Stannis wrote the Pink Letter. (Updated)

[Thucydides]

Also, in his last letter to Jon, Stannis says something to the effect of "I need you at the wall defending against the real enemy."

[bemused]

Yes, from Stannis' letter to Jon ...

I will save your sister if I can, and find a better match for her than Ramsay Snow. You and your brothers must hold the Wall until I can return.

This would have been written before he even knew Selyse and Shireen were at CB

[Ser Daegon]

My problem with this theory lies wholly on Stannis' motivation for forging the letter. Why would he risk it, risk losing any support of the Watch, risk losing support of his wife's albeit small amount of men? I just don't see how it would benefit Stannis at all to take that risk just for the chance that maybe Jon would abandon the Watch. If someone can come up with a viable reason, I might pay actual attention. Keep in mind that Ramsey doesn't ever actually say that they're going to march on Castle Black. He simply tells Jon to send Stannis' queen, daughter, and red witch to him or he'll cut his bastard's heart out and eat it. Sure, that's a direct threat to Jon himself.

My "Bastard Letter" Theory is this: Ramsey wrote the letter. He caught Mance, he tortured him in ways only he could enjoy, and he skinned the Spearwives. As to why Roose would allow him to send a letter admitting that his "Lady" wife was stolen from him... it can only be assumed that people would soon find out anyway. There's no way that could be kept a secret. However, screaming to everyone that Mance Rayder is still alive has many benefits... it makes Stannis Baratheon a liar. It makes Lord Commander Snow a liar. As to whether the Bolton forces really did defeat Stannis'... that remains to be seen, but that fact that he mentions he wants his wife and he wants his Reek doesn't prove that Stannis isn't dead. Remember, Asha was just delivered her men from Deepwood Motte and she has the idea planted in her head that Theon can be used for a new Kingsmoot. It could be that Stannis doesn't keep Theon and "Arya" for very long. Ramsey can only assume that they're heading to the Wall, to Jon Snow, because of the information he tortured out of Mance.

Why do people come up with "Stannis wrote the Pink Letter" theories? Because Stannis carries a HUGE fanbase on these forums. People don't want him to lose, to die. Well... a lot of characters have died in the books that no one wants dead. A kind of denial. Stannis isn't even a "main" character, despite being much beloved.

[Stan the Man Baratheon]

Why do people come up with "Stannis wrote the Pink Letter" theories? Because Stannis carries a HUGE fanbase on these forums. People don't want him to lose, to die. Well... a lot of characters have died in the books that no one wants dead. A kind of denial. Stannis isn't even a "main" character, despite being much beloved.

BS.

Stannis is 13th most mentioned character in the series.

Brienne and Davos who are PoV characters are 17th and 19th respectively.

[Twenty of House Goodmen]

While I don't think Stannis is one of the most important characters, he's definitely top 20 in terms of importance. After all, he's the only one of the five kings that's still alive, and becomes involved with six POV characters.

[Stan the Man Baratheon]

While I don't think Stannis is one of the most important characters, he's definitely top 20 in terms of importance. After all, he's the only one of the five kings that's still alive, and becomes involved with six POV characters.

Yeah same he comes around 10th or 11th in my book, in terms of importance.

[Twenty of House Goodmen]

Yeah same he comes around 10th or 11th in my book, in terms of importance.

I might have him a little higher, but I would put him above POV characters like Brienne, Victarion, and Asha.

[Ser Daegon]

BS.

Stannis is 13th most mentioned character in the series.

Brienne and Davos who are PoV characters are 17th and 19th respectively.

Stannis is a contender for the Iron Throne who has survived through all the the books thus far, of course he's going to be mentioned a lot. He also happens to cross paths with several of the POV characters. By "main" character I mean POV, the characters from which we get the story.

[Stan the Man Baratheon]

Stannis is a contender for the Iron Throne who has survived through all the the books thus far, of course he's going to be mentioned a lot. He also happens to cross paths with several of the POV characters. By "main" character I mean POV, the characters from which we get the story.

So brienne, Asha, Arianne, Areo are more important than Stannis?

Then where do you rank him in terms of importance. Not by PoV system but by plot importance.

[Ser Daegon]

I rather like Stannis, myself, but I don't buy into "Pink Letter" theories or "Night's King" theories. How about a "Stannis is a pretender and a false Messiah" theory? Maybe he doesn't die, maybe he does. I think it likely he'll live long enough to cross paths with Dany, considering she had a vision of him in the House of the Undying. Slayer of lies.

[Ser Daegon]

I think the POV characters push the story and show us the world we're supposed to see. Be that as it may, it shows us that Stannis isn't the "Hero of Light" that Mel thinks he is, that Dany will Slay the Lie that he is. I think he's important, because he's playing a heavy role. But he's not a core, main character.

[Twenty of House Goodmen]

So brienne, Asha, Arianne, Areo are more important than Stannis?

Then where do you rank him in terms of importance. Not by PoV system but by plot importance.

I think just about every primary pov character with the exception of Brienne(although that could change is depending on the next two books) are more important than him. I'd say he's more important than all of the "minor" ones like Aeron, Areo, Asha, Victarion, Mel, JonC, Arianne, etc. Not that they aren't important.

By the way, I don't think he wrote the letter either.

[Stan the Man Baratheon]

I think the POV characters push the story and show us the world we're supposed to see. Be that as it may, it shows us that Stannis isn't the "Hero of Light" that Mel thinks he is, that Dany will Slay the Lie that he is. I think he's important, because he's playing a heavy role. But he's not a core, main character.

Yeah certainly i agree, he is Not one of the main characters and by main characters i mean top 10. Jon, Tyrion, Dany, Bran, Sansa, Arya, Jaime, Catelyn, Cersei and Theon/Stannis/Robb/Ned.

[Mithras]

My problem with this theory lies wholly on Stannis' motivation for forging the letter. Why would he risk it, risk losing any support of the Watch, risk losing support of his wife's albeit small amount of men? I just don't see how it would benefit Stannis at all to take that risk just for the chance that maybe Jon would abandon the Watch. If someone can come up with a viable reason, I might pay actual attention. Keep in mind that Ramsey doesn't ever actually say that they're going to march on Castle Black. He simply tells Jon to send Stannis' queen, daughter, and red witch to him or he'll cut his bastard's heart out and eat it. Sure, that's a direct threat to Jon himself.

My "Bastard Letter" Theory is this: Ramsey wrote the letter. He caught Mance, he tortured him in ways only he could enjoy, and he skinned the Spearwives. As to why Roose would allow him to send a letter admitting that his "Lady" wife was stolen from him... it can only be assumed that people would soon find out anyway. There's no way that could be kept a secret. However, screaming to everyone that Mance Rayder is still alive has many benefits... it makes Stannis Baratheon a liar. It makes Lord Commander Snow a liar. As to whether the Bolton forces really did defeat Stannis'... that remains to be seen, but that fact that he mentions he wants his wife and he wants his Reek doesn't prove that Stannis isn't dead. Remember, Asha was just delivered her men from Deepwood Motte and she has the idea planted in her head that Theon can be used for a new Kingsmoot. It could be that Stannis doesn't keep Theon and "Arya" for very long. Ramsey can only assume that they're heading to the Wall, to Jon Snow, because of the information he tortured out of Mance.

Why do people come up with "Stannis wrote the Pink Letter" theories? Because Stannis carries a HUGE fanbase on these forums. People don't want him to lose, to die. Well... a lot of characters have died in the books that no one wants dead. A kind of denial. Stannis isn't even a "main" character, despite being much beloved.

1. Stannis wants to warn Jon about the incoming army of Boltons. CB is not defendable from the South. The only good defence against an army coming from South is to stay alert and meet them on the way. Boltons know that too.

2. This is not the original letter Stannis sent in my opinion. The too damn personal discourse of the letter suggests that somebody who knows Jon well and hates him much was involved in editing the letter (the stink of Thorne all over)

3. Ramsay will surely march on CB to take his bride and most probably the head of Jon as well. Jon is one of the few people who can prove fArya's true identity. That is why I dont give a single chance that Ramsay would send a letter to inform his coming. He already used tricks to slay Ser Rodrik and his men. His plan to strike CB should include the same tactic.

4. We are coming with Stannis wrote the Pink Letter theories because he has the motives and necessary information to write the letter.

[Ser Daegon]

1. Stannis wants to warn Jon about the incoming army of Boltons. CB is not defendable from the South. The only good defence against an army coming from South is to stay alert and meet them on the way. Boltons know that too.

2. This is not the original letter Stannis sent in my opinion. The too damn personal discourse of the letter suggests that somebody who knows Jon well and hates him much was involved in editing the letter (the stink of Thorne all over)

3. Ramsay will surely march on CB to take his bride and most probably the head of Jon as well. Jon is one of the few people who can prove fArya's true identity. That is why I dont give a single chance that Ramsay would send a letter to inform his coming. He already used tricks to slay Ser Rodrik and his men. His plan to strike CB should include the same tactic.

4. We are coming with Stannis wrote the Pink Letter theories because he has the motives and necessary information to write the letter.

I don't see his motives for writing it. If he wants to warn Jon... then send a letter saying "Jon, Ramsey Snow is coming to kill you." Some convoluted plan to get Jon to react in some specific way like that... that's insane. Stannis isn't in to tricks and manipulation. He's a just and straight forward man. He had lines cut out of his "Cersei is an incestuous whore" letter because he deemed them "a lie," what makes anyone think he's going to approve of subterfuge on the level of the pink letter theory?

[Ser Daegon]

As far as the Thorne theory goes... why would he even need to tamper with it? Would someone like Ramsey not be able to push some sort of action out of Jon? I know people say that it could be from Thorne because of how many times it calls Jon a bastard, knowing that the name will bother him. But Ramsey knows how it feels, he is a bastard himself... it clearly bothered him, so why shouldn't it bother Jon Snow too? I don't see a conspiracy by the Marsh gang, that was a reaction and not a proaction. A last straw.

[Stan the Man Baratheon]

As far as the Thorne theory goes... why would he even need to tamper with it? Would someone like Ramsey not be able to push some sort of action out of Jon? I know people say that it could be from Thorne because of how many times it calls Jon a bastard, knowing that the name will bother him. But Ramsey knows how it feels, he is a bastard himself... it clearly bothered him, so why shouldn't it bother Jon Snow too? I don't see a conspiracy by the Marsh gang, that was a reaction and not a proaction. A last straw.

Also to add he won't call himself the False King in any circumstances.

[Ser Daegon]

Also to add he won't call himself the False King in any circumstances.

I would absolutely agree with this. Stannis is such a powerfully depicted character, to pull something like subtle subterfuge this far into the books would go totally against everything we've learned about his character. And if that were the case, I would not like Stannis as much as I do. He's a man who sticks to his values and doesn't falter. You have to respect that.

[Mithras]

Stannis had left a dozen of his men behind to serve her when he marched south, but most of them were useless.

... She [Mel] had two drunkards and a craven too. The last should have been hanged, as the king himself admitted, but he came from a noble family, and his father and brothers had been stalwart from the first.

Stannis did not hang the guy who deserved it. How straightforward is that?

[starkprincess]

well this theory is very convincing ! stannis must have thought this is the only way that jon would break his NW VOWS!