Stannis the Man

Stannis Baratheon was upset with Davos Seaworth when he learned that Joffrey Baratheon had died at King's Landing. He didn't have the men to take advantage of it and Davos had helped Gendry escape.

Later that day Davos was learning to read with Shireen using a book about pirates. She asked if he had been a pirate and he said no had been a smuggler, there's a distinction. He went on how Braavos didn't care about the distinction either as the Iron Bank didn't when considering those who stole from its barges loaded with loot. This gave Davos an idea. The Iron Bank wouldn't make a distinction between Stannis and Tywin/Tommen as long as they got their money. (The royal family owed the Iron Bank a lot as Tyrion found out when he became Master of Coin.) If Davos could make a better argument to them now that Joffrey is dead, perhaps they would loan them gold. Davos ultimately did by describing how Stannis cut off his fingers even though his smuggling saved Storm's End.

And so Stannis saved the Nightswatch and the North from the Wildling army even though Melisandre will now be eyeing Shireen and Mance's baby (will they drop that storyline?) And even though Roose and Ramsay Bolton rule the North.