The Stannis Appreciation Thread {Only Good Guys Allowed}

[Jory]

WHY DO WE LOVE STANNIS

A Dissertation, with selected quotes from

the books, blogs, and the opinions of

the author.

Stannis is dutiful.

You have always presumed on my forbearance,” Stannis warned Davos when they were alone. “I can shorten your tongue as easy as I did your fingers, smuggler.”

“I am your man, Your Grace. So it is your tongue, to do with as you please.”

“It is,” he said, calmer. “And I would have it speak the truth. Though the truth is a bitter draught at times. Aerys, if you only knew… that was a hard choosing. My blood or my liege. My brother or my king.” He grimaced. “Have you ever seen the Iron Throne? The barbs along the back, the ribbons of twisted steel, the jagged ends of swords and knives all tangled up and melted? It is not a comfortable seat, ser. Aerys cut himself so often men took to calling him King Scab, and Maegor the Cruel was murdered in that chair. By that chair, to hear some tell it. It is not a seat where a man can rest at ease. Ofttimes I wonder why my brothers wanted it so desperately.”

“Why would you want it, then?” Davos asked him.

“It is not a question of wanting. The throne is mine, as Robert’s heir. That is law. After me, it must pass to my daughter, unless Selyse should finally give me a son.” He ran three fingers lightly down the table, over the layers of smooth hard varnish, dark with age. “I am king. Wants do not enter into it. I have a duty to my daughter. To the realm. Even to Robert. He loved me but little, I know, yet he was my brother. The Lannister woman gave him horns and made a motley fool of him. She may have murdered him as well, as she murdered Jon Arryn and Ned Stark. For such crimes there must be justice. Starting with Cersei and her abominations. But only starting. I mean to scour that court clean. As Robert should have done, after the Trident.

http://linndechir.tumblr.com/" data-cite="\"

http://linndechir.tumblr.com/

">

That entire conversation is a thing of beauty' date=' and if I hadn’t already loved Stannis before, this is the point when I really realised that he was the best of all of them and would make for an amazing king. Simply because rights imply obligations for him, not privileges. All the other contenders either want power or personal revenge, or both. Stannis wants justice and order, Stannis wants to do his duty, not for himself, but because he considers the larger picture, because he wants to set things right. Not because he wants to put a crown on his head and have people kneel for him while they call him “Your Grace” and flatter him. Another reason I love this conversation? Stannis is one of the few people who actually face and acknowledge moral dilemmas, who think about what is right and what wrong, about what he should do when both options are neither completely right nor completely wrong. I always facepalm when some fans say that Stannis sees the world in black and white, it’s such bullshit. Stannis is the exact opposite of that. Stannis is smart enough to see that the world is not black and white, but that doesn’t make him throw all principles and scruples over board. He beats himself up about doing the right thing without falling into some bullshit moral simplicity or into the trap of good intentions (*coughDaenerysI’mlookingatyoucough*). Sometimes I wonder if those Stannis haters who hate him for completely absurd reasons that contradict canon have even read scenes like this one.[/quote']

Stannis is hilarious.

Stannis is just fucking awesome.

[JKeats]

He demands honest counsel, and when people tell him things he doesn't want to hear... he takes them seriously! A rare and praiseworthy trait.

-edit-

Haha, I just had a look at the tags you chose for this thread. I wish, brother... I wish.

[Jory]

He demands honest counsel, and when people tell him things he doesn't want to hear... he takes them seriously! A rare and praiseworthy trait.

What other king, of all the kings, would take a commoner - no, a smuggler - as their Hand? Looking past title and rank and class and seeing the man for what he really is.

-edit-

Haha, I just had a look at the tags you choose for this thread. I wish, brother... I wish.

A man can dream.

[Azor Ahai Reborn]

He is amazing, simply for his continued use of the phrase "an abomination born of incest".

One of his best lines is about Gilly's son and how Stannis thinks the baby belongs in King's Landing because he's 'an abomination'. Someone find that exact line please, its hilarious. Anyway, I love Stannis Baratheon, he is the true King.

[Sevumar]

I'll say this, you know what you're getting with Stannis.

[Knight of Ashes]

Dare I say that his goal to claim the throne has made him a tad less rigid. Might just be wishful thinking on my part since I've come to like the guy. And Jon has wondered whether there's a sense of humor in there.

I like to think so.

[Chalais]

If this was a more sterotypical fantasy story I'd expect Dany and Stannis to have met at some point, felt the stirings of love, then Selyne and Shirreen would have died convienient deaths along with Dany's second husband and her other love interests.

Then they would have united and by the will of GRRM they would defeat all their foes and the story would end in KL's with their Dual Coronations as Co-Equal Monarchs and Spouses.

[JKeats]

I’m pretty sure the OP meant the “Stannis really is AA after all” tag as a joke, but I want to say a few words about that anyway. And not because I’m proposing some crackpot theory; I know Dany is still the most likely candidate for AA-hood by far.

At this point, the basic sketch of how thing will proceed seems to be that Dany will fulfill her prophesied role and defeat the Others in some way, no doubt involving her dragons. Okay, fair enough. We can see how that fits. Waking dragons from stone, smoke and salt, all that sort of thing. But isn’t that rather unsatisfying? It’s like the universe just handed her a gift. Talk about unearned privilege! Westeros is a feudal society, so of course all manner of people enjoy wealth and power and privilege through the sheer accident of their birth, including Stannis. But with Dany, it goes beyond even that. Feudalism is a human creation, which means if society were somehow reordered, that system of privilege would be disturbed so as to shuffle people around. For Dany, the very laws of nature would have to bend to undo her special role as AA. Wow, that must really be something. To be ordained by the cosmos itself.

Given how unsatisfying the “Dany saves the world” scenario is despite its rather high likelihood, here are two other possibilities that would make me a lot happier.

1) First, Stannis was not the true AA when he began his campaign, but he somehow becomes so by his own efforts. That is, by actively working against the others, he makes himself AA. Rather than allowing the natural unfolding of the prophecy to drape him or Dany or anybody else in all that glorious AA-ness. This is rather more gratifying than Dany and her three gifts from the heavens because it means effort matters. But even here, the weakness of prophecy as a fictional device remains. Which leads to point #2.

2) Second, wouldn’t it be amazing if Dany or Jon or whoever is ultimately revealed to be AA… but it doesn’t matter because Stannis already dealt with the Others? This would be the ultimate troll by GRRM! All these years worrying about AA and the PWWP and dragons and Lightbringer, and none of it matters because Stannis defeated the Others with non-supernatural tools like steel and obsidian. I would cheer from the rooftops.

[Frozen Soul]

At first I disliked Stannis as well, but then he started to appear in the books I began to warm up to him, now I totally agree with the quotes at the start of the post and the fact that he is not a plain character, strict yes but I see that IMO he is capable of putting his own wishes aside in order to fullfill his duty.

Also life hasn't been fair for him, I guess that at some point we have all felt what is like to do whats "right" instead of what we want, and getting something that feels like being sent to remote pile of rocks as a thank you...I mean doing that sort of thing is not necesarily with the intention of getting a pat in the back, but a little appreciation doesnt hurt anybody and thats something that he hasnt been shown...ever. The guy put up with his brothers and their treatment and instead of sending everything and everyone to hell and taking a permanent leave for some "me time" he has continued to do what he sees as his responsability.

[Sevumar]

First, Stannis was not the true AA when he began his campaign, but he somehow becomes so by his own efforts. That is, by actively working against the others, he makes himself AA. Rather than allowing the natural unfolding of the prophecy to drape him or Dany or anybody else in all that glorious AA-ness. This is rather more gratifying than Dany and her three gifts from the heavens because it means effort matters. But even here, the weakness of prophecy as a fictional device remains.

I've often thought it would be an interesting turn of events if Stannis turned out to be the real Azor Ahai (insofar as one can or will ever be identified). I like the concept of him starting off as a fraud or as one of several contenders and earning the mantle through his own actions. It derails Dany-as-prophetically-ordained-juggernaut train and frees her up to act in a less-expected way too.

If Stannis is to be AA, he still has a big task ahead of him: waking dragons from stone.

[Frozen Soul]

2) Second, wouldn’t it be amazing if Dany or Jon or whoever is ultimately revealed to be AA… but it doesn’t matter because Stannis already dealt with the Others? This would be the ultimate troll by GRRM! All these years worrying about AA and the PWWP and dragons and Lightbringer, and none of it matters because Stannis defeated the Others with non-supernatural tools like steel and obsidian. I would cheer from the rooftops.

Im laughing so hard right now, a similar idea crossed my mind at some point but its something I would like (if the guy is not dead of course) :rofl: and yeah that would make GRRM like the god of trolling for his own creations and readers...I can see how this would screw up a lot of theories, turning so many arguments and efforts into...well a waste of time.

[Jory]

I’m pretty sure the OP meant the “Stannis really is AA after all” tag as a joke, but I want to say a few words about that anyway. And not because I’m proposing some crackpot theory; I know Dany is still the most likely candidate for AA-hood by far.

At this point, the basic sketch of how thing will proceed seems to be that Dany will fulfill her prophesied role and defeat the Others in some way, no doubt involving her dragons. Okay, fair enough. We can see how that fits. Waking dragons from stone, smoke and salt, all that sort of thing. But isn’t that rather unsatisfying? It’s like the universe just handed her a gift. Talk about unearned privilege! Westeros is a feudal society, so of course all manner of people enjoy wealth and power and privilege through the sheer accident of their birth, including Stannis. But with Dany, it goes beyond even that. Feudalism is a human creation, which means if society were somehow reordered, that system of privilege would be disturbed so as to shuffle people around. For Dany, the very laws of nature would have to bend to undo her special role as AA. Wow, that must really be something. To be ordained by the cosmos itself.

Given how unsatisfying the “Dany saves the world” scenario is despite its rather high likelihood, here are two other possibilities that would make me a lot happier.

1) First, Stannis was not the true AA when he began his campaign, but he somehow becomes so by his own efforts. That is, by actively working against the others, he makes himself AA. Rather than allowing the natural unfolding of the prophecy to drape him or Dany or anybody else in all that glorious AA-ness. This is rather more gratifying than Dany and her three gifts from the heavens because it means effort matters. But even here, the weakness of prophecy as a fictional device remains. Which leads to point #2.

2) Second, wouldn’t it be amazing if Dany or Jon or whoever is ultimately revealed to be AA… but it doesn’t matter because Stannis already dealt with the Others? This would be the ultimate troll by GRRM! All these years worrying about AA and the PWWP and dragons and Lightbringer, and none of it matters because Stannis defeated the Others with non-supernatural tools like steel and obsidian. I would cheer from the rooftops.

The only significant problem I have with #2 is that there have been prophecies that've come true in the books already - Red Wedding, Renly heading Tyrell host, etc. - and i think Martin likes using prophecy and dreams as foreshadowing.

[Kate Poem]

Thank You Jory. I felt strangely alone in some topics.

[Ser-Arthur-Dayne]

The only significant problem I have with #2 is that there have been prophecies that've come true in the books already - Red Wedding, Renly heading Tyrell host, etc. - and i think Martin likes using prophecy and dreams as foreshadowing.

This is true. But it's not proven that Dany or Jon is AA/TPWWP. So it could still be Stannis.

[Alexia]

I am convinced that ASOIAF will turn out to be the epic tale of the doomed and beautiful love between the Lobster King and his faithful Onion. The Lobster is Ice, the Onion is Fire, and as our Lobster melts, we'll see something beautiful cooked up in the kitchen. Melisandre is the chef.

Their passion will be an inspiration for the ages. *sniffle*

[Sevumar]

I am convinced that ASOIAF will turn out to be the epic tale of the doomed and beautiful love between the Lobster King and his faithful Onion. The Lobster is Ice, the Onion is Fire, and as our Lobster melts, we'll see something beautiful cooked up in the kitchen. Melisandre is the chef.

But who is the drawn butter?

[Alexia]

But who is the drawn butter?

Jon Snow.

[JKeats]

Davos named one of his sons after his king... :crying:

Stannis/Davos 4eva!

[Jory]

I don't actually like the Stannis/Davos ship, although I think they have a total bromance going on, because of how much Davos loves his wife. I think it takes away from his character to have him be literally "in love" with the King - although I think the line "My tongue is yours" is a little much, Davos, buddy.

[Stannis the Great]

Oh come on guys, even I think that Stannis isn't Azor Ahai reborn.

It clearly is Davos who is reborn in salt and smoke (the Battle of Blackwater Bay) after the Red Comet and he will wake the stone dragons on Skagos and will recreate Lightbringer by plunging it into a willing Stannis' heart. :P