Highlights
- Stannis Baratheon lays claim to the Iron Throne after his brother Robert's death, but faces other major conflicts in Westeros.
- Ned Stark supports Stannis as rightful heir, but is executed before he can help him. Stannis enlists the help of a pirate to strengthen his army.
- Stannis plans to attack King's Landing and take the city, but is met with a surprise when Tyrion uses wildfire to defeat his fleet and armies. The Lannisters and Tyrells emerge victorious.
After Robert Baratheon dies in Game of Thrones season 1, episode 7 "You Win or You Die," his brother, Stannis lays claim to the Iron Throne. Since the late King Robert had no trueborn children, Stannis is the heir to the throne. But given the increasingly complicated nature of Westeros' geopolitics, Stannis' war for the Iron Throne is one among the five major simultaneous conflicts. As a result, the continent is impoverished, but the Lannisters through their incompetent and illegitimate king, Joffrey Baratheon continue to maintain a grip on the throne and rule with an iron fist.
The Hand of the King, and now Robert's decreed Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm, Ned Stark intends to place Stannis on the Iron Throne upon King Robert's death as he is the rightful heir. He disregards Robert and Stannis' younger brother, Renly Baratheon when the latter suggests they separate Joffrey from Cersei and seize the Iron Throne. Ned writes a letter to Lord Stannis, declaring for him, and he instructs one of his men to deliver it personally to him. Ned wants Stannis to rule the Seven Kingdoms, but he is executed at orders of Joffrey Baratheon in Game of Thrones season 1, episode 9 "Baelor."
Lead-Up to The Battle
Stannis Baratheon first appears on Dragonstone in Game of Thrones season 2, episode 1, "The North Remembers." He's surrounded by his loyalists, including Ser Davos, and his son, Matthos. A priestess named Melisandre professes faith in the Lord of Light and serves as his main advisor. She burns the statues of the Seven, and he lets it happen as he thinks she can help him win the Iron Throne. Later, Matthos drafts a letter and Stannis has him send copies to every corner of the realm:
And I declare upon the honor of my house that my brother Robert left no trueborn heirs. The boy Joffrey, the boy Tommen and the girl Myrcella being born of incest between Cersei Lannister and her brother Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. By right of birth and blood, I do this day lay claim to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Let all true men declare their loyalty.
In Game of Thrones season 2, episode 2 "The Night Lands," Davos and Matthos strengthen Stannis' army. They enlist the help of a pirate named Salladhor Saan who agrees to sail all thirty of his ships with Stannis' fleet to Blackwater Bay. The Lannisters are the real enemy, and Stannis' advisors plot their war. Stannis has his younger brother, Renly murdered by Melisandre's shadow assassin. Meanwhile, Tyrion who is the acting Hand, prepares to defend King's Landing. He learns through cousin Lancel that Cersei has commissioned the Alchemists' Guild to produce the highly flammable substance, Wildfire to launch from the city walls into Stannis' ships and armies. Tyrion and the new Commander of the City Watch, Bronn visit Wisdom Hallyne the pyromancer, and find out they have almost eight thousand Wildfire pots ready to be hurled at the enemy.
The Battle
Stannis' army has grown in numbers, as Renly's bannermen except the Tyrells have come to him. He has a good chance of taking the Seven Kingdoms, and he informs Davos that they will sail for King's Landing as soon as he consolidates his troops. His strategy is simple:
We ' ll make short work of the Lannisters ' fleet ; once Blackwater Bay is cleared , we ' ll deliver our troops to their doorstep and take the city .
In Game of Thrones season 2, episode 6, "The Old Gods and the New," Baelish visits Lord Tywin Lannister at Harrenhal and brings him interesting developments from the capital of King's Landing. He tells him the Tyrells have the third-largest host in the Seven Kingdoms and because they haven't declared for any of the surviving kings, Renly's assassination is the perfect opportunity to ally with them. Simply put, Baelish wants to use the Tyrells and the Lannisters to fight Stannis.
Stannis' arrive in Blackwater Bay in Game of Thrones season 2, episode 9 "Blackwater." Tyrion's instructions to Bronn are clear. He has to wait for the ships to be "far enough in" to play his Wildfire trick. Stannis' ships and armies outnumber the defenders', but then again, the walls have never been breached. Tyrion has his men guarding the walls, and meanwhile, Davos grows suspicious of why there's only one ship in sight. From the battlements, Joffrey argues with Tyrion about the strategy, but the latter fobs him off. Tyrion readies his archers but does not give the signal to attack them yet. Matthos, Davos, and even Joffrey are confused as to why there's only one royal ship in sight.
Lannister-Tyrell Victory
Davos notices Wildfire leaking from a decoy ship, and is alarmed. Tyrion signals Bronn to fire a flaming arrow into the Wildfire, which results in a massive explosion. Matthos is thrown overboard, while Davos and Stannis survive this initial assault. Some men jump into water, some burn due to Wildfire, and Tyrion is horrified to see what the substance has done. Stannis carries on and orders his men to prepare to land. The Baratheon fleet row their boats towards the shore and Tyrion commands the archers to rain fire on them. While the flaming arrows hit Stannis' men, they make it to the base of the harbor wall. The Lannister forces drop rocks on them, but Stannis' men shield their heads. Stannis commands his first and second squads to breach the Mud Gate.
The Blackwater is on fire, Sandor Clegane gives up, while more of Stannis' men come ashore. The Lannisters are losing the battle and Cersei sends Lancel to summon Joffrey to the Red Keep. Joffrey abandons his army and Stannis' men use a battering ram to smash the River Gate. Tyrion leads the counter-attack and boosts the Lannister soldiers' morale. Cersei leaves Maegor's Holdfast and enters the throne room. Tyrion goes into shock when a knight slices his cheek, and passes out. Cersei sits on the Iron Throne, and has a vial of poison ready to be consumed. The Tyrell-Lannister reinforcements arrive and Stannis' men retreat. Loras Tyrell enters the throne room and he's followed by Tywin Lannister, who declares victory. Game of Thrones' the Battle of the Blackwater Bay ends in Stannis' defeat and leads to a major shuffle at Joffrey's court.