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A Song of Ice and Fire / A Clash of Kings III / Why did Benjen join the night watch?

Hodor
User ID: 0819174 Aug 5th 5:31 PM
I was thinking why would Benjen Stark join the night watch.is it because a crime he did?or is it because the starks were always friends for the watch,and anyway Benjen was the third son(or maybe he joined only after Brandon died).did he join before the war began or after?

Padraig
User ID: 1564944 Aug 5th 5:45 PM
Another mystery. I think it has been suggested that Benjen remained at Winterfell during the War of the Usurper. Something to do with the fact that a Stark always sits there. And then sometime after that he joined the Watch.

Benjen is very mysterious though. I don't think we know yet whether he is younger or older than Lyanna.

Ran
User ID: 0867924 Aug 5th 7:13 PM
Mail #89 at the So Spake Martin collection has a little bit about Bejen's joining the Watch. He did it more or less right after Ned returned from the south and Catelyn, Robb, and Jon took up residence.

I presume that he was, in fact, younger than Lyanna. But ... that could maybe be wrong. Don't remember, at this hour in any case, if there's any statement concerning his age relative to Ned's.

Rania
User ID: 1891784 Aug 5th 8:24 PM
Another question about Benjen.
During the welcoming feast at Winterfell.
When Jon tells Benjen "I am not your son"
Benjen replied "Would that you were"
Does this mean that Benjen knows who Jon's parents were? What do you all think?

Hunter Rose
User ID: 9168243 Aug 5th 9:26 PM
Not that this is necessarily 100% correct, but Benjen is listed below Lyanna in the glossary at the back of AGOT. Perusing the rest of the glossary, I didn't notice a single instance of siblings being out of order, as far as I could tell. This would imply that Benjen is/was younger than Lyanna. As far as why he joined the Night's Watch, it seems the northmen are more likely to swear the oath out of allegiance to what they stand for (for instance, Jeor Mormont joined the Watch before his son dishonored the house).
I believe that Benjen does know Jon's parentage (as does Howland Reed). Whether Benjen is still alive is another story, but my belief is that he's dead.

Rania
User ID: 1891784 Aug 5th 9:41 PM
I think the order of children is:
Brandon, Lyanna, Eddard and then Benjen.

Ran
User ID: 0867924 Aug 6th 4:51 AM
Not quite. Eddard was older than Lyanna, we know. :)

Padraig
User ID: 1564944 Aug 6th 6:08 AM
That's a good point about the glossary. But Lyanna was what 15/16 when she died? And if Benjen was younger then he must have been around a few years in Winterfell before he joined the Watch. He did say to Jon after all that he should live a little before he enlists.

I wonder how Benjen would learn about Jon. Perhaps he knew his brother too well to believe that he would ever have a bastard.

I believe that Benjen is alive. The Starks must have some luck after all.

Ran
User ID: 0867924 Aug 6th 6:12 AM
Lyanna was 16 when she died. Given that it would have taken awhile for Ned and everyone else to make it all the way back to Winterfell, Benjen could have been 15 when Ned arrived. If he waited a few months, he would have been 16 and a man grown.

As for living a little ... well, not only would he (if I'm right) have a couple of years over Jon, but in any case he might be speaking from experience -- i.e., he might be regretting, somewhat, the fact that he joined the Watch so early.

Padraig
User ID: 1564944 Aug 6th 6:47 AM
Yes, it seems more rational now.

Hodor User ID: 0819174	Aug 5th 5:31 PM I was thinking why would Benjen Stark join the night watch.is it because a crime he did?or is it because the starks were always friends for the watch,and anyway Benjen was the third son(or maybe he joined only after Brandon died).did he join before the war began or after?
Padraig User ID: 1564944	Aug 5th 5:45 PM Another mystery. I think it has been suggested that Benjen remained at Winterfell during the War of the Usurper. Something to do with the fact that a Stark always sits there. And then sometime after that he joined the Watch. Benjen is very mysterious though. I don't think we know yet whether he is younger or older than Lyanna.
Ran User ID: 0867924	Aug 5th 7:13 PM Mail #89 at the So Spake Martin collection has a little bit about Bejen's joining the Watch. He did it more or less right after Ned returned from the south and Catelyn, Robb, and Jon took up residence. I presume that he was, in fact, younger than Lyanna. But ... that could maybe be wrong. Don't remember, at this hour in any case, if there's any statement concerning his age relative to Ned's.
Rania User ID: 1891784	Aug 5th 8:24 PM Another question about Benjen. During the welcoming feast at Winterfell. When Jon tells Benjen "I am not your son" Benjen replied "Would that you were" Does this mean that Benjen knows who Jon's parents were? What do you all think?
Hunter Rose User ID: 9168243	Aug 5th 9:26 PM Not that this is necessarily 100% correct, but Benjen is listed below Lyanna in the glossary at the back of AGOT. Perusing the rest of the glossary, I didn't notice a single instance of siblings being out of order, as far as I could tell. This would imply that Benjen is/was younger than Lyanna. As far as why he joined the Night's Watch, it seems the northmen are more likely to swear the oath out of allegiance to what they stand for (for instance, Jeor Mormont joined the Watch before his son dishonored the house). I believe that Benjen does know Jon's parentage (as does Howland Reed). Whether Benjen is still alive is another story, but my belief is that he's dead.
Rania User ID: 1891784	Aug 5th 9:41 PM I think the order of children is: Brandon, Lyanna, Eddard and then Benjen.
Ran User ID: 0867924	Aug 6th 4:51 AM Not quite. Eddard was older than Lyanna, we know. :)
Padraig User ID: 1564944	Aug 6th 6:08 AM That's a good point about the glossary. But Lyanna was what 15/16 when she died? And if Benjen was younger then he must have been around a few years in Winterfell before he joined the Watch. He did say to Jon after all that he should live a little before he enlists. I wonder how Benjen would learn about Jon. Perhaps he knew his brother too well to believe that he would ever have a bastard. I believe that Benjen is alive. The Starks must have some luck after all.
Ran User ID: 0867924	Aug 6th 6:12 AM Lyanna was 16 when she died. Given that it would have taken awhile for Ned and everyone else to make it all the way back to Winterfell, Benjen could have been 15 when Ned arrived. If he waited a few months, he would have been 16 and a man grown. As for living a little ... well, not only would he (if I'm right) have a couple of years over Jon, but in any case he might be speaking from experience -- i.e., he might be regretting, somewhat, the fact that he joined the Watch so early.
Padraig User ID: 1564944	Aug 6th 6:47 AM Yes, it seems more rational now.