When did Stannis Baratheon become your favourite character?

[Matoro]

I love how this thread is so neutral and basically calling for flame war.

I think I realized his awesomeness at the moment he charged to the Wildlings at the Wall.

[Talleyrand]

For me it was when he spent half his chapters moaning about how hard it is having a castle and being rich

[Roose The Weddingcrasher]

For me it was when he spent half his chapters moaning about how hard it is having a castle and being rich

With great castles comes great responsibility.

[jarl the climber]

I became fond of Stannis when he did not execute Davos for sending off Edric and followed his advice and went to the Wall.

[Storm's Arrival]

AGOT impression: Hmmm so everybody talks about him as if he's really hard and tough. Cool guy, would make an awesome rival for Robb.

ACOK: Badass warlord, but is he a good guy? I don't know, but I like him. I hope Robb doesn't have to kill him.

ASOS: He is so fucking amazing. Best King in Westeros.

AFFC: Same as above.

ADWD: ALL HAIL STANNIS! :bowdown:

Pretty much exactly the same

“Whatever doubts his lords might nurse, the common men seemed to have faith in their king. Stannis had smashed Mance Rayder’s wildlings at the Wall and cleaned Asha and her ironborn out of Deepwood Motte; he was Robert’s brother, victor in a famous sea battle off Fair Isle, the man who had held Storm’s End all through Robert’s Rebellion. And he bore a hero’s sword, the enchanted blade Lightbringer, whose glow lit up the night.” - ADWD, Chapter 42, The King’s Prize

I literally like fist pumped several times when I read that for the first time.

[Bob Sacamano]

It's hard to pinpoint one moment but if I had to say one scence it'd have to be when Stannis gives the nod to Jon after Janos lost his head.

[Lord Thornhart]

I moment I opened A Clash of Kings.

[Ser Carson]

I felt bad for him during Clash because no one supported him.

Thought he was awesome in Storm because he went North to the Wall.

After Dance He jumped into my top three characters alive list with Jon and Tyrion.

After a re read, I had thought though... He was really petty in aGoT. I mean he knew about the Twinscest from the very beginning of the Book, but didn't do anything. Jon Arryn dies and Stannis runs away and hides in Dragonstone. This realization really hurts Stannis as character in my eyes. Either Jon Arryn came to Stannis with the Twincest or the other way around, but either way they both were working toward revealing, but then Jon Arryn dies and Stannis is not named Hand so he goes and hides on Dragonstone while Ned tries to figure the Twincest with no help. Stannis played some role in both of his brothers deaths (much bigger role in Renly's).

If Stannis had just spoken to Ned once at any point before the tourney of the Hand everything is different, but I believe Stannis' rivalry with Robert and dislike of Ned being more of a brother to Robert than himself led to Stannis just sitting around and waiting for Robert to die. We know he was gathering ships at dragonstone in aGoT.

He may be the best King now, but he is the worst brother and absolutely friendless. Also his Iron like sense of justice didn't compel him to do anything about the Twincest for a whole book so I think that makes him hypocrite and may have rebelled even not knowing about the incest like Renly did.

Stannis is no longer top three for me, but I still like him as a character, but he is incredibly flawed.

[Bronn Urgandy]

I felt bad for him during Clash because no one supported him.

Thought he was awesome in Storm because he went North to the Wall.

After Dance He jumped into my top three characters alive list with Jon and Tyrion.

After a re read, I had thought though... He was really petty in aGoT. I mean he knew about the Twinscest from the very beginning of the Book, but didn't do anything. Jon Arryn dies and Stannis runs away and hides in Dragonstone. This realization really hurts Stannis as character in my eyes. Either Jon Arryn came to Stannis with the Twincest or the other way around, but either way they both were working toward revealing, but then Jon Arryn dies and Stannis is not named Hand so he goes and hides on Dragonstone while Ned tries to figure the Twincest with no help. Stannis played some role in both of his brothers deaths (much bigger role in Renly's).

If Stannis had just spoken to Ned once at any point before the tourney of the Hand everything is different, but I believe Stannis' rivalry with Robert and dislike of Ned being more of a brother to Robert than himself led to Stannis just sitting around and waiting for Robert to die. We know he was gathering ships at dragonstone in aGoT.

He may be the best King now, but he is the worst brother and absolutely friendless. Also his Iron like sense of justice didn't compel him to do anything about the Twincest for a whole book so I think that makes him hypocrite and may have rebelled even not knowing about the incest like Renly did.

Stannis is no longer top three for me, but I still like him as a character, but he is incredibly flawed.

I think Stannis' silence has some justification, in his head the information had got one man killed already and his rather upsetting relationship with Robert meant that he felt he couldnt tell him. I really dont think he expected Robert to die, because Kingslaying is serious business and until Joffrey comes of age Robert is more use alive as a puppet than dead, ignorance is bliss and Roberts ignorance has made his death unnecessary up until now.

He may have felt telling Eddard would put all three of them at risk.

Bitterness and envy played on his mind, to be sure. But unless we find out in later books that what you said is true, I think stannis was sensible in this case. There were other options, but I dont think silence was a bad one, given the facts he was privy too and reasonable fear for his own life.

This post probably hasnt changed your mind at all, but I just think Stannis absence from book 1 is open to interpretation. Certainly nobody on Dragonstone has voiced the opinion that Stannis was waiting it out.

[Bob Sacamano]

Stannis feared for his life and that's why he fled to Dragonstone. He may have been pissed off he wasn't named Hand, but his life was in danger regardless, at least in his mind, if he was named Hand or not. So, he was gathering swords to bring the knowledge to the King, forcefully, rather than being alone with the knowledge and exposed.

What he should have done is beat Robert to Winterfell and tell Ned himself. That was another option I wish he would have thought of, but ASOIAF would be less entertaining if that were the case!! Ned and him weren't friends, but they respect each other and Ned would at least listen to Stannis.

[Ser Carson]

Definitely open to interpretation and like you said he may have thought he had more time and probably didn't think Ned would figure things out so quick or that someone would actually Kill Robert or at least so soon. I still think Stannis let his personal feelings about Robert keep him from helping Robert and Ned. I mean if Stannis didn't trust Ned (which after just ONE conversation he would see Ned wasn't some political yes-man), but he could've gone to Renly and worked the Margery and Robert angle with him to get the men he needed to over throw Cersei.

[Marillon]

The moment when he became a non-boring, non-hypocritical and totally non-tedious character. Yeah, that moment.

[Bronn Urgandy]

Definitely open to interpretation and like you said he may have thought he had more time and probably didn't think Ned would figure things out so quick or that someone would actually Kill Robert or at least so soon. I still think Stannis let his personal feelings about Robert keep him from helping Robert and Ned. I mean if Stannis didn't trust Ned (which after just ONE conversation he would see Ned wasn't some political yes-man), but he could've gone to Renly and worked the Margery and Robert angle with him to get the men he needed to over throw Cersei.

I agree, the Baratheon brothers inability and unwillingness to work together (this mostly goes for Stannis and Renly, since Stannis did what he was told by Robert pretty much) is hair-pullingly frustrating and really tragic as well.

[Storm's Arrival]

I felt bad for him during Clash because no one supported him.

Thought he was awesome in Storm because he went North to the Wall.

After Dance He jumped into my top three characters alive list with Jon and Tyrion.

After a re read, I had thought though... He was really petty in aGoT. I mean he knew about the Twinscest from the very beginning of the Book, but didn't do anything. Jon Arryn dies and Stannis runs away and hides in Dragonstone. This realization really hurts Stannis as character in my eyes. Either Jon Arryn came to Stannis with the Twincest or the other way around, but either way they both were working toward revealing, but then Jon Arryn dies and Stannis is not named Hand so he goes and hides on Dragonstone while Ned tries to figure the Twincest with no help. Stannis played some role in both of his brothers deaths (much bigger role in Renly's).

If Stannis had just spoken to Ned once at any point before the tourney of the Hand everything is different, but I believe Stannis' rivalry with Robert and dislike of Ned being more of a brother to Robert than himself led to Stannis just sitting around and waiting for Robert to die. We know he was gathering ships at dragonstone in aGoT.

He may be the best King now, but he is the worst brother and absolutely friendless. Also his Iron like sense of justice didn't compel him to do anything about the Twincest for a whole book so I think that makes him hypocrite and may have rebelled even not knowing about the incest like Renly did.

Stannis is no longer top three for me, but I still like him as a character, but he is incredibly flawed.

I believe in aCoK somewhere around Storm's End, Stannis tells Davos that he did not think Robert would believe the truth if It came from him (because of the whole hand of the king rejection), and would side with Cersei if confronted.

I have no source so I could be mistaken though.

[Ser Carson]

Yeah I agree that Robert probably wouldn't listen to Stannis saying to Robert, "you have been cuckolded you fool!" (He probably be a bit more tactful than that) Stannis knew this and that's why I believe he was working with Jon Arryn, but Cersei seemed to know that Robert would probably listen Ned too and Stannis probably knew this as well. Stannis though never spoke or even wrote a raven to Ned because of fear or pettiness I'm not sure which and I'm not sure which would be worse. We know he was bitter he wasn't chosen to be hand. I mean your brother and king is being cuckolded and has no legitmate children and you believe/know that is life is in danger and Stannis is like why wasn't I choosen to be hand of the king. I mean Cersei is committing treason may have murdered the Hand of the King (Stannis doesn't know it was LF) and he runs to Dragon Stone for whole book! I mean I understand going there and gathering strength, but how much do you really need and how much can Stannis really get without Robert's or someone/anyone else's help. The trip to Winterfell was long was that not enough time to put some pieces in place for when Ned and Robert returned. I would think so, but he even had more time after they arrived before the Hand's tournament and we know a lot of Lord's from all over the Seven Kingdoms came to it. When would a better time to expose the twincest be?!?! IMHO Never!

So is Stannis a capable General and ruler yes, but he is also a shitty petty brother who want's Storm's end and to be Hand of the King and then later King because he believes them to be his right yes. At least he seemed to grow up enough thanks to Davos to go North.

I guess I just think of all the lives Stannis could've saved, but didn't for some reason because of his inaction in A Game of Thrones

[Bronn Urgandy]

In fairness, he told Jon Arryn, Arryn then investigated for himself and winded up murdered. No man can doubt Eddard Starks honour, but the same could be said of Arryn, if Stannis tells Ned, what is Ned going to do differently from what he actually did? Not a lot, he'll still need to prove the whole thing for himself, and probably (since Stannis thinks Jon died for his investigation) wind up as dead as Jon Arryn, and they're still no closer to proving the twincest.

If Eddard is kept entirely in the dark, as in, Lysa doesn't send a letter to Winterfell, AGOT as the novel doesn't happen at all, since Eddard has no reason to investigate and the Lannisters would have to be very crafty to kill the King right under his best friends nose.

[mb2518]

Stannis is a tough one to like at first. Over the course of the series however, he becomes a favorite. The more I read/see of him, the more I liked him. He is the only one to realize the fighting over the IT is secondary to the White Walker invasion.

[Obebb]

I started liking him once he got to the Wall

[GallowsKnight]

After a re read, I had thought though... He was really petty in aGoT. I mean he knew about the Twinscest from the very beginning of the Book, but didn't do anything. Jon Arryn dies and Stannis runs away and hides in Dragonstone. This realization really hurts Stannis as character in my eyes. Either Jon Arryn came to Stannis with the Twincest or the other way around, but either way they both were working toward revealing, but then Jon Arryn dies and Stannis is not named Hand so he goes and hides on Dragonstone while Ned tries to figure the Twincest with no help. Stannis played some role in both of his brothers deaths (much bigger role in Renly's).

If Stannis had just spoken to Ned once at any point before the tourney of the Hand everything is different, but I believe Stannis' rivalry with Robert and dislike of Ned being more of a brother to Robert than himself led to Stannis just sitting around and waiting for Robert to die. We know he was gathering ships at dragonstone in aGoT.

He may be the best King now, but he is the worst brother and absolutely friendless. Also his Iron like sense of justice didn't compel him to do anything about the Twincest for a whole book so I think that makes him hypocrite and may have rebelled even not knowing about the incest like Renly did.

I posted this in another thread recently:

Stannis' flight comes down to two things:

1. Stannis feels Robert would not believe him

Stannis brought his suspicions to Jon Arryn because

My brother's regard for me was never more than dutiful,' said Stannis. 'From me, such accusations would have seemed peevish and self-serving, a means of placing myself first in the line of succession. I believed Robert would more disposed to listen if the charges came from Lord Arryn, whom he loved"

Even Jon Arryn whom Robert loved, did not immediately take this suspicions to Robert. Only trying to cryptically on his death bed, with his comments the "The seed is strong". Then Stannis has no evidence that Jon Arryn was poisoned, the Hand was an old man and no one sees it as suspicious.

But Stannis should have gone to Ned

Stannis does not have Robert's relationship with Ned. He's likely only met the man twice in his fifteen years of governance (Storm's End and the Greyjoy Rebellion). He knows of Ned Stark's reputation but he does not have the same rapport he had with Jon Arryn. Stannis also doesn't know that the Lannisters are on Ned's shit list because of Lysa Arryn's letter, Bran's fall and the Catspaw.

Ned Stark was no friend of mine - Stannis Barathon

Stannis cannot be certain that Ned would believe him.

2. Robert was in danger, but Stannis appeared to be in more

Now it's foolish to say Robert wasn't in danger, as Cersei did ultimately have him killed...sort of. But while Robert was ignorant of the incest there was less immediate threat to his life. In fact he only died when after Ned confronted Cersei. One could argue if there was a vast Lannister conspiracy (which there actually wasn't), keeping Robert alive was still in their best interests (keeps accruing debt and hold the kingdom together by force of his personality).

Stannis on the hand had publicly been seen with Jon Arryn at both Tobbho Motts and Alayaya's brothel. Any conspirators would want to silence him from telling Robert. Removing himself saves his own life and Robert might temporarily be safe.

Conclusion

Stannis though he was going to be killed and that if he told Robert nothing would happen.

But what was Stannis doing on that island?

Contrary to what others say, Stannis wasn't sitting on his hands on Dragonstone. He controlled information in and out. He kept the bulk of the Royal Fleet close to hand and summoned all of his 3000 bannermen. We even know he was planning on gathering sellswords from Myr (2000 men who arrive later).

Furthermore does anyone believe Stannis (who knows the size of the forces of every lord) though he could crown himself with so few men?

I posit that Stannis was gathering forces for the right opportunity where he could from a position of power, secure the royal family and inform his brother of the incest. Or if events deteriorated faster he would be able to bring those forces to combine with his brothers in the event of any war against the Lannisters.

What he didn't count on was Ned finding out the incest so soon. Remember this took him some dozen years. He doesn't know Ned's been tipped off about the murder and has reason to investigate. Events in Kingslanding get out of control and suddenly Robert's dead, Ned's prisoner and Renly's crowned. Now Stannis is the true king and sitting in the shitty position he was at the start of ACOK.

[StarkDragon]

The Hammer of the Wildmen? What's not to like?