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Davos Seaworth Appreciation Thread

Seaworth'sShipmate

By Seaworth'sShipmate,
in General (ASoIaF)

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Seaworth'sShipmate Council Member

Seaworth'sShipmate

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There may be another thread like this, but I thought Id start my own, in honor, of perhaps my favorite character in the series: Davos Seaworth.



Sure his POVs are a little dull sometimes, and he definitely isn't the most exciting or engaging character in the story. Still, he is my favorite for a variety of reasons.



He seems among the most moral, one of the least selfish, altruistic people in the series. Im not saying he is the most, because I don't want to debate people on it, but I think he for sure is in the top ten.



He values his honor, but he knows also when to play it smart and not stupidly endanger himself. I loved Ned, and definitely miss him, but he absolutely brought his fate upon himself. There was the slightest bit of narcissim to his honorable actions as well, in that he didn't really think it was important to reflect on how his "honor" might affect other people.



Take the "Assassinate Danerys plan". Sure Ned thought it abhorrent, but at the same time he never stopped to examine the implications of this conviction, of what it would really mean if Danerys bore a son and her and the Dothraki crossed the narrow sea to invade Westeros. Even if it was "bad" King Robert and his council had the right idea (if they wanted to avoid another war.)



Also he seemed to not consider the implications of him confronting Cersei about the Twincest. He easily could have realized that doing so would put his daughters and men at arms in grave danger, and threaten war in the realm. The smart, and morally correct choice IMO, was to follow Renly's advice.



Again, though Davos has Ned's convictions he seems less obnoxiously self-righteous about it all. Perhaps that comes from living as a smuggler and actually experiencing how most people in Westeros lived and functioned. Sure he may have been a criminal, but at least he sort of worked for a living, unlike Ned whose whole lifestyle was supported by peasents/commoners etc.



I also admire Davos being have the skills and streetsmarts to talk his way out of tough spots, such as the one where Axell Florent threatened to throw him off the bridge.



Although he is tactful, he is definitely not a bull-shitter, and I feel that is one of the reasons Stan respects him and picked him as hand (instead of Axell Florent, the family some believe Stan to be a puppet of.)



Thoughts?


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RainGhost Council Member

RainGhost

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I also love Davos. I don't think Davos gets enough appreciation on this forum. Possibly because, as you said, he's not exactly the most exciting of characters. I disagree slightly though with your comparison of Davos and the Ned. Davos, as a smuggler, does not have a lord's honour but he has his own honour and that honour does not allow him to kill children either. Davos helping Edric Storm escape is comparable to Ned arguing against murdering Dany and trying to save Cersei's kids. The difference is that Ned's decisions have bigger consequences than Davos's because of his status. That, however, is changing. Davos now has the position Ned had when he died, so let's see what choices Davos makes now (choices that may determine Rickon's fate incidentally). I agree that Davos is more pragmatic than Ned though. I also love how he's not afraid to tell Stannis the truth (a very rare but priceless quality in an advisor) and basically acts as Stannis's moral conscience (which again is similar to Ned and Robert).

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Bronn Urgandy Council Member

Bronn Urgandy

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The main difference between Davos and Ned is that Davos presented his paper shield to a person that would actually value it, Ned presented his to Cersie...



That said, Davos Seaworth is a great man, (horrible father though)


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Lord Lannister Council Member

Lord Lannister

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Yeah, this is actually one of the better and more productive threads you've started.



I like Davos for a number of reasons. He seems to represent the small people more than any other character. A visible reminder of how the Game of Thrones effects all the small people of the realm. In his case it elevated him, even if it may also end up destroying him. Davos could almost be termed as the conscience of the King instead of just the Hand(Halfhand?) of the King. I always picture Stannis as one of those retro cartoons with the angel and devil on his shoulder giving him advice. Davos is the angel and Melisandre the devil.



A truly humble character with a strict sense of morality, even if he's not afraid to break the rules as his smuggling career and rescuing of Edric Storm suggest. Yet his devotion to Stannis, even in the face of his more repugnant decisions is without question. He manages to stay loyal while still trying to steer him to the proper moral course.



So in short, I'd also have to concur with Davos being one of my favorite characters even if I was wondering who the heck is this random guy when I first read a Clash of Kings.


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Clegane'sPup Council Member

Clegane'sPup

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I like the Davos character because he is loyal to Stannis. Loyality is a trait that is sorely lacking in ASOIAF. Davos is not a brown noser, nor is he blind to the actions going on around him. The character is intelligent, straightforward. Davos is a valuable asset for Stannis to have in his corner.



Whether readers like Stannis, after Robert's death and the disclosure of Cersei's incest, Stannis was the next in line to sit upon the IT. BUT the story, like life, is about people trying to get what they want, how they want it and doing what they want to get what they believe is theirs. The game.



Davos is :cool4:.


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Fire Eater Council Member

Fire Eater

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Davos is a decent man like Ned, but a better politician. He is basically a foil to LF. Along with Davos risking his neck the same as his men as shown in smuggling Edric Storm compared to LF’s “clean hands.” Davos and LF are both of low birth, but while LF is still a member of the nobility, Davos was born a commoner in the poorest slum of KL, and Davos doesn’t let his origins sour him and give him an inferiority complex like LF, but instead uses it as a source of pride for how far he’s risen up. LF betrayed as well as murdered all the people who raised him up from the Arryns to Joffrey while Davos is genuinely loyal to the man who raised him up, Stannis.



Davos proves to be a shrewd enough politician to know that he can’t stand against Melisandre alone especially when she commands her own following, so he builds his own political base, the king’s men. It includes Pylos, who recieves all the messages by raven, and Davos has the same relationship with Sallador Saan who provides news by ship, this giving Davos effective control as well over as first wind about news and info coming to Dragonstone from the outside world. This allows him to smuggle Edric Storm before Stannis learns the news of Joffrey's death, and have Edric burned.



There actually is a Davos re-read thread, but the OP stopped at the last two POVs.



There are two things I'm waiting for him to do in TWoW: landing with Rickon and an army of Skagosi, and meeting Jon.


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