Fangirl Friday: Stan The Man

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My Fangirl Friday is about Stannis Baratheon, the First of His Name, second son of Lord Steffon Baratheon and Lady Cassana of House Estermont, Lord of Dragonstone, the man styling himself King of Westeros. If you are a Game of Thrones (on HBO) fan, you are probably wondering, “Why???” I know, I know…he does seem super boring, lame, and a whiner. He's also like that sibling that pitches a fit when he doesn't get his way. However, in my defense, I’m reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin, so I probably have more information than you do if you are only watching the show. Follow me through the jump for some *spoilery* reasons why Stan should be Your Man! (For King of Westeros…not for anything else…he’s not hot…LOL)




I've been reading ASOIAF for about a year now, off and on. I should warn you now, I am not yet finished, but I am SO close. I'm about 65% through A Dance with Dragons. As I've read through each book, I've been rooting for this King or that Queen. Although, never the Lannisters, especially that horrid Cersei. (She makes a great villain, btw, and you can read about her in my Fangirl Friday here.) Truly, I was never interested in Stannis Baratheon. Just recently, I've changed my mind, but I didn't think much about all of my waffling until I saw this post on facebook:

Posted by Jaime Lannister Loyalists facebook page
That is some funny shit. And he's right! 
Look, WE the readers knew that Stan The Man is the true heir to the throne. We’ve always known it. Then, why did “we” not get behind him from the beginning? One guess is because I was sympathetic to the Starks, especially after Ned was beheaded. Also, Robb and Renly were more charismatic leaders. Lastly, I really didn't think that Stannis had what it takes to lead the realm. We knew so little of him; and what we did know wasn't very exciting. He’s a patient man, demonstrated by his victory at Storm’s End (back when Robert was usurping the throne from the Targaryens) merely by waiting out the enemy. He’s not a fighter, and I’ll admit that it’s more exciting to back the men that fight for what they want. 
So, what’s changed? Well, for me, there was one big event that changed my mind. It was when Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, sent ravens to all the “Kings” in Westeros, begging for help at the Wall. Stannis is the only one that took him seriously and responded. During the fight against the wildlings, Stannis swooped in and was instrumental in defeating the wildlings. That done, Stannis is heading South, and he has a plan to gain forces and support along the way. Plus, Jon is behind him now, even though he keeps thinking about how the Night's Watch should take no part in matters of the realm. Jon is one of the most respected and loved characters in the series, so it’s easy to trust his judgement on who is the most capable of being King. When Stannis won Jon over, he won me too. 

 Stan The Man's other attributes: 

  • His always prevalent sense of "justice" that was demonstrated by him cutting off half of Davos' fingers as punishment for smuggling. Yet, at the same time, he inspired undying loyalty from Davos.  
  • The prophecy that Stannis is Azor Ahai come again. Melisandre, a priestess to R'hllor, the Lord of Light, said this:  
"In ancient books of Asshai it is written that there will come a day after a long summer when the stars bleed and the cold breath of darkness falls heavy on the world. In this dread hour a warrior shall draw from the fire a burning sword. And that sword shall be Lightbringer, the Red Sword of Heroes, and he who clasps it shall be Azor Ahai come again, and the darkness shall flee before him."
  

My biggest concern not in favor of Stannis was Maester Aemon telling Sam that Daenerys Targaryen is their only hope. I haven't been too impressed with Danys throughout the series, actually. I think that one day her and Stannis shall meet to battle it out for the throne. Although, Stan The Man has won me over with his latest accomplishments, I will keep an open mind. You know how it goes with this series. The ones you love always die!
 

I'd love to know, who are you backing to be King or Queen of Westeros? Do you watch the show, read the books, or both? 




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