History Foil / ASongOfIceAndFire

** While the Starks who rule the North are some of the most honourable characters and fight the Lannisters, the Boltons are a family with a very unpleasant reputation who betray the Starks and are rewarded by the Lannisters with control of the North. Also, while the Starks have skin-changing abilities, the Boltons have a tradition of flaying their enemies so they can wear their skins.

** House Bolton. While the Starks represent the best parts of the North and it's people (such as loyalty, community, and perseverance), the Bolton represent the worst parts (such as grimness, ruthlessness, and savagery).

* Brienne of Tarthpu

* Brienne of Tarth

* House Bolton. While the Starks represent the best parts of the North and it's people (such as loyalty, community, and perseverance), the Bolton represent the worst parts (such as grimness, ruthlessness, and savagery).

** Tywin Lannister. Both of them are powerful, competent, and highly respected lords with a lot of sway in Kings Landing, but their methodologies are almost complete opposites. Eddard rules with respect and justice, Tywin rules through fear. Eddard leads by example, Tywin delegates. Both men value their families, but where Eddard loves his children unconditionally, Tywin approaches paternal duties as a cold necessity. They also both place a high value on honor, but whereas for Eddard that means always doing the right thing, Tywin is more concerned with his reputation [[spoiler: and is secretly full of shit.]]

** Jaime Lannister. He was one of the best warriors of the realm ([[MenaceDecay before he let himself go]]) but also had a sinister reputation (they both have good and bad nicknames). [[spoiler: But it's Jaime who chooses to try to redeem himself.]]

** Jeyne Westerling. A liaison with a highborn nobleman of the royalty leads them to elope against everyone's wishes to disastrous results. Lyanna and Jeyne are considered overtly willful by their own families They are both reminisced by the Lannisters as women who were not worth going to war for or throwing away a kingdom for (Robb put his kingdom and war campaign in jeopardy for marrying Jeyne; Rhaeghar started a war due to his kidnapping of Lyanna). Lyanna ends up dying, while Jeyne is made a captive of her own family (who are Lannister loyalists) [[spoiler:though differing accounts of Jeyne's appearance lead to the possibility that she escaped Riverrun with the Blackfish, sending an impostor to the Westerlings]].

** Tyrion Lannister. Both are second sons who are hated by the majority of the Seven Kingdoms and thought of as [[EvilUncle evil uncles]] to Joffrey who were plotting to usurp the crown themselves. The difference is Stannis knows [[spoiler:Joffrey isn't his nephew, making him the rightful Head of House Baratheon. Tyrion is accused of poisoning Joffrey and found guilty, but was actually innocent.]] Both have terrible relationships with their siblings, though Tyrion at least had a good relationship with Jaime for most of his life, [[spoiler:Stannis was never treated well.]] Both have brilliant minds and win great victories, but don't receive their due appreciation for this. Both show some respect for lower folk, with Tyrion this is because, being a dwarf, he holds sympathy for those in similar positions. Stannis shows more respect for the lower folk out of his obsession with giving everybody their due, regardless of social rank. However Stannis is a stern PrincipalsZealot who is uncomfortable with sex and terrible socially, though with a dry deadpan sense of humor. Tyrion is a hedonistic figure who regularly consorts with prostitutes and is able to find witty answers most of the time.

** House Karstark. Both are among the most powerful Northern Houses. While the Greatjon Umber shows dissent to Robb Stark early on, after being [[DefeatMeansFriendship defeated]] he becomes a loyal ally. Rickard Karstark seems loyal early on, but ends up murdering prisoners to avenge his sons, causing Robb to execute him. Both Lords appoint their uncles as castellans and both the Lords are captured by the Lannisters, [[spoiler:the Greatjon at the Red Wedding while his son Smalljon Umber is murdered, after Rickard's death his only surviving son Harrion, now Lord Karstark, is captured.]] The Last Hearth castellans split under Bolton rule, with Mors declaring for Stannis and Hother for Roose Bolton, however Mors is clear that he doesn't want to fight his family and the Umbers want their nephew home safely. Rickard's uncle Arnolf Karstark declares for Stannis, [[spoiler:but is really working with the Boltons and planning to betray Stannis, hoping his great-nephew Harrion will be executed for [[EvilUncle his declaration]] to Stannis, enabling his branch of the family to take control of Karhold.]]

** Stannis Baratheon. He did what Stannis planned to do, enforce justice on everybody at the corrupt court, regardless of their class or title.

** Renly Baratheon. Stannis is the very lawful older brother with No Social Skills who is unpopular among the populace and claims the throne after his oldest brother's death as by law it should be his, Renly the younger brother is a well-liked and charismatic figure who uses this to try and win him the Iron Throne and gets more support than Stannis. They also both promote someone for merit despite social convention. Renly promotes Brienne of Tarth to his Rainbow Guard even though she is a woman. Stannis knighted a lowborn smuggler, Ser Davos Seaworth, and makes them his Hand, valuing their counsel more than his Lords.

** Brienne of Tarth.

** Speaking of Varys, his monologue about the ideal leader Westeros needs could be read with Arya in mind and fits perfectly. Trained in arms, reads and writes, speaks several tongues [[note]](Common Tongue, High Valyrian, Braavosi, Lysen and Pentoshi)[[/note]] has studied history [[note]](she adores female figures like Visenya and Nymeria)[[/note]] and law [[note]]([[spoiler: the reason she killed Daeron]])[[/note]] and poetry [[note]](prefers songs of Wenda the White Fawn)[[/note]]. She has lived with fisherfolk, worked with her hands, swum in rivers (like a fish according to Jon) and mended nets and learned to wash her own clothes at need. She can fish and cook and bind up a wound, she knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. She understands kingship is a duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them [[note]](she defended the butcher's boy Mycah from Prince Joffrey, and understands that the smallfolk deserve freely-given justice.)[[/note]] Varys, however, wasn't talking about Arya, but about [[spoiler: Aegon VI]].

** Eddard Stark.

** Lyanna Stark. Arya is frequently compared to her aunt by many characters, especially her father, from looks to personality. Like Lyanna, Arya is Tomboy-ish, one-of-the-boys, HotBlooded and has a tendency to defend the weak. Both were separated from their families during a war, and never got rescued.

** House Blackfyres. Both continually claimed to be the rightful rulers of the Seven Kingdoms. However, the Blackfyres actually had an army to back up their claim.

** Oberyn Martell

** Kevan Lannister. Both are highly capable and basically decent- or at least, principled- men who are loyal to less scrupulous, more murderous lords they regard as family (Robert and Tywin, respectively, though Tywin actually ''is'' Kevan's family), generally ignoring the faults that ultimately get those men killed (ie. their whoring and their treatment of the ''rest'' of their family) because they think said men deserve to be in charge- Ned gets a twofer since he thinks his older brother Brandon would have been a better head of House Stark, just as Kevan thought that Tywin was most suited to heading House Lannister. They both show themselves to be good family men who genuinelly love their family. [[spoiler:Both men die pretty much because they followed their principles and both mens' deaths serve mainly to make Westeros more unstable; its less direct with Ned, but both are also killed by children.]]

** Stannis Baratheon. Both are second sons with a strong sense of duty, both helped Robert greatly during his rebellion. Both try to clean up the corruption in the realm. However Stannis knows that being brutal is necessary, which enables him to survive longer. Ned is liked by Robert like a brother, while Robert doesn't get on with his actual brothers and is on especially bad terms with Stannis, due to naming Ned as Hand instead of Stannis, a title Ned didn't want. Both are considered traitors by the majority of the realm but are in reality among the most moral and principled characters in a CrapsackWorld.

** Genna Lannister Genna is everything a Lady of Lannister should ever be, grounded, proud and authoritative... much unlike her niece Cersei, who is neither grounded nor authoritative. Much of the things Cersei has accomplished by being a Lannister, Genna has done so ''in spite of being a Frey''.

** Tyrion Lannister. Though they are on opposite physionomic spectra when it comes to beauty, gender and size, they are intertwined in their stories. They come to the bitter realization that no one will ever marry them for love. They are both rather intelligent, if naive and they have to contend against the same people in King's Landing. They end up married to each other against their will and they are currently [[spoiler:on flight, as they are both accused of conspiring to kill Joffrey.]]

** Renly Tyrell. They're the youngest, most handsome, and most well-loved of their respective families; idolized by highborn and lowborn alike, proud, arrogant, and ready to prove themselves. Both wear expensive, elaborate armour that and have glamourous, eye-catching fashion sense.

** Joffrey Baratheon. Both inherited a position of power from their fathers when they were far from ready for it and are being smothered by their regent mothers. Unlike Joffrey, who is cruel and venomous to his core, Robert isn't inherently malicious and could get better wit the proper guiding hand.

** Jamie Lannister. They are both {{Blood Knight}}s for their queens and are in grossly inappropriate relationship with them, as far as making them forsake their Queenly duties. These relationships are nevertheless opposite to each other; Daenerys realizes that Daario means nothing but trouble, while Jamie thinks the same of Cersei; Daenerys staunchly holds on to Daario in spite of her better judgement while Jamie abandons Cersei to her fate.

** Melissandre. Both grew up very poorly off (though Melisandre worse off), both loyal to Stannis to the end (and are the only ones truly respected by him), both generally kind and subservient to others, and both will fight for what they believe in without fail. The similarities end there.
** Janos Slynt. They are both lowborn men raised to nobility. Janos Slynt was in an apparantly honorable position, commanding the Goldcloaks, but earns his position through being corrupt and self-serving, supporting a usurper. Davos was a criminal who used his smuggling skills to help Stannis, leading to his position. He earns more honors through being honest, loyal and deserving. While Davos continues to act humble, feeling undeserving of his honors and not using his title often, Slynt after becoming a Lord acts [[SmallNameBigEgo arrogantly]] and insists on being referred to as a Lord. Also, Davos helps save one of Robert's bastards though he knows he risks execution, while Slynt shows no remorse for carrying out a purge of Robert's bastards. [[spoiler:Slynt ends up losing his head for disobeying orders, Davos apparently loses his head while loyally trying to carry out Stannis' wishes, but in reality survives.]]

*** Additionally, as a Seven-worshipping Andal (not to mention managing a shipping and trading empire as the head of the only city in the North) Wyman could be seen as representing the "new," at least relative to Roose Bolton, who not only is a First Man who worships the old gods, but who practices some customs such as the right of first night and flayings that have fallen out of favor elsewhere, though Roose cares little for the ancient tradition of guest right. The Boltons are an old Northern House who have often rebelled against the Starks [[spoiler:and end up displacing them as rulers of the North, taking control by one of them marrying a fake Stark.]] The Manderlys are relatively new to the North but are very loyal to the Starks and trying to return them to rule the North. The Manderlys also tried to become the rulers of another Kingdom, the Reach, when a Gardner King died without sons and one of his daughters was married to Lord Manderly, the Manderlys were eventually driven out of the Reach as they threatened the Gardners, but settled in the North.
** Doran Martell. While the two live a continent away, Wyman plays a very similar role in the story as Doran Martell. Both are physical invalids who gain a reputation as appeasers [[spoiler: while secretly plotting revenge and the restoration of the House they support]]. So far though, Wyman has been more successful and open about his motives. They also both have female relatives (Doran's daughter Arianne and bastard nieces the Sand Snakes, and Wyman's younger grandaughter Wylla) who more openly want revenge.

*** Additionally, as a Seven-worshipping Andal (not to mention managing a shipping and trading empire as the head of the only city in the North) Wyman could be seen as representing the "new," at least relative to Roose Bolton, who not only is a First Man who worships the old gods, but who practices some customs such as the right of first night and flayings that have fallen out of favor elsewhere, though Roose cares little for the ancient tradition of guest right. The Boltons are an old Northern House who have often rebelled against the Starks [[spoiler:and end up displacing them as rulers of the North, taking control by one of them marrying a fake Stark.]] The Manderlys are relatively new to the North but are very loyal to the Starks and trying to return them to rule the North. The Manderlys also tried to become the rulers of another Kingdom, the Reach, when a Gardner King died and one of his daughters was married to Lord Manderly, the Manderlys were eventually driven out of the Reach as they threatened the Gardners, but settled in the North.

** The Rat Cook. They were insulted by an Andal King, so murdered his son and fed them to the King in a pie. They had a right to vengeance, but were punished for transgressing [[SacredHospitality Guest Right]]. Wyman Manderly's [[spoiler:son Wendel and King Robb Stark are murdered by the Freys and Boltons while they are the Frey's guests. In revenge, Manderly murders three of the Freys, puts them in pies, and serves them to the Freys and Boltons, even wanting a song about the Rat Cook. However, unlike the Rat Cook, it is implied Wyman waits till the Freys are no longer his guests to murder them.]]

* Melisandre
** Davos Seaworth. Both grew up very poorly off (though Melisandre worse off), both loyal to Stannis to the end (and are the only ones truly respected by him), both generally kind and subservient to others, and both will fight for what they believe in without fail. The similarities end there.

* Aerys II Targaryen

**

** Tyrion Lannister.. Though they are on opposite physionomic spectra when it comes to beauty, gender and size, they are intertwined in their stories. They come to the bitter realization that no one will ever marry them for love. They are both rather intelligent, if naive and they have to contend against the same people in King's Landing. They end up married to each other against their will and they are currently [[spoiler:on flight, as they are both accused of conspiring to kill Joffrey.]]

** Jon Snow

** To Jaime Lannister. Both are Lord Commanders of the white and black brotherhoods, which they joined at a very young because they thought it would bring them glory. Instead they get disillusioned and are reviled as oathbreakers and turncoats when they go against their vows to protect innocent people.

* The Starks and the Boltons could be seen as foils in general. While the Starks who rule the North are some of the most honourable characters and fight the Lannisters, the Boltons are a family with a very unpleasant reputation who betray the Starks and are rewarded by the Lannisters with control of the North. Also, while the Starks have skin-changing abilities, the Boltons have a tradition of flaying their enemies so they can wear their skins.

** To Jeyne Westerling, spouse of her nephew Robb. A liaison with a highborn nobleman of the royalty leads them to elope against everyone's wishes to disastrous results. Lyanna and Jeyne are considered overtly willful by their own families They are both reminisced by the Lannisters as women who were not worth going to war for or throwing away a kingdom for (Robb put his kingdom and war campaign in jeopardy for marrying Jeyne; Rhaeghar started a war due to his kidnapping of Lyanna). Lyanna ends up dying, while Jeyne is made a captive of her own family (who are Lannister loyalists) [[spoiler:though differing accounts of Jeyne's appearance lead to the possibility that she escaped Riverrun with the Blackfish, sending an impostor to the Westerlings]].

* Balon Greyjoy
* Asha Greyjoy

* House Florent. They are the royal in-laws to two of the kings of the War of the Five Kings. They are both from the Reach, boast descent from Garth Greenhand and are disputing domain over the region for most of the contemporary era. Whereas the Tyrells are physically attractive and pleasant, the Florents are ugly with a sense of entitlement and no social skills; the Tyrells left the Reach to sunny King's Landing while the Florents left the Reach to the snowy North.
* House Frey. Where the Freys have tried their social climbing the direct and dirty way when not marrying into every power in sight, the Tyrells have gone about it rather differently (if, also including marriage). Both have large families (granted, the Tyrells don't outnumber the Freys: but, they're still not a tiny family), both have ThickerThanWater tendencies. But, only one is succeeding at this whole PR thing and has plans in place for when various linchpins may no longer be in the world.
* House Stark. They seem to have a flexible code of honor and a love of family that's seeing them stick together and manage to stay together while forging ahead in the Decadent Court atmosphere. "Strong" is in their motto. "Stark" also means strong. The Starks remain strong through endurance and willpower, the Tyrells through clever alliances. Both are loved by their smallfolk but while the former is honorable to a fault, the latter is have no true loyalties but to themselves. Both have ancestors who surrendered without a fight to Aegon the Conqueror.
* House Tully. They have the focus on family, they worked to achieve more political power (like joining Aegon I to depose the Harren or Hoster's arranged marriages to House Stark and Arryn) and neither house ever held a kingship.
* House Lannister. Both are ancient and powerful houses that have been working to exert their influence over the Iron Throne to their own benefit, but whereas the Lannisters are essentially a BigScrewedUpFamily who cooperate through TeethClenchedTeamwork at best, the Tyrells work together out of genuine love and affection for one another, treating one another as actual family rather than rivals for power.

* Edmure Tully.

* Shae
** Daario Naharis. They are both the lovers of two of the most influencing people in the books (Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen), both against their lovers' better judgement. Both Tyrion and Daenerys admit that they are better off without them, but still keep them close out of lust.

** Robert Baratheon.

** Stannis Baratheon.

** Renly Tyrell.
* Margaery Tyrell

[[folder:House Tyrell]]
!!House Tyrell

* Brienne of Tarth a KnightInShiningArmour who shows HonorBeforeReason and [[IGaveMyWord always keeps her word]] is set up as a foil for Jaime Lannister a BloodKnight [[TheOathbreaker who breaks promises]] Unusually for foils, after some tension caused by being on different sides of a civil war, each quickly develops respect for the other's combat prowess, which evolves into mutual admiration and trust over time as they travel together and save each other's lives.
** Jaime was also the foil for Eddard Stark. Ned believes in doing the right thing but is afraid to get his hands dirty because it's [[HonorBeforeReason not honorable]]. Jaime gets his hands dirty all the time doing the right thing but it gives him an unsavory reputation and damages his self-esteem even though he says he doesn't care what anyone thinks.
** Tywin Lannister can also be seen as a foil to Ned Stark. Both of them are powerful, competent, and highly respected lords with a lot of sway in Kings Landing, but their methodologies are almost complete opposites. Eddard rules with respect and justice, Tywin rules through fear. Eddard leads by example, Tywin delegates. Both men value their families, but where Eddard loves his children unconditionally, Tywin approaches paternal duties as a cold necessity. They also both place a high value on honor, but whereas for Eddard that means always doing the right thing, Tywin is more concerned with his reputation [[spoiler: and is secretly full of shit.]]
** Jon Snow (ice) and Daenerys Targaryen (fire), though they have yet to meet.
** Catelyn Stark and her sister Lysa Arryn. Both are mothers determined to protect their children but Lysa's strategy is to simply run and hide from all the problems. Not to mention she is creepily overprotective of her son.
** Catelyn Stark and Cersei Lannister both love their children, Catelyn even seeing some justification in Cersei's actions. However Catelyn has a loving relationship with her husband [[spoiler:while Cersei cheats on her husband with her brother Jaime.]] Also [[spoiler:both are driven into madness and obsessive anger when their first son is murdered in front of them.]]
** Joffrey and Robb are foils for one another. Both are young [[spoiler: kings]], but Joffrey is a coward who fears real combat and Robb is a brave military commander. [[spoiler:Also they are both murdered at weddings.]]
** [[HeroicBastard Jon Snow]] and [[BastardBastard Ramsay Snow]] (later Ramsay Bolton). They are both the illegitimate sons of Northern Lords. However while Jon is honourable, kind and one of the most likeable characters who thought of breaking his oath to help his brother Robb and feels guilty for wanting to become Lord of Winterfell when younger, even turning down an offer of legitimacy and rule of Winterfell due to his honour, Ramsay is a sadistic monster who apparently murdered his brother so he could become his father's heir.
*** The Starks and the Boltons could be seen as foils in general. While the Starks who rule the North are some of the most honourable characters and fight the Lannisters, the Boltons are a family with a very unpleasant reputation who betray the Starks and are rewarded by the Lannisters with control of the North. Also, while the Starks have skin-changing abilities, the Boltons have a tradition of flaying their enemies so they can wear their skins.
** Stannis and Renly Baratheon. Stannis is the very lawful older brother with NoSocialSkills who is unpopular among the populace and claims the throne after his oldest brother's death as by law it should be his, Renly the younger brother is a well-liked and charismatic figure who uses this to try and win him the Iron Throne and gets more support then Stannis. They also both promote someone for merit despite social convention. Renly promotes Brienne of Tarth to his Rainbow Guard even though she is a woman. Stannis knighted a lowborn smuggler, Ser Davos Seaworth, and makes them his Hand, valuing their counsel more then his Lords. Among the fandom while Stannis is an UnpopularPopularCharacter Renly is seen as a sleazy and unpleasant usurper. Another foil is that in the TV adaption Stannis is portrayed as more villainous, while Renly is portrayed as a much nicer character.
*** Renly is also one to Aegon V. Aegon was the youngest son and not expected to succeed. However a series of deaths put him close in the line of succession and at a Great Council his young nephew was passed over in succession making him King. Renly is also the youngest son, however he greedily decides to take the throne even though the laws of succession don't favor him, using military force, and even sneers at Catelyn's suggestion of another Great Council, showing he is ultimately a vain and greedy guy. While Aegon was a kind King who cared for the smallfolk, Renly puts on a caring persona but is quite happy to starve hundreds of thousands of people in King's Landing to help him usurp rule.
** Robert Baratheon could be a foil to an earlier King Aegon IV "the Unworthy". They were both greedy and lecherous Kings who didn't rule well. However while Robert is more amiable and didn't really want the throne, basically being too lazy to rule, Aegon was an actively bad ruler who was more obsessed with his pleasures. Also both of their heirs were accused of being fathered by a Kingsguard who was the Queen's brother. A difference is while Aegon hated his son Daeron II and is thought to have begun the rumours of illegitimacy, Daeron being one of the best Kings of the Seven Kingdoms, Robert never realises his son Joffrey is illegitimate and Joffrey proves to be TheCaligula.
** Prince Aemon the Dragonknight and Ser Jaime Lannister. Both members of the Kingsguard, both TheAce in fighting, both are accused of fathering the son of their sister the Queen. Aemon is remembered as the greatest Kingsguard to have ever lived, protecting a cruel King at the cost of their life, Jaime is thought of as the worst for murdering his cruel King.
* The Greyjoy brothers can seem like this to the Baratheon brothers
** If Robert Baratheon was a Greyjoy, he'd be Euron. Both are extremely bloodlusty, both like fucking everything that moves, both are charismatic legends who overshadow a younger, more principled sibling, both like drinking and they both father several bastards they don't care about. Robert said that he always wanted to let the throne go and go across the world as a 'sellsword king', fighting, drinking and fornicating. Sounds a lot like what Euron's been doing for several years. All that said though, while Robert had his dark side he never had anywhere near the level of sociopathic cruelty Euron possesses. They are both TheCharmer, good at rallying men to their cause, but with Euron it seems to be a more sociopathic way of manipulation.
*** For Renly Baratheon too. They are the more famous, colorful and magnetic brothers who rally great armies to their cause and usurp crowns from cold, hard, unglamorous military men. They contrast in that Renly is a younger brother whose quest to ignore the laws of succession and become king over Stannis is fully supported by the a large number of Lords, and Euron is the older brother as well as the unpopular vote and has to convince The Iron Islands to make him king over his more traditional brother, Victarion. Where Renly hoped to prevail over his brother and become king through battle, Euron needed only words to sway the Ironborn to his side. And while Renly is a flashy man who has pretensions of being a WarriorPrince despite never seeing any actual fighting, Euron is a flashy man who really is a WarriorPrince as well as an OmnicidalManiac known for his battle prowess, his devious mind, and the brutal tactics he employs. While Renly is quite willing to kill his older brother in battle because of them opposing his weaker claim, [[spoiler:Euron probably murdered his older brother with an assassin, making it look like an accident.]]
*** To Stannis. They both intend to rule the Seven Kingdoms despite ruling only a group of Islands. Stannis is disliked for being a PrinciplesZealot, Euron for being psychotic and cruel even by Ironborn standards. They are both brilliant tacticians and strategists who are also using magic to achieve their ends. Stannis is bad with people due to NoSocialSkills, but wins support through his lawfulness. Euron can be charming when he wants too, and is a skilled manipulator, winning support through his riches and rousing speeches. After their older brother's death they claim rule ahead of their brother's children. The difference is Stannis knows Robert has no legitimate children, which by the law of the Seven Kingdoms makes him the heir. Euron simply claims the Seastone Chair by strength and partially because many of the Ironborn wouldn't support a woman and Theon is presumed dead. Also, Stannis kills his brother so he can become King. However, he kills a younger brother who was trying to usurp the Iron Throne and kill him, it is unclear how knowledgeable Stannis was of Renly's death, and Stannis is clearly upset over Renly's death. Euron probably murdered his older brother so he could take over the Iron Islands and shows no remorse at this.
** Stannis says hi, Victarion. For a fun night out, you'd not pick either of these bitter wet-blankets to join you. Both place honour and their versions of justice very high on the list of priorities. They are both very hard men, but also brittle in some surprisingly similar ways, as well -- and, they don't react well to being baulked, eventually bending their principles enough to seek "alternative" means to get what they see as their due. Neither gets on particularly well with their siblings, but Victarion wins the "worst brother", FreudianExcuse prize with Euron. He shares Stannis' MiddleChildSyndrome when it comes to attitude and expectations. They both follow their older brother dutiful in rebelling against the Iron Throne, then on said brother's death expect to succeed. The main difference between the pair is in the settings they find themselves in -- and, the fact that Victarion doesn't have a trusty Davos to keep him vaguely on an even keel (or, he might have had, had he taken Asha up on her offer). Also, both lose their chances to be King to be more charismatic brothers (Euron is older then Victarion, but Victarion felt he had more right to be King as Euron was a cruel and godless man). Also, both Stannis and Victarion have creepy, manipulative priests of R'hllor as advisors. However, while Stannis isn't particularly religious and his R'hllorism seems largely pragmatic, Victarian is very devoted to Ironborn religion.

* The Greyjoy brothers can seem like this to the Baratheon brothers: If Robert Baratheon was a Greyjoy, he'd be Euron. Both are extremely bloodlusty, both like fucking everything that moves, both are charismatic legends who overshadow a younger, more principled sibling, both like drinking and they both father several bastards they don't care about. Robert said that he always wanted to let the throne go and go across the world as a 'sellsword king', fighting, drinking and fornicating. Sounds a lot like what Euron's been doing for several years. All that said though, while Robert had his dark side he never had anywhere near the level of sociopathic cruelty Euron possesses. They are both TheCharmer, good at rallying men to their cause, but with Euron it seems to be a more sociopathic way of manipulation.
** For Renly Baratheon too. They are the more famous, colorful and magnetic brothers who rally great armies to their cause and usurp crowns from cold, hard, unglamorous military men. They contrast in that Renly is a younger brother whose quest to ignore the laws of succession and become king over Stannis is fully supported by the a large number of Lords, and Euron is the older brother as well as the unpopular vote and has to convince The Iron Islands to make him king over his more traditional brother, Victarion. Where Renly hoped to prevail over his brother and become king through battle, Euron needed only words to sway the Ironborn to his side. And while Renly is a flashy man who has pretensions of being a WarriorPrince despite never seeing any actual fighting, Euron is a flashy man who really is a WarriorPrince as well as an OmnicidalManiac known for his battle prowess, his devious mind, and the brutal tactics he employs. While Renly is quite willing to kill his older brother in battle because of them opposing his weaker claim, [[spoiler:Euron probably murdered his older brother with an assassin, making it look like an accident.]]
** To Stannis. They both intend to rule the Seven Kingdoms despite ruling only a group of Islands. Stannis is disliked for being a PrinciplesZealot, Euron for being psychotic and cruel even by Ironborn standards. They are both brilliant tacticians and strategists who are also using magic to achieve their ends. Stannis is bad with people due to NoSocialSkills, but wins support through his lawfulness. Euron can be charming when he wants too, and is a skilled manipulator, winning support through his riches and rousing speeches. After their older brother's death they claim rule ahead of their brother's children. The difference is Stannis knows Robert has no legitimate children, which by the law of the Seven Kingdoms makes him the heir. Euron simply claims the Seastone Chair by strength and partially because many of the Ironborn wouldn't support a woman and Theon is presumed dead. Also, Stannis kills his brother so he can become King. However, he kills a younger brother who was trying to usurp the Iron Throne and kill him, it is unclear how knowledgeable Stannis was of Renly's death, and Stannis is clearly upset over Renly's death. Euron probably murdered his older brother so he could take over the Iron Islands and shows no remorse at this.