History Characters / ASongOfIceAndFireHouseBaratheonOfDragonstone

* EatTheDog: Surprisingly. Stannis was going to catapult three traitors over the walls of Storm's End during the siege, but Cressen convinced him they might end up needing the meat. Fortunately, Davos changed that.

* CatchPhrase: Ends most of his sentences by saying "I know, I know, oh oh."

* ArrangedMarriage: To Stannis, and it is described and shown to be a loveless marriage.

* IllGirl: Played straight in that she barely survived the greyscale as a baby and it's left her facially disfigured and somewhat frail. Subverted in that she's not actually frail enough to fully justify her cloistered life: that's partly to keep the signs of greyscale out of the public gaze. Not everyone in-universe believes that she's actually cured; the Wildling princess Val insists that it's ''always'' fatal but sometimes "bides its time", refusing to allow any of her people to stay in the same building as Shireen out of fear that she may become contagious again.

* TheJester: He is a trained jester and former slave who was purchased by the Baratheons and survived a shipwreck on his way to Storm's End. However, he's apparently lost all of his jester abilities due to mental trauma, but shows signs of being a MadOracle to replace them. Only Shireen tolerates his company. Melisandre states that Patchface is a very dangerous man and sees death around him in her visions.

** People tend not to pay much attention to Patchface because he is both simple and often obnoxious, yet everything he says turns out to be true with outstanding degrees of accuracy, even if the meaning is completely obscure to those he talks to; ''he's even better than Melisandre at it''. Heck, he gives the readers many a chill, because he's ''so clear''... but, only if you have an accurate idea of what is going on and can join the dots.
** [[spoiler:It's never outright said that Patchface ''is'' the jester that Steffon and Cassana were bringing from Volantis; the guards at Storm's End might could just as well picked up a random body that washed up at the beach. The only thing confirming that he is a Volantene slave is his facial tattoo. Melisandre's horrified opinion of the guy only raises further questions about who he is (now) and what he wants.]]

* MadOracle: Very possibly about the Mad bit; ''definitely'' about the Oracle. Patchface may not be firing on all the cylinders he once had either neurologically or cognitively these days, but... he's quite a bit more lucid than people around him generally realize. A lot of his little rhymes accurately foreshadow major events in the series. Or reflect what is actually going on somewhere else at the time he speaks. As in "occasionally on another continent" or "in a very distant part of ''this'' continent" kind of "somewhere else". Yet, these weird rhymes are still actively (if rather tangentially) linked to the conversations going on around him when he comes out with them. And, no: he doesn't seem to be an avid user of the raven post. Yeah.
* MagicalClown: Once upon a time, there was a clever slave boy who was taught to juggle, rhyme, snark and dance... until the series' messed-up EquivalentExchange rate with its BloodMagic/ {{Necromancy}} and CameBackWrong tendencies got hold of his details and replaced his talent for normal clowning with something a little more potently occult. He's almost as creepy as an Other's wight, now; if you bother to concentrate on him to notice, that is.

* BeliefMakesYouStupid: Utterly incapable of being persuaded about anything that doesn't fit into her notions of how the world works and why others don't follow R'hllor. TheFundamentalist: One of R'hllor's most devoted followers; she is directly responsible for converting some of Stannis's men to the Red God's faith. This is the reason Stannis's R'hllor-worshiping men are termed "the Queen's Men."

* OddFriendship: With [[MonsterClown Patchface]]. Also, with Edric Storm.

* BewareTheSillyOnes: There is something very clearly ''wrong'' with Patchface, and we're not talking about his addled wits and godsawful rhymes. When a Red Priestess considers you dangerous, you have HiddenDepths.

-->'''Melisandre''': (to Jon Snow) ''"That creature is dangerous. Many a time I have glimpsed him in my flames. Sometimes there are skulls about him, and his lips are red with blood"''

* BeliefMakesYouStupid: Utterly incapable of being persuaded about anything that doesn't fit into her notions of how the world works and why others don't follow R'hllor.
* ChildHater: Although not a particularly straight example, she has some distinct shades of this. Yes, she professes a number of times how badly she wants to give Stannis sons and regrets not being able to. But, you ''never'' get the impression that she wants those babies because she actually likes children, but because it's what women are ''supposed'' to do as wives. She can tolerate being in the same room as her own daughter and spends time to teach her and be with her, but their relationship is oddly flat, regardless (although, this was seen through Jon's eyes: not the best judge). It's unclear how much is down to "wifely duty", again. In short, wanting kids for her comes across as an odd form of ItsAllAboutMe. And, she hasn't had the perfect little bundles of mess-free ego-stroking she expected, which leaves her visibly bitter on the general topic of children.
* TheFundamentalist: One of R'hllor's most devoted followers; she is directly responsible for converting some of Stannis's men to the Red God's faith. This is the reason Stannis's R'hllor-worshiping men are termed "the Queen's Men."

* ChildHater: Although not a particularly straight example, she has some distinct shades of this. Yes, she professes a number of times how badly she wants to give Stannis sons and regrets not being able to. But, you ''never'' get the impression that she wants those babies because she actually likes children, but because it's what women are ''supposed'' to do as wives. She can tolerate being in the same room as her own daughter and spends time to teach her and be with, but their relationship is oddly flat, regardless (although, this was seen through Jon's eyes: not the best judge). It's unclear how much is down to "wifely duty", again. In short, wanting kids for her comes across as an odd form of ItsAllAboutMe. And, she hasn't had the perfect little bundles of mess-free ego-stroking she expected, which leaves her visibly bitter on the general topic of children.
* TheFundamentalist: One of R'hllor's most devoted followers; she is directly responsible for converting some of Stannis's men to the Red God's faith. This is the reason Stannis's R'hllor-worshipping men are termed "the Queen's Men."

* TheProudElite: One of the things consoling her about her, frankly, rather drear situation is that, as Queen from a Great House by birth, she is amongst the most politically important things in the room. Add to that her fierce pride in being a part of the small (but enlightened!) few who worship R'hllor, and you get this trope.

A Maester who helped raise the Baratheon brothers, he accompanied Stannis to Dragonstone to serve as his advisor. He is fearful of the influence that Melisandre holds on Stannis.

* OnlySaneMan: One of Stannis's few advisors who realize the danger Melisandre represents.

* BackFromTheDead: The men who found him washed up on the beach claim his body was cold before he woke. His drowning and apparent resurrection also bear a resemblance (perhaps not uncoincidentally) to those brought back by the Drowned God of Ironborn religion.

* MadOracle: Very possibly about the Mad bit; ''definitely'' about the Oracle. Patchface may not be firing on all the cylinders he once had either neurologically or cognitively these days, but... he's quite a bit more lucid than people around him generally realise. A lot of his little rhymes accurately foreshadow major events in the series. Or reflect what is actually going on somewhere else at the time he speaks. As in "occasionally on another continent" or "in a very distant part of ''this'' continent" kind of "somewhere else". Yet, these weird rhymes are still actively (if rather tangentially) linked to the conversations going on around him when he comes out with them. And, no: he doesn't seem to be an avid user of the raven post. Yeah.

* MagicalClown: Once upon a time, there was a clever slave boy who was taught to juggle, rhyme, snark and dance... until the series' messed-up EquivalentExchange via BloodMagic/ {{Necromancy}} and CameBackWrong got hold of him and replaced his talent for normal clowning with something a little more potently occult. He's almost as creepy as an Other's wight, now; if you bother to concentrate on him to notice, that is.

See [[Characters/ASongOfIceAndFireStannisBaratheon King Stannis Baratheon]]

!!King Stannis Baratheon, the First of His Name, King of Westeros, Lord of Dragonstone, Lord of Storm's End, Lord Paramount of the Stormlands
!!!The King in The Narrow Sea, The King At the Wall, The King of Dragonstone
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0ec6bf01ec6dc9c6da60962f6c27c56a.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300: ''"Every man shall reap what he has sown, from the highest lord to the lowest gutter rat. And some will lose more than the tips off their fingers, I promise you. They have made my kingdom bleed, and I do not forget that."'']]
-->''"I never asked for this crown. Gold is cold and heavy on the head, but so long as I am the king, I have a duty… If I must sacrifice one child to the flames to save a million from the dark… Sacrifice… is never easy, Davos. Or it is no true sacrifice."''

King Robert's stern and uptight younger brother, Stannis is a man obsessed with his principles and always, always does what he feels to be his duty. He is Lord of Dragonstone and Master of Ships at the start of the series. He finds out that Joffrey is not Robert's son, and rebels after his brother's death since he's his sole heir. Declares himself King in ''Literature/AClashOfKings'' out of his sense of duty. He is unpopular with the people for his merciless sense of justice, but proves to be a very complex man who dislikes what he forces himself to do.

* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: [[ZigZaggingTrope Zigzagged]]. Stannis supposedly has this, though much of it depends on the opinions of those who have a lot of influence.
** He definitely has this in the Royal Court, and is unpopular and controversial among the Tyrells, Littlefinger, Renly, Varys and Robert. In his years on the Small Council, he found it hard to attract support for his policies. Some of them (criminalizing and banning prostitution) were distinctly unpopular (especially because his brother was a regular client). He's generally seen as a no-nonsense brooding killjoy and a stickler for rules that intimidates the genuinely guilty and craven (Varys, Littlefinger) and the ones who might have supported him had he not been so paranoid and insensitive (Catelyn).
** On the other hand, Stannis is able to inspire ''genuine'' UndyingLoyalty among his troops and supporters who follow him even when it is no longer beneficial and helpful for them to do so. His support of merit, willingness to listen to out-of-the-box ideas as well as dedication to justice means factions such as the various Maesters who actually get to work with him, the Antler Men, Davos and even the initially reluctant Jon Snow, come around and get won over, instead. Proving that Stannis ''does'' have more charisma than he thinks he does, but it's a version of the stuff that's more of an acquired taste than Robert and Renly's all-too-easy charms.
* AchillesInHisTent: Stannis is sulking in Dragonstone for being PassedOverPromotion as Hand when the story begins. [[spoiler:Though it is implied that he's also gathering his forces for the upcoming civil war, given that he already knew Joffrey was not Robert's son and suspected that Jon Arryn had been killed to hide that fact and if he hadn't fled, he could be next.]]
* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: This has pretty much been his problem all his life due to his BrutalHonesty, having NoSocialSkills and being TheResenter.
-->'''Stannis:''' "They will not love me," you say. When have they ever loved me? How can I lose something I have never owned?
* AllWorkVsAllPlay: The All Work to Renly's All Play. Stannis spends his time serving as Master of Ships and, later, campaigning to take the crown that is rightfully his, while Renly jousts in tourneys, japes with Littlefinger on the small council, and goes around making himself popular with the southron nobles.
* AllYourBaseAreBelongToUs: Is becoming a victim of this while he and the bulk of his army are at The Wall. Dragonstone is taken by royalist forces. [[spoiler:Prince Aegon and The Golden Company are poised to capture Storm's End]].
* AlwaysSomeoneBetter / AlwaysSecondBest: Stannis is overshadowed by his more charismatic brothers.
* AmbiguousDisorder: Some of his defining traits (social awkwardness, limited emotional display, blunt honesty) are stereotypically associated with Asperger's syndrome, while others (lack of flexibility, by-the-book behavior, tendency to ruminate, stubborness) are typical of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Considering however that they can be co-morbid conditions...
* ArcWords: "We must do our duty" and words to that effect.
** On a bigger character scale, Davos's statement, "A king protects his people, or he's no true King at all" which he acknowledges reminded him of his duty "when all I could think of were my rights."
* {{Asexuality}}: [[ImpliedTrope Implied]]. Along with his general discomfort around most women and his obviously loveless marriage, he seems to be actively sex-repulsed - only rarely sleeping with his wife out of a sense of duty to sire heirs, and showing no interest in finding other partners outside of marriage (in stark contrast to his brother Robert).
-->'''Renly''': [Stannis] goes to his marriage bed like a man marching to a battlefield, with a grim look in his eyes and a determination to do his duty.
** [[spoiler:When it comes to Melisandre, it's implied that while they may have slept together, it is in order for her abilities to work. Although her POV in A Dance With Dragons implies they may be still sleeping together]].
** It's possible he just doesn't like talking to women (even less than he likes talking to people in general). Asha describes him thusly:
--->'''Asha:''' Men from the green lands liked their women soft and sweet in silk, she knew, not clad in mail with a throwing axe in each hand. But her short acquaintance with the king at Deepwood Motte convinced her that he would have been no more fond of her in a gown. Even with Galbart Glover's wife, the pious Lady Sybelle, he had been correct and courteous but plainly uncomfortable. This southron king seemed to be one of those men to whom women are another race, as strange and unfathomable as giants and grumkins and the children of the forest.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Subverted on a personal level. Despite being a rather large man with an enormous amount of martial training (as befits a nobleman) and battle experience, he prefers to lead from the back, so he can properly direct his troops. He seems to disdain this trope.
-->'''Stannis:''' We all know what my brother would do. Robert would gallop up to the gates of Winterfell alone, break them with his warhammer, and ride through the rubble to slay Roose Bolton with his left hand and the bastard with his right. [[DeadpanSnarker I am not Robert]].
* AwfulWeddedLife: He hardly shares the bed with Selyse at all and coldly rebukes her when she gets physically close to him ("Stop clutching me, woman"). She, on the other hand, is a haughty religious fanatic who advocates human sacrifice, which really doesn't help.
-->'''Alys Karstark:''' Snow during a wedding means a cold marriage. My lady mother always said so.
-->'''Jon Snow's thoughts:''' He glanced at Queen Selyse. There must have been a blizzard the day she and Stannis wed.
* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Averted. Stannis does not realize how much he actually misses and loves Robert and [[spoiler: Renly]] until both are already dead. He then tells Davos he did love his brothers, even [[spoiler:Renly]] despite all they did.
* BadassBoast: "I defeated your uncle Victarion and his Iron Fleet off Fair Isle, the first time your father crowned himself. I held Storm's End against the power of the Reach for a year, and took Dragonstone from the Targaryens. I smashed [[spoiler:Mance Rayder at the Wall,]] though he had twenty times my numbers. Tell me, turncloak, what battles has [[spoiler:the Bastard of Bolton]] ever won that I should fear him?"
** From the same conversation, Stannis gets another good one:
-->'''Theon:''' Never call him that! [[spoiler:Ramsay Bolton, not Ramsay Snow, never Snow]], never, you have to remember his name, or he will hurt you.\\
'''Stannis:''' He is welcome to try. Whatever name he goes by.
* BadassBookworm: He is the most well-read of the Baratheon brothers, being quite knowledgeable about history, mythology, and theology, as well as military tactics. He even points out the flaws with Daeron's Conquest of Dorne, showing his intelligence.
* BadDreams: It's noted that ever since [[spoiler:Renly died]], he has been troubled with nightmares. [[spoiler:He even seems to have dreamed of Renly's death as it happened, due to the fact part of his life force was being used to assassinate Renly.]]
* BaldOfAwesome: He is balding, but still presents a very kingly and intimidating presence.
* BeYourself: SubvertedTrope in the very first Davos chapter. Stannis describes a hawk he rescued and [[PetTheDog nursed back to health]], though not enough that it could hunt for him. Everyone tells him, "Give up, try a different bird." [[FamilyUnfriendlyAesop He does]].
** YankTheDogsChain: Look closely what is actually said. Stannis never actually says he tried a different bird, he just says they were right in telling him he should. [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation It is never actually clear whether or not he changed the hawk.]]
* BecauseDestinySaysSo: He is not happy with being R'hllor's [[TheChampion champion]] but Mel told him he was chosen because he was righteous.
* BelatedLoveEpiphany: Stannis had very strained relationships with his two brothers, Robert and Renly. It's only after they both die that Stannis realizes how much they meant to him, which he tells Davos.
* BewareTheHonestOnes: Brutally honest he may be, but he's more than capable of blindsiding anyone who assumes he's entirely one-dimensional because of it. His strong senses of justice and duty also make him difficult to negotiate with, and thus dangerous to every other claimant as long as he's alive to oppose them. This is also why he's opposed by many people, because Stannis cannot abide corruption and the Seven Kingdoms is a very corrupt society.
* BigDamnHeroes: Arrives just in time to save [[spoiler:the Night's Watch and the Wall during the battle with Mance Rayder]].
* BlackAndWhiteMorality: Stannis does not deal very well with shades of grey, although given the nature of Westeros he is often forced to begrudgingly do so.
-->'''Stannis:''' A good deed does not wash out the bad, nor does a bad deed wash out the good. Each should have its own reward.
** While this is his general attitude, he does learn to moderate it somewhat when he appoints Davos his Hand. Davos reminds him that "a king protects his people or he's no true king at all". When he marches to the Wall, he's pragmatic about not allowing some of the fundamentalists in his camp advocate even more extreme measures pointing out that not everyone who supports him worships R'hllor. He also sulks about Jon Snow refusing his offer of legitimacy but begrudgingly accepts his advice nonetheless about not parcelling Northern territory among Southern lords since that would make him resemble an invader rather than the liberator from the Boltons, which is what he becomes.
* BrokenAce: Unlike his older brother, Stannis has always been one. Growing up in Robert's shadow and having to live without anyone recognizing just how important his contributions to Robert's Rebellion were have made him bitter and cynical. He still shows himself to be one of the best military commanders in Westeros and one of the most intellectual and well-read nobles who appear, but is viewed as a villain by many Westerosi, despite his strict moral code and obsession with the law.
* BrutalHonesty: An EstablishingCharacterMoment. He can't even make small talk.
** When he is writing the letter to declare himself king, he orders the word 'beloved' struck from the description of his relationship with his brother, ''because it would be a lie''. He also insists on 'Ser' Jamie the Kingslayer, because whatever else Jamie might be, he is still a knight.
** His BrutalHonesty is an interesting case, because while speaking his mind can cause him to hurt people's feelings, it also means that on the rare occasions he says something nice, it is truly heartfelt. This can sometimes lead him to kick and pet the dog almost simultaneously, such as [[KickTheDog when he bluntly tells Maester Cressen that he is too old and confused to be of any use to him anymore]], but then states a few sentences later that the maester's age makes the stairs he would need to use to perform his duties dangerous to him, and says [[PetTheDog "I will not have you kill yourself in my service".]] This may not seem like much, but considering Stannis's general grimness, (plus the YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness mentality that many characters have) this is actually quite a significant sign of affection and respect for the maester's past services. This is also part of why Stannis likes Davos as much as he does, because he appreciates Davos' preference to bluntness, rather than being a yes-man. One thing Stannis cannot stand is people who try to sugarcoat the truth, since he never does it himself.
* CainAndAbel: Stannis and his younger brother Renly. The series' GrayAndGreyMorality being what it is, though, it's impossible to tell who is the "good" and the "evil" one. [[spoiler: They both had every intention of killing each other: Renly joking with Loras about what to do with Stannis's body and Stannis actually killing Renly -- albeit, Stannis is wracked with guilt over Renly's death.]]
** Case in point: Renly wants power as king. Stannis seems to see it more as his duty as Robert's heir, though Renly acknowledges that Stannis may well have a better claim but he (Renly) has the larger army and was more the aggressor in the situation. [[spoiler:It turns out to be a Cain and Cain situation however, as Renly is assassinated before his vastly superior army can crush Stannis's own.]] It's never quite clear whether Stannis knew about this. He ''says'' he didn't, and that's [[BrutalHonesty usually enough]], but it's not 100% certain. However, he does show he is upset over Renly's death and did try to make terms with Renly.
* CharacterDevelopment: For a man who has a reputation for rigidity and never changing his mind, Stannis undergoes a lot of character development:
** In Book 2, he starts out more concerned with the slights he had suffered, and wanting restitution of his rights, rather than his duties (justice and protection). This leads him to be brusque with potential allies like Catelyn Stark, intimidating her away from any common ground he could form with Robb Stark.
** In Book 3, he nominates Davos as his Hand after listening to his honest advise, agreeing that it wasn't fair to (as per the suggestion of one of the Queen's Men) to sack a Narrow Sea island for bending its knee to the Iron Throne because they were tired of fighting and lost many soldiers at Blackwater. By the end of the book, after Davos spirits away Edric Storm from a HumanSacrifice that Melisandre suggested (and which Stannis was tempted yet severely reluctant about), he agrees that Davos, who disobeyed his commands, was right, that a "king protects his people, or he's no true King at all."
** In Book 5, Stannis, while irritated by Jon Snow for not accepting his offer of legitimacy and becoming his own personal Stark ally, nonetheless listens to Jon's valuable advice about not "trading Northern homes to Southron houses", of earning allies by liberating the North from the Ironborn and listening to his strategic advice. He also talks down the more zealous members of the Queen's Men and generally wavers between iron determination and unexpected moderation.
* CharacterTic: Grinding his teeth when frustrated (which is often).
* TheChosenOne: Maybe, maybe not. Melisandre believes he is the prince that was promised and will defeat the Others during the Long Night.
* ColdHam: His dispassionate way of speaking may not be as boisterous as Robert's or as suave as Renly's, but it does lend his words a certain solemn gravity.
* ColonelBadass: The most capable soldier of the Stormlands... and possibly in Westeros.
* ColorMotif:
** Red. Not that Stannis wears it himself, but it symbolizes his reliance on the magic of the red priestess, Melisandre, and her red god, Rh'llor. And the burning fires which become a hallmark of his quest. Lightbringer, his supposedly magical FlamingSword, is also known as the Red Sword of Heroes.
** Grey. Dark grey is the color of pure iron, which Donal Noye compares Stannis to--[[{{Determinator}} hard and strong,]] but [[StubbornMule brittle and inflexible,]] more likely to break than bend. During his character arc, he learns to deal with moral shades of grey, having to moderate the black-and-whiteness of his personal principles in order to keep his followers loyal and negotiate diplomatically with the Night's Watch. Later, he spends more time in the cold and frozen North, ruled by House Stark of the grey direwolf.
* CombatPragmatist: Not above using Melisandre's magic to quickly eliminate his enemies, especially if it will prevent a large number of his men from dying in a bloody battle. [[spoiler: His brother Renly and later Cortnay Penrose found this out the hard way.]]
* TheComicallySerious: His un-charisma is so great he can be hilarious at times.
* ConflictingLoyalty: Technically, as the second Baratheon son, Stannis swore no allegiance to the Targaryens, but he still felt miserable when he had to choose whether he should support his liege lord's/older brother's rebellion or the rightful king and calls it his hardest choice. In the end he chose his blood. When Davos justifies the men of Claw Isle not remaining loyal to him as Lord Celtigar has sworn allegiance to Joffrey and even makes the comparison, Stannis understands and seems to agree to Davos.
* CoolCrown: Whose fringes are shaped like flames is Stannis's only BlingOfWar. He prefers to be ModestRoyalty.
* CouldntFindAPen: In [[spoiler: ''The Winds of Winter'' he must sign a contract with the Iron Bank but his ink has frozen. Instead of heating the ink, which would take some time, especially as Stannis has a lot to arrange in a short time due to an enemy army approaching, he cuts the ball of his thumb and signs in blood. Considering ''[[MegaCorp who]]'' he's signing this contract with, this action carries some pretty [[DealWithTheDevil ominous symbolism]].]]
* CultOfPersonality: At least part of the reason for Stannis' appeal among his supporters stems from an aura of justice and determination that comes out spontaneously as a result of his actions, but also a reputation he deliberately builds. His followers and entourage seem personally devoted to ''him'' rather than the "Brother of Robert" or the descendant of Orys and Lyonel Baratheon, he also patronizes a religion (which he personally doesn't believe in) because it anoints him the Messiah, and his regime and entourage are animated by a kind of loyalty that is partly feudal but partly ideological, dedicated to restoring balance in the Seven Kingdoms and bringing justice to the traitors and usurpers.
* DeadpanSnarker: Despite his rigidity and seriousness, Stannis does demonstrate a very dry sense of humor on occasion. A shining example is when Alliser Thorne nominates Janos Slynt to lead the Night's Watch.
-->'''Thorne:''' Who better to lead the black cloaks than the man who once led the gold?
-->'''Stannis:''' Any of you, I should think, even the cook.
* DealWithTheDevil: Stannis's integrity means he will never ally or even strike a truce with the people he considers his enemies (the Starks, Lannisters and Tyrells) which is why he often asks for help from sinister entities (the cult of R'hllor and [[spoiler:the Iron Bank of Braavos]]) without thought of the long term consequences.
* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: Of the EvilOverlord. He is outright described as a "Dark Lord" at Joffrey's feast. He never gives up [[TakeOverTheWorld trying to be king]] (which he sees as his duty rather than ambition), consorts with an EvilSorcerer and other unsavory (yet sympathetic) people, lives in an exotic fortress on a barren island (his "reward" for helping win his brother's rebellion) and is [[ZeroPercentApprovalRating generally unlikable]] (for being too honest and blunt).
* DespairEventHorizon: Seems to cross a sort of one after the battle of Blackwater [[spoiler:in which he loses most of his army and the Lannisters begin winning the war]], locking himself away with Melisandre and refusing to see almost anyone. He gets better during A Storm of Swords.
* {{Determinator}}: His stubbornness in the face of adversity is well known. He demonstrated this during the Siege of Storm's End, and keeps on trucking despite incredible setbacks in the War of the Five Kings. This very quality in him is one of the reasons [[MagnificentBastard Tywin Lannister]] considers him the greatest threat in the War of the Five Kings.
** Know how everyone is always going on about how Stannis is made of iron? Strong but brittle? Rather ironic once you take into account [[spoiler:Stannis outlives ALL of his main rivals (Renly, Robb, Balon, Joffrey and Tywin) fighting for control of Westeros. House Lannister may have won the War of the Five Kings by default, but Stannis is the only original survivor. Meanwhile the Lannister regime is facing collapse after the death of Tywin.]]
* DisappointedInYou: His reaction when he learns that Davos has shipped Edric Storm off on a Lysene galley to prevent Melisandre from sacrificing him to the Lord of Light. Davos notes that he sounds more tired than angry.
-->'''Stannis:''' I raised you up from dirt, Davos. Was loyalty too much to hope for?
* TheDreaded: By his enemies, due to them knowing that they expect almost no mercy from him due to his rigid sense of justice. Varys sums up his fear of Stannis to Ned Stark thusly:
-->'''Varys:''' There is no creature on earth half as terrifying as a truly just man.
* DirtyBusiness: Considers [[spoiler: sacrificing his nephew Edric Storm as this.]] Even if he doesn't want to do it, he will if one life means saving millions. To a lesser degree, this is also evident in his attitude toward seizing the Iron Throne for himself, as he's one of the few people who is not after the throne out of an ambitious pursuit for greater power (and that might partially be due to seeing what the crown turned his brother Robert into, though Robert didn't want the Iron Throne either and never really cared about ruling).
* DudeWheresMyRespect: He has shown himself to be a capable leader, and won several victories for Robert, but because (in the words of [[Series/GameOfThrones TV!Loras]]) he "has the personality of a lobster!", he is disdained in favor of his more likable brothers. This bothers him more than he cares to admit, especially as he feels he has done a lot worthy of praise and his youngest brother Renly never did anything useful.
-->'''Stannis:''' Robert could piss in a cup and men would call it wine, but I offer them cold clear water and they squint in suspicion and mutter to each other about how queer it tastes.
** To give Stannis credit, he's also conscious of occasions where his enemies didn't get respect either. He despises [[MilesGloriosus Mace Tyrell]] for claiming credit for the victory over Robert at Ashford, which Stannis notes was Randyll Tarly's achievement, and that the blockade during the Siege on Storm's End was made possible by Paxter Redwyne's fleet, while acknowledging Tyrion Lannister as the true author of his defeat at Blackwater.
** He also identifies with underdogs who were overshadowed in Westerosi history, grumbling that nobody remembers [[Characters/ASongOfIceAndFireHouseVelaryon Alyn Oakenfist Velaryon]]'s naval attack at Plankytown which actually won Daeron the Young Dragon's conquest of Dorne. One can see how this mentality made him feel positive about meritocracy.
* TheDutifulSon: While Robert preferred to enjoy himself by drinking, eating, whoring, and pretty much neglecting his duties as king, Stannis helped run the realm as Master of Ships alongside Robert's Hand, Jon Arryn. Meanwhile, Renly was also on the Small Council as Master of Laws... Yet, Renly acted as a YesMan for Robert, spent much of his time showing off rather than actually doing something useful, and happily broke the realm's laws in trying to usurp the crown after Roberts death, being one of the main figures whose selfishness leads to the War of the Five Kings. Though he admits he loved his brothers.
* EqualOpportunityEvil: In keeping with his reputation as a "Dark Lord" and his general ambiguous reputation across the books, Stannis also fulfills this other trope from fantasy.
** His crew includes an Essosi Priestess, a foreigner who practises a strange religion, Lyseni privateers and an Onion Knight who was once a smuggler. His reputation for fairness was such that a cabal of beleaguered King's Landing merchants were willing to open the gates for him to seek justice (earning them the moniker "Antler's Men" upon their exposure, though this was partially due to Joffrey's poor handling of the earlier stages of war, which disrupted the economy).
** Likewise after defeating Mance Rayder, Stannis becomes the first High Lord and King claimant to welcome Wildlings into his kingdom, offer them protection of the law, protection [[GreaterScopeVillain from the Others]], and offers to settle them south of the Wall. Of course, Stannis will only allow this ''if'' the Wildlings give up their religion, serve in his army and surrender all of their liberties as Free Folk, ''but'' he has gone further than most anyone else in Westeros. His actions inspire Lord Commander Jon Snow [[TheMoralSubstitute to make an alliance with the Wildlings]] -- albeit Jon makes this alliance on terms he and the Wildlings agree on (as Jon does not ask the Wildlings to swear any fealties or give up their beliefs or religion as Free Folk), rather than on Stannis's terms, and Jon also wants to save the Wildlings for humanitarian reasons in addition to pragmatic ones (any man who dies north of the Wall will rise as a wight).
--> '''Stannis''': ''Your brothers will not like it, no more than your father’s lords, but I mean to allow the wildlings through the Wall... those who will swear me their fealty, pledge to keep the king’s peace and the king’s laws, and take the Lord of Light as their god. Even the giants, if those great knees of theirs can bend. I will settle them on the Gift... When the cold winds rise, we shall live or die together. It is time we made alliance against our common foe.''
* EvilUncle: [[spoiler:He is this to Edric Storm, whom he is ''this close'' to burning as a sacrifice, albeit very reluctantly.]] He and Renly are also viewed as this by Joffrey's supporters. Of course, Joffrey isn't actually his nephew [[spoiler:as he is not the son of Stannis's brother, Robert, but of Cersei and Jaime Lannister]]).
** [[spoiler:Though he earlier declines from burning Edric after Balon and Robb's death, saying it could be chance that two other Kings have died after they were cursed using Edric's blood. Stannis seems to be coming over to Mel's way of thinking after the third King dies, but tells her if sacrificing Edric fails she will die "by inches." Davos makes sure Edric is smuggled off Dragonstone just in time.]]
* TheEeyore: Stannis is a stern, grim man with NoSenseOfHumor who won't even tolerate men laughing and shouting during feasts in his castle.
* AFatherToHisMen: Although Stannis is unpopular with the nobility and common people of Westeros due to his blunt honesty and rigid sense of justice, the soldiers under his command tend to be extremely loyal to him. This can probably be explained by two traits Stannis possesses: personal courage and a willingness to [[FrontlineGeneral lead from the front]]. When he held Storm's End against the forces of the Reach during Robert's Rebellion, he endured the same hardships that his men did (starvation and fatigue) and, as a result, only a single soldier under his command attempted to desert. He has shown similar bravery in other battles.
* GenerationXerox: Stannis's fate is becoming similar to his ancestor Argilac the Arrogant [[spoiler: as he tells his men to keep fighting in his daughter's name before marching to battle in bad weather, uncertain of victory]].
** Has similarities to his great-great-grandfather Maekar I Targaryen. They were both stern, socially-awkward younger sons who are great military commanders that feel overlooked by their brothers, [[spoiler:killed a more charming brother of theirs (though in Maekar's case it was accidental and in Stannis's case its unclear how aware he was)]], are very unpopular throughout Westeros and seen as TheEvilPrince, and unexpectedly become King. Also despite their image as stern and sticking to the law, both show a progressiveness in their treatment of a lowborn but decent Knight, Stannis knighting Davos and making them his Hand, and Maekar letting Dunk take his son Egg on as his squire.
** Stannis for his part greatly identifies with his ancestor Aegon I, he's based in Dragonstone, the castle of Aegon's birth, keeps staring at the Painted Table, has a relationship with Selyse and Melisandre much like Aegon-Rhaenys-Visenya and has a reputation for being TheStoic who only really lets his guard around his friend Davos, who like Orys Baratheon (Stannis's other ancestor), was a lowborn (possibly, rumors claim Orys was Aegon's bastard brother) he raised high and rewarded on merit, enabling them to found their own House.
* FlamingSword: Subverted--he wields the mythical Lightbringer, but it only appears to be on fire because of Melisandre's magic illusions. [[spoiler:As Maester Aemon is dying, he points out to Sam that Stannis cannot be Azor Ahai, because his "Lightbringer" is nothing but an ordinary sword disguised by a glamour]].
* GoodParents: It might get lost among his more unpleasant character traits, but he makes sure that his daughter Shireen receives a proper education and keeps Patchface around because she likes him, even if the jester is a living remainder of the accident in which his parents died. While his behavior is pragmatic in a sense (it's unlikely that he and Selyse will have another heir, and so Shireen must become an adequate ruler), few parents in Westeros are shown to be better than him. [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] in that he actually never once interacts with his daughter in the books and rarely mentions her at all, thus giving the appearance that he ignores her more often than not. He still comes off as this in comparison to Westeros as a whole as he still wants the best for her and is not actively hurting her in some way.
* HardWorkFallacy: Stannis truly believes that hard work equals great reward yet he never gets what he wants. This also makes him a believer in true meritocracy which is why he constantly rewards Davos instead of his more highborn bannermen.
* HeroAntagonist: For all his faults, Stannis ''is'' Robert's true heir, he strives for truth and justice, and he plans on using the power of the crown to cleanse the realm of corruption and prepare it against the Others' invasion. By contrast, his rivals for the throne are Joffrey, a sadistic tyrant who's a figurehead for House Lannister, and his younger brother Renly, a sleazy, superficial jerk believes he should be king just because he's more popular than his older brother. His other opponents, such as Varys and Littlefinger, don't want him taking the throne only because they know he won't suffer them or their scheming and power grabs. All in all, Stannis could be the most straightforward hero in the series if it wasn't for his stubbornness and his willingness to impose a foreign religion that he doesn't believe in so he can keep getting magical favors from Melisandre..
* HeroesPreferSwords: Wields "Lightbringer".
* HeroWithBadPublicity: He is the most hated man in the realm, (expect, possibly, for Tyrion) but refuses to rehab his image and expects everyone to acknowledge him as king because he is the rightful heir, even though he has no evidence. [[spoiler:However, while in the North, he does follow Jon Snow's advice and as a result gathers a lot of support throughout the North.]]
* HeroWorshipper: Stannis tends to be critical of everyone present (Robert Baratheon, Eddard Stark, Renly, Robb and others), and he also tends to be critical of popular heroes like Daeron the Young Dragon and other famous historical figures from the past. The one exception is Aegon I, his ancestor via his Targaryen grandmother, who Stannis sees as a visionary who brought peace by eroding all borders within Westeros, and a role model for him to aspire to:
-->'''Stannis Baratheon:''' This talk of Seven Kingdoms is a folly. Aegon saw that three hundred years ago when he stood where we are standing. They painted this table at his command. Rivers and bays they painted, hills and mountains, castles and cities and market towns, lakes and swamps and forests... but no borders. It is all one. One realm, for one king to rule alone.
-->'''Ser Davos Seaworth:''' One King means peace.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Davos, one of the only men who Stannis not only respects, but ''likes''.
* HiddenDepths: Much of Davos' interactions with Stannis are there to showcase that Stannis is more conflicted, unsure and flexible than the front he shows the rest of the world indicates. Amongst other things he openly resents his brothers for their charm (something he's never had), is willing to consider alliances with the Arryns and other undeclared houses, [[spoiler:and appears to mourn Renly's death that he may or may not have ordered himself and regretting [[ShootHimHeHasAWallet pulling a weapon during a negotiation when Renly tried to offer him a peach]].]]
** Despite the idea that Stannis is overly harsh he is much more fair-minded then most nobles, seeing the worth in people despite their status and wanting to bring justice to everyone, as can be seen in minor details like gelding men of his who raped Wildling women. Also many of the people Stannis targets are undeniably guilty of wrongdoing, such as Varys and Littlefinger.
* HyperCompetentSidekick: To his older brother, Robert Baratheon. He held Storm's End against the Tyrell armies and Redwyne fleet for the majority of Robert's Rebellion, with the castle only stocked with half of the maximum provisions. Almost immediately after, Robert tasked him with building a fleet of ships to lay siege to Dragonstone, which Stannis accomplished in short order. After the war, Stannis served as Robert's Master of Ships, defeating the ''Iron Fleet at sea'' during the Greyjoy Rebellion. He is also the first lord of Westeros to become suspicious of Cersei's children (perhaps with a tip from Varys), and begins to investigate the matter with Robert's Hand, Jon Arryn, before Jon's murder. This is partly why Stannis felt slighted when Robert travels all the way to the frozen North to make Eddard Stark Hand of the King over him.
* {{Hypocrite}}:
** Believes that all Westeros should bow to him because he is "by law" Robert's "rightful" heir, yet he conveniently forgets that Robert got his crown by rebelling against the previous king. Davos calls him out on this, and Stannis's defense is that there it was a choice between family and king, and that he considered the former [[ConflictingLoyalty a higher duty]] (which explains his dislike for Renly, since he didn't reciprocate in following his older brother):
-->'''Stannis:''' It is every man's duty to remain loyal to his rightful king, even if the lord he serves proves false.\\
'''Davos:''' As you remained loyal to King Aerys when your brother raised his banners?\\
[...]\\
'''Stanis''': Aerys, If you only knew... that was a hard choosing. My blood or my liege. My brother or my king.
** Stannis can't stop pointing out that the Iron Throne is rightfully his as he is Robert's heir, but he dismisses all of Jon's objections to inheriting Winterfell wherein Jon explains that Winterfell should go to his sister Sansa (since all of Ned Stark's trueborn sons are presumably dead). Stannis points out that Sansa is Lannister by marriage and that, [[OccupiersOutOfOurCountry under no circumstances, will he allow Winterfell to be granted to Lannisters or their lackeys]] but Jon maintains his stance that Winterfell should go to his sister by rights. To be fair, even Robb and Catelyn had a similar way of thinking, believing that Sansa's marriage meant she should be passed over for rule of Winterfell, and some of the Northern nobles are shown to have agreed with them.
** Stannis constantly talks about he is motivated by duty and not ambition or personal feelings. However, when he wasn't named Hand by his brother he proceeds to leave King's Landing and sulk at Dragonstone. He had pragmatic reasons (fear for his family, his own life) after Jon Arryn's death, and his accusation against Cersei would be considered treasonous and a power-grab if he didn't have ironclad evidence. That said, he doesn't consider warning Ned Stark or sharing some of his intelligence with him because he resented Robert's affection for Eddard and feels jealous that Robert never relied on him as much. When Stannis finally makes his move, it comes after both Ned and Robert are dead and Cersei has installed her new regime, by which point, Stannis's actions (such as letters outing the illegitimacy of Cersei's offspring dispatched to all corners of the kingdom) are too little and too late.
* IDidWhatIHadToDo: How he justifies most of his merciless actions. It still weighs heavy on him.
** He also expects the ''rest'' of the world to act this way. This is part of why he is so disliked. He takes this to the greatest possible extreme in ''A Dance With Dragons'' by [[spoiler: marching toward Winterfell while his army is starving, freezing and greatly outnumbered]].
* {{Jerkass}}: Stannis is one of the most unpleasantly astringent and astute characters in the series to hang with. He's introduced as acting incredibly rough on an old man's emotions (one who helped raise him like a father, no less) -- and, not even outright meaning it ''as an insult'', but "[[InnocentlyInsensitive just telling it like he sees it]]". He continues this stance throughout the series by either constantly insulting people with his sheer, blinkered bluntness or complaining about how he was wronged. Examples include him calling rape victim, Gilly, a whore (because his ideas on sexual assault and coercive abuse don't match most other people's) and complaining about Ned taking a job he desired to Ned's grieving widow (because of course he thinks he'd have done it better).
* JerkassHasAPoint: This is the very definition of Stannis's character. He's one of the most unpleasant, no-nonsense people anyone could ever meet in Westeros, and is generally coarser than sandpaper to deal with both emotionally and socially. So... people tend to distrust him. Though he apparently thinks and judges in black-and-white terms, his interactions with Davos show that, while not being easily swayed, Stannis is ''not'' as unapproachable as other people generally paint him as being. He also displays a very good picture of what is going on around him, as well. Even while he's busy treading on emotional toes, he's going to be saying something ''important'' to listen to.
** Also Stannis claims he would not have been as forgiving to those who fought against Robert as Robert was. Considering how treacherous much of the Small Council, the Tyrells, and Balon Greyjoy turn out to be, he was probably justified.
-->'''Stannis''': I mean to sweep that court clean. As Robert should have done after the Trident.
** He also has a point in stating that Robb and the Northern faction wouldn't have been destroyed had he joined his cause instead of declaring himself king.
** Stannis feels that Varys should have been executed. [[spoiler:It turns out at the end of ''A Dance With Dragons'' that Varys has been continually working to bring down the Baratheon regime in favor of "Aegon VI", and may have been working to bring down the Targaryens before that, which explains why he fueled the Mad Kings' paranoia.]]
* JerkassWithAHeartOfGold: Yep, it's in there. While he was definitely being a big {{Jerkass}} to [[ParentalSubstitute Maester Cressen]], he was also very much concerned that the aging Maester was going to slip and fall to his death by continuing to try doing the same amount of work he'd previously done when in better physical health. He didn't want his old mentor to die early and saw no shame in outright telling him to ease up and retire comfortably, already. He is very meritocratic, giving those who perform well in his service their due, and he is as good a friend as he can be to [[WorkingClassHero Davos]], and is trying to be a good parent to [[IllGirl Shireen]]. Underneath all his hard and sour exterior is someone who tries to be better. Too bad for him he only shows this side of his personality to his inner circle.
* KickedUpstairs: His appointment as Lord of Dragonstone effectively made Stannis the second most powerful man in the Crownlands but the island is just a spit of rock. It feels more like being ReassignedToAntarctica, especially as he viewed it as a punishment that he wasn't made Lord of Storm's End. WordOfGod has said that this appointment established him as Robert's heir as Robert didn't have any legitimate children at the time [[spoiler:and never did]], but it's why Stannis is bad-tempered about it.
* KnightTemplar: He is a good example of why a truly just man is terrifying. His rigid sense of justice turns many people away from him, and he hates the compromises he is forced to make on his quest to remove those he views as usurpers vying for the Iron Throne.
* LargeAndInCharge: He's a Baratheon, after all. Ned says that Stannis, Renly, and Robert are all very large men, and Jon (who should be roughly the height of an average adult) notes that Stannis "towers" over him. His brothers, Renly and Robert, are 6'2 and 6'6 respectively, so Stannis is probably around 6'4; very tall by modern first world standards, and massive by medieval standards (though GRRM seems to have applied modern standards, considering how many named people are around 6'6", which would be borderline impossible in a setting were most people were shorter than 5'6"). Cressen also describes him as "large, broad-shouldered, and sinewy", while also noting that he looks skinnier than he usually does. Presumably he's usually pretty bulky, though not to the same extent as [[BoisterousBruiser Robert]].
* LawfulStupid: Played with. He isn't actually a straight version of the trope, for all of his KnightTemplar, HonorBeforeReason and PrinciplesZealot tendencies for the simple reason of... his often having a ''very'' good (and correct) point underneath it all, for all he'll frame it poorly. However, he's well aware that ''other'' people are most likely going to view him as the biggest, straightest version of this they've ever come across. He'll even ''use'' other people's misconceptions of how he'll act to blind-side them. As long as doing so doesn't break his own sense of what is right.
* LeanAndMean: In contrast to Robert, who got extremely fat after ascending to the throne, Stannis got a lot skinnier. It probably has something to do with Melisandre's shadow babies. By the end of ''A Dance With Dragons'', he's starving along with the rest of his men, and is described by Asha as looking like a skeleton.
* LonelyAtTheTop: So very much. "Kings have no friends, only subjects and enemies".
* MeaningfulName: ''Stan'' in Old English means "stone". He's from Dragonstone. And, will give about as easily as that rock will.
** IronicName: Stannum is latin for tin, a very malleable metal.
* MemeticBadass: InUniverse, due to his reputation as a military commander. Various characters are shown to fear or respect him, sometimes to a level beyond his actual abilities. This is enforced among his own men who, thanks to Melisandre, see him as the future savior of the world. [[spoiler:It's to the point that, even when he's marching on Winterfell with a frostbitten, starving, outnumbered army stuck in the snow, about to face a qualitatively superior foe, his enemies are still terrified of him, from Cersei spending half of ''AFFC'' worrying that he's plotting all her misfortunes to the Bolton men in Winterfell whispering among themselves about how screwed they are when he shows up.]]
--->'''Sansa Stark:''' For what was Stannis Baratheon, if not [[TheScourgeOfGod the Stranger]] come to judge them?
--->'''Tywin Lannister:''' "I have felt from the beginning that Stannis is a bigger threat than all of the others combined."
--->'''Asha Greyjoy:''' Whatever doubts his lords might nurse, the common men seemed to have faith in their king. Stannis had smashed Mance Rayder's wildlings at the Wall and cleaned Asha and her ironborn out of Deepwood Motte; he was Robert's brother, victor in a famous sea battle off Fair Isle, the man who had held Storm's End all through Robert's Rebellion. And he bore a hero's sword, the enchanted blade Lightbringer, whose glow lit up the night.
--->'''Theon Greyjoy:''' A long low moan, it seemed to hang above the battlements, lingering in the black air, soaking deep into the bones of every man who heard it. All along the castle walls, sentries turned toward the sound, their hands tightening around the shafts of their spears. In the ruined halls and keeps of Winterfell, lords hushed other lords, horses nickered, and sleepers stirred in their dark corners. No sooner had the sound of the warhorn died away than a drum began to beat: BOOM doom BOOM doom BOOM doom. And a name passed from the lips of each man to the next, written in small white puffs of breath. "Stannis, "they whispered, "Stannis is here, Stannis is come, Stannis, Stannis, Stannis."
* TheMenFirst: When Davos brought food to the starved garrison of Storm's End, Stannis didn't eat until he made sure everyone else was already fed. Also, during the March on Winterfell, Asha notices Stannis get so thin that he looks near-skeletal due to starvation, which seems to hit him even worse than most of his knights. This is despite there ''clearly'' being enough food left to keep him healthy, as Asha says that she, as a noble prisoner, is fairly well fed.
* MiddleChildSyndrome: Not as charismatic or popular as either of his brothers. Also doesn't look much like them, besides being "black of hair" like all Baratheons. Robert (before he got fat) and Renly resemble each other and are quite handsome, while Stannis is not.
* NeverFoundTheBody: [[spoiler:During ''A Dance With Dragons,'' Ramsay Bolton sends a letter to Jon Snow in which he claims to have smashed Stannis's host and killed the king. Having said that, in that self-same letter, Ramsay admits that some of Stannis's army escaped by demanding the return of "his wife" (Jeyne Poole) and "his manservant" (Reek aka Theon Greyjoy). It's not unrealistic that Stannis and Asha may be [[HesJustHiding Just Hiding]] along with them.]]
** [[spoiler: A sample chapter from the ''Winds of Winter'' implies that Stannis knows exactly what's going on and has a plan, further increasing the chances that he is still alive. The chapter also shows Theon chained to a wall before Ramsay's attack, and it seems incredibly unlikely that Theon, who could barely walk, could escape while Stannis was defeated and killed.]]
** [[spoiler:George Martin has confirmed [[http://grrm.livejournal.com/438596.html?thread=22329668#t22329668 Stannis is alive]].]]
* NayTheist: He doesn't believe in any of the gods, old, new, or the Lord of Light, because [[spoiler: after his parents died]] he thinks all of them too cruel to be deserving of worship. He does believe in the power of men though. [[spoiler: And magic, later on.]] However, he enthusiastically goes through the motions of being a proper practicing R'hllorian because of the benefits it gives him.
-->'''Stannis:''' ''I stopped believing in gods the day I saw the Windproud break up across the bay. Any gods so monstrous as to drown my mother and father would never have my worship, I vowed. In King’s Landing, the High Septon would prattle at me of how all justice and goodness flowed from the Seven, but all I ever saw of either was made by men... When I was a lad I found an injured goshawk and nursed her back to health. Proudwing, I named her... Time and again I would take her hawking, but she never flew higher than the treetops. Robert called her Weakwing... One day our great-uncle Ser Harbert told me to try a different bird. I was making a fool of myself with Proudwing, he said, and he was right. The Seven have never brought me so much as a sparrow. It is time I tried another hawk, Davos. A red hawk.''
* NervesOfSteel: Considering all he's lived through ''without'' snapping, Stannis has one of the coolest nerves (and head) in the series. Eddard at one point has problems thinking of anything that could frighten Stannis Baratheon.
* TheNicknamer: Despite being extremely uptight and serious, he apparently coined nicknames for some of characters (Lord Too-Fat-to-Sit-a-Horse, Ser Stupid, The Smiler, and The Slayer).
* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed:
** Martin admitted that he based Stannis partially on George Baker's rendition of Caesar Tiberius, in Series/IClaudius. A sombre and gloomy ruler, who was reluctant to rule, didn't like the fact he was never thanked for his work, and spent a lot of time sulking on an island. Like later Tiberius whose reputation was stained by his association with his sidekick Sejanus, Stannis gets a darker reputation by associating with Melisandre, and becomes feared for his ruthlessness.
** As with [[DecompositeCharacter Eddard Stark, Tyrion Lannister and Theon Greyjoy]], Stannis is modelled on UsefulNotes/RichardIII, the former Duke of Gloucester. His brothers Robert and Renly are based on Edward IV and George Clarence, Richard III's brothers, and like his historical inspiration his campaign is based on his desire to prove the illegitimacy of his nephews. He's also a great military commander like Richard III, and faces opposition from a family symbolized by a rose. Stannis eventually wins support in the North after coming to rescue them from Wildlings and has a heavy emphasis on giving justice, while Richard III was similarly well-known for his defense of the North from Scottish border raids and his legal reforms.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Downplayed. Despite the cunning needed to hold a castle of five hundred men against tens of thousands for over a year, few people ever sing of Stannis and his accomplishment. Stannis was rewarded, yes. He got a lordship... over a volcanic rock surrounded by tumultuous storms.
* NoSocialSkills: His generally sour personality aside, the man ''really'' can't stop complaining about the slights he's suffered. Over a decade after the fact. To people who are only tangentially involved.
* OutDamnedSpot: Is wracked with guilt after Renly's death.
-->'''Stannis:''' I was in my tent when Renly died, and when I woke my hands were clean.
* PerpetualFrowner: So very much. His own father once remarked that he hoped Stannis might learn to laugh. Surprisingly enough, he actually does smile or laugh several times over the course of the story. Some examples include when Davos makes a joke at Melisandre's expense, when he [[BlackComedy taunts Davos about his missing fingers]], when Jon reactions to his baiting with confusion, and when he's told by Theon that [[spoiler: the Freys, Karstarks, Manderlys, and Boltons are walking right into his trap]]. [[{{Troll}} You may be noticing a pattern.]]
* PetTheDog: Stannis has a strange liking for broken things, and people.
** He made it clear Maester Cressen is too old to continue his duties but never sends him away.
** His story of adopting a hawk with a broken wing mirrors his relationship with the mentally challenged jester Patchface.
** He seems to love his daughter, and orders his followers to continue fighting to put her on the Iron Throne if he is killed.
** Though he resented Eddard Stark both for the fact Robert loved him more like a brother and gave Ned the position of Hand of the King Stannis felt should have been his, Stannis notes that he respected Eddard for his sense of honour and justice, and promises both his widow Catelyn and Davos he will exact justice upon the Lannisters for Eddard's murder.
** He treats Jon Snow with respect (... kinda) despite his [[HeroicBastard illegitimacy]], and despite the fact that Stannis could easily just strong-arm the Night's Watch into doing whatever he wants. He also leaves Jon with a handful of veteran soldiers to help stiffen out the Watchmen and wildlings, even though Stannis is critically low on forces himself at the time.
* ThePhilosopherKing: Stannis, along with Tyrion, is one of the best read and most introspective aristocrats in the entire series. His conversations with Davos and Jon Snow, features him discoursing at length on what being a ruler means, certain ideas of justice and how it applies to the situation and context at hand. He keeps reminding everyone, including Renly and others, that Kings are supposed to be lonely, and distant, since it's impossible for anyone with that much power and responsibility to have true equals, and its a burden that he wears heavily.
* PhotographicMemory: Even his enemies admit that Stannis has an exceptionally retentive memory. He knows all the houses of Westeros, their bench strength, their ability to maintain the upkeep and the reputations and qualities of lower sub-commanders and generals.
** Also, his great memory plays a part in him being The Resenter as noted below, as he cannot easily forget slights against him.
* {{Pride}}: For all the contrasts between him and his brothers, he's still a Baratheon. Despite being the claimant with the weakest position and fewest followers, he holds on to his claim to the Iron Throne and refuses to compromise with any of the other claimants -- despite the fact that he doesn't even seem to ''want'' the kingship that badly -- because in his eyes, he is the legal and rightful king.
* PrinciplesZealot: He has an almost pathological need to following the established rules of duty, even if he himself thinks they're morally wrong. "[[LawfulStupid Screw What's Right, I'm Following The Rules]]!" if you will. By the time of the latter part of Literature/AStormOfSwords and Literature/ADanceWithDragons he has learnt to moderate his zeal as well as that of his wife's Queen's Men.
* ThePurge: Stannis openly states he would carry out one of these on the Small Council and the officials at court the minute he becomes King (though given how treacherous and self-serving the likes of Varys, Pycelle and Littlefinger among others are, [[JerkassHasAPoint it's hard to fault him for feeling that way]]. Littlefinger also brings this up to Ned Stark while debating the succession after Robert's death, insisting that Stannis's ascent to the Iron Throne will mean war as Stannis will seek to settle the score with ''anyone'' who's ever crossed him.
* TheReliableOne: The negative side of this trope. For years, Stannis's strong sense of duty made him dependable to what needed to be done for the good of the realm without public complaint. However, years of being ignored and denied what he felt was his due by law have left him bitter and determined to get what at least is legally his no matter the cost. However, he can still be relied upon to do what is necessary when the time comes, [[spoiler:being the only monarch who responds to the Night Watch's plea for help]].
* ReassignedToAntarctica: During Robert's Rebellion, Stannis came under siege at Storm's End, the ancestral seat of House Baratheon. Stannis held off the combined might of the Reach for over a year, which numbered in the tens of thousands with only five hundred of his own. As reward for defending their family’s ancestral home against besieging forces, the newly-crowned Robert granted Stannis lordship over Dragonstone – the Targaryen ancestral seat a dismal rock of no intrinsic value far off in Blackwater Bay, quite a way away from King's Landing and Robert himself - while Renly got Storm's End. Needless to say, [[TheResenter Stannis hasn't let it go]].
** Although ironically, Robert intended this as an act of generosity, since Dragonstone traditionally belongs to the crown prince and technically should have been held for Joffrey. It's also indicated that Robert felt Stannis would be better suited to control the lords sworn to Dragonstone, all of whom had been diehard Targaryen loyalists.
* ResignedToTheCall: He doesn't really want to succeed Robert as king. However, it's his duty to do it and thus he will, even if it means rebelling against Joffrey and fighting the Lannisters, Starks, and most of his own bannermen.
-->'''Stannis:''' It is not a question of wanting. The throne is mine, as Robert's heir. That is law. After me, it must pass to my daughter, unless Selyse should finally give me a son. I am king. Wants do not enter into it. I have a duty to my daughter. To the realm. Even to Robert. He loved me but little, I know, yet he was my brother. The Lannister woman gave him horns and made a motley fool of him. She may have murdered him as well, as she murdered Jon Arryn and Ned Stark. For such crimes there must be justice. Starting with Cersei and her abominations. But only starting. I mean to scour that court clean. As Robert should have done after the Trident.
* TheResenter: Even his allies recognize his incredible ability to hold and nurse a grudge.
* RomanticismVersusEnlightenment: Very much on the Enlightenment spectrum in practically every facet of thinking. He prefers hard and solid reading of history over propaganda like ''Conquest of Dorne'', prefers [[StrategyVersusTactics logistics, strategy and attrition to show-piece battles]]. He won't believe in a benevolent God but he will believe in magic that he can see and experience with his own senses. He sees Kingship as a responsibility and duty, and wants to reform society on a more centralized, equal and meritocractic structure. He comes around to agreeing with Davos that "A King protects his people, or he's no true King at all".
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: When the Night's Watch cries for help, for they have no chance to win against the Wildlings, Stannis leaves the battle for the Iron Throne, calls his banners and runs to the Wall to defend the realm. He's the only one to put Westeros' needs before his own. He also recognises the greater danger the [[AncientEvil Others]] present and begins taking steps to counter them.
-->'''Samwell Tarly's thoughts:''' Few of the birds that Aemon had sent off had returned as yet. One reached Stannis, though. One found Dragonstone, and a king who still cared.
** RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap: In-universe and out, this marked a point where a lot of people started to see him as worthier of the crown.
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Following the death of Jon Arryn and the appointment of Ned Stark as new Hand, Stannis makes himself scarce and leaves the capital, returning to Dragonstone.
* SiblingYinYang: He's completely unlike either of his brothers, possibly as a result of his MiddleChildSyndrome. While they were popular but not particularly hard-working, Stannis is very hard-working and intellectual but far less liked.
* SourOutsideSadInside: The sad part might be difficult to detect, but many of his recollections of the past are gloomy and melancholic, especially when it comes to his family.
* TheStoic: The only person who really gets to see inside him is Davos. Possibly Melisandre as well. Even then, he's so stoic, he borders on being TheCynic. Few people have JadeColoredGlasses quite as firmly affixed as he does.
* StraightForTheCommander: Assassination (using magic) is a favored tactic of Stannis so long as it never gets traced back to him. It worked just fine for Ser Courtney Penrose, his own brother Renly, and Robb Stark but things start backfiring when he had Balon Greyjoy and Joffrey killed because they got replaced by someone worse, namely Euron Greyjoy and the Faith Militant.
* TheStrategist: He certainly knows his way around a planning table, does our Stannis. He's tactically ''and'' strategically astute, showing great skill in understanding and adapting to the terrain and preferred tactics of all people involved in any given battle. (Land and Sea? No problem! [[BattleOfWits Politics]]? That's a little bit trickier for him thanks to his social limitations, but more than doable when he's given enough time and information to work with.) He very definitely does try to get as much information ahead of time as he can, whenever possible: he reads '' a lot'' and his prodigious memory is a great help. It's also one reason why he values Melisandre so much; what he can glean of her visions plays a big part in his successes. He's also not given the Greyjoys repeated headaches for nothing over the decades, and was far more integral to the success of Robert's rebellion than most give him credit for. [[DiabolusExMachina The Battle of Blackwater]] only didn't go the way he expected mainly due to two reasons: [[BigDamnVillains an ENORMOUS Tyrell army reaching him just in time]] and [[GreekFire more wildfire]] than anybody knew could exist in one place. Take those factors out of the equation, and he probably would have taken King's Landing, given that he smashed through Tyrion's defense "plan" and effectively routed the city garrison in just four hours[[note]]When Davos sails into the harbor to begin the battle, he notices the westering sun, putting the arrival of Stannis's forces around late afternoon. When Tyrion falls, he sees the sky turning orange, meaning it's then dusk.[[/note]].
* SurroundedByIdiots: Sees most of the lords who support him as useless, two-faced fools who he very grudgingly tolerates because he needs their support to take the Iron Throne, or they're fanatical worshippers of R'hllor. Davos and Melisandre are the only two people he trusts and respects completely.
* TheTeetotaler: Regarding sex instead of alcohol. He once proposed the outlawing of all the brothels in Westeros; Robert asked him if he'd like to outlaw breathing, shitting, and eating while he was at it.
* TranquilFury: "Ours Is the Fury" is just as appropriate for Stannis as it is for any of the other Baratheons. In his case, though, that fury tends to be a slow smoulder rather than a sudden blaze.
* UndyingLoyalty: Despite his own self-admitted lack of charisma, it's suprising how many people Stannis inspires to be loyal until death to him. Davos the most primary example, but also knights like Justin Massey who initially refuses the decision to go to Braavos to hire sellswords and have Stannis go instead, Rolland Storm holding Dragonstone against a force vastly outnumbering and Clayton Suggs ready to give his life against a seeming oncoming attack by enemy horsemen.
** The unnamed knight captured at Blackwater who defies Joffrey and makes him hysterial while proclaiming his loyalty to Stannis before executed by Tywin. There's also the Antler Men, a cabal of businessmen who wanted to open King's Landing to him and end up getting executing by Joffrey and Tyrion. Somehow, Stannis found loyalists among businessmen and merchants, though this may be because the Lannister regime is currently proving bad for business.
* UngratefulBastard: He never fails to complain about Robert's perceived slights, even though Robert essentially gave Stannis (and Renly) his own children's inheritance and with a stroke made a second son one of the greatest lords in Westeros. Though what really annoyed him there was that Renly, who barely did anything, was given a much better lordship.
* VillainRespect: When composing a letter addressing Joffrey's lineage, he refers to Jaime Lannister as both [[NeverLiveItDown the Kingslayer]] and as [[WorthyOpponent "Ser Jaime"]] as for all of Jaime's flaws, he remains a knight and should be treated as one. He also recognizes how dangerous Tyrion Lannister can be, as evidenced at the Battle of the Blackwater.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: He will do terrible things knowing full well he will beat himself up about it later and will certainly not get thanked. But: he'll still do them! It's the rules and the duty is part and parcel of privilege!
* WithUsOrAgainstUs: Stannis has no tolerance for the term neutral.
-->'''Stannis:''' The Iron Throne is mine by rights. All those that deny that are my foes.
* WorldOfCardboardSpeech: One of the best:
-->'''Stannis:''' Lord Seaworth is a man of humble birth, but he reminded me of my duty, when all I could think of was my rights. I had the cart before the horse, Davos said. I was trying to win the throne to save the kingdom, when I should have been trying to [[StandardHeroReward save the kingdom to win the throne]].
* WorthyOpponent: Melisandre claims to Jon Snow that Stannis views him as something like this (as the reason he is refusing Stannis is because his duty demands it). He [[DeadpanSnarker notes that this must be true]], since in their last conversation Stannis only threatened to behead him for treason ''twice''. Melisandre says this is actually a good sign, because his words mean a lot less than what's not said.
** Tywin considers Stannis to be this in a way by acknowledging his TheDeterminator status.
-->'''Tywin:''' This is Stannis Baratheon. He will fight to the bitter end. And then some.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Queen Selyse Florent]]
!!Queen Selyse Florent, Light of the North

Stannis's wife and Shireen's mother, Selyse is an unattractive, stern woman who is one of Melisandre's most fervent followers.
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