Stannis is no longer the Mannis.
People love Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane). The self-proclaimed "King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm" is one of most popular characters in 'Game of Thrones.' Stannis' popularity keeps growing despite being highly influenced by the witch Melisandre (Carice van Houten), who also happens to be one of the most hated characters in the show.
But it looks like things have changed for the worst, as the hashtag #stannis on Twitter can prove.
The latest episode of the series started out with several tweets in support of Stannis.
The last episode of #GameofThrones was bananas. Can tonight's episode possibly be better? Let's hope so! #JonSnow #Stannis #WinterIsComing
— Bring Me Your Torch (@BringMeYourTorc) June 8, 2015
Stannis the Mannis, the Besteros in Westeros. #Stannis #GameofThrones — Rhetticus Flinch (@RJohnElvisT) June 8, 2015
Then people started noticing that something isn't right.
Somebody needs 2 talk 2 #Stannis about maybe making a suggestion box or something @GameOfThrones #LetsUseIStatementsStannis
— Frangela (@frangeladuo) June 8, 2015
And suddenly, I'm reminded of Agammenon and Iphigenia #Shireen #Stannis #GameofThrones — Sean Tape (@tapedog) June 8, 2015
Stannis sends Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) away then orders for his daughter to be tied to a pyre. Shireen (Kerry Ingram) begs for her life and even own mother (Tara Fitzgerald) tries to dissuade the power-hungry father.
At Stannis's order, Melisandre lights the pyre.
OH MY GOD GAME OF THRONES!!!! OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GODDDDDDDD WOWWWWWWW OHHHHHHH MYYYYY GODDDDDDDD #STANNIS UNREALLLLLLL
— Ryan Weinberger (@HandsZeus26) June 8, 2015
Netizens suddenly went crazy.
#Stannis burning Shireen is the worst character butchering on #GameofThrones , he would never and he is hurting yet every1 will hate him now — Ada R (@Entity22) June 8, 2015
My reaction to #Stannis's tonight on #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/BCPlqxvIZ0
— Shaun2k5 (@Shaun2k5) June 8, 2015
The face you make when you burn your daughter alive #GameofThrones #Stannis doesn't happen in the books!! pic.twitter.com/PuYvK7Funy — Wrestling LAD (@WrestlingLAD) June 8, 2015
My reaction to #Stannis on #GameofThrones I think I'm team White Walkers from now on... pic.twitter.com/tssoD05sB6
— Chris C (@__BlueEyes__) June 8, 2015
Shireen's grisly end is proof that 'Game of Thrones' is aiming to shock people, even if it means taking a different course from the books. The fifth season has been filled with several changes, including the marriage of Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) which led to the Stark girl's rape.
Executive producer D.B. Weiss was quick to explain that the audiences only care when crimes are committed against known characters, as opposed to those with minor roles. "If a superhero knocks over a building and there are 5,000 people in the building that we can presume are now dead, does it matter? Because they're not people we know," Weiss said. "But if one dog we like gets run over by a car, it's the worst thing we've ever seen."
The fate of Stannis Baratheon in the show is still unknown. However, it is quite clear that he has lost most of his fanbase with the death of his daughter.
I can't #Stannis no more. — Stephan Frost (@StephanFrost) June 8, 2015
Stannis is no longer the Mannis. #GameofThrones #Stannis
— Melissa (@BombayTalkies) June 8, 2015