I’ve lurked the GOT reddit for a while now, but after seeing the reaction to Stannis burning Shireen last night I’ve finally started an account just to post this.

It is very disappointing how little discussion is going on about this scene beyond emotional gut reactions not just here but on the internet in general. All I’ve seen is “fuck Stannis,” people trying to make comparisons to him and the Boltons (they are not comparable in the slightest), and just in general making Stannis out to be a fanatical monster for sacrificing his own daughter.

Doing this completely undermines the nuance and moral complexity of the scene. This is a scene that has been built up since season 2 (Melisandre says that Stannis will betray everything he loves, but it will all be worth it). The stakes have been made absolutely clear: the White Walkers are coming, winter is here, every minute is another minute closer to the death of everyone. Stannis believes he is Azor Ahai reborn, though whether this is true or not remains to be seen. After Ramsay attacks his camp, the situation is even more dire. Stannis’s army is pretty much frozen in place and waiting to die slowly.

Those would be dire circumstances even without the ticking time clock of the impending White Walker invasion. Everything is on the line, including Shireen, who would probably die with everyone else if they don’t keep moving. So despite initially resisting Melisandre’s demand, he finally makes the horrible decision because there is no other choice.

What Stannis did was terrible; one of the most morally repugnant things a person could do, and you can see it on his face. He is hurting. But THAT IS THE POINT. Sometimes people have to do horrible things for the greater good. Just look at actual human history; war forces good people to make evil choices. The cost of war is a very GRRM point to make, and whether Shireen’s death comes from D&D or Martin himself, it fits perfectly in line with the story we’ve been told so far.

I’ve also seen people derogatorily call Stannis a fanatic caught in the grasp of Melisandre, but have these people forgotten that we’ve seen the power of the Lord of Light in practice? It births shadows. It brings people back to life. It shows visions of the future/past. And most importantly, it clearly has some connection to the White Walkers and the Great Other. Melisandre may be wrong in some regards, but she isn’t just a fanatic who bases their beliefs purely on subjective experiences and anecdotal evidence. There is something greater going on behind the scenes.

I honestly think this scene is too powerful and nuanced for many people to handle, which is why there is so little reaction beyond OMG Stannis is the worst person ever!!! Me? I think this makes Stannis an ever more compelling character. He literally killed his own daughter for what he thought is the greater good, a decision most people would be too selfish to even consider. How many children might die if Shireen wasn’t sacrificed? Or maybe you’re of the belief that such a decision undermines the point of living, as Davos believes.

And that is what makes the entire scene so compelling. You’re watching characters make hard choices during hard times that may or may not pay off.

TL;DR version: Stannis sacrificing Shireen is an incredibly powerful and heartwrenching moment that says a lot about not only him but the moral complexity of war, but too many people are focused on irrationally demonizing Stannis instead of engaging with the material and all the fascinating questions it asks.