Summer, Meera, Jojen, Hodor, Hodor

[Anushka Mokosh]

a) Because Coldhands for some reason (I think because of the Wall's magic) cannot go underneath it.
b) Perhaps Gendel's children aren't just another tale.
c) According to the stories of the Free Folk, only Gorne knew the caves well enough not to get lost in them.

 

[ArstenWhitebeard]

But Coldhands met them in a tunnel on the north side of the wall, if there were a tunnel, he could have followed it from that point to where the three eyed crow is. Speaking of which, I am guessing that TEC would know the caves pretty well, especially if weirwood roots extend throughout them.

That's a good point about Grendells children, but if that is the case, how is Jojen going to use them to get all the way south of the wall.

 

[Anushka Mokosh]

Not even the Children of the Forest know all the tunnels and they have lived for a thousands of thousands of human years (stated so in the books). If TEC knew the caves well, he would have shared the knowledge with the Children. Moreover, from what I remember, weirwood trees grant knowledge through what their carved faces (which aren't underground and are made by the Children, Free Folk or descendants of First Man) can see. If this is correct, and I remember nothing that suggests otherwise (correct me if I'm wrong), it's another point for the theory that TEC isn't all knowing. Gorne and Gendel lived a long time before our current events in Westeros, they lived in a time when Old Gods had more power and there were probably more Greenseers back then. And in the books, Ygritte stated that Gorne was the only one who knew the tunnels. Another point for the theory that TEC himself doesn't know the tunnels well.

If the Gendel's children aren't just another myth, perhaps there is a way to fight them. All the children of the dark fear fire and well, Gendel's children might be easier to fight than Wrights. Anyway, I wouldn't put my money on that one since I've only pointed it out for the sake of being thorough. They might just be a myth for all we know.

 

[ArstenWhitebeard]

these are very good points, and they work my way as well.

In summary of the last few posts:
point 1 - there might be a tunel Jojen can use to get all the way south of the wall
Counter point - then why didn't they use it to get to TEC?
Point 2 - Because nobody living knows about all the tunnels
Counter point - Then Jojen can't use it to escape

I am not saying the tunnels don't exist or extend that far, but if they don't know their way in the tunnels, how are they going to use them to escape? I guess thyey could start exploring but how would you keep your barings?

 

[Anushka Mokosh]

I didn't say that nobody LIVING knows about them. I simply said that TEC and the Children don't know about them. There still might be someone out there who does or they might discover something that helps them go through them. Ygritte never said Gorne knew them by heart, just that he knew how to navigate them. There might be markings, or maps hidden somewhere. Summer might be able to lead them through as direwolfs seem to be able to do a lot more than they seem to at first.