The man Daemon Targaryen sees in the weirwood during the Season 2 finale is best identified as Brynden Rivers, known in book lore as Bloodraven. The identification rests on the character’s appearance in the scene and on his established role in the wider Westeros story, not on dialogue that names him on screen. Recaps from major outlets read the figure the same way, and the books supply the background that makes the reading convincing.
Who Bloodraven is in the books
Bloodraven is the name by which Brynden Rivers is known in George R. R. Martin’s book lore. The fan-maintained encyclopedia A Wiki of Ice and Fire places him among the Targaryen family’s “Great Bastards,” the legitimized sons of Aegon IV. That placement matters for the show because it ties him to the Targaryen bloodline rather than to a side story about a stray figure in the North.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
![Heroes: The Complete Series [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/613XNtiCfwL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Heroes: The Complete Series [DVD] | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Beauty and the Beast: The Complete Series | $31.34 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Resident Alien: The Complete Series [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/512uUWQVtqL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Resident Alien: The Complete Series [DVD] | $32.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Dungeons & Dragons: The Complete Animated Series | $27.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Nevers, The: Season 1 Part 1 (DVD) | $9.35 | Buy on Amazon |
His story predates House of the Dragon by a long way. Bloodraven belongs to the older history of Westeros and is connected to the Tales of Dunk and Egg material. His later lore includes service in the Night’s Watch, which is one reason fans link him to the north and to the weirwood trees that appear in the finale.
Why the Three-Eyed Crow and Three-Eyed Raven labels get mixed up
Most confusion about this scene comes from three overlapping names. They refer to related figures, but they are not interchangeable terms, and the sources do not use them identically. The table below separates them.
#1 Best Overall
| Term | Where it appears | What it refers to |
|---|---|---|
| Bloodraven / Brynden Rivers | Book lore, as summarized by A Wiki of Ice and Fire | The character’s name and identity in the novels and related writing |
| Three-Eyed Crow | The Citadel lore archive (Westeros.org), which identifies Brynden with this title | A book-world title associated with Brynden |
| Three-Eyed Raven | Game of Thrones on television | A related television figure, described in lore references as loosely based on the book counterpart |
Read these as an adaptation connection. The show’s Three-Eyed Raven is not presented as a one-to-one copy of the book character, so a viewer who sees the name “Three-Eyed Raven” should not assume the book uses it in the same way.
What happens in Daemon’s vision
The vision follows Alys Rivers leading Daemon to the weirwood at Harrenhal. From there, Daemon’s vision moves through images tied to the later Game of Thrones story. Coverage describes a figure connected to the Three-Eyed Raven, the White Walkers, and Daenerys Targaryen. The man in the tree is the figure most often discussed, and it is the one this article focuses on.
Rank #2
- Genre: TV Drama
- Playback Duration: 2654
- Rating: NR
- Movie Title: Beauty and the Beast: The Complete Series
- Movie Year: 2021
How the man in the tree is identified
Recaps and analysis identify the figure as Bloodraven. Cosmopolitan’s finale explainer and The Ringer’s Season 2 finale breakdown both read the silver-haired, birthmarked man as Brynden Rivers. Their reasoning rests on two points: the man’s appearance on screen, and his connection to the Three-Eyed Raven who appears later in the franchise.
No official HBO statement or transcript was found that names him directly, and the episode does not spell out his name in dialogue. The identification is therefore a strong reading of the visual and lore evidence, which is how most viewers have reached it. It is not an explicit on-screen explanation.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesRank #3
What is established and what is interpretation
- Established by the books: Bloodraven is Brynden Rivers, a Great Bastard and son of Aegon IV, with later service in the Night’s Watch.
- Established by the lore: Brynden is linked to the Three-Eyed Crow, and the television Three-Eyed Raven is a related but separate adaptation.
- Read from the scene: The silver-haired, birthmarked man is Bloodraven. This is a widely shared identification from recaps, not a line of dialogue.
- Interpretation only: What the vision means for Daemon, for Daenerys, or for the wider prophecy. TIME’s coverage of Daenerys’s place in the vision offers one reading, and it should be treated as analysis.
The book material does not contain this exact vision. The books supply the character background, while the scene itself belongs to the television episode.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to check the identification yourself
- Rewatch the Season 2 finale and pay attention to the man’s hair color and the birthmark on his face, which recaps use as the main visual cues.
- Read the Bloodraven entry in A Wiki of Ice and Fire for the Great Bastard and Night’s Watch background.
- Compare the Citadel’s Three-Eyed Crow entry with the television Three-Eyed Raven to see how the two titles relate.
- Look for a later official HBO explanation. None had been found at the time of writing, so treat any claim of one with caution until you can read it directly.
Taken together, these points give a clear answer. The man in the tree is Bloodraven, and the rest of the vision is best read as a set of franchise connections rather than a settled explanation of what comes next.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
- Factory sealed DVD
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
