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As it stands in the show, which contender for the Iron Throne do you support and why? If you would choose a contender from later in the ASOIAF series then choose other and state who and why.

Personally I would support Stannis Baratheon. Not only does he practice pure, undiluted justice, but he is one of the foremost battle commanders in Westeros on land and at sea and is an experienced and effective administrator. Although he is affiliated with the dodgy teachings of R'hollor, he is definitely skeptical of it, and seems to be using the religion and Melisandre to his own ends rather than the other way around. Not only this, but with Tommen being a bastard, Balon a deluded and overly proud old man with no more claim than any other prominent lord and Daenerys having lost her claim in a similar any of the kings in Westeros had during Aegon's Conquest (and the fact that she has little right to a people she has never seen), Stannis is lawfully the rightful king of Westeros, with the only valid claim.

I'm really surprised you didn't include Jon Snow as an option.

I've only included contenders as they stand in the show at the moment. Of course there are others from later in the ASOIAF series, and that's why I included the Other option, for those contenders.

Couldn't this question be asked in the existent Game of Thrones thread?

You forget to pluralize 'Others'. Ice will take the world of man.

Hear me roar.

I cant really vote on this, however of all the above Tommen Hill would make the best monarch, but only later not now.

A vote for Tommen is a vote for Lannister-Tyrell, not that they approve of ballots anyway.

Aria Stark is my write-in because screw your ballots!

No question for me. Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, Queen of Meereen, Princess of Dragonstone.

Man, I bet getting business cards sucks for her.


Why? She has the most legitimate claim to the throne. The Baratheon line are simply continuing the usurper's reign, and no king since Roberts Rebellion has been legitimate. Danyerys is the sole surviving member of House Targaryen on the show and the rightful heir to the throne last held by Aerys II.

She will take what is hers with fire and blood.

 Ouze wrote:
No question for me. Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Shackles Chains, Queen of Meereen, Princess of Dragonstone.

Man, I bet getting business cards sucks for her.


Why? She has the most legitimate claim to the throne. The Baratheon line are simply continuing the usurper's reign, and no king since Roberts Rebellion has been legitimate. Danyerys is the sole surviving member of House Targaryen on the show and the rightful heir to the throne last held by Aerys II.

She will take what is hers with fire and blood.

You just like her boobs.

Well, I don't count them as a reason to not like her.

Stannis the Mannis. No doubt his inflexibility will get him killed at some point, but he's fair, just and utterly uncompromising. He's the hero Westeros deserves. There will be times for Kings of Summer after the country is rebuilt and reunited.

I concur :

All hail Daenerys, Mother of Dragons, let her burn all who will not bend their knee to her (mostly) benvolent rule.

Let her crush the cities of Slavers Bay and cross the narrow sea to bring order to the lands and burn the impudent creatures beyond the wall with her childrens fire(*).

*and hopefully Bran, Jon Snow and fat bloody Sam as well

 Banzaimash wrote:
If you would choose a contender from later in the ASOIAF series then choose other and state who and why.

Are we doing the shows, or the books? Because there are some pretty big spoilers, bookwise, in answering this question.

Robert Baratheon

If we start doing spoilers from books beyond what's on TV, this thread can go to hell.

I stand with Stannis Baratheon the True King

 Ouze wrote:


Why? She has the most legitimate claim to the throne. The Baratheon line are simply continuing the usurper's reign, and no king since Roberts Rebellion has been legitimate. Danyerys is the sole surviving member of House Targaryen on the show and the rightful heir to the throne last held by Aerys II.

If you've read through all the current books, you'll know she's not the sole surviving member

As for me, and again, I have knowledge beyond the TV show, my vote goes for either Tyrion Lannister; or Arya Stark, servant of the Faceless God

Well, there is no denying that the only rightful owner of the Iron Throne should be Hodor.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

Spoiler:

If you've read through all the current books, you'll know she's not the sole surviving member

As for me, and again, I have knowledge beyond the TV show, my vote goes for either Tyrion Lannister; or Arya Stark, servant of the Faceless God

Woohoo, massive spoiler ! Go my spoiler minions of death!

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Ouze wrote:


Why? She has the most legitimate claim to the throne. The Baratheon line are simply continuing the usurper's reign, and no king since Roberts Rebellion has been legitimate. Danyerys is the sole surviving member of House Targaryen on the show and the rightful heir to the throne last held by Aerys II.

Spoiler:

If you've read through all the current books, you'll know she's not the sole surviving member

I did say "on the show" . Also why I asked in that second post if we're doing the show, or the books as well.

Other: Optimus Prime

When your country gets conquered you more or less lose all your rights to the throne.

Stannis reluctantly gets my vote, he's the last of the Baratheon line so it will go to him.

 Mr Morden wrote:
I concur :

All hail Daenerys, Mother of Dragons, let her burn all who will not bend their knee to her (mostly) benvolent rule.

Let her crush the cities of Slavers Bay and cross the narrow sea to bring order to the lands and burn the impudent creatures beyond the wall with her childrens fire.

I third this!

Shocked to see anyone else agree with me, but Stannis Mother F-in Baratheon.

While they departed a little bit from his motivations in the television show, in the books (and for the most part, on TV too) he's the only one--the ONLY one--who understands ruling as a two way street. He may not be kind, or merciful, or charismatic, but he IS fair, and that seems like a far better quality in a leader than any of those others.

In the books, when the Night's Watch sends out a call for help and immediate support, Stannis is the only man who lives up to his oaths. He takes his forces, marches AWAY from his prize, and goes to support the defenders of the borders of his kingdom. It's important to note that the people he's protecting--the people of the North--don't even recognize him as king! But HE is willing to risk his life, to die, to uphold his obligation to them. So when he demands they bend the knee and honor their obligations to him, he certainly has a stronger claim than many others.

And ultimately, he's right--he IS the lawful king.

Littlefinger is the only valid answer.

 Jimsolo wrote:
He may not be kind, or merciful, or charismatic, but he IS fair, and that seems like a far better quality in a leader than any of those others.

Well, human sacrifice and all that.

It does not matter who is the “rightful” heir to the Throne. Birth means nothing. What actually matters is Hodor. Hodor is supremely fit to rule because Hodor. And hodor. Hodor hodor hodor hodor hodor hodor. Hodor hodor. This is the ultimate argumentation and nothing can top it.

 Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl wrote:

Well, human sacrifice and all that.

In the books he's pretty resistant to the whole 'human sacrifice' angle. Unfortunately, the TV show seems to have removed a lot of the subtlety from peoples' characters. I guess television audiences require simpler character arcs. Ah well.

In any event, in a world where magic is REAL, then human sacrifice is just another way to die. And at some level, a supreme commander (like, say, a king) is invested with the moral authority to decide who lives and who dies. It's really no different than ordering someone on a suicide mission, or allowing a surprise attack to occur so that you can preserve the anonymity of your espionage network.

Is human sacrifice cool? Not really. But he's way better than the other contenders.

The Hound. Cuz he's going to eat all the chickens in this place!

 Jimsolo wrote:

 Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl wrote:

Well, human sacrifice and all that.

In the books he's pretty resistant to the whole 'human sacrifice' angle. Unfortunately, the TV show seems to have removed a lot of the subtlety from peoples' characters. I guess television audiences require simpler character arcs. Ah well.

In any event, in a world where magic is REAL, then human sacrifice is just another way to die. And at some level, a supreme commander (like, say, a king) is invested with the moral authority to decide who lives and who dies. It's really no different than ordering someone on a suicide mission, or allowing a surprise attack to occur so that you can preserve the anonymity of your espionage network.

Is human sacrifice cool? Not really. But he's way better than the other contenders.

But at the same time, some of his followers have jumped into the fire with both feet, and welcome being a sacrifice (well, at least till the fire is lit)

And to quote Mel Brooks: "It's good to be the king"

With respect to Daenerys, while she so far has proven to be a capable leader, there are a few qualities of hers that look to bite her in the arse in the future.

While her frequent refusal to heed her advisors has gotten her far (e.g. House of the Undying), I can see that eventually being her downfall, as if there is anything to be said for Mormont and Selmy, it is that they are experienced in the ways of the world, especially with respect to Westeros.

Also, her refusal to see her enemies as anything more than 'slaving scumbags' or 'the Usurper's dogs' may lead her to taking excessively brutal courses of action in both Slavers' Bay and in Westeros if she gets there, which would really turn people against her.

Furthermore, her ideas on justice are warped to say the least, to the point where it just seems like bloody vengeance. As far as the show's concerned, I feel this is exemplified by her treatment of the Masters. Hizdar zo Loraq highlighted a crucial point in this regard, that many of those masters would not have advocated for the slave children to be crucified. Also I wonder myself whether it is right to punish people for injustices they have done, when at the time they did these it was not illegal by law to do them.

This leads on to my final point on Daenerys, is that she can get highly emotional about ruling. I can see this really causing her problems later, with emotional decisions coming back to haunt her. We've seen how rash she can be about things, from the crucifixion of the Masters, to her threatening of the Qartheen nobility when they could very easily boot her back out into the Red Wastes. It's going to get her in trouble