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

In December 2011, Martin posted a sample chapter from the yet-unfinished The Winds of Winter, told from Theon Greyjoy's viewpoint, which confirmed Stannis' return in the sixth book.

Stannis is portrayed by English actor Stephen Dillane in the HBO television adaptation of the series,[2][3] who has received significant critical praise for his performance.

Stannis is a divisive character among fans of the books and television show alike, enjoying both great popularity for his dedication to justice and dark horse status, as well as opposition for his unrelenting attitude towards the Iron Throne.

[10] He is portrayed as a brooding and humorless man with a harsh but fair sense of duty and justice whose dour demeanor is often off-putting in comparison to his two more charismatic brothers.

When Stannis was 14, he witnessed his parents' death in a shipwreck off the coast of House Baratheon's castle, Storm's End, and subsequently lost his faith in the Seven Gods.

Stannis' garrison avoids starvation thanks only to the smuggler Davos Seaworth, who evades the blockade by the Redwyne fleet to bring the Baratheon soldiers a cargo of onions and fish.

Stannis is subsequently tasked with building a new royal fleet to assault Dragonstone and capture the island, but arrives to find that Aerys II Targaryen's children Viserys and the newborn Daenerys had fled.

Stannis is plagued with bitterness at the lack of respect and affection he has been shown by his older brother King Robert, and even in childhood was described by the Baratheon family maester as "the most unloved of the three"; a "solemn and joyless" child "mature beyond his years".

Although Stannis suffers from a lack of support and resources during the War of Five Kings, he is frequently described by his adversaries, including Tywin Lannister, as the most dangerous rival claimant.

"[13] Stannis is not a point of view character in the novels, so his actions are witnessed and interpreted through the eyes of other people, predominantly Davos Seaworth and Jon Snow,[14] and later Asha and Theon Greyjoy.

Eddard continues Stannis and Jon's investigations, and discovers that Cersei's children are the products of her incestuous affair with her twin brother Jaime Lannister.

After his death, many of Renly's bannermen immediately swear allegiance to Stannis, although the Tyrells side with the Lannisters due to their offer to have Margaery marry Joffrey.

Now equipped with the strongest army and navy in Westeros, Stannis attempts to capture the capital city of King's Landing by sea, but many of his men are killed when Tyrion Lannister detonates jars of wildfire in the Blackwater River and burns most of his fleet.

Stannis is conflicted about burning his nephew but uses Edric's blood collected by three leeches to curse the rival kings: Balon Greyjoy, Joffrey Baratheon, and Robb Stark.

Davos smuggles Edric off Dragonstone to the Free Cities, and then persuades Stannis to sail to the North and save the Night's Watch from the wildling army.

After Melisandre burns Alester Florent as a sacrifice to R'hllor to ensure favorable winds, Stannis takes most of his remaining army and sails north to the Wall to relieve the Wildlings' threat on Castle Black.

Stannis' sudden arrival at the Wall catches Mance Rayder, the King-Beyond-the-Wall, by surprise, and his cavalry routs the whole Wildling host with few casualties.

[15] In December 2011, Martin posted a sample chapter from the yet-unfinished sixth book The Winds of Winter, told from Theon Greyjoy's viewpoint,[16][17] where Stannis is actively and efficiently preparing for the looming battle against the Bolton-Frey alliance.

To spare Theon the agony of death by burning, Asha pleads with Stannis to personally behead him before a weirwood tree in the tradition of the northmen.

After Davos Seaworth questions his course of action, Stannis has three leeches drawn with Gendry's blood and throws them into a fire, calling for the death of Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and Joffrey Baratheon.

Stannis subsequently sentences Davos to death but is swayed by Melisandre, who encourages him to travel North to aid the Night's Watch against the White Walkers emerging from beyond the Wall.

Stannis and his army arrive at the Wall shortly after the Battle of Castle Black, interrupting a parley between Jon Snow and Mance Rayder and crushing the wildling force.

Although the snowstorm lifts, half of Stannis's army deserts him, Selyse commits suicide out of guilt, and Melisandre flees to Castle Black.

On her review for "Sons of the Harpy", Sarah Hughes of The Guardian wrote, "Stephen Dillane has always been wonderful at showing us the core of this rigid, complex man.

"[21] In her review for "Mother's Mercy", Meghan O'Keefe of Decider wrote, "Whether you like Stannis or not, you have to admit that Stephen Dillane delivered a monumental performance this season.

"[22] Cindy Davis of Pajiba wrote "After Shireen's seemingly pointless death, it's a testament to Stephen Dillane's phenomenal skills that we could feel anything at all for a man who watched his daughter burned alive.