Brynden, also known as the Three-Eyed Crow, and the Last Greenseer to the Children of the Forest, is a mysterious figure living beyond the Wall. He frequently appears in Bran Stark's dreams, as a literal crow with three eyes.
Apperance and Character[]
In Bran and Jojen's dreams, he appears as a crow with three eyes. However, he is actually a skeletal old man. He is pale, with one eye missing, and the other deep red. He sits beneath a Weirwood tree, allowing its roots to impale him, which is the reason for his missing eye. He has a red blotch on his neck and cheek. His hair is white, and long enough to reach the floor. He has a slow and dry voice. He appears to be very wise.
Recent events[]
A Game of Thrones[]
During Bran's coma after his fall from the tower at Winterfell, he has a vivid dream of him falling for eternity. During his fall, a crow appears and tells Bran to fly. Bran notices that the bird has three eyes. After several attempts from the crow to make Bran "fly", Bran turns around to look below him. He sees Westeros from above. He sees where his family is and what they are doing. Shortly after, Bran is awakened from his coma by the crow.
Bran gets another dream including this same crow later, that guides him into the crypts of Winterfell. While in the crypts, he speaks with his father, Lord Eddard. After awakening from the dream, Bran finds out that his father has been beheaded for high treason at the Great Sept of Baelor.
A Clash of Kings[]
Brandon dreams of a Weirwood tree with red eyes and a twisted mouth, with the three-eyed crow in its branches. At the same time, Jojen Reed dreams of a chained winged wolf, with a crow with three eyes pecking at the chains. Jojen admits to Bran that he has seen the crow in his dreams since early childhood, and that it lives beyond the Wall.
A Storm of Swords[]
Bran, Hodor, Meera, and Jojen travel beyond the Wall to find the Three-Eyed Crow. Both Bran and Jojen still dream about the crow.
A Dance with Dragons[]
Bran and his companions encounter a mysterious dead-looking man named Coldhands. With his assistance, they reach the Three-Eyed Crow in a cave within the Haunted Forest. What they expected to see upon entering was a wise, talking bird with three eyes. But what they saw was an old man who claims to have been a lord in the Seven Kingdoms named Brynden. To Bran's disappointment, Brynden cannot give him back his legs. But Brynden promised another thing: that he will learn how to fly.
Brynden passes his wisdom onto Bran, teaching him about greensight and skinchanging. Leaf, a Child of the Forest, gives Bran a bowl of weirwood paste, made from weirwood seeds, to eat. According to Brynden, the paste will enlighten Bran and awaken his gift as a greenseer. Bran sees his father through the heart tree of Winterfell. Brynden says to Bran that he is haunted by his own ghost; a beloved brother, a hated brother, and a desired woman. But the past is already written. He cannot change it.