Game Of Thrones: 10 Things That Make No Sense About Davos Seaworth

Few characters on Game of Thrones are easy to like, but Davos Seaworth is one of them. A former smuggler, Davos becomes the primary adviser to Stannis Baratheon before later becoming Jon Snow’s most trusted ally. He is a noble, compassionate, and kind man audiences were always rooting for.

While Davos was certainly likable, not everything about his character made perfect sense. There are aspects of his background that are still unclear and some of his actions raise a lot of questions. There are a lot of good aspects that made him such a fan-favorite, but there are also some things that don’t add up.

10 Why Did He Help Stannis?

We learn the reason Davos became one of Stannis’ most trusted men was because he saved Stannis and his castle during Robert’s Rebellion. Stannis was holding Storm’s End but they were surrounded by enemies and unable to get supplies.

As the castle began to starve, Davis smuggled a ship in and delivered onions and meat to the castle, saving the say. But why would a smuggler risk his life to bring food to a man fighting alongside a usurper? It is a big risk and we never get an explanation for what motivated Davos.

9 Why Didn’t He Hate Stannis For His Punishment?

While it seemed very risky to help Stannis out during the war, Davos surely at least expected a pretty nice reward for his troubles. Stannis did make him a lord which is certainly nice, but he also had to punish him for being a smuggler, so he chopped off his fingers.

Losing half your fingers might have been a decent price to pay for becoming a lord, but that doesn’t mean Davos had to like Stannis for doing it. Most people would hate Stannis for repaying such help with such a severe punishment.

8 Where Is His Wife?

In Season 2, we are introduced to Davos’ son Matthos who is a devoted follower of Stannis. In the same season, we hear Davos mention his wife in a conversation with Melisandre. It is clear that his wife is still alive, but nothing more is made of her.

The rest of the series follows Davos around to various lands and participating in various wars without ever going to see his wife or even mentioning her ever again. Either the writers forgot she existed, or Davos did.

7 What Happened To Salladhor Saan?

Davos made some friends in his days as a smuggler and they do not necessarily operate within the law. One of those men is Salladhor Saan, a pirate who Davos recruits to join Stannis fleet as he attempts to take the Iron Throne.

Saan abandons the cause following the Battle of Blackwater but is persuaded back to the fight when the Iron Bank invests in Stannis’ campaign. But he is never seen again. How would such an ally not play a role in Stannis’ future plans?

6 Why Did He Stand By Stannis?

Davos clearly feels indebted to Stannis for making him a lord and later naming him as his Hand of the King. However, it is also clear that Davos does not agree with Melisandre’s influence and the religion of the Lord of Light.

Following the Battle of Blackwater, Melisandre carries out many sacrifices, burning people alive as Stannis just watches it happen. Davos is disgusted by these acts and even goes against his king’s commands at times, but he never realizes this man might not be a good king.

5 How Did He Learn To Read So Fast?

One of the most endearing relationships in the show is the one between Davos and Shireen. Shireen is Stannis’ adorable and kind daughter who views Davos as an uncle of sorts. When Davos tells Shireen he doesn’t know how to read, she decides to teach him.

While this is a sweet development between the two, it takes about one episode for Davos to become a pretty good reader. Sure, the show couldn’t take up too much time watching his progress but that was a little too easy.

4 Why Didn’t He Find Out About Shireen Sooner?

Seeing as Davos and Shireen were so close, it became quite clear that one of them was doomed. As it turns out, the series has no mercy, and little Shireen is burned alive by Melisandre and her father as a sacrifice.

Davos learns of her death when Melisandre returns to Castle Black, but she is vague about what happened. Despite his love for the little girl, Davos seems to accept her death pretty quickly and doesn’t suspect Melisandre might have had something to do with it.

3 How Was He Such A Good Smuggler?

While Stannis gave Davos a way out of the smuggling business, his skills are called upon several times throughout the series and we are repeatedly told he is one of the best smugglers in Westeros.

However, there is never any explanation for what makes him so effective. Any time he is smuggling, he is simply shown rowing ashore in a small boat which seems like something anyone could do. If he is such a good smuggler, it would have been nice to see him actually do it at some point.

2 How Did He Survive So Long?

One thing his days of smuggling didn’t teach Davos was how to fight. It is an ongoing gag in the series that he is a terrible fighter with no skill to speak of. Despite that, Davos has participated in several of the biggest battles in the series.

During the Battle of Blackwater, Davos is caught in the middle of the wildfire explosion but somehow survives. In the Battle of the Bastards, he is in the middle of the battle without being able to fight and still manages to not die.

1 Why Did He Trust Jon Snow So Much?

Following the death of Stannis, Davos finds himself at Castle Black, not knowing what to do next. Shortly after, Jon Snow is killed and Davos becomes the main person to stand up against his murders. He then convinces Melisandre to bring Jon back to life then becomes his most loyal ally.

But leading up to that, Davos had only shared a few conversations with Jon. Why would he all of the sudden risk his life for this person he barely knew and join his army?

About The Author

Colin McCormick
(2027 Articles Published)

Colin McCormick is a Senior Writer with Screen Rant and has been a proud member of the team since 2019. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a writer of News, Feature and Review pieces at Game Rant. Colin has had a long passion and obsession with movies going back to the first time he saw The Lion King in theaters. Along with movies, Colin stays up-to-date on the latest must-see TV shows. While he loves to find interesting projects in any kind of genre, he has a special movie of crime stories that are infused with a little dark humor much like the work of his favorite author, Elmore Leonard.

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