Best Overall King Regardless of Claim

[stu1987]

I think people make quite a lot of 'he who passes the sentence'. Isn't this a northern tradition? I don't see why Stannis, or Joff or Tywin or anyone should feel compelled to abide by this, as it's not how their ancestors would have done it.

[David Selig]

I couldn't care less for the person being executed, and neither do Stannis' bannermen. Florent was a traitor to the King. So was Sunglass. The men he burned in the North were cannibals. None of them deserved the mercy of a quick death.

He didn't do it for his won pleasure, like Aerys did to Rickard and Brandon. What Stannis did was just. It may have been harsh, but it was still the King's justice.

Wow, so cannibals deserve painful death? Not only this is a horrible view, but how can you support Stannis then? After all, he was stocking up dead bodies during the siege of Storm's end and planned to use them for food eventually.

[Manderlay]

What about Edric Storm? The fact he even considers burning his own nephew speaks volumes. I think he would have gone through with it, if not for Davos intervening. He is blinded by his desire to king.

Stannis considers it because of the power Mel has, he has to consider that if one life brings peace to the realm, is it worth it?, and we do not know what his decision might have been, that is speculation, and he is not blinded by his desire to be king, that is inaccurate analysis, its duty that blinds him to stuff like that, Stannis doesn't have a desire to be king but is determined to do his duty hence the line "the Iron throne is mine by rights", he doesn't have any hunger for power.

Still that being said, I do not like the fact that Stannis burns people, they may be traitors but it is an horrible way to die. If treason is punishable by death let it be done in swift way than a crueller method.

Interestingly Daenerys does something similar in Astapor, using Drogon to kill Kraznays mo Nazlak, (excuse if the name is wrong) that was a horrible way to die as well, she could have her bloodriders or Ser Barristan or Ser Jorah cut off his head.

- is one boy! He may be the best boy who ever drew breath and it would not matter. My duty is to the realm. How many boys dwell in westeros? How many girls? How many men, how many women? The darkness will devour them all, she says. The night that never ends. I never asked for this, no more than I asked to be king. Yet dare I disregard her? Yet we must ... we must do our duty, no?. Great or small, we must do our duty

Edit: Spelling, added a detail about Dany

[W.Kane]

Stannis and Davos as his hand.

[Nictarion]

Stannis considers it because of the power Mel has, he has to consider that if one life brings peace to the realm, is it worth it?, and we do not know what his decision might have been, that is speculation, and he is not blinded by his desire to be king, that is inaccurate analysis, its duty that blinds him to stuff like that, Stannis doesn't have a desire to be king but is determined to do his duty hence the line "the Iron throne is mine by rights", he doesn't have any hunger for power.

Still that being said, I do not like the fact that Stannis burns people, they may be traitors but it is an horrible way to die. If treason is punishable by death let it be done in swift way than a crueller method.

Interestingly Daenerys does something similar in Astapor, using Drogon to kill Kraznays mo Nazlak, (excuse if the name is wrong) that was a horrible way to die as well, she could have her bloodriders or Ser Barristan or Ser Jorah cut off his head.

Edit: Spelling, added a detail about Dany

Couldn't you just say the stuff in bold, and save all the rah rah, Stannis is the greatest, it tis his duty,he can do no wrong, attempt of justification. Burning people is a horrible way to kill someone, no matter if its Dany or Stannis or anybody else doing it.

[Knight Of Winter]

Best king would be mixture of many characters:

- Ned's sense of duty to his subjects

- Edmure's care for smallfolk

- Tyrion's intelligence

- Stannis' determination

- Davos' sense of right and wrong

- Ned's or Robb's charisma among their bannerman

If I had to choose one, it'd probably be Tyrion. Not perfect solution, but best among all.

[Manderlay]

Couldn't you just say the stuff in bold, and save all the rah rah, Stannis is the greatest, it tis his duty,he can do no wrong, attempt of justification. Burning people is a horrible way to kill someone, no matter if its Dany or Stannis or anybody else doing it.

Your post was not just about burnings but Edric Storm as well and about Stannis having a desire to be king. I was trying to show how Stannis weighs and considers sacrificing someone, what you implied was inaccurate, but atleast the burning part you got right.

btw I never said stuff like Stannis is the greatest nor is it implied that stannis can do no wrong in his duty. I disagreed with your speculation the Stannis would have gone through burning Edric Strom because he hadn't made a decision.

[Pinkie Baelish]

I couldn't care less for the person being executed, and neither do Stannis' bannermen. Florent was a traitor to the King. So was Sunglass. The men he burned in the North were cannibals. None of them deserved the mercy of a quick death.

Come on now, there's no way Alester Florent deserved such a horrific death.

[braintech6]

HODOR!

[Nictarion]

I disagreed with your speculation the Stannis would have gone through burning Edric Strom because he hadn't made a decision.

Davos certainly believed he would, otherwise he wouldn't have risked his own life to get Edric away from him.

[mindchap]

HODOR!

Honestly he would make a better king than some. I think Mel is unknowingly killing Stannis anyway, and I would rather see Davos on the IT than Stannis.

[StarkSempre]

Doran Martell as king and oberyn his hand or vice versa. I'd love the part that doran tells that oberyn is the viper and doran is grass that hides snakes

[brzibrzi]

Tywin Lannister, without a doubt. Because he has the wisdom to be ruthless without being cruel, to know when kindness is in fact the way to greater cruelty. The best king would be the one who could secure a long lasting peace to the realm and Tywin is (was) the one.

“There is where you’re wrong,” Myles Toyne had replied. “Lord Tywin would not have bothered

with a search. He would have burned that town and every living creature in it. Men and boys, babes at

the breast, noble knights and holy septons, pigs and whores, rats and rebels, he would have burned

them all. When the fires guttered out and only ash and cinders remained, he would have sent his men in

to find the bones of Robert Baratheon. Later, when Stark and Tully turned up with their host, he would

have offered pardons to the both of them, and they would have accepted and turned for home with

their tails between their legs.”

He was not wrong, Jon Connington reflected, leaning on the battlements of his forebears. I

wanted the glory of slaying Robert in single combat, and I did not want the name of butcher. So Robert

escaped me and cut down Rhaegar on the Trident. “I failed the father,” he said, “but I will not fail the

son.”

This is one good example - Tywin would sacrifice a village to prevent a war which would destroy hundreds of thousands of lives, which brings me back to the ruthless/cruel/kindness/cruelty quote above (does anyone recognize the quote?).

Another good example (it pains me to write this) is the red wedding - why is killing a few people at a dinner worse than killing thousands in a war? That brilliant (however shamefull) maneuver shortened the war greatly, saving countless lives.

[SerBrightflame]

Aemon, the First of His Name. Her Grace Queen Olenna. Aemon would have been the greatest King Westeros ever had, a cross between Jaehaerys and Rhaegar. With Olenna as his Queen he could ably play the Game.

[Nerolunar]

Garlan Tyrell!

[Twilight Dragon]

Bloodraven, but his age is gone and Shiera should be dead.

Tywin, he's not good person but he understands needs of people and kindom.

I thought about Daenerys if she were with same personality and properly educated to rule. I mean she doesn't understand the way resourses moves. If she did and thought well about all the situation she'll get more outcome. And she's a teenager yet, she has to bea bit older to rule nicely.

Rhaegar Targaryen.. well people who knew him said he could be nice ruler, but.... nice ruler never will set the situation with lyanna grow into the rebellion.

[Valyrian Steel Link]

Aegon VI : Lived alongside smallfolk so he understands their situation but has received tutelage and training worthy of a ruler. Seems like a good balance, plus the kid seems okay so far (particularly in contrast to other noble children, particularly the "Baratheon" brood).

[the_cause2000]

THE KINGINTHANAWWTH!

robb stark

:(

[David Selig]

Tywin Lannister, without a doubt. Because he has the wisdom to be ruthless without being cruel, to know when kindness is in fact the way to greater cruelty. The best king would be the one who could secure a long lasting peace to the realm and Tywin is (was) the one.

“There is where you’re wrong,” Myles Toyne had replied. “Lord Tywin would not have bothered

with a search. He would have burned that town and every living creature in it. Men and boys, babes at

the breast, noble knights and holy septons, pigs and whores, rats and rebels, he would have burned

them all. When the fires guttered out and only ash and cinders remained, he would have sent his men in

to find the bones of Robert Baratheon. Later, when Stark and Tully turned up with their host, he would

have offered pardons to the both of them, and they would have accepted and turned for home with

their tails between their legs.”

He was not wrong, Jon Connington reflected, leaning on the battlements of his forebears. I

wanted the glory of slaying Robert in single combat, and I did not want the name of butcher. So Robert

escaped me and cut down Rhaegar on the Trident. “I failed the father,” he said, “but I will not fail the

son.”

This is one good example - Tywin would sacrifice a village to prevent a war which would destroy hundreds of thousands of lives, which brings me back to the ruthless/cruel/kindness/cruelty quote above (does anyone recognize the quote?).

Another good example (it pains me to write this) is the red wedding - why is killing a few people at a dinner worse than killing thousands in a war? That brilliant (however shamefull) maneuver shortened the war greatly, saving countless lives.

Those are two terrible examples. It's not like the rebels would've just stop fighting and give up because Robert had been killed, whatever some people say. They had nothing to lose, they couldn't rely on Aerys non-existent mercy. Besides, they still had a good chance to win even without Robert.

Thousands died at the Red Wedding, not just a dozen, and the war didn't end, it just had a brief break.

[mrunderhill]

Those are two terrible examples. It's not like the rebels would've just stop fighting and give up because Robert had been killed, whatever some people say. They had nothing to lose, they couldn't rely on Aerys non-existent mercy. Besides, they still had a good chance to win even without Robert.

Thousands died at the Red Wedding, not just a dozen, and the war didn't end, it just had a brief break.

No they did not have any chance of winning without Robert. Most of the men, would have broken and run just like the Targaryen forces did with the death of Rhaegar. Robert was the focal point, the charismatic leader and the great general leading the rebellion. He was such an incredible military commander he was able to win many battles against the odds. Without Robert a lot of the Storm Lands Lords would have returned back to the crown and crushed Ned/Jon if they tried to continue.

I don't think thousands died at the royal wedding or it was acceptable, but it did save a lot more men that a outdrawn war would have.