Uncle Benjen, a Tribute

Benjen Stark was the youngest son of Rickard Stark and Lyarra Stark. He had two brothers, Brandon and Eddard, and one sister, Lyanna. He grew up alongside them, in Winterfell.

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The Tourney

In the year of 281 AC, he attended the Tourney at Harrenhal, together with his brothers and sister.

At that tourney, Howland Reed was attacked by three squires, whom were fought of by Lyanna. The She-Wolf then brought the Crannogman back to their tent, where Benjen, with his kind soul, offered Howland armour, and a horse, so he could challenge the squires by way of jousting.

Later, during the feast held to celebrate the start of the tourney, Benjen teased his sister, because the song Rhaegar played on his harp made her cry. As a result Lyanna poured a cup of wine over his head.

Over the course of the same feast, a man of the Night's Watch spoke to the people there, trying to convince them to take the black, Benjen listened, and later did as the man asked. He would travel north from Winterfell to Castle Black, where be would say his vows in front of a Weirwood tree. Benjen became a ranger, and later even First Ranger, but that all happened after the Rebellion.

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"His blood ran black. Made him my brother as much as yours."

-Yoren

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The Rebellion

Benjen's eldest brother rode out, and did not return. He was followed by his father, who did not return either, all caused by the fact that Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna. Eddard then called the banners and went to war, while Benjen stayed at his ancestral home, because there must always be a Stark at Winterfell.

Few months after his last brother's return, Benjen went north, to the Wall. And became well-known on and beyond the Wall.

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"I wanted to see this Robert with my own eyes, king to king, and get the measure of your uncle Benjen as well. He was First Ranger by then, and the bane of all my people."

-Mance Rayder

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He stayed in with his brother, even visited Winterfell several times. With Eddard, he discussed things like populating the Gift, and have the people living there pay taxes to the Castle Black, instead of Winterfell, so the Night's Watch could earn money, as a step on their return to the glory they once had.

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"There's not a man on the Wall knows the haunted forest better than Benjen Stark. He'll find his way back."

-A brother of the Night's Watch

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When Robert Baratheon travels to Winterfell, Benjen goes there as well, and arrives during the feast. While at the castle, he tries to convince Jon not to the Night's Watch, but he does not succeed, and the bastard takes the black anyway.

Unlike Jon had expected, Benjen does not have much time for Jon while at the Wall, because he is First Ranger and has duties of his own.

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Benjen is sent on a ranging to find Waymar Royce, whom did not return from his own ranging. Lord Commander Jeor Mormont sends six men with Benjen, including Othor, and Jafar Flowers.

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"My uncle is not dead. Do you hear me? My uncle is not dead!"

-Robb Stark

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He, just like Waymar, does not return, and three searching parties are sent out to find the First Ranger, two from Castle Black, led by Jaremy Rykker, and one from the Nightfort, led by Qhorin Halfhand.

They are sadly unable to find Benjen, and only see some marks he made in the trees, to keep track of where he has been. They also find the bodies of Othor and Jafar. It is assumed that Benjen Stark, the First Ranger, is dead.

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While in Bloodraven's cave, Bran has a vision of supposedly Benjen and Lyanna, where they have a mock fight with sticks, in Winterfell's Godswood.

Now two children danced across the godswood, hooting at one another as they dueled with broken branches. The girl was the older and taller of the two. Arya! Bran thought eagerly, as he watched her leap up onto a rock and cut at the boy. But that couldn't be right. If the girl was Arya, the boy was Bran himself, and he had never worn his hair so long. And Arya never beat me playing swords, the way that girl is beating him. She slashed the boy across his thigh, so hard that his leg went out from under him and he fell into the pool and began to splash and shout. "You be quiet, stupid," the girl said, tossing her own branch aside. "It's just water. Do you want Old Nan to hear and run tell Father?" She knelt and pulled her brother from the pool, but before she got him out again, the two of them were gone.

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In the show, Benjen returns in a half-dead state, claiming that he was almost dead as a result of an attack on him by the White Walkers, which left him with an ice sword in his chest, but the Children of the Forest found him, and shoved a piece of Dragonglass into his chest, stopping him from becoming a wight.

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He saves Bran and Meera from a group of wights, by destroying them with a flaming chain from atop his horse, he is hooded, and does not reveal his identity to Bran until later, after he tells the pair that he came to help them after the Three-Eyed Raven requested it.

Benjen brings the two to a Weirwood tree close to the Wall, and says that he won't be able to go with them south of the Wall, because of his half-dead state, and the protections carved into the base of the Wall.

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"The great war is coming, and I still fight for the living. I'll do what I can... as long as I can."

-Benjen Stark

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Beware of spoilers from this point!

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Benjen's Last Stand

After Daenerys flies away with Jorah, Beric, Tormund, Sandor, and the wight, Jon climbs out of the hole in the ice he fell into, and is faced with a large group of wights. But then, Benjen, being the good uncle he is, comes charging in through the horde, once more wielding his flaming chain.

He dismounts, and walks towards Jon, to help him climb upon the horse. While doing this, he takes of his hood and scarf, revealing his identity to his nephew.

Jon tells him to come with him, but Benjen tells him that there is no time, before sending the horse away, and taking out his weapon again. He charges at the wights, taking down several of them, before they gain the upper hand, and the last living child of Rickard and Lyarra Stark is no more.

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Short Rant

Benjen's presence felt forced. Way too forced. He came in, saves Jon, and sacrifices himself for his nephew. Don't get me wrong, I love Benjen, but it is obvious that he was a victim of the crappy writing.

They should've brought him in sooner, like in the middle of the battle, or mayhaps when the bear attacked, give him at least a few minutes more screentime instead of this bullshit.

It seems to me that Benjen sole purpose (script-wise) to be brought back was saving Bran, and Jon later on. He showed up last minute for both, making his presence seem like some deus ex machina, which disappoints me a bit. I mean, it was nice to see him again, but the way they did it, I did not like very much.

Benjen was used as a plot device, and he showed up last minute two separate times, a cliché which I hoped wouldn't be used too much by Game of Thrones.

In season 6, I felt like, that besides saving Bran and Meera, his sole purpose was to remind us that the Night King shouldn't be able to get past the Wall while it still stands.

Also, there was enough time. Benjen could've gotten on that horse with Jon, and ride away to the Wall, away from the Night King and his army. Benjen, as much as I hate to say it, did nothing to slow them down. He delayed them for not even a minute.

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Anyway, that's the end of my blog. Thanks for reading and 'till next time. And thank you Reo, for inspiring me to make this post.

-Ser Manus

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#ForUncleBenjen

#JusticeForBenjen

#Oakheart