If Stannis is not Azor Ahai... (the fallout)

[RoamingRonin]

The sword is wrong, she has to know that . . . light without heat . . . an empty glamor . . . the sword is wrong, and the false light can only lead us deeper into darkness, Sam.

Stannis thinks it is his destiny to fight the Others but it does not seem likely that he is Azor Ahai. I know a lot of people here think he will fight the Others at some point but what hope can he have? Is it possible that he might lead his army (and maybe even the northmen) into a doomed fight against the Others?

The big question is: Would anyone be wrong for abandoning him if it is revealed he is not Azor Ahai?

[Fat Mac]

Stannis thinks it is his destiny to fight the Others but it does not seem likely that he is Azor Ahai. I know a lot of people here think he will fight the Others at some point but what hope can he have? Is it possible that he might lead his army (and maybe even the northmen) into a doomed fight against the Others?

Absolutely.

The big question is: Would anyone be wrong for abandoning him if it is revealed he is not Azor Ahai?

I think it depends. A lot of people follow him for his claim. Most of the Queens Men are with him because of the AA reason, so I wouldn't completely fault them for abandoning him. But even if he turns out not to be AA, where else do they have to go? They've burned all their bridges.

I'm of the mind that Stannis will be the first major character that faces the Others directly, but it will be a disaster, leading to the deaths of many, if not all of his men.

[The Santa of House Claus]

It is to hard to tell. His potential story arcs are just to many and varied because right now he is at a crossroads of story arcs. Either victory over the Boltons or defeat, with many sub options under those 2. Then there will also be what happens with Davos retrieving Rickon and what Jon and Dany do.

I would not be shocked if "the dragon has three heads" has something to do with Stannis, Jon and Dany all having Targ blood and all being set up to be key players in the fight against the Others. I do not think that means all three will be dragon riders, but rather the 3 leaders of the resistance. Maybe it starts with Stannis leading and leading forces to defeat or his death and Jon and/or Dany pick up the standard and lead humanity to victory.

[The Dragons Hand]

Melisandre finds this out, thinks Jon is AAR

Shireen doesn't last the hour.

"There's power in King's blood."

[Ser Cold Fingers]

I often wonder how anyone is still following Stannis at all. Are they following him because he might be AACA (Azor Ahai Come Again) or if they are just afraid of the "red woman".

[The Drunkard]

I often wonder how anyone is still following Stannis at all. Are they following him because he might be AACA (Azor Ahai Come Again) or if they are just afraid of the "red woman".

“Whatever doubts his lords might nurse, the common men seemed to have faith in their king. Stannis had smashed Mance Rayder’s wildlings at the Wall and cleaned Asha and her ironborn out of Deepwood Motte; he was Robert’s brother, victor in a famous sea battle off Fair Isle, the man who had held Storm’s End all through Robert’s Rebellion. And he bore a hero’s sword, the enchanted blade Lightbringer, whose glow lit up the night.”

The big question is: Would anyone be wrong for abandoning him if it is revealed he is not Azor Ahai?

It seems that very few people are following him because he's Azor Ahai. The northern smallfolk joined him because he was actually protecting him, the mountain clans because he's fighting Roose, most of the other misc northern forces because he's got momentum on his side, and the kings men because he's their king. Only among the queens men are you going to have people following him because they think he's the messiah, and even then, most of the named queens men that we meet follow that religion out of opportunism (like Suggs, Horpe, Massey, Axell).

So, if it comes out that Stannis isn't AA, I doubt most will care. If someone sincerely believed in the myth however, and abandoned Stannis for someone like Jon (who's also in the area and fighting the Others), then I'd say fair enough. If they abandoned Stannis for someone thousands of miles away and oblivious to the Others, that'd be harder to justify.

Personally, I think the best thing Stannis can do before dying (should that happen) is to continue uniting people, fortifying the Wall and amassing obsidian. That way, when the Others attack, even if he's dead there's already a united force with weapons capable of fighting back, and hopefully a well-fortified 700 foot magical obstacle in their way.

[JRose1989]

I think the better question might be, what would Stannis do to all of these 'followers' who desert him as soon as the 'real' AA comes along?

Including his better half Mel?

Hell maybe even Selyse would leave him seeing as how weirdly devoted to the Red Lady she seems to be.

His teeth may very well shattered out of his mouth.

Would he give up the throne for revenge? Or 'Justice' as he would undoubtedly call it?

[RoamingRonin]

I often wonder how anyone is still following Stannis at all. Are they following him because he might be AACA (Azor Ahai Come Again) or if they are just afraid of the "red woman".

They swore oaths and are loyal men and/or perhaps bending the knee to Joffrey would have been worse than sticking with Stannis.

So, if it comes out that Stannis isn't AA, I doubt most will care. If someone sincerely believed in the myth however, and abandoned Stannis for someone like Jon (who's also in the area and fighting the Others), then I'd say fair enough. If they abandoned Stannis for someone thousands of miles away and oblivious to the Others, that'd be harder to justify.

Would it really be hard to justify? If Stannis isn't AA and someone else is, why follow him into a fight he can't hope to win? Just because he's close and the other person is far doesn't really change anything.

[John Doe]

Is it possible that he might lead his army (and maybe even the northmen) into a doomed fight against the Others?

It is not impossible, but I really doubt he would take on a fight just now. If anything, Stannis is not stupid, and no fanatic. I doubt he would see great chances for defeating the Others in a field battle, in the middle of snow and ice.

[Mithras]

I don't think Stannis will fight the Others.

The North completely rallying behind Stannis;

The breaking of Lannister/Tyrell alliance;

death of Tommen;

UnCat and BwB wreaking havoc in Riverlands;

Frey Civil War;

Euron kicking Tyrell ass in the Reach;

fAegon raising his banners and taking Storm's End;

fAegon marrying Dorne;

The Vale of Arryn proceeding towards a civil war between LF's cronies and those following Yohn Royce;

Dany's conquests in the East (such as the Sack of Volantis);

What do these tell you? What can Stannis deduce from these events?

Obviously, he will think that he has a great opportunity to unite his Realm, starting with the Riverlands and the Vale. That is exactly what he did by attacking the ironborn/Boltons in the North while the enemy was still out there in the North.

[The Drunkard]

Would it really be hard to justify? If Stannis isn't AA and someone else is, why follow him into a fight he can't hope to win? Just because he's close and the other person is far doesn't really change anything.

Well, apart from in the most obvious way, in that you being far away puts your value in terms of fighting the Others at zero. AA will or won't show up regardless of some random guy's location, so you might as well stay where you have use than travel half way across the world to mooch around until AA is finally convinced.

[BRANDON GREYSTARK]

I think there is many AAR and Stannis is one of them while Daenerys is the PWWP .Deanerys is the only one who fits 1 born on Dragonstone ,2 born amidst smoke and salt and 3 born from line of Aerys and Rhaella.

[Minstral]

If Stannis is not Azor Ahai? then pretty much everyone on this forum is correct. I don't even think hard Stannis shippers would go as far as to believe he is this foreign religion's chosen.