What was the three-eyed raven in Game of Thrones? Powers and purpose, explained

For a show packed with dragons, ice zombies, and shadow babies, Game of Thrones still managed to make an old man stuck in a tree one of its most mysterious characters. Yep, we’re talking about the Three-Eyed Raven - a title that sounds like a magician in a fantasy board game, but in Westeros, it’s kind of a big deal.

If you’ve ever watched Bran Stark sit silently in Game of Thrones while the world burned and wondered, “Why isn’t this guy doing anything?” you’re not alone. The Three-Eyed Raven is one of those roles that sounds impressive, looks cryptic, and is never properly explained at a high school reading level. So let’s fix that.

So who is he? What does he do? And why does he have birds on the brain? Let's break it down.

What was the three-eyed raven in Game of Thrones? Powers and purpose, explained

The Three-Eyed Raven is not a specific person in the Game of Thrones universe - it’s more like a mystical job title. It belongs to someone with the power to see the past, the future, and everything in between. This person becomes a living memory bank of the world, kind of like Westeros’s human hard drive. Before Bran, the role belonged to a creepy old guy growing out of a tree beyond the Wall (who was once a man named Brynden Rivers). After some time travel visions and a few undead invasions, Bran took over the title - and a ton of responsibility. So no, it’s not just a nickname - it’s a whole supernatural role with ancient roots and heavy consequences.

The Three-Eyed Raven isn’t just some guy with a bird obsession in Game of Thrones - his abilities are downright eerie. He can see the past in perfect detail, even events that happened thousands of years ago, long before he was born. He also gets glimpses of the future, though those aren’t always crystal clear. On top of that, he can warg - meaning he can slip into the minds of animals, and sometimes people - and control their actions, like flying with ravens or walking through the woods as a direwolf. He can also access people’s memories, even those of the dead, like some supernatural historian with the ultimate backstage pass. In short, he’s like Westeros’s all-seeing, all-remembering camera that never stops recording. Once Bran becomes the Three-Eyed Raven, he loses a lot of his emotional connection to the people. It’s like downloading too much history and losing track of the present. He remembers everything - everyone’s joy, pain, and death - but it turns him kind of robotic.

In a land where stories are often twisted or lost, his role is to keep the truth alive and protect the memory of the world. That includes secrets like Jon Snow’s real parents, the origin of the White Walkers, and much more. It’s less “superhero” and more “ancient librarian with cosmic access.” He’s supposed to guide key players with knowledge - although, as we saw, he often lets people figure things out the hard way. Bran had the gift. Since falling from that tower in Game of Thrones Season 1, he began having strange dreams and visions. He could warg into animals and sense things beyond normal limits. The old Raven saw that and began training him to take over. After the old guy gets killed by White Walkers, Bran inherits the title. From that moment on, he’s no longer just Bran Stark. He’s the memory of Westeros. Also, it kind of explains why he ends up being crowned king. Who better to lead a kingdom than someone who literally remembers everything?

Trending

The Three-Eyed Raven is one of the strangest roles in Game of Thrones - equal parts mystic, time traveler, memory keeper, and cryptic messenger. He doesn’t ride dragons, swing swords, or deliver epic speeches. But his power shapes history more than any battlefield ever could. So next time someone says, “You won’t believe what Bran did,” just nod and remember: he saw it coming ages ago.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

Quick Links

More from SoapCentral