Maybe Stannis is still alive

[Vastet]

All this talk about D&D doing disservice to Stannis as the top military commander is ridiculous. The guy just lost his family and his right hand woman and his faith and half his forces. Noone is going to be thinking clearly and tactically after that. He's intensely depressed. Even the greatest people in their profession make incredibly obvious mistakes when emotions get in the way, and Stannis has just been subjected to the greatest trauma he's ever experienced.

The main reason I think he's still alive is that, so far, none of the major houses have been wiped out. They've all been kicked in the head, some multiple times, but they persist. If Stannis dies, the Baratheons are done. The only ones remaining are illegitimate bastards.

Every other major house still has a legitimate, direct heir. The Lannisters have Tyrion and possibly his siblings. The Starks have Sansa and Arya. The Targaryens have Dany. The show has made a point of focusing on these houses to the exclusion of all others since day 1. Even the opening credits feature them.

If Stannis is dead the only potential Baratheon left is Gendry. I suppose it is possible that he would step to the fore, but they'll have to bring him in real fast if that's the goal. And he's still a bastard that only a few people know is Roberts son. How could he possibly get the backing of the Baratheon bannermen?

[KingStannisFan]

#STANNISLIVES

[desire]

If he is dead who pays the Iron bank? and were was that rouge Salladhor during all of this? Btw the way how the is Jamie is is Dorne whilst him and the wench are in the riverlands. Also did anyone else see the Freys banner flying in that battle or any other northhouses at all..?

[Marcus Agrippa]

Weiss explains the process of deciding how a death scene must be shot:
>"Weiss noted that when filming a show or movie, the ambiguity of Martin’s final Dance with Dragons chapter is tougher to pull off—a producer typically has to clearly commit to a character’s fate, one way or the other. “In a book, you can present that kind of ambiguity,” Weiss said. “In a show, everybody sees it for what it is. It’s that rule: ‘If don’t see the body then they’re not really dead.’ Like when we cut Ned’s head off, we didn’t want a gory Monty Python geyser of blood, but WE NEEDED TO SEE THE BLADE ENTER HIS NECK and CUT OUT ON THE FRAME WHERE THE BLADE WAS MIDNECK—it was LONGEST DISCUSSION ever of where to cut a frame;

Nutter reveals the intents of D&D towards his "death" scene:
>Nutter revealed to the Journal that he DIDN'T EVEN FILM ANY SHOTS of Brienne’s sword going into Stannis, NOT EVEN for safety. “Dave and Dan were VERY CLEAR with how they wanted the scene dealt with and handled, and I WAS THERE TO PROVIDE THAT for them,” he said.

Weiss mentions the ambiguity of the end of ADWD and how it's tougher to pull off, referring to both Jon and Stannis' death:

books:
>ADWD ends in a "Stannis is dead" cliffhanger (Pink Letter)
tv show:
>Season 5 ends in a "Stannis is dead" cliffhanger (Brienne's 'execution')

books:
>Stannis starts out with a massive disadvantage and slowly builds up loyalty with the northern lords through hard earned victories and astute politicking.
tv show:
>Stannis is in a massive disadvantage but will slowly build up loyalty with the northern lords through Sansa and her claim to the North.

1. Brienne says all the lords are monsters, but Stannis shows respect for her and tells her to do her duty
2. Sansa lights the candle (indirectly asks Brienne to do her duty)
3. Stannis says: "Go on. Do your duty"
4. Brienne looks emotionally shaken
5. *swing cuts to black" (1st main character death to cut to black in the history of GoT)

 

 

 

Stole this from something called 4p?

I was looking up Stephen Dillane and this came up... I am not convinced but it eh, why not?

[Visceral Varys]

Marcus,

Thank you for bringing that over. It is very interesting and probably some of the best case evidence and analysis I've seen. I too, however, am not convinced.

Stannis continuing to live - and this is only my personal feeling not an analysis - would negate the scene where the two Bolton stragglers attack Stannis. He is badly injured, exhausted and clearly mentally drained; every sacrifice for naught and he's quite alone, yet he finds that last bit of strength to not only defend himself but kill two much younger and uninjured Bolton men. Dillaine gets two snaps, a fist pump and a huge atta-boy for his performance too. It was glorious! (And as a side-note, that he was not nominated but Emilia was is proof of how popularity works in the biz.)

I know Stannis fans don't feel his death was given the proper respect but I feel differently because the character suffered a life-ending injury, which he knew (we saw), but he gave Brienne the opportunity to "do her duty" instead of "Please Bitch, why bother, I'm dying": This was magnanimous and showed how complex this character was. Really, I thought they paid the character and the actor the ultimate respect. Showing his head cut off or his body laid ripped and bloody would be gratuitous and take away the beauty of that entire performance.

[Marcus Agrippa]

Marcus,

Thank you for bringing that over. It is very interesting and probably some of the best case evidence and analysis I've seen. I too, however, am not convinced.

Stannis continuing to live - and this is only my personal feeling not an analysis - would negate the scene where the two Bolton stragglers attack Stannis. He is badly injured, exhausted and clearly mentally drained; every sacrifice for naught and he's quite alone, yet he finds that last bit of strength to not only defend himself but kill two much younger and uninjured Bolton men. Dillaine gets two snaps, a fist pump and a huge atta-boy for his performance too. It was glorious! (And as a side-note, that he was not nominated but Emilia was is proof of how popularity works in the biz.)

I know Stannis fans don't feel his death was given the proper respect but I feel differently because the character suffered a life-ending injury, which he knew (we saw), but he gave Brienne the opportunity to "do her duty" instead of "Please Bitch, why bother, I'm dying": This was magnanimous and showed how complex this character was. Really, I thought they paid the character and the actor the ultimate respect. Showing his head cut off or his body laid ripped and bloody would be gratuitous and take away the beauty of that entire performance.

The crux of the problem with his death now that there is eight seasons is that there no real conflict left in westeros. Euron will smash into the tyrells and lf will take the north if Stannis is dead- but the problem with the latter is then you have LF at a head of an army. There is no generals remaining in the north and whatever the vale has to offer is average. Stann's death leaves also a vacuum in the family dynamics- its clear that both the targs and the baratheons are set to be eliminated from the game of thrones- but losing one of them this early would be a shock.

[Stag_legion]

The crux of the problem with his death now that there is eight seasons is that there no real conflict left in westeros. Euron will smash into the tyrells and lf will take the north if Stannis is dead- but the problem with the latter is then you have LF at a head of an army. There is no generals remaining in the north and whatever the vale has to offer is average. Stann's death leaves also a vacuum in the family dynamics- its clear that both the targs and the baratheons are set to be eliminated from the game of thrones- but losing one of them this early would be a shock.

Plus they need a reason to use his theme again on the show!

[Vastet]

I could see Stannis making it back to the wall even with the injuries he has. The guy is tougher than steel, more stubborn than a mule, and quite likely knows enough of field battle treatments to save his life. He might walk with a limp the rest of his life, but unless Brienne's sword connected there is still a chance he could get out alive even without any help.

[Ser Friendzoned]

I could see Stannis making it back to the wall even with the injuries he has. The guy is tougher than steel, more stubborn than a mule, and quite likely knows enough of field battle treatments to save his life. He might walk with a limp the rest of his life, but unless Brienne's sword connected there is still a chance he could get out alive even without any help.

Could he make it to the wall? Yes, he could. Will he? Well, he's dead. I'm sticking with that until I see in S6. I hope he's not dead, but it looks like he is.

[KingStannisFan]

you know why would the Director say he was dead? Maybe he doesn't even know and why would they want to spoil the suspense?

[Marcus Agrippa]

Still no dillane sightings- until gwen get's on set nothing is set in stone. After rewatching is all is scene's- it bothers me his fate really doesn't make sense. If he lives he has no force, a woman who is incapable of seeing past her own ego, a Stark, a Lannister boy, and a greyjoy. Honestly, none of this make sense either if he is dead. The book has forshadowed daenerys fighting the northerners- so this would be a MASSIVE divitation and it wouldn't make any. No matter how this turns out- Stannis being alive or dead almost makes no logical sense.

[Martoma]

Maybe they decided to show his death (if it is) offscreen and leave his fate unknown for the moment to not spoil the books where Stannis' fate is also unknown but rumored to be death.

[thegreenmanalishi83]

I really bought into this theory for the battle of ice (spoilers galore everyone)

 

https://cantuse.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/the-night-lamp-revisited-the-wrath-of-the-old-and-the-new/

 

 

It would work brilliantly from an action point of view.  Perhaps if Brienne didn't kill him by the tree,Sansa would further back Stannis up as she would know her father supported his claim for the iron throne?

 

Perhaps they could bring some more Northern lords into the fold? E.g the ones that have already been cast for season 6?

 

Paving the way for a second battle of ice?

 

Clutching at straws perhaps but a man can dream.......

[HMJ]

To me, what makes most sense is what was posted a few pages up in this thread: The sellswords that departed from camp did so on Stannis orders, and they are one the brink of attacking Winterfell (if they have not already). The battle shown was just a very expensive (and risky, Stannis himself almost got caught/killed) sacrifice to lure the Boltons out. Given the possibility of spies in the camp, having Stannis own men to leave and use the sellswords as bait would be more likely to be caught b the Boltons. That kind of battle trick fits the idea "best military commander in Westeros".

 

On the other hand, From the books, I feel that Melisandre will become a more central player in the coming events, so it would also make sense to end Stannis story here.

[Stag_legion]

Stannis is the Minamoto no Yoritomo of ASOIAF, he's gonna win eventually and setup a new regime. Just like stannis, Yoritomo lost a major battle just outside the capital but retreated north and relaunched his campaign from there in the following years. He also killed his younger brother like stannis and was plenty grumpy and harsh.

 

 

So yeah stannis will be back and he ll gain the north next season.

[Cynical Classicist]

Perhaps the series will have us think Stannis is dead, then he will suddenly reappear towards the end and take the Iron Throne. But before he can return to the North to help the Night's Watch as Ice from the North prepares for its attack, he is attacked by fire from the East. That would be suitably ironic, as Dany is being built up as Azor Ahai, yet her attack will frustrate the efforts to fight the White Walkers. I should probably mention here I am not a Dany supporter and a King's Man, but I feel it would be a suitable subversion of the traditional royal coming to claim their "rightful" throne and bringing peace to the realm, as Dany is being deconstructed and shown to not be as great a figure as she believes.

[Tony Inchpractice]

Just thought this was worth sharing. This is books not TV of course.

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/george-rr-martin-has-confirmed-that-game-of-thrones-stannis-baratheon-is-very-much-alive-10473244.html

[thegreenmanalishi83]

So.........the chances are we will only have to wait a few months to see whether Dillane is spotted during filming? 

[Marcus Agrippa]

We should know by oct. Gwen hasn't started filming but sophie has so we know somethings up. What happens with stannis will be interesting. The game might also have something on his fate- the part 6 had a stannis picture before replacing it with Daenerys.

[thegreenmanalishi83]

Thank you Marcus.