Warning: Contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2’s finale.
Summary
House of the Dragon’s season 2 finale reveals the identity of the Three-Eyed Raven to be Brynden Rivers, confirming a theory that first stemmed from George R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice and Firebooks. The Three-Eyed Raven - or Three-Eyed Crow, in the books - is one of the most mysterious andpowerful characters inGame of Thrones. While he helps Bran Stark learn to use his greensight and, eventually, is replaced by him, little is ever revealed about his origin.
It’s said that he’s 1,000 years old, and that there have been many Three-Eyed Ravens, but the show, unfortunately, didn’t get into many specifics about his origins, or powers. One of the flaws withGame of Thrones' endingis so little was understood about Bran before he became king, and knowing more about the Three-Eyed Raven could have helped mitigate those issues. Its prequel isn’t exactly fixing that but, if nothing else,House of the Dragonseason 2’s endingdoes at least confirm, via clear clues if not outright saying it, the man who became the Three-Eyed Raven before Bran.
House Of The Dragon Revealed The Three-Eyed Raven Is Brynden Rivers
Brynden Was A Targaryen Bastard, Known As Bloodraven
In theHouse of the Dragonseason 2 finale,Daemon Targaryen has a vision that includes Daenerys, a White Walker, his own death, and Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne. Before all of those, however, he first sees a man sitting almost as part of the weirwood tree. His name isn’t spoken, but he clearly looks like a Targaryen. The way he’s joined with the tree is the first hint that this is the Three-Eyed Raven, andthe raven that appears as if from him is effectively confirmation, but it’s his face that reveals this is Brynden Rivers.
175 AC
Shiera Seastar
Notable Titles
Master of whisperers, Hand of the King, Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch
Thecharacter inHouse of the Dragonhas a red birthmark on his cheek, which is loosely in the shape of a raven. The only character inGame of Throneshistory with such a specific birthmark is Brynden Rivers, who was given the nickname Bloodraven because of it.He was one of King Aegon IV Targaryen’s Great Bastards- that is, bastards he legitimized on his deathbed, which would ultimately lead to decades of rebellions from a house formed by one of those bastards, Daemon: House Blackfyre.
Brynden is the great-grandson of Daemon and Rhaenyra. His grandfather was their youngest son, Viserys.
Brynden was loyal to House Targaryen, but was eventually sent to the Wall by King Aegon V Targaryen for having Aenys Blackfyre, a would-be claimant to the throne, killed. Brynden actually went to the Wall at the same time as Maester Aemon fromGame of Thrones, and rose up to become Lord Commander. However, he disappeared beyond the Wall, and was never seen or heard from again. It’s also worth noting he had with him Dark Sister, the Valyrian steel sword that Daemon has inHouse of the Dragon, which is also missing.
Why It’s Long Been Theorized That Bloodraven Became The Three-Eyed Raven
A Song Of Ice & Fire Has Multiple Clues
It is mostly fromA Dance with Dragonsthat the theory of the Three-Eyed Crow/Raven being Brynden Rivers comes from, as it provides various clues as to his true identity.This includes, quite directly, him revealing that his name used to be Brynden, and while it’s not an uncommon name, there aren’t many who fit the Three-Eyed Crow in quite the same way. He says he was once a crow, and the appendix confirms he was once a man of the Night’s Watch named Brynden.
It would be quite a coincidence for the Brynden who was of the Night’s Watch and went missing beyond the Wall tonotbe the Brynden who was of the Night’s Watch and became the Three-Eyed Raven, but there is other evidence too.
None of this was inGame of Thrones, but the books do provide a lot of strong evidence that Bloodraven became the Three-Eyed Crow. George R.R. Martin has not explicitly confirmed it, but withHouse of the Dragonshowing someone who could only be Brynden Rivers, it is paying off the theory and making itGame of Thronescanon. Since there aren’t many other viable candidates, then this makes sense, especially as Brynden will eventually be a character inA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' story, as he appears in the third of theTales of Dunk & Eggnovellas.
Every Targaryen In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Explained
The Targaryen dynasty was in full swing by the time of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and the upcoming Game of Throne spin-off will have plenty.
What A Targaryen Being The Three-Eyed Raven Means
It Further Highlights Their Importance To Defeating The White Walkers
Though the theory of The Three-Eyed Crow or Raven being a Targaryen has existed for over a decade,House of the Dragondoesn’t just confirm it, but also brings new layers of meaning to it. That, specifically, is because ofAegon the Conqueror’s song of ice and fire dream, which foretold of the coming darkness, i.e. the White Walkers, and that only a Targaryen on the Iron Throne could unite the realm to defeat it.
With the combination of the dream and then Brynden in Daemon’s vision, it suggests a Targaryen also needed to become the Three-Eyed Crow/Raven, at least at some point, in order to help defeat the Night King.
With the combination of the dream and then Brynden in Daemon’s vision, it suggests a Targaryen also needed to become the Three-Eyed Crow/Raven, at least at some point, to help defeat the Night King. The Targaryens and the White Walkers are established as great enemies by Aegon’s dream, andGame of Throneshas already revealed the Three-Eyed Raven was the Night King’s true foe, so they are intertwined already, and Bloodraven provides a stronger connection.
This also makes me wonder if Bloodraven ever knew about Aegon’s dream, and whether that, or a dragon dream or green dream of his own, is what led to him venturing so far beyond the Wall and becoming the Three-Eyed Raven. It’s unclear what happened to the prophecy after the Dance, but he is the kind of Targaryen, with his large network of information and, perhaps, sorcery, who could have discovered it. If nothing else, he would have learned of it when he became the Three-Eyed Raven, once more bridgingHouse of the DragontoGame of Thrones.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
