How Stannis will win the Iron Throne

[The Bastard of Walton]

Only way I see Stannis becomming King is if Daenerys/Jon give up their claim. This might happen, Its possible The Nights Watch will still be needed to always watch the North, in that case Jon would decline the Throne to keep the Watch. Daenerys could be the last big suprise death in the series after saving Westeros she joins Drogo in the night lands. or Jon & Daenerys marry & fly off into the sunset on Drogon......... somehow I think not.

[Unimportant]

I don't see Stannis making it out of the north. I see him routing the Boltons/Freys at Winterfell being his highlight. Then while planning his moves south the north will get hit by the others and Stannis will be the major casualty of that first large scale clash. This establishes the others as the central antagonist faction going forward and completes the hinted at Stannis story arc revolving around him not in fact being AA reborn.

[The Bastard of Walton]

I don't see Stannis making it out of the north. I see him routing the Boltons/Freys at Winterfell being his highlight. Then while planning his moves south the north will get hit by the others and Stannis will be the major casualty of that first large scale clash. This establishes the others as the central antagonist faction going forward and completes the hinted at Stannis story arc revolving around him not in fact being AA reborn.

:agree:

[StannisandDaeny]

Actually I see him having to deal with the False Aegeon first, then Dany will show up right around when the Others breach the wall, so she and Stannis have to team up, his wife will kick the bucket and together they'll fufill the prophecy (or take credit for it) and marry "for love".

This is what I've been hoping for years. It could make sense seeing Stannis' reluctance to 'betray' the Targaryens, something he still regrets to some degree. They don't even have to marry, Stannis could be the Hand, it's possible he wouldn't mind...

[DExit]

Well, had a strange day-dream/idea/whatever.

What is the sh*t goes wrong for team Stan? Selyse is killed and Shireen flees to Essos with the loyalists. Mel sides with Jon, the North abandons Stan as well- go Red Wedding!!!.

After that Stan has an insight and leaves Westeros, looking for his little girl. This would happen in the last part of the start of TWOW. And we would hear nothing from Stan again, ever...

Dany and Jon make a love-child and defeat the others- yuck, the mere my-little-pony-feeling, but whatever, the dragons all die thank the lord. The last happens in the latter part of the middle of ADOS. People die, people crie, people build up their lives.

Until- and in this perspective it would make sense for George to write an 8th book- we get a pov from someone we know a little. Ser Rolland Storm, the bastard of Night Song has gatherd some 180 men in an unlocated cave near the sea, he is expecting ships, and looking at the sunset, but then: a small score of men aproaches them from the beach- afoot. Rolland wonders who the leader is, a smiling man, his hand on the shoulder of the little girl walking beside him. The man smiles again and shouts out to him: 'I asked my girl what she would want for her birthday'. Ah, the Crowned Stag of the Baratheons is colouring the man's surcouat. Rolland: 'I presume she wants an Iron chair'? Shireen frowns: 'a princess should have a throne'. And Stan: 'Aye, the Iron throne' :D

And everybody is like: yeey! And Stan has an army of sellwsords led by Justin Massey, Edmure, Patchface, Quentin, Ned, Robb, Tywin, Davos, Aurane Waters, Harrion Karstark, insert further heroes here.

Stan hirers a certain faceless girl to kill Dany, Jon bends his little knee, and they al live happily ever after!

-DExit out, peace!

[MikeDC]

A big part of why I think the Battle of Winterfell will go poorly for Stannis is I think Jon's body will be carted back there after the battle and resurrected in a manner similar to Dany and her Dragons.

This could either make Stannis become a loyal follower of Jon (witnessing resurrection seems to inspire loyalty!), or he might be fuel for the funeral pyre.

There have been several prophecies of a dragon rising from Winterfell, and there are lots room for parallel with Dany.

Dany's case, you combine fire + something you want to come to life (dragon eggs) + royal blood (dead king) + living human sacrifice of a witch (Mira Maz Duur)

Maybe in Winterfell, you combine fire + something you want to come to life (Jon) + royal blood (Dead Stannis/Mance/Theon as a rightful heir to the Iron Islands?) + living human sacrifice of a person/witch (Melisandre/Theon)

I want Stannis to live and bow to the resurrected Jon, but I must admit there's a good chance the Northmen might find it convenient and ironic to throw the Fire Worshippers to the fire. Or, if Stannis dies, I could see Mel, seeing the utter wrongness of her beliefs, burning him and Jon, and throwing herself on the pyre too. In which case she's not around to see AA actually be reborn.

In either case, the best case scenario I see there for Stannis is him bowing to Jon and no longer seeking the crown for himself....

Edit: But that being said, nice theory!

[Malcolm of House Tucker]

Mermaids blowing seashells is unintelligable to me for the moment, if anyone has any theories By all means, share.

This could be a reference to the Manderlys, as their sigil is a merman holding a trident. Maybe Lord Wyman has built or is almost done building a fleet of warships. If Davos returns with Rickon Stark and Stannis promises to make the boy Lord of Winterfell/Warden of the North, the northmen will rally around him and help him take back the Iron Throne.

I personally want Stannis to succeed and take what is rightfully his. I don't too much care for any of the Targaryens (including Jon Snow). But if the Others are as big a threat as Mr. Martin keeps leading us to believe, I don't see any of the characters in the North right now having the time to go crusading off to the South to wage war.

[Manderlay]

I have seen on other threads posters saying that after the Battle of Ice Stannis will die or he will head south to battle (f)Aegon or Daenerys, tbh I disagree with those, Stannis is most likely to win the upcoming battle, however he will take heavy losses when it comes to his southern men, the northmen will fair better, Manderly has always been loyal to the Starks and is itching to strike at the Frey's/Bolton's, When Davos returns with Rickon & Shaggydog, the whole bloody north is gonna rise against Roose Bolton, also Stannis has Theon and fake Arya - Jeyne Poole, Bolton no longer has the girl which the northmen believe to be Arya, Everyone in the north knows what Ramsey Snow is and they would like nothing more than Ned's girl be free from her vile husband.

Winter has started, Stannis marching south is unlikely as marching in winter over long distances is not wise as he has already learned, and the ships that Manderly has, number around 40-70, that number of ships is only sufficient to carry a good number of troops but not all the northmen, Stannis came to the North to save the realm and he will stick to the north as he knows what's coming and will not go south to stay close to the wall so as to reach it when need be.

I want Stannis, Davos and the Starks with Jon to survive, which is most likely as the Stark children and Stannis have endured a lot and survived so long against all odds.

[T0mBombadil]

Manderly. The merman is their sigil. If Stannis is going to go south, he's going to use Manderly's fleet to do it. That's really the only sort of option available to him. As is, we've seen the difficulties he's been having in traversing the North. A march all the way down to King's Landing would be the end of his army.

If Auranne joined him along the way or such, that would pretty much cover the 'seahorses and mermaids' bit.

Dont forget Manerly holds Rickon as well, the key to the north since veryone thinks Bran is dead...also Davos has a huge part to play as well.

[mrlukeduke]

I really think that by the end of TWoW, any armies left further north than the Riverlands will not be able to march at all. Too much snow. Heavy, brutal blizzards.

[Knight errant]

People talking about "Jons" claim , let me explain, as you seem to disregard the rest of the series : HE HAS NONE. Dany has her Dragons as her only claim either, same as Stannis's army.

In case it hasn't come up yet I agree with OP Stannis will sit the throne.

The Mermaids clearly references the Manderlys whose sigil is a mermaid and have been building a navy while also plan on joining stannis. Good catch with Aurane, it's a possibility...

[Veltigar]

I don't see Stannis making it out of the north. I see him routing the Boltons/Freys at Winterfell being his highlight. Then while planning his moves south the north will get hit by the others and Stannis will be the major casualty of that first large scale clash. This establishes the others as the central antagonist faction going forward and completes the hinted at Stannis story arc revolving around him not in fact being AA reborn.

Stannis might die, but I don't see him biting the dust before Dany lands in Westeros. I think one of the lies she has to slay is that Stannis is AA, so he can't die before Dany lands and probably meets him. I agree with all those who pointed out that the prophecy could have something to do with Waters and Manderley. I especially liked the idea of Aurane being driven from the stepstones by Ironborn, Dany, Salla or perhaps litteral crackens. A possible idea: maybe Aurane and his fleet somehow end up close to Skagos, they then pick up RIckon, Davos and Osha (either with an army of mad Skaggs at their side or running away from said Skaggs). Aurane Waters than takes Rickon and Davos to White Harbor. From White Harbor, Manderleys troops ride out with Rickon and Davos to meet up with Stannis. This army than announces it's arrivals with warhorns (sea shells).

[KingHodorTargaryen]

I think that Stannis is going to be the new Night's King after he realizes absolutely nobody important wants him as king. That is what leads Dany north to kill the Others, because I think that Jon could pretty easily defeat a shambling horde of Others like how the Night's Watch had pretty good resistance on the Fist of First Men with only 300 men. With Stannis as the new Night's King, the Others could pretty easily coordinate themselves and maybe even the wights into effective battle positions.

[Unimportant]

Stannis might die, but I don't see him biting the dust before Dany lands in Westeros. I think one of the lies she has to slay is that Stannis is AA, so he can't die before Dany lands and probably meets him. I agree with all those who pointed out that the prophecy could have something to do with Waters and Manderley. I especially liked the idea of Aurane being driven from the stepstones by Ironborn, Dany, Salla or perhaps litteral crackens. A possible idea: maybe Aurane and his fleet somehow end up close to Skagos, they then pick up RIckon, Davos and Osha (either with an army of mad Skaggs at their side or running away from said Skaggs). Aurane Waters than takes Rickon and Davos to White Harbor. From White Harbor, Manderleys troops ride out with Rickon and Davos to meet up with Stannis. This army than announces it's arrivals with warhorns (sea shells).

I don't think Dany has to slay the lie of Stannis as AA reborn. Her story upon the landing will revolve around Aegon I think in the alluded to 'second dance of dragons'. Yes I'm aware that technically Stannis is part dragon but his story arc revolves around being (or not being) AA reborn and battling 'He who shall not be named'. That story arc begins and ends with the Others, there's no purpose to involving Dany in it.

[brAnthelAstgreenseer]

How Stannis will win the Iron throne?

Maybe in his dreams .

[~Shiera Seastar~]

How Stannis will win the Iron throne?

Maybe in his dreams .

:lol: Such sweet dream, but not gonna happen in reality without supporters or allies from north to Dorne.

[winwolf]

Jon+Stannis Capture the throne with manderlys + Aurane ships. And Stannis gives the throne back to the targaryens -> Jon.

w0000t:)

[Toxspecific]

Guys, we all know winning a string of battles means nothing. Stannis isn't going to win. For a number of reasons:

1. Just cuz.

2. He has no claim, might is right! He can't just take an army and steal the Iron Throne! He's not Aegon the Dragon for crying out loud.

Okay I can't go on anymore. I just felt too ridiculous.

Jon+Stannis Capture the throne with manderlys + Aurane ships. And Stannis gives the throne back to the targaryens -> Jon.

w0000t:)

When will people stop deluding themselves? Stannis take the Baratheon throne and then give it to the Targaryens? The heck bro? That is out of character for Stannis and the entire series... Taking the Throne then giving it to those who have no claim.

Seriously.

I have no idea why people are so willing to take the story by the scruff of the neck, squeeze the reality out of it and absolutely pummel its quality to pieces in order to give the Throne to the Targaryens. I would never want to bestow such Maryu Sueness upon my favourite character; does nothing to get the Throne, gets the Throne. Good Luck Jon.

I'm literally cringing right now. Stannis is an example of what you need to do to win wars in this series, and he's doing it currently. Jon isn't. Jon never thinks about the Iron Throne. Jon has no army to help him take it. Jon has an inhuman enemy to fight beyond the Wall.

[brAnthelAstgreenseer]

At this point of time i hope the north ditches Stannis and tells him to go ally with the ironborn

[E-Ro]

Guys, we all know winning a string of battles means nothing. Stannis isn't going to win. For a number of reasons:

1. Just cuz.

2. He has no claim, might is right! He can't just take an army and steal the Iron Throne! He's not Aegon the Dragon for crying out loud.

Okay I can't go on anymore. I just felt too ridiculous.

When will people stop deluding themselves? Stannis take the Baratheon throne and then give it to the Targaryens? The heck bro? That is out of character for Stannis and the entire series... Taking the Throne then giving it to those who have no claim.

Seriously.

I have no idea why people are so willing to take the story by the scruff of the neck, squeeze the reality out of it and absolutely pummel its quality to pieces in order to give the Throne to the Targaryens. I would never want to bestow such Maryu Sueness upon my favourite character; does nothing to get the Throne, gets the Throne. Good Luck Jon.

I'm literally cringing right now. Stannis is an example of what you need to do to win wars in this series, and he's doing it currently. Jon isn't. Jon never thinks about the Iron Throne. Jon has no army to help him take it. Jon has an inhuman enemy to fight beyond the Wall.

Great post brah and I agree 100% with what you are saying. People's reasons for why stannis won't win are bogus nonsense that is made up. Unless you have the gift of foresight you cannot tell me with a straight face " lol stannis is going to die I know this for a fact"