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I'm coming around to Stannis


aceluby

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If there's a character that grows on you on re-reads, it's Stannis. In fact, you come to appreciate little tidbits about him on re-reads.



For example, when Cat tells Stannis about Arya and Sansa, he says "If your daughters are found when I take the city, I'll return them to you", and Cat thinks his tone said "alive or dead", but even if that was true and not just Cat's prejudice against Stannis, at least he reassured her about her daughters.



Renly, on the other hand, didn't even mention them and he knew them! (well, Sansa, at least). Instead, he just says "My lady, when I take King's Landing I will bring you Cersei's head"

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If there's a character that grows on you on re-reads, it's Stannis. In fact, you come to appreciate little tidbits about him on re-reads.

For example, when Cat tells Stannis about Arya and Sansa, he says "If your daughters are found when I take the city, I'll return them to you", and Cat thinks his tone said "alive or dead", but even if that was true and not just Cat's prejudice against Stannis, at least he reassured her about her daughters.

Renly, on the other hand, didn't even mention them and he knew them! (well, Sansa, at least). Instead, he just says "My lady, when I take King's Landing I will bring you Cersei's head"

This.

I've been re-reading GoT. There's a scene that affected me a lot more this time around. It's when Sansa is brought before the Queen post Ned's arrest. There's Littlefinger, Pycelle and Varys there. As well as Kingsguard and redcloaks. At this moment Sansa is pretty much the most powerless character in the book, even crippled Bran has his wolf to protect him.

What's more is in getting here she's done nothing but follow the rules. Arya escapes because she's a wild child, but Sansa has spent every moment trying to be a proper lady like society expects and yet here she is her father arrested, her sister missing, her best friend being "taken care of" by Littlefinger and her own fate uncertain.

Nearly everything wrong is the realm (and the next four books) is due to the people in this room. Cersei and her power machinations, Littlefinger sowing chaos for his own sick games and Varys who claims he loves the realm but secretly wants to see it bleed for his Pretender in the wings.

And I think if Stannis could only have his way all of them would have their heads on spikes...

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I never hated him, but I did, and still do, disagree w/ those that justify every act he has done, not everything he's done is good or honorable. It turned me off him because I didn't join the boards until after I finished the 5th book and Stannis never really stood out to me and the threads about him were borderline riduclous (still can be). I've paid much more attention this time around and can appreciate some of the intricacies that make the character. He's unusual and interesting.

Fair enough. For my part as far as the "borderline ridiculous" Stannis stanning goes...to be honest I myself don't deny Stannis has done bad things, but I do tend to defend him when he comes under fire for them because

  1. The worst things Stannis has done pale in comparison to a lot of the other atrocities committed in the series.

People hate on him for things he *thought about* doing, like Jesus Christ this isn't fucking Minority Report.

And honestly...all the "King Stannis is my God" type stuff comes with his status as a memetic badass character of the series. I find it funny in a hammy type of way myself. But regardless I'm happy you've come to appreciate Stannis. Not trying to make myself sound critical so much as show where his fanbase is coming from.

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