What does Stannis do if he wins the battle of ice?

[SacredOrderOfGreenMen]

Guys, we need to talk about Bran.

Because we have this foreshadowing in ADWD:

When old King Edrick Stark had grown too feeble to defend his realm, the Wolf’s Den was captured by slavers from the Stepstones.

“Then a long cruel winter fell,” said Ser Bartimus. “The White Knife froze hard, and even the firth was icing up. The winds came howling from the north and drove them slavers inside to huddle round their fires, and whilst they warmed themselves the new king come down on them. Brandon Stark this was, Edrick Snowbeard’s great-grandson, him that men called Ice Eyes. He took the Wolf’s Den back, stripped the slavers naked, and gave them to the slaves he’d found chained up in the dungeons.”

Jon Snow notes that blizzard falling on Stannis’s army comes from the south, from Winterfell itself, and wind from Winterfell coming down the Wolf's Den would have come from the north (this fits with the theory that the Old Gods have power over the wind, speaking through the wind and using the "Hammer of the Waters"). Our Bran’s eyes are deep blue, and eyes of that color are in the narrative described as being like ice.

Another important aspect of this is that the castle is taken back from foreigners to the North, and nonbelievers, which in our Bran's case would be the followers of R'hllor who are among the army. Also significant is that the castle was lost because of his predecessor's weakness. If GRRM wanted to confirm blood sacrifice to the Old Gods, Bran's weirwood visions could have sufficed, or he could have just have had Ser Bartimus allude to it in another manner. Instead, GRRM chose to specifically describe a historical event in which Old Gods sent down a savior-king named Brandon from the north during a harsh winter and take as compensation grisly sacrifice. That cannot be accidental.

We also need to talk about Gorne's Way:

Men should not go wandering in this place," Leaf warned them. "The river you hear is swift and black, and flows down and down to a sunless sea. And there are passages that go even deeper, bottomless pits and sudden shafts, forgotten ways that lead to the very center of the earth. Even my people have not explored them all, and we have lived here for a thousand thousand of your man-years."

There are hundreds o’ caves in these hills and down deep they all connect. There’s even a way under your Wall. Gorne’s Way.”

"Gorne," said Jon, "Gorne was King-beyond-the-Wall."

"Aye," said, Ygritte, “Together with his brother Gendel, three thousand years ago. They led o’ host of free folk through the caves…”

"Gendel did not die. He cut his way free, through the crows and led his people back north with the wolves howling at their heels. Only Gendel not know the Caves, as Gorne had, and took a wrong turn….Deeper and deeper he went, and when he tried t’ turn back the ways that seemed familiar ended in stone rather than sky…Gendel’s folk were never seen again."

This reinforced in the world by the statement that in fact, the Nights Watch never joined the battle. They were late, and ordered to bury the dead by the King in the North.

From the TWOIAF: It brings to mind a transcription of a wildling song in Maester Herryk’s History of the Kings-Beyond-the-Wall, regarding the brothers Gendel and Gorne. They were called upon to mediate a dispute between a clan of children and a family of giants over the possession of a cavern. Gendel and Gorne, it is said, ultimately resolved the matter through trickery, making both sides disavow any desire for the cavern, after the brothers discovered it was a part of a greater chain of caverns that eventually passed beneath the Wall.

Note that nobody has been to the bottom of the black pool in the godswood, and the black rivers under the Cave, and how noone has seen the bottom of the Crypts either.

And we need to talk about Arya's wolf pack, which is in a "dark pine forest" and a tree that watches her. Trees south of the Neck that grow in the wild don't have faces.

That wolf pack is moving north.

In the wild, there is one particular animal the befriends the wolf and guides it toward game in return for being able to scavenge the leftovers: the Raven.

What does Bran's mean in Welsh? "Raven"

What animals is he now able to skinchange and uses to watch over Summer as he hunts? Ravens.

What mythological king had the help of his half-brother in defeating an army of undead? Bran the Blessed, whose head was later brought back to Britain and there continued to speak and rule, and after it died was still kept there as a part of a promise that if it always was, the realm would be safe from invasion. Ravens are still kept in the Tower of London as a legacy of this belief.

Who built Winterfell? A guy named Bran.

This is literally GRRM's next twist waiting to happen. The winner isn't going to be Stannis or Roose.

It's ultimately going to be Bran and Arya Stark.

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

Really hope that you guys foreseeing Stannis being turned on by the northmen are wrong. Otherwise Stannis will be dead, the northmen will turn out to all be arseholes and I'll have no one to root for.

[LordImp]

Stannis fights the Others and is killed. He will die beliving he was Azor Ahai reborn. Actually i think this is how it's going end to for Stannis.

[The Dragons Hand]

Stannis fights the Others and is killed. He will die beliving he was Azor Ahai reborn. Actually i think this is how it's going end to for Stannis.

Everytime his AAR-ness is mentioned he looks uncomfortable, he has questioned "R'hllors choice" openly.

He's just playing along

[SacredOrderOfGreenMen]

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[The Mother of The Others]

with a victory he'd attract groupies and then he'd punish them

[LongRider]

with a victory he'd attract groupies and then he'd punish them

Methinks the groupies would like that. Except they wouldn't want Mel to burn them, so overdone these days.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Methinks the groupies would like that. Except they wouldn't want Mel to burn them, so overdone these days.

Oh they'd probably go for a little burning, but only until they say their safe word.

[walkingWITHcersei]

Stannis is ripe for turning against R'Hollor. Everything is cyclical in this story. Bran is the new LH, the Dance is going to repeat itself, and Stannis is the new NK. The only way that happens is if Stannis turns away from R'Hollor to the power of ice. Maybe I'm wrong about the north abandoning him but I don't think I am. Only one northern person has actually sworn loyalty to Stannis as king and that's Manderly. Well Manderly and Karstark, but we know the worth of Karstark's word. What I call the northern betrayal isn't really betrayal at all bc none of the houses ever recognized Stannis as king. To him however it'll be the last straw and with the idea of marsh at CB, and the south cut off to him, the only option Stannis will have left is to retreat to his seat at the NF. If that happens doesn't a turn to the "dark side" seem reasonable if not likely?

[SomeFremen]

As far as I can see, Stannis will either kill or be killed by Melisandre. I just can't see how anyone else would kill him, or her, except each other.

I do hope that Stannis will make it until the end, even if he dies at the very end. For what's to come, men like him are very much needed.

[The Mother of The Others]

If that happens doesn't a turn to the "dark side" seem reasonable if not likely?

Yes and no. I see how it could "work", him going dark. But I don't want it to happen "just because." Damn, how about Roose becoming the next Night King, fur crapsakes? Then, if it became clear to Stannis that going dark was the only way to get strong enough to oppose Roose's unnatural ass.... then I can see Stannis choosing to put the crown dream aside and inhale the darkness, choosing to save the day by ending locked in an eternal deathgrip with Roose as they're buried by all the ice the North has. Whatever.

I'd like to see Stannis become "the normal one" after he divorces Melisandre. Let her & Jon & friends continue to deal with the supernatural side of things, and have Stannis go full-time political conquest. I'd like to see him get the North's approval as their king, then we could see things shake out Stan's way with the Ironborn, and on from there. He'd benefit from all regions' plotlines culminating. Stoneheart will clear the Twins out, or someone will, so Stan won't meet opposition there. The Sansa business in the Vale will probably trump Petyr's agenda in a way that clears the way for the Vale and Riverlands to sign on with the new king gathering steam who represents their gripes best. It could happen. Also, that way Jon don't have to do it.

[GallowsKnight]

Stannis knows the true threat to the realm lies beyond the wall. He's smashing the Boltons for the same reason Jon plans to attack them. Because you don't want a knife in your back while looking North.

He wins the battle of ice. Takes Winterfell through trickery. Then with the Northern lords support rallies at the Wall, leaving enough men at Moat Caitlin to deter invasion.

[walkingWITHcersei]

Yes and no. I see how it could "work", him going dark. But I don't want it to happen "just because." Damn, how about Roose becoming the next Night King, fur crapsakes? Then, if it became clear to Stannis that going dark was the only way to get strong enough to oppose Roose's unnatural ass.... then I can see Stannis choosing to put the crown dream aside and inhale the darkness, choosing to save the day by ending locked in an eternal deathgrip with Roose as they're buried by all the ice the North has. Whatever.

I'd like to see Stannis become "the normal one" after he divorces Melisandre. Let her & Jon & friends continue to deal with the supernatural side of things, and have Stannis go full-time political conquest. I'd like to see him get the North's approval as their king, then we could see things shake out Stan's way with the Ironborn, and on from there. He'd benefit from all regions' plotlines culminating. Stoneheart will clear the Twins out, or someone will, so Stan won't meet opposition there. The Sansa business in the Vale will probably trump Petyr's agenda in a way that clears the way for the Vale and Riverlands to sign on with the new king gathering steam who represents their gripes best. It could happen. Also, that way Jon don't have to do it.

Hey we want the same thing. I'm not quite team Stannis but after reading the manifesto and understanding the brilliance he's shown right under our noses I really respect the guy he's been F'd in the A over and over again he deserves to be king. It just ain't happening. The underdog story is the most common trope there is and GRRM is the breaker of trope smasher of cookie cutter fiction. When has he ever given us the same ole same ole? Stannis is so screwed. Either I'm right or the Others show up and ruin the party. Bolton won't win but Stannis won't really either. Poor sad Stannis all alone in the NF grinding those teeth. For all we know betrayal was the real reason the NK was struck from the records. Maybe he didn't give his seed until after he was betrayed. Stannis has proven he's not above stirring the witches cauldron he's done it once why not again? I'm feeling better about this theory every second.

[Ser Creighton]

WTF? IF? IF? Really? Fucking if? There is no if, there is only Stannis. What will he do? Foolish question, what does the sun do everytime it rises? It shines. Among the ancient Botswana people in the language of setswana he is known as Ntchwaidumela, he who greets with fire, he is the Bolton killer. If?

[Lord Damian]

He would be taken prisoner by the Northern Lords and a Stark, Rickon is installed in Winterfell. Use Stannis as a negotiation swap for the remaining kin being held hostage from the Red Wedding.

[Victarion Chainbreaker]

He would be taken prisoner by the Northern Lords and a Stark, Rickon is installed in Winterfell. Use Stannis as a negotiation swap for the remaining kin being held hostage from the Red Wedding.

The more I think on this, the more I like it. It's certainly plausible, and would be a good way to try to avoid open war with the Iron Throne after slaughtering the appointed Warden of the North.

[Lord Damian]

The more I think on this, the more I like it. It's certainly plausible, and would be a good way to try to avoid open war with the Iron Throne after slaughtering the appointed Warden of the North.

It would make sense I think.

[ForgottenKnight]

So many asses to kick, so little time.

I have to admit. You're choice in avatar pics is phenomenal.

[UnViserion]

Hopefully he gives the Dread Bastard to the Red God.

If ANYONE deserves it..

[King of Vaes Tolorro]

What if he goes to the Riverlands to deal with the Freys ?

Then he would be a hypocrite because he used magic to bring about Robb's death.

I hope that if Jon survives (which he will) he will find out about Stannis' little leech trick and kill him in vengeance for Robb. Or that Rickon will have him exectued before a Heart Tree.