History Characters / TheYoungStag

* BlackSheep: Out of all his siblings, he is the only legitimate child of Robert Baratheon, having inherited the House Baratheon look, further hinting his true legitimacy to the Iron Throne.

* AwesomeMcCoolname: Edric. Storm. It just rolls off your tongue.

* {{Expy}}: WordOfGod has stated that Steffon draws inspiration from [[Characters/TheWalkingDeadTVShowRickGrimes Rick Grimes]], [[Film/EndersGame Andrew "Ender" Wiggin]], and UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar. His appearance is also modeled after Creator/AsaButterfield.

* {{Adorkable}}: Steffon is smart, well-versed in strategic thinking and a huge bookworm who has plenty of adorable and cute moments with Arya.

* {{Adorkable}}: She's shown to be easily flattered or blush when complimented on her looks.

* AgeLift: Initially 9 in the books and 11 in the TV series, Arya is now 14, mainly to reduce any {{Squick}} regarding her romance with Steffon.

* YouAreBetterThanYouThink: She gives this to Steffon after she learns about his inferiority complex and how he fears of meaning nothing to everyone.

* YouAreBetterThanYouThink: He gives this to Arya when he learns of her own insecurities regarding her looks, saying that he sees her as one of the most beautiful girls in Westeros. He later receives one from Arya as well when she learns about his inferiority complex, which kick-starts his [[TookALevelInBadass rise to badassery]].

* BewareTheNiceOnes: She may be a sweet girl once you get to know her, but Arya is no pushover and can be a force to be reckoned with when angry.

%% * ThickerThanWater: To her family.

* GrayEyes: A trait that has been passed down her family for generations.

* HeroWorship: Averted. While Steffon did love his father, he never romanticized him the way Joffrey did and is not pleased with his shortcomings.

* LikeFatherUnlikeSon: While Steffon does indeed love his father, he doesn't romanticize him like Joffrey does and fears the idea of ending up like him.

* IAmNotPretty: She feels this way mostly due to being taunted and bullied as a child for not inheriting the Tully look like the rest of her siblings. This is defied by Steffon, however, who thinks she’s one of the most beautiful girls he’s ever met. It's thanks to him Arya is more confident with her appearance and feels more like a classic beauty.

* PluckyGirl: Arya is the sort of person who doesn’t give up easy. Just ask Cersei in Chapter 11.

* AdaptationalBadass: Edric is a skilled fighter in the story, while Book!Edric had next to no skill with any weapon of any kind.

* NiceGuy: Edric is very selfless, friendly and caring person who is always ready to help someone in need.

* UndyingLoyalty: To Steffon.

* BerserkButton: Insulting, threatening or trying to harm Arya is guaranteed to put you on his bad side. This becomes more prominent over the course of the story as he and Arya become closer and more intimate. When Joffrey draws his sword to attack Arya, Steffon intervenes and calmly asks for a peaceful compromise. When Septa Mordane calls Arya a "beast", he quietly threatens to throw her into the Blackwater. When Joffrey threatens to make Arya his hostage, Steffon straight up punches Joffrey in the gut before threatening him and leaving.

* BullyHunter: One of Steffon's most defining features is his protective nature over those who can't protect themselves and his hatred of bullies. Myrcella reveals that he would take trips down to King's Landing to 'punish' them. This makes all the more sense as Steffon's drive to claim the Iron Throne isn't so much to become king, but more to keep Joffrey from being king and saving Westeros from the Lannisters' cruelty.
* CainAndAbel: The Abel to Joffrey's Cain. This dynamic has been set up since the day they were born, with Steffon being the good one and Joffrey being the sadistic monster everyone loves to hate. Justified seeing how [[SiblingRivalry they have never liked each other]] and that as Robert's trueborn son, Steffon is the biggest threat to Joffrey's rule. Steffon, on the other hand, has no interest in being King, and only accepts his responsibilities to lay claim to the Iron Throne to keep Joffrey from causing Westeros anymore harm.

** He also acts as one towards Shireen, as he decides to name him his successor should he fall during the war.

* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu: [[spoiler: After arriving in King's Landing to help free Ned Stark, Steffon meets with the newly crowned Joffrey. Joffrey offers him command of their forces in exchange for breaking his engagement with Arya. Steffon refuses, but when Joffrey threatens to use Arya as a hostage, Steffon straight up punches his brother before giving him one final warning and leaving.]]

* GoodIsNotDumb: While Steffon has a kind heart and is slightly naive, he is highly intelligent and not easy to manipulate.

* IdiotBall: [[SarcasmMode Yes, Steffon, let your Sworn Shield leave your side to join the battle, leaving you unprotected.]] This is lampshaded by Arya.
-->'''Arya''': You were about to be killed!\\
'''Steffon''': I'm smarter than that and you know it!\\
'''Arya''': Smart enough to send my brother into the fight and leave you unprotected?!
* ImprobableAimingSkills: Steffon is revealed to be very skilled with a bow, even SplittingTheArrow during an archery tourney.

* JuniorCounterpart: Steffon often wonders if Stannis was like him before becoming the stoic lord of Dragonstone.
* LikeFatherUnlikeSon: While Steffon does indeed care about his father, he doesn't romanticize him like Joffrey does and fears the idea of ending up like him. This is the main reason why he focuses more on being a commander than an actual fighter and doesn't indulge in wine or whoring.

* {{Nephewism}}: Much of Steffon’s childhood was spent with Stannis and Tyrion. Both of them left a more positive impact on him than his father did. Stannis helped him study to be a tactician and strategist, as well as the importance of duty and responsibility. Tyrion, on the other hand, educated Steffon about the poor and the sorry hand life dealt them.
* NiceGuy: Steffon is genuinely kind, caring and brave. He's quite possibly one of the most progressive thinkers in Westeros.
* ParentalNeglect: From Cersei. Even though it’s clear that Cersei loves Steffon despite being Robert’s son, she spent more time doting over Joffrey than she did with Steffon, which negatively affected his self-esteem.

* ReluctantRuler: Steffon ''really'' doesn't feel capable of leading armies, [[spoiler:mostly due to his botched attempt at rescuing Ned Stark]], and is even less thrilled about becoming king. By chapter 20, however, [[spoiler:Steffon finally accepts his responsibility as the rightful heir and claims kingship to the Iron Throne]].

** Arya isn’t as ruthless or revenge driven as her TV show or book counterpart, and is therefore much nicer as a result.
** While she can still be feisty and impudent, her characterization has her becoming more conscious about her actions and more overt with her affection for Steffon.
* {{Adorkable}}: Arya is shown to be easily flattered when complimented on her looks.

* ClingyJealousGirl: Coming between her and Steffon is ''not'' a smart move. Margeary Tyrell attempts to seduce Steffon, Arya was pretty much ready to make a pin-cushion out her.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Arya was initially very frosty and disinterested when she and Steffon were arranged to be married, but eventually warms up to him and decides to make the best of their situation.

* IAmNotPretty: Defied. She feels this way at first, mostly due to being taunted and bullied as a child. Steffon, however, thinks she’s one of the most beautiful girls he’s ever met. It's thanks to him Arya feel more confident in her appearance and more like a classic beauty.
* IJustWantToBeBeautiful: Again, Downplayed. While Arya doesn't like to admit it, deep down she is envious of Sansa's good looks and popularity, feeling inferior for not being a "classic beauty".
* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: With Steffon. While she initially acts very hostile towards Steffon in the beginning, she [[DefrostingIceQueen soon comes to respect him]] and [[MarryForLove eventually decides to marry him out of love and not just out of duty to their families.]]

* TomboyWithAGirlyStreak: A minor example. She still hates anything dresses and being referred to as a "lady". However, Arya can be a bit self-conscious regarding her looks, hates having to pose like a boy or having her hair cut short.
* {{Tsundere}}: She's a bit of a mix between both "Tsun" and "Dere". At first, she's pretty distant to Steffon during the first few chapters of the story, but eventually becomes much sweeter around him after becoming closer to him. However, while she is kind, she can be very [[ViolentlyProtectiveGirlfriend feisty and protective]] over Steffon and is far from a pushover.
* UndyingLoyalty: To Steffon. Makes sense given how she’s his future wife and supports his claim to the Iron Throne.

Edric Storm is the bastard son of Robert Baratheon and Delena Florent. As he was a highborn bastard, Edric was the only bastard Robert acknowledged. He is Steffon’s paternal half-brother and his best friend.

For the most part, many of the characters remain the same with only a few slight changes here and there. This page is primarily dedicated to the POV Characters, along with a few other more prominent figures in the story.

* CombatPragmatist: We get our very first taste of this when Steffon attempts to rescue Ned Stark. He tricks a gaoler into leading them to Ned's cell. Once there, he kills him without hesitation, saying he would've given them away at a moment's notice.

* ChildProdigy: Steffon is considered this in terms of strategic thinking. Lord Tarth lampshades that Steffon has a deeper understanding than most adults.

* DeadpanSnarker: If someone has something sarcastic or witty to say, it’s usually Edric.

* LikeFatherLikeSon: Unlike Steffon, Edric seems to take after their father more than he does. He has his boisterous attitude, love of fighting and has a habit of charming many girls he comes across.

* AllLovingHero: Steffon has strong, progressive ideals that everyone is created equal, concerns over the poor and desires to make their lives better. He shows unshakable amounts of respect for Arya and he treats her as his equal, listening to whatever input she has and supports her wishes of leaning how to fight. [[spoiler:He also hates the idea of people dying in a war to put him on the Iron Throne.]]

* BirdsOfAFeather:
** With Arya. Both of them feel like outsiders from their family due to their beliefs, interests and skills. They are also some of the only characters to have inherited the distinctive looks of their families.

* BlackSheep: Zig-Zagged. Although he is loved by his family with the exception of Joffrey, Steffon can't help but feel that he is a disappointment to everyone and stands out among his siblings. His fighting skills don't impress his father, his appearance displeases Cersei, and his idealistic belief that everyone is born equal has made him a laughing stock among the small council. This feeling of inferiority is made worse by Joffrey’s bullying and the parental neglect he suffered from Cersei. There's also the case with regards to his appearance. While all of his siblings have golden hair and grey eyes, Steffon is the only one to inherit the Baratheon house's black hair and blue eyes, further proving himself to be the only legitimate child of Robert.
* BullyHunter: One of Steffon's most defining features is his protective nature over those who can't protect themselves and his hatred of bullies. Myrcella reveals that he would take trips down to King's Landing to 'punish' them. This makes all the more sense as Steffon's drive to claim the Iron Throne isn't so much to become king, but more to keep Joffrey from being king and saving Westeros from the Lannister's cruelty.

%% * HeterosexualLifePartners: With Edric, even though they are half-brothers.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler:Not only did he fail at rescuing Ned Stark, but by losing his temper and hitting Joffrey, he was left branded as a traitor and only raised the stakes in the upcoming war.]]
* OfficialCouple: With Arya.

* ReluctantRuler: Steffon ''really'' doesn't feel capable of leading armies, [[spoiler:mostly due to his botched attempt at rescuing Ned Stark]], and is even less thrilled about becoming king. He hates the idea of people losing their homes and lives to put him in the iron throne. By chapter 20, however, [[spoiler:Steffon finally accepts his responsibility as the rightful heir and claims kingship to the Iron Throne]].
* SiblingYinYang: To Joffrey in probably every way. Joffrey has golden hair and grey eyes and is a suicidally stupid, EvilPrince ManChild. Steffon has black hair and blue eyes, is a NiceGuy and a WisePrince. Joffrey is cruel and contemptuous to practically anyone and is doted by their mother, Steffon feels strong compassion to nearly everyone and feels like a disappointment to his family.
* SurvivorsGuilt: [[spoiler: After Ned Stark gave up his own life to save his, Steffon spent hours alone in self-loathing before finally being consoled by Jon and Stannis.]]

* WisePrince: Steffon is kind, noble and well-intentioned, but he suffers from lack of self-esteem. He cares about the common folk and can't stand to see them suffer. And while Steffon is a capable fighter who trains hard, he is more skilled as a commander. This further solidifies his contrast to Joffrey, who is a cruel, contemptible EvilPrince.

* BirdsOfAFeather: With Steffon. Both of them are considered the BlackSheep of their families; having inherited the distinctive looks of their houses, and being bullied by their older siblings in the past.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Arya was initially very callous and disinterested when she and Steffon were arranged to be married, but eventually warms up to him and decides to make the best of their situation.

* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: Given Steffon’s low self-esteem and emotional fragility, Arya takes it upon herself to slap some sense into him if she has to.

* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: With Steffon. While she initially acts very callous towards Steffon in the beginning, she [[DefrostingIceQueen soon comes to respect him]] and [[MarryForLove eventually decides to marry him out of love and not just out of duty to their families.]]

* SlapSlapKiss: When Steffon comes to console her after failing to rescue her father, she greets him with this.
-->"I'm sorry, Arya. It was my fault and-" a sharp crack echoed through the small corridor. Steffon raised his hand to his stinging right cheek.\\
"That was for all the self-loathing you did after we got back to the ship, you idiot." She said through her tears. Then, abruptly, she pulled him by his tunic into a kiss. "And that was for coming here."

* OCStandIn: Edric’s character and role is much more expanded upon than in the books, where he was mostly just a blank slate. He serves as one of the primary POV’s during the Stormland Rebellion during Seasons 5 and 6.

* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: One of the reasons she falls in love with Steffon is that he is genuinely a kind, caring young man and one of the first boys to treat her like a classic beauty while everyone else called her "Arya Horseface". He has also supported her wishes in learning how to fight and treats her as an equal.

%% * BigBrotherWorship: To Jon.

* DontCallMeSir: Despite being the daughter of a high-lord, she dislikes being called "milady" or "my lady", but eventually gets used to it.

* SingleWomanSeeksGoodMan: See BecauseYouWereNiceToMe.

* StayInTheKitchen: Downplayed and Justified. Steffon is aware of how well Arya can handle herself in battle, but refuses to let her join in the battles out of his fear of losing her, not because she's a girl. [[RebelliousPrincess Arya being Arya]], disobeys Steffon and gets involved in the battle anyway.

* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove: WordOfGod has stated that Arya believes she’s in love with Steffon, but doesn’t quite understand what it means to be in love yet. This is actually a deconstruction, as in real life, many children Arya's age are usually convinced they understand what love is.

Edric Storm is the bastard son of Robert Baratheon and Delena Florent. As he was a highborn bastard, Edric was the only bastard Robert acknowledged. He is Steffon’s paternal half-brother and his best friend. When war for the Iron Throne broke out, Edric wasted no time in swearing loyalty to Steffon’s claim for the Iron Throne.

* GenerationXerox: To Aegon V Targaryen, his great-great grandfather, also known as Aegon "The Unlikely". Like Aegon, Steffon is a younger son of a WarriorPrince who wasn't cut out for peacetime, has a psychotic elder brother (Aerion the Monstrous for Aegon, Joffrey for Steffon), and has progressive ideas about the smallfolk that make him an oddball at the royal court.

** While she can still be feisty and impudent, her characterization has her becoming more conscious about her actions and more overt with her affections for Steffon.

* BerserkButton: There are three things that are guaranteed to piss her off: insulting or hurting Steffon, undermining her relationship with him, and mocking her family.

* BlackSheep: While Arya is loved by her father, mother, and siblings, she feels out of place compared to the other ladies of the North due to her Tomboyish nature and pursuit of unladylike interests. This has resulted in her getting bullied by Sansa and the other noble girls from the North.
* BoyishShortHair: Invoked as a means of disguising her from the Gold Cloaks during their attempt to rescue Ned Stark from King's Landing.

* ClingyJealousGirl: Coming between her and Steffon is ''not'' a smart move when she's around. Margeary Tyrell learns this the hard way.

* HotterAndSexier: Downplayed. While nowhere near the levels of {{Fanservice}} as Margeary Tyrell and Cersei, Arya is noticeably more romantically active than she ever was in either the books or the TV series. Justified, given her AgeLift and loving relationship with Steffon.

* IJustWantToBeBeautiful: Downplayed. While Arya doesn't like to admit it, deep down she is envious of Sansa's good looks and popularity, feeling inferior for not being a "classic beauty".

* RebelliousPrincess: As per usual with her character, Arya has no interest in being a lady and seeks to pursue her own interests.

* {{Adorkable}}: Steffon is smart, well-versed in strategic thinking and a huge bookworm who has plenty of adorable and cute moments with Arya. Plus, when it comes to social situations, Steffon can be a bit socially awkward at times. But don’t think Steffon won’t hesitate to kick someone’s ass. If anyone he cares about is threatened, you’d better watch out.

%% * AnimalMotif: As a Baratheon, he keeps up with the family tradition of keeping a crowned stag as his emblem, but also adds a dire wolf as symbol of his betrothal to Arya.
* BadassBoast: Gives one after Joffrey threatens to have him executed and Arya taken as a hostage:
-->'''Steffon''': "You can fucking try, you little shit, but I will never, ''ever'' see Arya in chains. Not your chains, not mother's and certainly not grandfather's. She is to be my wife. If you lay a finger on her, you lose that finger."

* BewareTheNiceOnes:
** Deconstructed. Steffon is honestly one of the kindest people in Westeros. However, he's known for having a volatile temper which makes him lose control and gets him into trouble more often than naught.
** While he always has the common folk's best interests in mind, he is willing to make more dishonorable tactics if it means victory, such as laying out stake pits to impale enemy infantry.
-->'''Jon''': "Steffon, this isn't an honorable way-"\\
'''Steffon''': "We're at war, Jon, and are fighting an enemy that has us grievously outnumbered. [[IDidWhatIHadToDo We don't have the luxury of fighting the honorable way.]]

* BlackSheep: Although he is loved by his family with the exception of Joffrey, Steffon can't help but feel that he is a disappointment to everyone and stands out among his siblings. His fighting skills don't impress his father, his appearance displeases Cersei, and his idealistic belief that everyone is born equal has made him a laughing stock among the small council. This feeling of inferiority is made worse by Joffrey’s bullying and the parental neglect he suffered from Cersei.
** This is also Played with in regards to his appearance. While all of his siblings have golden hair and grey eyes, Steffon is the only one to inherit the Baratheon house's black hair and blue eyes, further proving himself to be the only legitimate child of Robert.

* BirdsOfAFeather: With Steffon. Both of them are considered the BlackSheep of their families; having inherited the distinctive looks of their houses. They have also been bullied by their older siblings aren't aren't too fond of living in nobility.
* BoyishShortHair: Invoke by Steffon as a means of disguising her from the Gold Cloaks during their attempt to rescue Ned Stark from King's Landing.

* HatesWearingDresses: Much like her book counterpart, Arya has a disdain for fancy dresses.

* MarryForLove: She agrees to this with Steffon in Chapter 9.
* OfficialCouple: With Steffon.

* StaringDownCthulhu: In Chapter 11, Cersei questions Arya’s feelings for Steffon and undermines their relationship. Arya responds quickly by defending herself and Steffon in a manner that leaves Cersei speechless.

* TomboyWithAGirlyStreak: A minor example. She still hates anything dresses and being referred to as a "lady". However, Arya is more self-conscious regarding her looks, hates having to pose like a boy or having her hair cut short.

For the most part, many of the characters remain the same with only a few slight changes here and there. This page is primarily dedicated to the POV Characters, but mostly Steffon, considering how he is an OriginalCharacter.

* GenerationXerox: To Aegon V Targaryen, also known as Aegon "The Unlikely". Like Aegon, Steffon is a younger son of a WarriorPrince who wasn't cut out for peacetime, has a psychotic elder brother (Aerion the Monstrous for Aegon, Joffrey for Steffon), and has progressive ideas about the smallfolk that make him an oddball at the royal court.

* {{Foil}}: To Aegon V Targaryen, also known as Aegon "The Unlikely". Like Aegon, Steffon is a younger son of a WarriorPrince who wasn't cut out for peacetime, has a psychotic elder brother (Aerion the Monstrous for Aegon, Joffrey for Steffon), and has progressive ideas about the smallfolk that make him an oddball at the royal court.

* RedOniBlueOni: PlayedWith. Steffon is usually the more rational and intelligent Blue to Arya's feisty and brash Red, however there are moments where the two ZigZag between roles.

* AmazonChaser: He becomes infatuated with Arya because she’s everything a “proper lady” isn’t.

* ChronicHeroSyndrome: If he is ever faced with a chance to save lives, you can guarantee that Steffon will do it.

* AmbitionIsEvil: Inverted. Compared to characters such as Margeary and Cersei, Steffon has little to no ambition, being perfectly content at where he is and is considered one of the main heroes of the story.

%% * ChronicHeroSyndrome:

* HiddenDepths: Despite his apparent naivety and youthful optimism, Steffon is very perceptive, clever and skilled with a bow.
* HotBlooded: Very much so. Even worse than Arya. Steffon is very passionate and usually wears his heart on his sleeve. When he gets angry, he gets ''really'' angry, and his [[HeroicBSOD Heroice BSOD]]s are much more noticeable than most characters'.

* IdiotBall: Yes, Steffon, let your Sworn Shield leave your side to join the battle, leaving you badly exposed. This is lampshaded by Arya.

* HatesDresses: Much like her book counterpart, Arya has a

* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: With Steffon. While she initially acts very callous towards Steffon in the beginning, she soon comes to respect him and eventually decides to marry him out of love and not just out of duty to their families.

%% * ChronicHeroSyndrome: If Steffon is faced with the opportunity to save a person's life, he will take it.

* HeroWorship: Averted. While Steffon does love his father, he does not romanticize the way Joffrey does and is not pleased with his indulgence in wine, whoring and lust for battle.

* HumbleHero: Steffon never brags and shows no large amounts of pride or arrogance. He also prefers to keep his weaponry and armor simple in taste, yet effective in functionality. See HeroicSelfDeprecation above.
* IdealHero: Out of all the runner ups for the Iron Throne, Steffon is probably the most ideal ruler. Joffrey is a psychotic ManChild with no clue how to rule the Seven Kingdoms, and Renly simply believes he's more suited for the role as king due to being popular. Steffon, on the other hand, is an idealist who genuinely wants to help the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

* {{Nephewism}}: Much of Steffon’s childhood was spent with Robert and Stannis, but Stannis left a more positive impact on him. Stannis helped Steffon learn how to be a tactician and strategist and taught him the importance of duty and responsibility. It’s no mystery that Stannis has felt more like a father figure to Steffon than an uncle.

* YouAreBetterThanYouThink: He gives this to Arya when he learns of her own insecurities regarding her looks, saying that he sees her as one of the most beautiful girls in Westeros.
** He later recieves one from Arya when she learns about his inferiority complex and kick-starts his [[TookALevelInBadass rise to badassery]].

* ClingyJealousGirl: Coming between her and Steffon is ''not'' a smart move with her around. Margeary Tyrell learns this the hard way.

* AnimalMotif: Steffon's personal sigil consists of a crowned stag and a dire wolf as a representation of his bond with Arya.

* DistinctiveAppearances: WordOfGod states that Steffon's appearance was modeled after Creator/AsaButterfield.