104 replies to this topic

[Born amidst salt and smoke]

Or you could reverse the question, Is the Iron Throne suitable for anyone ? Out of all the possible claims for the throne, I'm finding it difficult to choose someone who would unify Westeros for a common cause. Whoever takes it from Tommen, if anyone does, they have a heck of a job. I think it needs someone with a neutral mindset, who after taking it is ruthless with houses for past crimes, put needs to bring peace, between all houses and major houses. Think of how hard this will be, the seven kingdoms is in chaos and holding on to grudges and past bloodshed. For me, Stannis is the most qualified candidate for King, he knows the real enemy, he's a competent commander and has the best sense of justice I've seen yet. The only doubt is his grudges over past events, though he seems very clear minded and more focused on the future. I feel for who next sits the Iron Throne, heavy lies the crown ...

[Third World King]

The one and only Daenerys Stormborm of House Targaryen, the Daughter of Death! No one else will suffice!

[Jolene Brown]

I think that someone is needed who can unite the different kingdoms, much more like a Robert than a stannis.  Someone who can win over fallen enemies and with more of a capacity to forgive and bring people into the fold.

[Born amidst salt and smoke]

I still also champion Gendry for greatness

[The Crow's Eye]

Euron! He showed off his uncanny ability to bring people together during the Kingsmoot!

[DogLover]

I think Sansa or Jon would both make infinitely better rulers than Stannis. Dany would be absolutely disastrous.

Edited by DogLover, 10 August 2012 - 01:13 PM.

[House Draper]

If Stannis can get people to like him, then there's no doubt in my mind that he would make a good king. He's proving that he's a capable leader with a good eye for strategy. Stannis, unlike Robert, actually has the patience and desire to deal with matters of state. He's slowly but surely gaining favor which bodes well for him.

[Mr Motte]

Stannis has the mind to get shit done, and set things straight. However, he's going to have to do a hell of a lot to get people to like him. He's still pretty unlikable as far as the people of Westeros are concerned.

Dany- Hell to the nah. She knows absolutely nothing of Westeros, it's people, it's traditions etc. She expects people to bow to her as soon as she arrives based on their previous loyalties alone. Not gonna happen. She just isn't familiar enough with the culture.

And while it may be a bit early, I feel Sansa has the potential to patch things up. She's learning the ways of politics from LF, yet she has a kind heart. I'd think with the help of some good advisers, she could be the queen that Cersei never was.

[TwoHeadedSnake]

I was going to post this same question myself just now.  I'm about 250 pages into AFfC, and been wondering who would be a good ruler.  Robert was a poor king, more a warrior than a ruler, borrowed and spent the kingdom into debt with the Lannisters.  Stannis is too much a righteous crusading fundamentalist wanting to impose his will on others.  Renly would have been all show and pageantry.  Joffrey was, well, Joffrey.  Tommen is a puppet operated by his psycho mom still greiving over her ruined Oedipal fantasies with Joff.  Robb would have been ok, but made stupid decisions on his own, relied more on advisors, seems to me.  Greyjoys?  Probably not a good group there, don't know much about the elder lot, but Theon is not a good choice.  Dany seems to be the best of the lot, good heart, fair, firm, strong yet feeling, but also seems to  benefit more from good advisors.  Maybe the maesters are plotting a Democratic People's Republic of Westeros and undo feudalism for good.

Edited by TwoHeadedSnake, 10 August 2012 - 01:28 PM.

[JJtheCrow]

Dany.  She's learned a lot on her journey and will continue to learn.  Once she has Tyrion on her side and learns a little humility, she could be perfect for the job.

[vonstorm]

I think before someone sits on the Iron Throne some of the major houses will disappear or become a small one, like the Lannister (unless Tyrion takes charge) or the Greyjoy (for me this one will disappear at the end)

[Jon Pauletto]

Aegon VI

he'll be the King, he's the prince who was promised

and the Targs will be rulers again, Dany will be his Queen, and Jon will always be a man of the NW, I don't think he'll be a king, Jon likes the wall, he feels quite well there

and don't say that if he's a Targ he will leave the wall, he has royal blood, but some royal blood can stay at the wall, like Maester Aemon for example

so my bet is Aegon, he's from the blood who forged the iron throne, he's the new conqueor, maybe Aegon the Conqueor reborn

[Mulled Wino]

Both Targ contenders (and I use that term loosly in one case) are a mess.

Stannis is the clear answer here.  sure, he's not well liked now, but he is earning his support and respect the right way- by his actions defending the realm and by providing justice against very long odds.  He does what no other contender has done or appears to plan to do.  I would contend that he has the most loyal supporters and he's earning more, not through the threat of burning or through gold (yet), but through his heroic actions and doing what's right.  Underdogs FTW

The way you take a throne and keep it is by earning it, not with "fire and blood" or someone scheming your way into it.  IMO of course.

[Alex Baratheon]

There aren't any other candidates besides Stannis. He's already proven that he can get things done, and he's survived this far with overwhelming odds stacked against him. He proved that he has some diplomatic skill in his dealing with The Mountain Clans and the Northern lords who have come under his banners. He's also just, so he won't do anything rash against the people who sided against him during the war. Sure, if he's King, there are gonna be a lot of changes around Westeros, but I'm still certain that he'll do what's right for the Realm. There will be some turmoil when he gets the Throne, but after he cements his position, I don't think any rebellions will occur, cause he's proven that he doesn't take shit form anyone.

Everyone else is a nut job. Especially Danny. She hasn't learned anything. In fact, she's becoming more and more like her father. I guess when The Gods flipped the coin for Danny, it landed on the insane side.

And we haven't really seen a lot of Aegon. From what we know so far, he's just a pawn of Varys and Illyrio. And he's easy to manipulate, as Tyrion convinced him to lauch his invasion after beating him in a game of cyvasse. Doesn't really look like leadership material so far...

[Jolene Brown]

He won't do anything rash against the people who sided against him during the war?  Are we talking about the same stannis who cut off the fingers off the guy who HELPED him keep storm's End?  Are you serious?

Since the series started, in four books since he was introduced, he has not won over a single ally on his own merits.  Some of Renly's men turned to him because they had no other option.  Jon has helped him because of his hatred of the Lannisters (that is made clear by his thoughts before he gives his advice to Stannis about not going after the Dreadfort and making use of the mountain clans).  The Mountain Clans help him because of fake Arya and wanting to take Winterfell from the Boltons.  Manderlay MAY help him because of Rickon.  There is no one who supports him because they actually want him to be King except his wife, her men, Melisandre, and Davos.  And they always supported him, so he didn't win them over.  The mountain men ridicule his actual loyalists as they die on the march.  So even the few people who have been loyal to him all along are the ones he is now losing.  The readers love him, but the people of Westeros just don't.  He is never going to rule.

I get why people admire him.  He is determined, and he is technically the person with the best claim, if you are looking strictly in terms of Robert's legal successor.  But there are just so many signs - his vision of the king consumed by his own crown, Donal Noye's description of him as not the "true steel," the clear fakeness of Lightbringer, the fact that his biggest/most loyal supporter (Melisandre) is founding her support on a false belief that he is Azor Ahai which will inevitably be exposed, even his lack of an appropriate heir - they are all spelling out that he will not make it to the end.

Edited by Jolene Brown, 10 August 2012 - 02:10 PM.

[Jon Pauletto]

Stannis has another issue, what about Melisandre?

do you think people will change their faith to a god that belong across the narrow sea

people called him Red Demon, and what Melisandre gains with that, do you stop to think if she's helping him just for free? or she's expecting something in return?

do you think it's just that AA stuff?

I think she has some other purpose, she wants power, I can see it

[Stan the Man]

Only Stannis should be king because he is the only one to realise that his duty to the realm comes before the right to the iron throne, hence his attack on the wildlings and the aid of the Nights Watch.

[Jon Pauletto]

he helped the NW because his intention was to get aid from the NW, now he has a castle (a ruined one, but still a castle), he has food, and somewhere to keep his bannermen


It was a game of interest, not duty

When Robert was king, the NW was asking for help, and I didn't see Stannis caring about it

Edited by Jon Pauletto, 10 August 2012 - 02:18 PM.

[Born amidst salt and smoke]

At first Stannis just needed to get as far away from Kings Landing as possible, Davos coming forward with the Nw plea letter made this possible, however, after learning about the threat posed from North of the wall he is in the best possible solution as a person who could potentially have the power to make the people of Westeros aware of the threat

[Pellaeon]

Tyrion and Sansa would be perfect on the throne, but it will most likely never happen. But Dany with them as adviser would be suitable