[Spoilers]The fate of Stannis

[Stannis' shadow babies]

She doesn't have to hit his neck. Could be a messy execution and slash him like the Hound killed Beric.

[shaggy_rick]

She doesn't have to hit his neck. Could be a messy execution and slash him like the Hound killed Beric.

But she does her "In the name of Renley ..." speach and asks his last words. So her intention as a wonnabe honorable knight would be at least to grant him a propper beheading.

[Stannis' shadow babies]

But she does her "In the name of Renley ..." speach and asks his last words. So her intention as a wonnabe honorable knight would be at least to grant him a propper beheading.

Who knows what's on her mind since 'a darkness overcomes her' (*) :ack:

(*) it's in the script, by Christie's own statements.

[Truly Just Man]

I thought about it few days now and I still don't know what to think.

I think Stannis still has something to show now Sansa and Theon are free and army of the Vale is supposedly on its way to the North (If those horsed soldiers weren't the knights of the Vale of course).

And I know people on the show aren't prepared to give to much credit to Mel's visions but I think there is something. At the end of season 2 she gave this you'll betray everyone and everything and it will be all worth it speech.

She also said (and I think she repeated it twice) that she saw the Bolton's banners down and herself marching within the castle walls.

Let's say it. Her visions aren't always accurate but she sees a lot of the things right.

And she seems desperate at the end of the episode, but who knows. Perhaps she just saw the result and not the exact actions that will lead to the result.

Or, of course, she was wrong.

If Stannis is spared, the next season will find us with Sansa, Theon, Brienne and Stannis at the same place together. I think that is certain. And if the knights of the Vale are on their way North, who would they listen to? Sansa + Stannis + Brienne and Theon if we all agree that they are on the same page about the Boltons, or Littlefinger (if we assume he is going North for something else)

[Bronn Urgandy]

If there is any mercy in the Mother, he dead, and the show-runners can keep their grubby, sweaty, clammy hands off of him. With any luck he's dead in the books as well, then I can sit happily with a cup of tea knowing the show-runners went out of their way to ruin his character and finally silence the people who think the two characters are the same.

[Ashlesha]

The only way Stannis could be alive now is if HBO is bought by Disney before the start of the next season. If D&D can get Sansa raped, these evil bas**rds are capable of killing Stannis.

Or

The title of the episode says Mother's Mercy. This might refer to Cercei's shame but at the same time it could mean more. (Almost all other episodes have such dual meanings). What if the Mother i.e. Lady Stoneheart appears when Brienne is about to hack Stannis ? Remember all the talk that Catlyn gave to Renly and Stannis about being their mother ?

[Señor de la Tormenta]

Did anyone notice the odd standing position of Brienne with regard to Stannis on his tree? She is standing on his right side (from her point of view), and swings her sword from right to left. This way there is a high chance that she only hits the tree, instead of his neck. For a propper beheading she should stand on his left side, or swing her sword from left to right.

I am trying to show this with a little ASCII art:

(T) is the tree, S is Stannis, and B Brienne

1.) how they showed it. Standing on his right side she would hit the tree. She could only behead him if she cuts with the point of her sword just a tiny distance in front of the tree.

\

\

_ B

(T) S

2.) Standing on the other side she could cleanly slice through his neck with the middle of her sword.

_

(T) S /

/

B

I guess it's just a directing error. What do you think?

whole stannis is a directing error.

[Shpati]

I'm a little hopeful too.

I was reading/listening to some theories. This good be his "trick" to get the Boltons all confident and leave WF, while Stannis sent his good mounted men to take over another Northern castle or something.

We still don't know how much the Bolton's have lost. Sure it looked like a slaughter, and I'm sure it was, but they left their castle and went 100% on the offensive. They might have lost 1 for every 5 enemies, when they should've lost 1 for every 10.

He could still be working with Mel somehow. Maybe get Snow killed (her work was already done here) to win the support of the Wildings.

I know these sound dumb and have flaws, but it’s better than just ending Stannis in that "battle" we saw.

There's a bunch of other things that could happen. But the big point is, that I don't think his quest should be over just yet. But this is D & D, who whacked the greatest Knight in the 7 Kingdoms with some lame fight scene against the Harpies. If Stannis is alive, I'm sure it's going to be some lame revenge quest with Brienne.

EDIT: I just wish they at least make him more tactical in this battle. Maybe have Stannis realize the Bastard of Bolton will be impatient and push, so Stannis works around this. Have his horses run inside a ditches where Baretheon men arrow them down. Run back towards the trees. I don't know.. something other than attacking cavalry head on with footmen.

[ummester]

Stannis tells Brienne to do her duty. Brienne's duty was to protect Renley, not kill Stannis. A vow of vengeance is not her duty.

Also, the tree is in the way of a clean swipe at Stannis neck.

Finally, Stannis may convince Brienne that Renley was never the rightful king, if she lets him live.

Brienne, as brave and honorable and everything else that she is, always stands up for and follows the cause of another. Is it that much of a stretch to think that Stannis might bring Brienne around to his cause, especially if Stannis agrees that it is their 'duty' to get Sansa away from the Boltons?

[aFeastForDragons]

Perhaps Stannis is the one who confirms R + L next season. Thats about the only reason I can think of keeping him alive.

[Ludo Kressh]

She doesn't have to hit his neck. Could be a messy execution and slash him like the Hound killed Beric.

Even then, her sword would hit the tree behind Stannis...at best she could hope for a deep slash into his shoulder area and they cut away as she swung so we don't know if she needed another swing to finish him off if her first blow didn't kill him.

Idk, not a Stannis fan, but the way they finished his arc...uggh.

[Grail King]

I thought about it few days now and I still don't know what to think.

I think Stannis still has something to show now Sansa and Theon are free and army of the Vale is supposedly on its way to the North (If those horsed soldiers weren't the knights of the Vale of course).

And I know people on the show aren't prepared to give to much credit to Mel's visions but I think there is something. At the end of season 2 she gave this you'll betray everyone and everything and it will be all worth it speech.

She also said (and I think she repeated it twice) that she saw the Bolton's banners down and herself marching within the castle walls.

Let's say it. Her visions aren't always accurate but she sees a lot of the things right.

And she seems desperate at the end of the episode, but who knows. Perhaps she just saw the result and not the exact actions that will lead to the result.

Or, of course, she was wrong.

If Stannis is spared, the next season will find us with Sansa, Theon, Brienne and Stannis at the same place together. I think that is certain. And if the knights of the Vale are on their way North, who would they listen to? Sansa + Stannis + Brienne and Theon if we all agree that they are on the same page about the Boltons, or Littlefinger (if we assume he is going North for something else)

I think she saw Sansa ( another red head ) and Bolton flags burning could be later.

[Shinjinobrave]

Stannis has passed on! He is no more! He has ceased to be! He's expired and gone to meet his maker! He's a stiff! Bereft of life, he rests in peace! If it hadn't been for Brienne he'd be pushing up the daisies! His metabolic processes are now history! He's off the twig! He's kicked the bucket, he's shuffled off his mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible!! THIS IS AN EX-MANNIS

Well, better replace him then....

[robasp2]

GoT published their beautiful death picture of Stannis.

Its quite interesting.

https://m.facebook.com/GameOfThrones/photos/a.93667012733.90163.74133697733/10153031997187734/?type=1&source=48&fs=1

A sword struck the tree and a stag watches from afar unhurt!!

Also footstrps leading away.

Is it hbo's secret confession?

[divine_moose]

I feel like Gwendoline Christie's main purpose in the show is to 1) Scowl and frown 2) Squawk like a manic in her fight scenes and 3) Show up and execute interesting characters

[Throwawayaccount5334]

Actually, Nutter never said:''He's dead'' so that's another clue. He simply said about his death:''It would have been gratuitous'' and ''he had nothing to live for anymore''

He never uttered:''He's dead'' which leads me to believe he's a live. Regarding Jon and Myrcella they just said:''Yeah, they're dead'', but not Stannis. The rule on GoT is:''If you don't see the body and D&D don't say they're dead, they're not dead.''

Source

https://winteriscoming.net/2015/06/19/director-david-nutter-on-whether-stannis-dead-if-hes-returning-for-season-6/

[IRON BANK]

So, Stannis fans are pissed off, to say the least, after S05E10. Rest assured, he's alive. All comments from D&D so far have been extremely ambiguous (regarding his demise). Here's why I'm certain he's not dead:

1. He's alive and well in the books. Granted the show takes some liberties with the storyline, but the Stannis plotline is far too important to just end with a cut to another scene...

2. The insta-cut. All major characters had onscreen deaths, no matter how gruesome (Oberyn...never forget...), ending the life of a KING with a cut is not only a terrible directing choice, it's illogical from a marketing perspective. Remember, no body means ALIVE.

3. The look on Brienne's face. Notice how she cringes when he says:"Go on, do your duty". This is purely hypothetical, but maybe she remembered her duty to Sansa and how she abandoned her to pursue revenge. Plus, Brienne's too honourable to kill a wounded man.

4. The fact that Davos is still alive. Davos made his life's goal to see Stannis on the iron throne. I doubt D&D would just end the plotline of a POW character by just having him go on some stupid sidequest like Bran. Nobody cares about Bran and nobody would care about Davos if he wasn't by Stannis' side. But we know that won't happen.

5. The fact that he just barely escaped death during Blackwater bay. They wouldn't just kill him three seasons after "yay, I survived".

6. Melisandre's predictions just shrivel up. Think about it. If Stannis isn't Azor Ahai, then who is? Jon's dead, Daenerys would be a too cliche and obvious twist...It has to be Stannis.

7. The fact that Dillane still has a contract with HBO...Subtle clue...

Stannis is dead. no come back. final reality. He should have sided with renly.

[Throwawayaccount5334]

GoT published their beautiful death picture of Stannis.

Its quite interesting.

https://m.facebook.com/GameOfThrones/photos/a.93667012733.90163.74133697733/10153031997187734/?type=1&source=48&fs=1

A sword struck the tree and a stag watches from afar unhurt!!

Also footstrps leading away.

Is it hbo's secret confession?

I noticed plenty of clues in that photo. The word ''Duty'' is underlined, implying that Brienne realized her duty was to protect Sansa, so maybe she stepped down and went away? And the pool of blood could just be from Stannis' injury.

[IRON BANK]

What would be the point of stannis living. he hasnt got an army. No descendants legitimized. It seems that the whole set up was for him to pass on. And to be quite honest he seems to have reached hos lowest point. The show would have a hard time explaining it if he is safe and sound.

[Stannis' shadow babies]

There's blood splattered on the tree too. He's dead. Case closed.