When I was a young girl, I read Michael Moorecock's novels about Elric, a sad, brooding albino prince who basically destroys his people and becomes an incarnation of the Eternal Champion. Also as a young girl, my favorite Dragonlance character was the white haired mage named Raistlin Majere, a sad, brooding lost soul who basically destroys himself to try and correct the mistakes he made to gain power. Raistlin didn't start out with the white hair, but he had it by the time we met him in the story. His eyes weren't albino red . . . they were yellow, but he still helped to fuse the archetype in my head. I like me some magical brooding white haired menz.
With that in mind, my favorite bastard in the GRRM novels is Brynden Rivers, otherwise known as Bloodraven. Bloodraven is one of the four Great Bastards, children born to King Aegon the Unworthy with women of noble birth. Brynden's family, the Blackwoods, worshiped the old gods, giving him connection both to the old ways and to the Targaryen line. He was rumored to be a wicked sorcerer, and served as Master of Whispers under one king and as the Hand of the King under another. A third king locked him in the dungeons and a fourth sent him to the Wall. Once he was at the Wall, he rose to the rank of Commander and lead for many years. Then he disappeared into the wilderness.
At the current time of the story, he's something like 125 years old. He is part of a Weirwood tree and serving as the Seer of the old gods and as the Three Eyed Crow. He has lured Bran to him through dreams and visions, perhaps to make him his successor as the person who is connected to the Weirwood.
I adore Bloodraven because he fits my white haired brooding sexy guy archetype. I also like him because has tried very hard during his long life to do the right thing. Every time he has tried to do the right thing, he's been met with resistance and mistrust. He keeps on, however, because he knows there are more important things to consider than his own self. Winter is coming, after all.
So yes, my favorite bastard is Brynden Rivers. I doubt he will make it to the end of the novels alive, so I mostly just hope he finds peace.
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