Patchface/Theories

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  1. Stated as questions or possibilities.
  2. More appropriate for another article.
  3. Illogical or previously disproven.
  4. Proven by canon source, and moved to main page.
  5. Speculative and lacking any evidence to support arguments.
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  • This does not include responses that are also standalone theories.
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Patchface was brought to Westeros from Volantis by Lord Steffon Baratheon, the father of Robert, Stannis and Renly.

The same shipwreck that killed Lord Steffon and his wife Cassana Estermont took its toll on Patchface, affecting his body and mind. Yet even so it is apparent that he is not only well aware of his surroundings, but he sometimes also makes uncanny predictions in his songs.

Patchface may have had such prophetic powers before the shipwreck; that would help explain Lord Steffon's decision to bring him to Westeros. Or maybe they have developed somehow as a consequence of his misfortune. There is also the possibility that he is a vessel for someone else's words, as we have occasionally seen happen with ravens and weirwood trees.

As Patchface apparently drowned but was revived, and makes frequent references to events underwater, it is theorized he may be connected to the Drowned God of the Ironborn. This may be why Melisandre considers him dangerous, as she may associate the Drowned God with the Great Other.

Rhymes

Some of Patchface's rhymes seem to be of prophetic nature, though none of his listeners understand them.[1]

As Maester Pylos goes up to get the white raven for Maester Cressen so Princess Shireen can see it, the fool sings:

Under the sea, the birds have scales for feathers. I know. I know…

Shireen states that her mother says that the white raven means that it is not summer any more, and when Maester Cressen responds with reassurances the fool sings:

It is always summer under the sea. The merwives wear nennymoans in their hair and weave gowns of silver seaweed. I know. I know…

Right after this quote Shireen states that she would like a gown of silver seaweed, and the fool sings:

Under the sea it snows up, and the rain is dry as bone. I know. I know…

When the white raven speaks to Shireen after Cressen introduces the raven to her, the princess exclaims that it talks. The maester responds that white ravens are clever birds, and the fool sings:

Clever bird, clever man, clever clever fool…

Immediately after the statement about the clever bird the fool sings:

The shadows come to dance my lord, dance my lord, dance my lord. The shadows come to stay my lord, stay my lord, stay my lord...

When Maester Cressen enters the feasting hall and is making his way across, Patchface lurches into him while singing the same song from the morning and they both fall to the floor. Face to face with Cressen, the fool sings:

Under the sea, you fall up. I know. I know…

As Maester Cressen had his first run in with Melisandre and then makes his way around the tables in the feasting hall to where Lord Davos had offered him a place next to him, the fool sings:

Here we eat fish, under the sea, the fish eat us. I know. I know…

After Maester Cressen states that R'hllor has no power here, the Red Woman tells him that if he believes that he should put the crown back on, and Queen Selyse commands it, the fool sings:

Under the sea no one wears hats. I know. I know…

As the statues of the seven gods are being burned in sept at Dragonstone at the command of Melisandre and before Stannis Baratheon plunges into the fire to pull out Lightbringer, Patchface sings:

Under the sea, smoke rises in bubbles, and flames burn green and blue and black. “I know, I know, oh, oh, oh.[2]

Patchface also seems to predict the Red Wedding:

Fool's blood, king's blood, blood on the maiden's thigh, but chains for the guests and chains for the bridegroom, aye aye aye.


Shortly after Alys Karstark's wedding Patchface proclaims:

Under the sea the mermen feast on starfish soup, and all the serving men are crabs.

Melisandre’s face darkens and she says to Jon Snow:

That creature is dangerous. Many a time I have glimpsed him in my flames. Sometimes there are skulls about him, and his lips are red with blood.

References