Stannis, Melisandre and the nature of shadows.

[Impoverished Noble]

Hello I've been on the forums for a while now but this is my first post, so thank you for taking the time to check this out. As far as I know, no one has put this theory out there except me (on a youtube channel discussion lol).

I think it may be possible Stannis experiences, or has some control over Melisandre's shadow babies, or at least the ones produced by their coupling. It's similar to how Bran first learns to skin change while dreaming.

A Clash of Kings - Davos page 613.

Stannis - "I have no doubt that Cersei had a hand in Robert's death. I will have justice for him. Aye, and for Ned Stark and Jon Arryn as well."

Davos - "And for Renly?"

Stannis - For a long time the king did not speak. Then very softly, he said, "I dream of it sometimes. Of Renly's dying. A green tent, candles. A woman screaming. And blood." Stannis looked down at his hands. "I was still abed when he died. Your Devan will tell you. He tried to wake me. Dawn was nigh and my lords were waiting, fretting. I should have been ahorse, armored. I knew Renly would attack at break of day. Devan says I thrashed and cried out, but what does it matter? It was a dream. I was in my tent when Renly died, and when I woke my hands were clean."

Davos - Ser Davos Seaworth could feel his phantom fingertips start to itch. Something is wrong here, the one time smuggler thought.

A Clash of Kings - Davos page 621.

Davos - "And Renly Baratheon? Who was it who killed him?"

Melisandre - Her head turned. Beneath the shadow of the cowl, her eyes burned like pale red candle flames. "Not I."

Davos - "Liar." Davos was certain now.

Melisandre - Melisandre laughed again. "You are lost in darkness and confusion, Ser Davos."

A Clash of Kings - Davos page 623.

He had only an instant to look before it was gone, twisting between the bars of the portcullis and racing across the surface of the water, but that instant was long enough. He knew that Shadow. As he knew the man who'd cast it.

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In addition, around the same time relative to Bran's story, Bran is learning to accept his wolf dreams and sharing Summer's experiences through dreams. Let me know what you think any feedback as long as it's constructive is appreciated.

[SunflashJT]

I feel this is a very sound theory.

[Impoverished Noble]

Thank you Ser.

[Frey family reunion]

The fact that Stannis was perhaps connected to his shadow in his dream is a bit of a nod to Jung and his theories of the self, the animus/anima, and the shadow. Here is a summary of some of Jung's thoughts on our Shadow self:

The Shadow

The Shadow is a very common archetype that reflects deeper elements of our psyche, where 'latent dispositions' which are common to us all arise. It also reflects something that was oncesplit from us in early management of the objects in our lives.

It is, by its name, dark, shadowy, unknown and potentially troubling. It embodies chaos and wildness of character. The shadow thus tends not to obey rules, and in doing so may discover new lands or plunge things into chaos and battle. It has a sense of the exotic and can be disturbingly fascinating. In myth, it appears as the wild man, spider-people, mysterious fighters and dark enemies.

We may see the shadow in others and, if we dare, know it in ourselves. Mostly, however, we deny it in ourselves andproject it onto others. It can also have a life of its own, as theOther. A powerful goal that some undertake is to re-integrate the shadow, the dark side, and the light of the 'real' self. If this can be done effectively, then we can become 'whole' once again, bringing together that which was oncesplit from us.

Our shadow may appear in dreams, hallucinations and musings, often as something or someone who is bad, fearsome or despicable in some way. It may seduce through false friendship or threaten with callous disregard. Encounters with it, as an aspect of the subconscious, may reveal deeper thoughts and fears. It may also take over direct physical action when the person is confused, dazed or drugged.

[Impoverished Noble]

Thanks Frey family reunion, that was very interesting.

[Visenya Stark]

Interesting. Always nice to come across new theories. I believe it could be possible, but more as a projection of Stannis' subconscious instead of a direct desire on his part (kind of like what Frey family reunion stated).

[unitron]

Stannis was probably warging the Shadows while dreaming much the same way Arya wargs Nym, only in this case instead of the direwolf just doing what direwolfs do, the Shadow does what it's "programmed" to do, although how much comes from Stannis and how much comes from Mel is anyone's guess.