The Enigmatic Identity of the Three-Eyed Raven Before Bran Stark

Before Bran Stark became the Three-Eyed Raven, he was

**Brynden Rivers, a King's military leader, Hand of the King, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and one of the most controversial and mysterious men in the history of Westeros—the man known as Bloodraven.**

Bloodraven, a nickname earned because of a wine-stain birthmark that ran from his neck to his cheek and was said to look like a raven, was a formidable character. The books do not clarify this much, but the TV show has advanced beyond the books. In the most recent books published in 2011, Bran has only just met the Three-Eyed Crow and begun learning how to be a Greenseer. Jon is alive right up until the last chapter of that book. Arya is currently blind as part of her training to become a Faceless Man. Theon is a faithful servant to Ramsay Bolton. The story has not progressed far enough to reveal the secret history of Westeros from the Three-Eyed Crow, though hopefully, that is coming soon.

The Beautiful Quote from the Three-Eyed Raven

Before starting about the Three-Eyed Raven, a beautiful quote he said to Bran Stark: “You will never walk again... but you will fly!”

The Three-Eyed Raven is the last Greenseer, a human living among the last of the Children of the Forest beyond the Wall. Long before he became half-tree, living in the bowels of the earth with the Children of the Forest far beyond the Wall, he was known as Brynden Rivers.

Controversial and Mysterious Military Leader

Brynden Rivers, son of a King and a military leader during a great civil war, was Hand of the King and Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. His many titles and roles reveal a complex and sometimes conflicting legacy. “Bloodraven” a nickname earned because of a wine-stain birthmark that ran from his neck to his cheek and was said to look like a raven, may have done it for any number of legitimate reasons. After all, a sword does not make a king, and the legitimacy of Daeron’s rule was worth honoring.

However, nearly a century later, the Three-Eyed Raven would hint at the very personal reasons behind his remaining a loyalist. He told Bran he was haunted by ghosts: the ghost of a brother he loved, Daeron, a brother he hated, Bittersteel, and a woman he loved, Shiera Seastar. She was another Great Bastard, who Bittersteel also just so happened to love, as I said, so much of this seems to involve the love of a woman. Whatever the reason, Bloodraven was an important part of Daeron’s fight to keep his crown.

A Profound Impact on Westeros

The Blackfyre Rebellion saw half of Westeros take arms against the other half, and on many occasions, the war could have turned in Daemon Blackfyre's favor. Luck was arguably the deciding factor, but the final blow came from Brynden Rivers—Three-Eyed Raven. Brynden Rivers was said to be a sorcerer and practitioner of the dark arts, one who used “spies and spells” to rule Westeros. He certainly looked the part, with his long white hair, albino skin, red eyes, thin frame, grim demeanor, and proclivity for dark clothing, which often included a cloak to protect him from the sun. Even after he lost his eye, he didn’t cover it up.

The Dark Arts and Beyond

There is a famous song about him, titled “A Thousand Eyes and One,” in reference to the old saying about how he knew so much. Bloodraven almost definitely did have a network of spies throughout the Seven Kingdoms but he almost definitely did have some incredible abilities—ones that would one day lead him to long outlive his mortal body and become one with the earth, a being that would call out to Brandon Stark to find him.

Under the guise of a three-eyed raven, he appears in Bran Stark’s vision-dreams following his fall and injury, prompting his quest beyond the Wall. He guides Bran to the cave in which his real human body resides, where Bran is trained in the magic of Greensight by the Three-Eyed Raven and ultimately jumps into Bran Stark's body.

For a more detailed insight into the history of the Three-Eyed Raven, I recommend reading the full autobiography available at: History of Thrones: Brynden Rivers The Three-Eyed Raven of King’s Landing.