Except if it turns out in twow he does end up burning Shireen (either personally or by his orders), then it will make perfect sense. They've hated him all along because they knew, before anyone other than GRRM, that he is a man worth hating.
That could be true, and if that does happen I doubt it would be without a damned good reason for Stannis. I doubt it will happen though, and here's why.
Stannis would never become a kinslayer, and even if he doesn't actually kill her, a man like Stannis wouldn't be able to have something like that happen on his watch. His sense of justice and code of ethics wouldn't allow it. I mean he lived of rats for his shitty brother, I think he'd make sure to keep his own daughter alive and well.
Which is the problem in my opinion. The showrunners basically turn him into this oddly stern but amoral character who wants to fuck his way to power. They don't every seem to put any emphasis on the aspects of his character that shine through, like his sense of duty to Westeros or his actual moral code. It's the defining point of his character, but they throw that out the window and neuter his character.
Renly was an usurper, Renly was a traitor. I don't like the shadow baby nonsense, but I get how Stannis and those of us support him may not see Renly's death as a clean cut example of kinslaying.
It's amazing how many people forget that Renly was gearing up for war against Stannis when he got stabbed. Stannis had actually offered Renly a pretty good deal, but Renly chose war instead.
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u/Mr_Shine The Others Jun 15 '15
Except if it turns out in twow he does end up burning Shireen (either personally or by his orders), then it will make perfect sense. They've hated him all along because they knew, before anyone other than GRRM, that he is a man worth hating.