George RR Martin
George RR Martin, author of the "Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series that is the basis of the television series "Game of Thrones," gestures during his masterclass at the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) in Neuchatel, July 10, 2014. Reuters/Denis Balibouse

George RR Martin, the author of “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, has the habit of hiding clues about characters and future events in the books. While some of this is foreshadowing of the future, others are major clues that come into focus only after events in the latter books unfold. One such possible clue, uncovered by a fan, shows a Greenseer hiding in plain sight. The following article contains spoilers.

The Three-eyed Crow was supposed to be the last Greenseer, before Bran came along. However, this may not be entirely accurate. There could be another with these magical abilities, one who is so merged with a weirwood tree that all signs of humanity have long gone, with only a hint of consciousness left.

Such a character was encountered by Bran in “A Storm of Swords,” a fan on Reddit points out. When Sam takes the young boy trough the Black Gate at the Nightfort, the vivid description Martin offers is interesting to read.

It was a weirwood tree that Martin described in the book. The author took great pains to describe how old the face of the tree looked. The hint came when he said the face looked like that of a man who lived on for a thousand years. Someone who didn’t die, but continued to age with time.

The next big clue came later when the door opened, and Bran was allowed to pass with the others. Martin described the drop of water from the weirwood tree as warm and salty, almost like it was a real tear. Since the author doesn’t write anything without reason, the fan feels there is a purpose in the elaborate description of the tree.

Very little is known about the Children of the Forest, and the Greenseers. The HBO TV series has also revealed how these creatures are connected to the Night’s King and the White Walkers. Martin may have sprinkled clues about them throughout the books, and given the pieces of the puzzle for the fans to solve.

According to the theory, the weirwood that Sam and Bran encountered at the Black Gate is a Greenseer who may have lived for over 8000 years. The fan suggests that people with these magical abilities may have played a big role in building The Wall. Readers will have to wait for the release of “Winds of Winter” to learn more about what exactly happened many years ago, and how the people of Westeros can fight this seemingly unstoppable enemy.

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