, after being killed by the Night King.

Following their flight, the Night King and his two remaining White Walkers enter Brynden's chamber, and the Night King slowly approaches him. Within the vision, Brynden tells Bran that the time has come for him to leave. With that, the Night King swiftly executes him, carving him diagonally across the torso with his crystal falx, as Brynden breaks apart and turns to dust within the vision, leaving Bran alone.

As Bran and Meera escape from the wight, a hooded Benjen Stark comes and rescues them. Meera asks Benjen why he rescued them, and he answers the Three-Eyed Raven requested him. Meera says the Three-Eyed Raven is dead, and Benjen responds, "He lives again."

Family

Daeron I Targaryen Deceased

Baelor I Targaryen Deceased

Elaena Targaryen

Rhaena Targaryen Deceased

Daena Targaryen Deceased

Aegon IV Targaryen Deceased

Naerys Targaryen Deceased

Aemon Targaryen Deceased

Daemon Blackfyre Deceased

Rohanne of Tyrosh

Aegor Rivers

Brynden Rivers

Shiera Seastar

Daeron II Targaryen

Myriah Martell Deceased

Maron Martell

Daenerys Targaryen

Aegon Blackfyre Deceased

Aemon Blackfyre Deceased

Daemon Blackfyre

Haegon Blackfyre

Wife

Baelor Targaryen

Aerys Targaryen

Aelinor Penrose

Rhaegel Targaryen

Maekar Targaryen

Dyanna Dayne Deceased

Son

Daemon Blackfyre

Son(s)

Daeron Targaryen

Aerion Targaryen

Aemon Targaryen

Aegon Targaryen

Quotes

Spoken by Brynden

"Look for me... beneath the tree... north!"

―Brynden Rivers

"I have been watching you. All of you. All of your lives, with a thousand eyes and one."

―Brynden Rivers

"It is beautiful beneath the sea. But if you stay too long, you'll drown."

―Brynden to Bran Stark on the dangers of the Sight.

"The time has come... leave me!"

―Brynden's last words to Bran Stark

Spoken about Brynden

"The raven brings the Sight."

―Jojen, to Bran

Meera: "The Three-Eyed Raven is dead."

Benjen: "Now he lives again."

— Benjen, about Bran

Behind the scenes

• The design of the Three-Eyed Raven in Bran's dreams (as an actual Three-Eyed Raven) was developed by William Simpson. There was considerable deliberation on where exactly the third eye should be located, as it wasn't specified in the books. For a time, Simpson considered actually putting it in the back of the head, to give it a full 360 degree field of vision. However, he later settled on putting it in the middle of the forehead. The Three-Eyed Raven is played by a real-life raven, but its third eye is digitally added in post-production.
• Max von Sydow was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Television Series for his performance as the character in the sixth season.

In the books

Brynden Rivers by Roman "Amok" Papsuev.©

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Brynden Rivers was often called "Bloodraven". While King Aegon IV had many bastard children, the mothers of four of them were also noblewomen, which encouraged Aegon to formally acknowledge their children. The four Great Bastards were Daemon Blackfyre (whose mother was Daena Targaryen), Aegor "Bittersteel" Rivers (whose mother was a member of House Bracken), Brynden "Bloodraven" Rivers, and Shiera Seastar (whose mother was Serenei of Lys, from an ancient Valyrian noble family). Brynden's own mother, Melissa Blackwood, was the best liked of King Aegon's many mistresses, and she cultivated many friendships at court; even the King's wife Naerys, her brother Prince Aemon the Dragonknight and her son, the future King Daeron II, befriended Melissa. These friendships allowed Brynden to gain admittance and acceptance at court.

He was called "Bloodraven" because he had a winestain birthmark covering much of his cheek, which was said to be shaped like a raven and showed blood red against his pale skin (it wasn't really perfectly shaped like a raven. According to George R.R. Martin it was more a suggestion of a raven, like an ink blot test.)

After Aegon IV foolishly legitimized all his bastards on his deathbed, there was strife between them and his legitimate heir Daeron, who was to become King Daeron II. These tensions would ultimately split the realm apart in the devastating civil war known as the Blackfyre Rebellion. Bloodraven sided with Daeron II, while half-brother Bittersteel sided with Daemon Blackfyre.

Bittersteel and Bloodraven hated one another, mainly because they both competed for the love of their half-sister Shiera Seastar. Bloodraven asked her to marry him dozens of times and she refused, but she did let him into her bed - though she had many lovers. Shiera, however, completely rejected Bittersteel, and for this he never forgave Bloodraven. It also didn't help that Bittersteel's mother was a Bracken and Bloodraven's mother was a Blackwood, as those two noble families had been feuding for thousands of years. Bittersteel became a great champion and general for the Blackfyres, while Bloodraven became a great champion and general for the Targaryens.

The Blackfyre Rebellion ended in 196 AC with the Battle of the Redgrass Field, in which Daemon Blackfyre and his eldest two sons were slain. It was Bloodraven's private company of archers, known as the Raven's Teeth, who rained arrows down upon Daemon Blackfyre and his two eldest sons, killing them. Many called Bloodraven a kinslayer for this, though no one knew exactly whose arrows had killed Daemon - he was pierced by many. Bittersteel responded with a ferocious counter-charge and engaged Bloodraven in an epic duel, in which Bloodraven lost an eye. However, Bloodraven's intent was not to defeat Bittersteel, but simply distract him and play for time until reinforcements arrived under Prince Baelor "Breakspear" Targaryen: already fighting Prince Maekar's forces in front, Breakspear caught Bittersteel's remaining forces from the rear in a pincer's movement. The battle was lost but Bittersteel managed to escape, and became one of the major leaders of the surviving Blackfyre forces as they fled into exile in the Free Cities. Daemon left behind five sons and multiple daughters, so Bittersteel became their guardian, secreting them across the Narrow Sea with his dwindling followers.

Brynden served as Hand of the King during the reign of his nephew, Aerys I Targaryen. Because Aerys was more interested in his books than in ruling the realm, Brynden was functionally king in all but name. He was hated by the nobility and the smallfolk alike for his totalitarian grip on the people via his vast spy network, and he was widely rumored to be a sorcerer. A common riddle went: "How many eyes does Lord Bloodraven have? A thousand eyes, and one."

When Aerys's brother Maekar succeeded him, the new king kept Brynden as his Hand, even though he mistrusted him. A Great Council was called after Maekar's death in the Peake Uprising. Aenys Blackfyre, son of the late Daemon I Blackfyre, sent word from the Free Cities that he wanted to put himself forth as a legitimate candidate for the throne. Brynden promised him safe passage and Aenys accepted in good faith, but as soon as he set foot in King's Landing, the City Watch seized him and dragged him to the Red Keep, where Bloodraven promptly executed him. This was decried as utterly dishonorable, but Brynden said he would willingly pay the price to remove one more potential Blackfyre Pretender, and accepted exile to the Night's Watch as punishment. He traveled to the Wall at the same time as his great-nephew, Maester Aemon. In time, Brynden rose to the position of Lord Commander.

One day, Lord Commander Rivers went out on a ranging beyond the Wall and never returned.

After his fall from the Broken Tower, Bran is frequently visited by a three-eyed crow in his dreams. The crow tells him to "fly or die," and pecks at his forehead, revealing Bran's third eye.

Jojen Reed tells Bran that he dreamt of a winged wolf bound by chains, with a three-eyed crow pecking through the chains, and that he believes the wolf is Bran. He also reveals that he has been visited by a three-eyed crow in his dreams since he was a child, and that it lives beyond the Wall. After the sack of Winterfell, Bran, Hodor, Jojen, and Meera travel north to find the crow.

With the assistance of the undead Night's Watchman Coldhands, Bran and his companions reach a cave in the haunted forest. There, they find a cadaverous old man with one red eye, a winestain birthmark on his face, and rotted black clothes, bound to the roots of the weirwood tree above the cave. Bran asks if the man is the three-eyed crow, to which he replies: "A... crow? Once, aye. Black of garb and black of blood. I have been many things, Bran. Now I am as you see me, and now you will understand why I could not come to you... except in dreams. I have watched you for a long time, watched you with a thousand eyes and one." Bran asks if he can restore his legs, and he tells him no, but promises that he will fly.

When Meera asks the man his true name, he says his mother named him Brynden. Bran says he has an uncle called Brynden Blackfish, and the man says Bran's uncle may have been named after him.

Brynden begins to train Bran to become a greenseer, and makes him eat a paste of weirwood sap to help awaken his gifts and "wed him to the trees."

At the Wall, Melisandre has a vision in the flames of a weirwood tree surrounded by a thousand red eyes, and a boy with a wolf's head. She doesn't understand the vision and thinks it might be the Great Other and his servant.

There is no mention of Bloodraven in Fire & Blood.

Appearances

• – "Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things" (vision(s))
• – "A Golden Crown" (vision(s))
• – "Fire and Blood" (vision(s))
• – "The Ghost of Harrenhal" (mentioned indirectly)
• – "Dark Wings, Dark Words" (vision(s))
• – "And Now His Watch Is Ended" (vision(s))
• – "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" (mentioned indirectly)
• – "Two Swords" (mentioned in text)
• – "The Lion and the Rose" (vision(s))
• – "The Children"
• – "The Bastards of Westeros" (mentioned indirectly)
• – "The Death of Kings" (illustrated)
• – "Home"
• – "Oathbreaker"
• – "The Door"
• – "Blood of My Blood" (vision(s))
• – "The Queen's Justice" (mentioned)
• – "Prophecies of the Known World" (mentioned)
• – "The Blackfyres" (mentioned indirectly)
• – "The Queen Who Ever Was" (vision(s))

External links

• Brynden Rivers on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms)