Battle of Blackwater Bay

[John W]

When you read the chapters that dealt with the battle of Blackwater Bay, who did you root for?

Martin is a genius because you're either rooting for Tyrion and by extension Joffrey and Cersei or you are rooting for Stannis and by extension Sansa and justice for Ned Stark.

So who were you hoping would prevail?

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

I already knew the outcome before I read it, but even so, I was honestly pulling for Stannis to take the city and for Tyrion to figure a way out of it later. You hit the nail on the head, though, of why it was such a brilliant set-up. If Stannis won, Joffrey and Cersei would go down but they'd take Tyrion with them and perhaps even Sansa, if Cersei made good on her promise for them to not be taken alive. Stannis losing means Joffrey and Cersei stay in power and the legitimate claimant to the throne is weakened. No matter which side you root for there, there are drawbacks.

Blackwater is actually the example I have in my mind when I argue that GRRM won't make it as easy as all of the remaining "good guys" lining up together to face a bunch of unambiguously "bad guys."

[Nozlym]

cant say i was realling rooting for one side. mainly just enjoying the story

[Good Guy Garlan]

That battle is a master class on manipulating the reader. At first it starts cleverly ambivalent and you really don't know which side to take, but Martin also does several little things to make you root for the Lannisters, like:

- Davos exits the picture, so Stannis' side loses its most morally good character

- Cersei threatens to kill Sansa if Stannis wins

- She also threatens to hurt Alayaya if Joffrey gets hurt

- Varys' warning against Melisandre still resonates

So I guess by the end I was rooting for the Lannisters

[Ser Greg of House House]

I wasn't rooting for anyone, really... I was pretty sure Stannis would fail. I was just hoping Davos and Stannis wouldn't die.

I didn't expect Tyrion to actually enter the battle, though. The scene was a bit silly, but his injuries helped the plot in KL move forward in a good way.

[Septa Mordane]

I just wanted to see a Cersei/Stannis confrontation. Still hoping for it.

[The Second To Last Dragon]

glad tyrion won.

[Lopsang]

Stannis. I wanted Tyrion to find some way out of it, though. They way it ended - with Tyrion's power completely lost and Stannis' power collapsed - was the worst possible outcome! But yeah, GRRM masterfully wrote it so you could basically have chosen either side with good reason.

[A Man Reads]

My loyalties are more clear cut it seems. At the Blackwater, I was rooting for Stannis. Have been ever since AGOT, still am now, and was at the time. I would have preferred to see Sansa live; couldn't have cared less whether Tyrion lived or died. Cersei's and Joffrey's heads on spikes would have been welcome.

Of course, I never expected that to happen.

Blackwater is actually the example I have in my mind when I argue that GRRM won't make it as easy as all of the remaining "good guys" lining up together to face a bunch of unambiguously "bad guys."

Good point. Reminds me of his "bittersweet" ending forecast.

I just wanted to see a Cersei/Stannis confrontation. Still hoping for it.

I would love to see Stannis take revenge on Cersei for Robert. At the battle, there was Cersei's monologue on Stannis. About how she would go to the walls and try to charm any other man, but could not hope to succeed with Stannis Baratheon. If they ever confront each other, one will end up dead, imprisoned, or worse.

[SawdoffHero]

I expected Stannis to break the gates down and invade the city, then be cut off from the red keep. Moment I read about the chain and the hints of wildfire I knew he was toast. I was disappointed with the show when there was no bridge of ships but it was still an amazing battle.

[Maid So Fair]

I was really rooting for Tyrion, even if that meant rooting for the Lannisters, because this is Tyrion's biggest project and his chance to prove himself after all these years of being underestimated by everyone. It's also very much set up as Tyrion being the underdog facing overwhelming odds - and it's only by his own cleverness that he succeeds. At the beginning, Tyrion has few men and is not counting on military support, the defences are in shambles, and people are STILL plotting against him even when he is trying to save the city. I think it would be very hard not to root for him. He's also, at least at that point, a lot more sympathetic than Stannis.

The only reason I would be rooting for Stannis, apart from hoping that Davos makes it out in one piece (which does not necessitate Stannis victory) is Sansa, and it was made abundantly clear that she would not live if Stannis won. So it was a clear choice for me.

[Salafi Stannis]

I was rooting for Stannis, for obvious reasons. Btw, which name do you guys prefer, "Battle of Blackwater Bay", or "Battle of the Blackwater"?

[Chaircat Meow]

Tyrion, no question. I wasn't very keen on Stannis at that stage.

[Veltigar]

I think it was obvious that Stannis was going to lose. Therefore I supported Tyrion, especially since - as Maid so fair - pointed out this was Tyrion's change to prove himself. GRRM still managed to screw me over though, because at the end of the day, Tyrion got absolutely jackshit for his valiant efforts.

[ShadowInTheDarkness]

I was rooting for stannis. People white wash tyrion too much the guy basically knew joffrey was jamies' bastard and wasn't the true heir but he went along and defended the city anyway for a family who absolutely despises him.

[Veltigar]

I was rooting for stannis. People white wash tyrion too much the guy basically knew joffrey was jamies' bastard and wasn't the true heir but he went along and defended the city anyway for a family who absolutely despises him.

Not all his familymembers despised him. Jaime, Tommen, Myrcella, Kevan, Genna they all cared for Tyrion. He was fighting for them as much as he was fighting for Tywin, Cersei and Joffrey. And as Stannis himself understands, it's a very hard choice between one's duty and one's family. Stannis himself chose to back his brother over his King after all.

[Universal Sword Donor]

I guess I was rooting for Stannis, but I was just more interested in the battle than anything else. I figured Tyrion and non-threatening characters would have found a way to escape the city if necessary.

To be fair though, as soon as I read the part about Imry's strategy and Davos' disagreement with it, I figured Stannis wasn't going to win. It turned out to be for a different reason.

[Nihlus]

I was hoping for Stannis to storm the city, smash the Lannister army, and hang Cersei, Joffrey, and Tyrion. This would then set the stage for a badass Stannis-North team-up to mop up Tywin, likely with many Stormlanders, Crownlanders, and Reach men joining Stannis after the victory. Unfortunately, I also knew that he wouldn't win, since if he did, the war would basically be over. So I guess it was hard to root for anyone.

[T0ny_Stark]

I was rooting for stannis. People white wash tyrion too much the guy basically knew joffrey was jamies' bastard and wasn't the true heir but he went along and defended the city anyway for a family who absolutely despises him.

This. Although I did liked Tyrion as a character back then and like him now because he turned on Tywin.

[sifth]

Not all his familymembers despised him. Jaime, Tommen, Myrcella, Kevan, Genna they all cared for Tyrion. He was fighting for them as much as he was fighting for Tywin, Cersei and Joffrey. And as Stannis himself understands, it's a very hard choice between one's duty and one's family. Stannis himself chose to back his brother over his King after all.

Yea, not to mention Joffrey, possibly the worst king in the seven kingdoms. Though I suppose he gets the excuse of being family. Non of the people you mentioned were even in the city at the time of the attack.