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Stannis not wanting the throne: Honest truth or false modesty?


Salafi Stannis

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Stannis swears up and down that he don't want no muthafuckin' throne up in this bitch (his exact words) and that he's trying to take the throne out of a sense of duty. Is this true, or is it just false modesty, and he's using it as an excuse to further his own self interest.

You already know my answer...

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Stannis already has experience in rulership from his years as Lord of Dragonstone and that really hasn't made him a happy man. He had no ambitions to even attempt taking the throne from his brother before he found out about the incest, and he certainly wouldn't appreciate the slew of schemers and flatterers he'd have to put up with if he actually did ascend to the throne.



I think he's telling the truth about not wanting the throne; in his mind, if he tries to be a competent king, he'll never have a single moment's peace ever again.


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If anyone honestly believes his I don't really want the throne nonsense I have a bridge to sell them.

Prepare a good one Ser, because I do.

Stannis does not want the throne per se, he wants to do his duty and generally "make things right". Stannis views kingship as a job, not as something fun.

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Then why did he whine for years about not getting Storms End?

I could never understand why getting Dragonstone was considered an insult by Stannis, hasn't the heir to the throne always been appointed to Dragonstone?

When the rebellion ended, Stanis was the heir to Robert. I seem to recall that the adult heir to the Targ throne was given Dragonstone until the king died and then they would slide over to KL and their adult heir (if they had one) would then go to Dragonstone.

Is this correct?

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I could never understand why getting Dragonstone was considered an insult by Stannis, hasn't the heir to the throne always been appointed to Dragonstone?

When the rebellion ended, Stanis was the heir to Robert. I seem to recall that the adult heir to the Targ throne was given Dragonstone until the king died and then they would slide over to KL and their adult heir (if they had one) would then go to Dragonstone.

Is this correct?

That was a Targaryen practice. Robert didn't give Stannis Dragonstone because he was heir. He did it for defense/political reasons. I could see why Stannis was upset about it. Especially when it seems Renly spent most of his time in court.

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People are complex.



Stannis wants the Iron Throne because he feels like his entire life he's been overshadowed by Robert. Robert the King, Renly the Ruler of the Stormlands (which is Stannis' by "right"), and so on. The chance to be King is Stannis' opportunity to go down in history. However, Stannis also, bluntly, hates people and knows being King will mean he'll be dealing with people 24-7.



Stannis' misanthropy is an essential part of his character.



And being ruler of Dragonstone IS an insult.



Because instead of being Lord of a Seven Kingdoms, he's reduced to living in the equivalent of the Targaryen's Summer House.


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I think that, within Stannis' grimly custom-based ideology, it is a matter of his already being king, not a question of whether he wants it.



That said, I think he's also fooling himself that he doesn't want it, on some level, because the bitterness as the result of a lifetime of perceived and real slights is another major aspect of his motivations, though one he tries to suppress.


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