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[Show and Book Spoilers] A Balanced review of Stannis.


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If you think our problem is him being portrayed as frustrated and confused, then you have no idea what we're upset about.

It's the change from a morally complicated man who ultimately tries to do the right thing to a villain who for some reason is still around when the hero of the story, Tyrion Lannister, defeated him two seasons ago.

Been following these threads since the beginning of the season. I'm a bit of a show apologist, but I'm more sympathetic to the other viewpoint now having gone through these threads.

As for him being changed from a "morally complicated man who ultimately tries to do the right thing...," you're not wrong. I think part of the reason is it's a more visual story for the time they have for Stannis. How the show allots time is another discussion. That type of complexity in a character takes a long time to develop as it has to be done visually by nature of the medium. In the books, Davos does all the heavy lifting in his head for us. Stannis has some Walter White complexity going on, and as much as I would watch an entire hour of Stannis and the gang, he just doesn't have as much time to grow as someone like Walt did.

And as to the 'him still being around,' that's why a few of my Unsullied friends have started to take interest. They said that with even Robb Stark not making it, this grumpy guy with a fire witch is still here...

I do think they're setting Stannis up for a choice: KL or The Wall, and his being more whiny and prickly and glum and villain-ly will make his decision that much more attention getting.

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I think it's good. At least people who argue with us can't say it's all in our heads when we claim they are biased against him.

Also, should we start taking bets on if his men will be shouting "STANNIS" or "MELISANDRE" ?

I think we'll hear Melisandre or Lord of Light and his victory will be attributed to magic rather than his fantastic military manoeuvres.

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Come on. His victory will clearly be due to heavy mounted lance riding down a bunch of raggedy bumpkins. As for how they'll portray him, remember that Neil Marshall is directing. Stannis being a kickass warrior was his idea, not GrrM's. In GrrM's script Stannis just hung out at the back of the fighting and yelled shit. Neil Marshall decided to have him fighting up front to contrast Joffrey. So with that in mind, we'll probably end up with Stannis slaying giants or something of the sort.


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Come on. His victory will clearly be due to heavy mounted lance riding down a bunch of raggedy bumpkins. As for how they'll portray him, remember that Neil Marshall is directing. Stannis being a kickass warrior was his idea, not GrrM's. In GrrM's script Stannis just hung out at the back of the fighting and yelled shit. Neil Marshall decided to have him fighting up front to contrast Joffrey. So with that in mind, we'll probably end up with Stannis slaying giants or something of the sort.

Do you have link to that?

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The "Stannis!" chant not going down would be lame, but i could live without to be honest. I suspect, like KS pointed out, that he will just be a badass kickin ass. Loved the Blackwater battle with Stannis being the first guy up the ladder



If Stannis slays a giant ill fanboy hard


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GrrM said just that in his commentary over the Blackwater episode, Stan the Man (and he was majorly annoyed that Stan didn't have a helmet on). He also commends Stephen Dillane for playing someone like Stannis, who he says he imagines is a hard character to play due to his being so charmless and quick to complain etc.



EDIT: Eight hundred posts!


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GrrM said just that in his commentary over the Blackwater episode, Stan the Man (and he was majorly annoyed that Stan didn't have a helmet on). He also commends Stephen Dillane for playing someone like Stannis, who he says he imagines is a hard character to play due to his being so charmless and quick to complain etc.

I still major doubts that they will allow Neil Marshall creative license this time around when D&D are so hell bent on ruining Stannis. At this point, i just don't see it.

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Come on. His victory will clearly be due to heavy mounted lance riding down a bunch of raggedy bumpkins. As for how they'll portray him, remember that Neil Marshall is directing. Stannis being a kickass warrior was his idea, not GrrM's. In GrrM's script Stannis just hung out at the back of the fighting and yelled shit. Neil Marshall decided to have him fighting up front to contrast Joffrey. So with that in mind, we'll probably end up with Stannis slaying giants or something of the sort.

Stannis will spontaneously make Dalla appear in that episode and he will have sex with her while fighting a giant (yes, both on horse). Then, she'll get pregnant and give birth in the same episode.

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I know we have different views on it, Stan, but no one who chooses to adapt a work sets out to ruin it. I just don't like to see their motives mischaracterized. Without them there'd be no show. Period.



Having just rewatched a snippet of Blackwater now I'm hyped for "the Watchers on the Wall". It is going to be awesome. A lot of the gory sight gags came from Neil Marshall's own deranged mind, so this time around again we'll have some pretty creative killings on display since they gave him more time in pre-production to map out the episode.


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If they introduce Stannis by having his men chanting his name as he and Davos charge up on horses, cutting down wildlings left and right and giving a look to each other before taking down a giant together, I'll honestly forgive everything that's happened to this character before. I really encourage Neil Marshall to keep amping up Stannis' badassery. We may not get any profound or complex speeches from him, but at least make him a badass warrior and leader.

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Well since they've already established him as being a pretty kickass fighter, Queen of Whores so (in the very least) for consistency's sake they'll likely keep that up. And I would like to see Davos getting some killing done, he does carry a sword after all and he had a great battle yelling voice in Blackwater. Also Liam Cunningham and Neil Marshall are old friends, so for old time's sake Neil will give him some badassery.


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The "Stannis!" moment is his real crowning moment, actually. I think is the breaking point for Stannis in the books and it might be the same during the show. IF they play it well. If that moment can't bring Unsullied into Stannis's camp, then the character is really lost. We'll have to wait.


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If they introduce Stannis by having his men chanting his name as he and Davos charge up on horses, cutting down wildlings left and right and giving a look to each other before taking down a giant together, I'll honestly forgive everything that's happened to this character before. I really encourage Neil Marshall to keep amping up Stannis' badassery. We may not get any profound or complex speeches from him, but at least make him a badass warrior and leader.

Davos gets his onion ready and the Mammoth in sight. He throws with all his force hitting the giant beast in the head and knocking it to the ground. He quickly races in to plunge his sword Onionslicer into its head.

"That still only counts as one" says Stannis.

"Davos, Davos, Davos" the men chanted

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Davos gets his onion ready and the Mammoth in sight. He throws with all his force hitting the giant beast in the head and knocking it to the ground. He quickly races in to plunge his sword Onionslicer into its head.

"That still only counts as one" says Stannis.

"Davos, Davos, Davos" the men chanted

They'll be chanting "Stavos," in tribute to their epic bromance :D

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