Jump to content

Does Stannis have a chance at winning in the end?


Alyn Oakenfist

Recommended Posts

While I'm pretty sure that Stannis is going to defeat the Boltons and Frey's at Winterfell, using the icy lake as well as deception, I really don't know if he still has any chances to win the Throne especially given how strong the faith is right now, not to mention the 2 very strong Targ pretenders coming to take the Throne. I would personally really like for him to win in the end seeing as he's the only King for whom the Throne is a duty, to be taken in order to help the realm and bring justice, as well as save Westeros from the WW. The thing that could signal he's either going to win, or that he's done (not really sure which) is his very interesting ark. At the beginning of the series Donal Noye says that Stannis is like iron that he will brake instead of bend, but, in my opinion at least, Stannis has learned to bend rather then break. This ark that seems to be nearing it's end seems to signal one of 2 thing. Either he will die very shortly as he has fulfilled his narrative purpose or that he is finally ready to become a true leader and lead the 7 kingdoms in the fight against the great other.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stannis is all in against a larger stack and drawing three cards to fill an inside straight at this point. So much has to go right for him to survive, much less win the throne to the point it seems absurdly improbable.

Which is a shame because he's probably the pretender with the most interesting character and story in my opinion. The blue eyed king who casts no shadow suggests he may well have something to do with the Others, but to even get there he has a huge hole to dig himself out of with the Boltons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sure, he can cut a deal with the White Walkers and the Starks.  He can rule in exchange for helping them take the north.  He gets the south and the Starks rule the north on behalf of the Others.  He is feeling entitled enough to believe he should rule even if it means killing the majority of the people in Westeros.  So yes, Stannis has a chance but I am backing Dany.  I want Dany to win the game of power and rule Westeros.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disliked Stannis first read but over the years he has grown to be my favorite character by far. (And Davos too, what a man). He's a very complex character, far more fluid than the stiff image he portrays, and he has a brilliant arc. That said, he's not going to win.  

The question for Stannis has been save the kingdom or win the throne. He's played around with one as a means to the other to justify his actions, but ultimately I think he will have to choose.

I think he will take Winterfell and win the support of the north, maybe with the help of Davos and Rickon, but when the Others attack he will have to choose between advancing on King's Landing or against the Others. I change my mind a lot about which way that decision will go, but whichever way, it will lead to Shireen been burned, probably when things are looking very grim, and that will be the beginning of the end for Stannis.

He will probably die by fire too, dragonfire if not the same pyre as Shireen. He will have destroyed himself in pursuit of his desire, as symbolized by the vision he had of the king whose burning crown consumed him and turned him to ash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Alyn Oakenfist said:

While I'm pretty sure that Stannis is going to defeat the Boltons and Frey's at Winterfell, using the icy lake as well as deception, I really don't know if he still has any chances to win the Throne especially given how strong the faith is right now, not to mention the 2 very strong Targ pretenders coming to take the Throne. I would personally really like for him to win in the end seeing as he's the only King for whom the Throne is a duty, to be taken in order to help the realm and bring justice, as well as save Westeros from the WW. The thing that could signal he's either going to win, or that he's done (not really sure which) is his very interesting ark. At the beginning of the series Donal Noye says that Stannis is like iron that he will brake instead of bend, but, in my opinion at least, Stannis has learned to bend rather then break. This ark that seems to be nearing it's end seems to signal one of 2 thing. Either he will die very shortly as he has fulfilled his narrative purpose or that he is finally ready to become a true leader and lead the 7 kingdoms in the fight against the great other.

He has the same chances as anyone foolish enough to remain in Westeros.  Slim to none.  Things will happen like Old Nan said it would.  Common and noble alike freezing, starving to death.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stannis has no chance of winning the IT, though I really would like to see him get there.  He will win much in the North and as has been said above, time will come for Stannis to choose what he will fight for next, the throne or survival.  I think Stannis will finally get some hard won acceptance if not love in the North, along with overwhelming support to march south.   I think he will head North to get the Wall in order after Jon's incapacitation as there is sure to be much turmoil there and he's got to settle the Nightfort--it is his seat in the North.  I expect this is precisely where the Others become prominent in a present way in the story. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No. I really enjoy Stannis and I think he'll accomplish a lot in the north. But, these Northmen do not fight for him to become king. They fight for "Ned's little girl." They fight for WF and their love for the Starks and their hatred for the Boltons. They want Theon to be given to the tree. They certainly won't be marching south again. Not until the 'Others' have been dealt with anyway. From there, with the 'Others' in remission, it's fair to say that he may have a group of suicidal Northmen. And maybe some sellswords too. But I cannot see him winning enough people over when they have the bright and young (f)Aegon and the mother of dragons to choose from. 

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Or, opportunity makes the man. Stannis is perfect for holding the North during their darkest hour. But a dream for spring makes me think of a new era for Westeros. There will be no room in that world for the likes of Stannis. As much as he's won me over. He is the type of ruler you want during hard times and not necessarily the type of king to usher in a new era. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/19/2020 at 7:23 AM, Alyn Oakenfist said:

While I'm pretty sure that Stannis is going to defeat the Boltons and Frey's at Winterfell, using the icy lake as well as deception, I really don't know if he still has any chances to win the Throne especially given how strong the faith is right now, not to mention the 2 very strong Targ pretenders coming to take the Throne. I would personally really like for him to win in the end seeing as he's the only King for whom the Throne is a duty, to be taken in order to help the realm and bring justice, as well as save Westeros from the WW. The thing that could signal he's either going to win, or that he's done (not really sure which) is his very interesting ark. At the beginning of the series Donal Noye says that Stannis is like iron that he will brake instead of bend, but, in my opinion at least, Stannis has learned to bend rather then break. This ark that seems to be nearing it's end seems to signal one of 2 thing. Either he will die very shortly as he has fulfilled his narrative purpose or that he is finally ready to become a true leader and lead the 7 kingdoms in the fight against the great other.

Yeah I agree. I think he will defeat the Bolton's but I don't think he will win the Throne. I think likely he will choose to stay & help fight the Others & probably die in the battle. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Curled Finger said:

Stannis has no chance of winning the IT, though I really would like to see him get there.  He will win much in the North and as has been said above, time will come for Stannis to choose what he will fight for next, the throne or survival.  I think Stannis will finally get some hard won accThiseptance if not love in the North, along with overwhelming support to march south.   I think he will head North to get the Wall in order after Jon's incapacitation as there is sure to be much turmoil there and he's got to settle the Nightfort--it is his seat in the North.  I expect this is precisely where the Others become prominent in a present way in the story. 

I don't know how that can be reconciled.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

What purpose does Stannis serve in the story anyway? Bringing Melisandre to Jon Snow?

I've wondered this also. I think he serves several purposes, one of which merely being his story is entertaining but ultimately yeah, I think Mel's visions led her to Stannis & while she interpreted that to mean he is AA, Stannis was merely the vehicle by which she could get to Jon. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He has a chance because this is fiction.  Should George decide to give him that chance.  I am doubtful if he would.  The North will fall to Mance Rayder and the wildlings.  There is no room in this equation for a conservative feudal lord like Stannis.  It will only take the deaths of a handful of leaders to throw the North into panic.  Roose, Jon, Bowen, Barbrey, and Stannis.  Does anyone really think Ramsay can compete with Mance?  It is even possible for a resurrected Jon Snow to support Mance and the wildlings.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

What purpose does Stannis serve in the story anyway? Bringing Melisandre to Jon Snow?

A very large part of the text is an exploration of the debate occurring in this line.

Quote

what is the life of one bastard boy against a kingdom?

Stannis will make the sacrifice of one innocent child's life to try and save the kingdom, and doing so will make him the main villain of the series. That's his purpose, to make the sacrifice and become the villain, so that the heroes may reject his decision and then physically defeat him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Unit A2 said:

He has a chance because this is fiction.  Should George decide to give him that chance.  I am doubtful if he would.  The North will fall to Mance Rayder and the wildlings.  There is no room in this equation for a conservative feudal lord like Stannis.  It will only take the deaths of a handful of leaders to throw the North into panic.  Roose, Jon, Bowen, Barbrey, and Stannis.  Does anyone really think Ramsay can compete with Mance?  It is even possible for a resurrected Jon Snow to support Mance and the wildlings.

Whaaat?

Alright, first off almost everybody thinks Mance is dead, and should he reveal himself to the world his folk wouldn't believe him or if they did they would call him a kneeler.

Now supposing the Wildlings do accept Mance as their leader again (as I said before almost impossible) there aren't that many wildlings left. At this point there are maybe 5 thousand wildlings south of the wall, and a couple more thousand north of it. So let's say that Mance could maybe gather 10k wildlings. How on earth could he win the North with that I do not know given that whoever wins between Roose and Stannis would still have some 10k men of his own, and in one on one ratios, wildlings tend to get stomped. (hell Stannis completely broke them with a 1:20 ratio). So all in all the wildlings aren't coming back and they certainly aren't going to conquer the North. That maybe could have happened (maybe!) at the end of ASOS, had Stannis not arrive to destroy their army.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Lyanna<3Rhaegar said:

I've wondered this also. I think he serves several purposes, one of which merely being his story is entertaining but ultimately yeah, I think Mel's visions led her to Stannis & while she interpreted that to mean he is AA, Stannis was merely the vehicle by which she could get to Jon. 

I mean, Stannis does have a lot of fans among readers, so I though that maybe there is more to him. But I just don't see it. :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope. I agree with the OP, though, that Stannis will survive Winterfell a make another play for the Iron Throne. 

These kind of threads used to go on for pages, and there were raging arguments about Stannis, but after the show

Spoiler

turned him into a total d!@%, and suggested a ignoble end to his arc,

fewer people bother. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

These kind of threads used to go on for pages, and there were raging arguments about Stannis, but after the show

  Reveal hidden contents

turned him into a total d!@%, and suggested a ignoble end to his arc,

fewer people bother. 

We don't mention Dumb&Dumber here, or, if Stannis brought his justice upon them, Decapitated&Decapitated. Really f those guys, hope they don't get to make another show for the rest of their miserable lives. What did we expect from the turd who thought sewing Deadpool's mouth was a good idea and sodomized the Illiad as well as the retarded dog who's only purpose in live is to praise and agree with the turd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...