Stannis Baratheon

Stannis Baratheon
A Song of Ice and Fire character
File:Stannis Baratheon-Stephen Dillane.jpg Stephen Dillane as Stannis Baratheon
First appearance	Novel: A Clash of Kings (1998) Television: "The North Remembers" (2012)
Last appearance	Novel: A Dance with Dragons (2011) Television: "Mother's Mercy" (2015)
Created by	George R. R. Martin
Portrayed by	Stephen Dillane Game of Thrones
Information
Title	Lord of Dragonstone Lord Paramount of the Stormlands Master of Ships Lord of Storm's End
Family	House Baratheon
Spouse(s)	Selyse Baratheon
Children	Shireen Baratheon
Relatives	Steffon Baratheon (father) Cassana Baratheon (mother) Robert Baratheon (brother) Renly Baratheon (brother)
Kingdom	The Stormlands

Stannis Baratheon, is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin, and its television adaptation Game of Thrones.

Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Stannis is the son of Steffon Baratheon from the fictional kingdom of Westeros. He subsequently appeared in Martin's A Clash of Kings (1998) and A Storm of Swords (2000) and A Dance with Dragons (2011)

Stannis is portrayed by Stephen Dillane in the HBO television adaptation.

Character description

Stannis Baratheon is the younger brother of King Robert and older brother of Renly. He is portrayed as a brooding and humorless man with a harsh sense of justice and an obsession with slights both real and imagined. He is regarded as a skilled but overcautious military commander.

Stannis is married to Lady Selyse of House Florent, and has a daughter named Shireen. Fifteen years before the events of the series, Stannis fought alongside his brother when Robert rebelled against House Targaryen. There he endured a year long siege at Storm's End, nearly starving. Stannis survived because Davos Seaworth smuggled them enough food to last until the siege was lifted. After the siege was lifted, Robert ordered him to storm Dragonstone, a task in which he succeeded. For his efforts, he was given Dragonstone, but Stannis treated that as a slight, because Renly was given the House Baratheon seat of Storm's End. Stannis also played a major part in putting down the Greyjoy Rebellion by defeating the Iron Fleet.

Overview

Stannis Baratheon is not a point of view character in the novels, so his actions are witnessed and interpreted through the eyes of other people, such as Davos Seaworth.

Reception

The English actor Stephen Dillane has received positive reviews for his role as Stannis Baratheon in the tv-series.

Storylines

Personal coat of arms of Stannis Baratheon

Shortly before A Game of Thrones, Stannis and Jon Arryn discovered that Queen Cersei Lannister's children were not fathered by Robert. When Jon Arryn was poisoned, Stannis flees the capital, where he takes Melisandre of Asshai, priestess of the god R'hllor, as a trusted adviser. Melisandre convinces Stannis that he is Azor Ahai reborn, a messianic figure who will end the war between R'hllor and his enemy, the Great Other.

A Game of Thrones

He is briefly mentioned but not seen in A Game of Thrones (1996).

A Clash of Kings

After his brother Robert's death, Stannis declares himself King; however, most of the Baratheon bannermen support the claim of his younger and more charismatic brother, Renly. When Renly is assassinated by Stannis, many of Renly's bannermen immediately swear allegiance to Stannis, who then attacks King's Landing. The Lannisters and Tyrells defeat him, and Stannis loses most of his ships and men.

A Storm of Swords

In A Storm of Swords, Stannis retreats to Dragonstone with what is left of his army. Davos, his Hand, persuades him to save the Night's Watch from the wildling army. Stannis takes most of his remaining army and sails north to crush the wildling assault, managing to rout the whole host with few casualties.

A Feast for Crows

He is not seen in A Feast for Crows (2005).

A Dance with Dragons

In A Dance with Dragons, Stannis stays at the Wall to negotiate with the wildlings, giving them refuge from the Others and allowing them to settle the northern regions of Westeros. To rally the North, Stannis wins some of Robb Stark's defeated bannermen to his side and marches on Winterfell to confront the Boltons, but is waylaid by heavy snows. His invasion bogs down in the blizzard, and his fate is unknown. A letter from Ramsay Bolton is later sent to Jon Snow at the Wall claiming that Stannis has been defeated and killed by the Boltons.

TV adaptation

Stannis Baratheon is played by Stephen Dillane in the television adaption of the series of books.

Storylines

Stannis Baratheon, Lord of Dragonstone, is the elder of Robert Baratheon's younger brothers. A brooding, humorless man known for a hard and unyielding sense of justice, he is obsessed with slights real and imagined. With Robert dying, Ned sends him a letter appointing him as the legitimate heir and becomes another challenger for the Iron Throne after his nephew Joffrey becomes King. By Season 2, he has fallen under the influence of Melisandre, a priestess of R'hllor. After Robert's death, Stannis claims himself the true heir to the Iron Throne as Cersei's children are illegitimate and names himself King of the Seven Kingdoms. However, most of the Baratheon bannermen support the claim of the more charismatic Renly. When Renly is mysteriously slain, many of Renly's bannermen immediately swear allegiance to Stannis. He then attacks King's Landing by sailing up the Blackwater Bay. However, due to Tyrion's plan using wild fire and reinforcements by the Lannisters and Tyrell Cavalry, he loses the Battle of Blackwater. Despite this setback, he is convinced to continue fighting by Melisandre, and is further convinced by her magic as she lets him see a vision of a battle in the flames. He acquires one of Robert's bastards, Gendry, from the Brotherhood Without Banners and plans to sacrifice him to further his quest for the Iron Throne. After Davos questions his course of action, Stannis has three leeches drawn with Gendry's blood and throws them into a fire, calling for the death of Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and Joffrey Baratheon. Upon the news of Robb's death, Davos releases Gendry to prevent him from being burned. Stannis subsequently sentences his Hand to death but is swayed by Melisandre, who encourages him to travel North to aid the Night's Watch against the threat emerging from beyond the Wall.

In season 4, Stannis hears of Joffrey's death and chastises Davos again for releasing Gendry and not finding him a suitable army, prompting Davos to write to the Iron Bank of Braavos in Stannis's name to help pay for an army. The Iron Bank very nearly refuses Stannis' request, even subtly belittling him in the process, but Davos manages to convince them that Stannis is easily the only one they can turn to since Tywin Lannister is nearing old age. Stannis and his army arrive at the Wall shortly after the Battle for Castle Black, interrupting a supposed parley between Jon Snow and Mance Rayder. Stannis learns that Jon is Ned Stark's son, and on Jon's advice, he places Mance and his men under arrest. He is later present at the funeral of the Night's Watch brothers who died during the Battle for Castle Black.

In season 5, Stannis begins plans to retake the North from Roose Bolton, hoping to recruit Mance's wildling army, if Mance will bend the knee to him. Mance refuses, and Stannis orders him burned at the stake. Although Stannis was not pleased that Jon interfered with Mance's execution, he presents Jon an enticing offer. If Jon bends the knee and swears his loyalty to Stannis, the king will legitimize him as Jon Stark, making him the Lord of Winterfell. Stannis, after receiving a message from Lyanna Mormont, knows that having a Stark on his side is the best chance of rallying the Northerners to his cause. Stannis departs from the Wall soon afterward, on a mission to take Winterfell from the Boltons. However, his party is delayed by a large snowstorm that ravages the North, and Ramsay Bolton and his men sabotage his supplies by burning them. He eventually agrees, most reluctantly, to sacrifice his daughter to the Lord of Light, sending Davos to the Wall to find supplies as he knows he would never approve of this most drastic action. Conferring with his daughter before her sacrifice, he admits that he will hate himself forever, but goes through with the act, witnessing tearfully as his daughter succumbs. The next day, the blizzard has lifted, though half his army, including all of his mercenaries, disgusted by what they have witnessed, have mutinied en masse, taking all the horses to join the Boltons. Selyse is found hanged in a woods, having broken and relented the sacrifice of their child in the last minute and taken her own life. Stannis decides to finish the march on Winterfell by foot, where his greatly diminished army is greeted by a massive cavalry force led by Ramsay (likely reinforced by the mutineers) which defeats him. Fending off remaining Bolton soldiers in a nearby grove, Stannis succumbs by a tree, where he is greeted by Brienne of Tarth, reminding him of his fratricide. Stannis accepts responsibility and tells Brienne to fulfil her duty, and she lifts her sword and swings.