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| “ | Balon: The pup says nothing about a reward. Only that you speak for him, and I am to listen, and give him my sails and swords, and in return he will give me a crown. He will give me a crown... Theon: A poor choice of words, what is meant is– Balon: What is meant is what is said. The boy will give me a crown. And what is given can be taken away. |
„ |
| ~ Balon is offended by Robb's wording. |
| “ | I am the Greyjoy, Lord Reaper of Pyke, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind, and no man gives me a crown. I pay the iron price. I will take my crown, as Urron Redhand did five thousand years ago. | „ |
| ~ Balon to Theon Greyjoy. |
King Balon IX Greyjoy is one of the secondary antagonists of the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series and its television adaptation, Game of Thrones.
He was initially Lord of the Iron Islands, before his second coronation, and is head of House Greyjoy, and Lord Reaper of Pyke. He's the son of Lord Quellon Greyjoy and a Lady of House Sunderly. His wife is Lady Alannys Harlaw, and they have four children: Rodrik, Maron, Asha, and Theon. His younger brothers are Euron, Victarion, Urrigon, and Aeron. Urrigon died during his youth because of an infection. Balon had 3 half-brothers, all of whom died as children, from his father's previous marriage: Harlon, Quenton, and Donel, as well as a younger half-brother from his father's last marriage, Robin, who died as a child as well. Throughout his life, Balon took multiple salt wives, having first married two girls at once when he was fifteen. Balon is also the great-grandson of Lord Dagon Greyjoy.
Balon first rebelled against the Iron Throne approximately nine years before the story begins. His rebellion failed, and as a result, he lost his only surviving son, Theon, who was taken as a ward by Eddard Stark to ensure Balon's loyalty.
He turns out to be a strong enemy to Robb Stark, being one of the five kings in the war. He is also indirectly responsible for many disasters that led Robb to lose the war; his decision to invade the north instead of allying himself with Robb led to Theon's conquer of Winterfell and the fake murders of Bran and Rickon, which resulted with Robb finding comfort to Jeyne Westerling, the release of Jaime Lannister, and the discontent between the northmen who lost interest in the war against the Lannisters and wanted to return to the North and reclaim their homes. King Balon and Theon's actions eventually led King Robb to leave his campaign in the Westerlands for Riverrun and start a plan to retake the North, but he needed more men, so he had to beg forgiveness from Lord Walder Frey, resulting in the Red Wedding.
In the TV series, however, this was changed by keeping Tywin Lannister the main cause of Robb's defeat and changing Robb's plan to retake the North with a plan to conquer Casterly Rock as long as he and his mother Catelyn did not know Bran and Rickon's "fate" while in the novels they're aware of it.
He was portrayed by Patrick Malahide, who also portrayed Lachaise in The World is Not Enough.
Biography[]
Early life[]
| “ | A brave man but a bad lord. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of Asha Greyjoy. |
Balon is the eldest surviving son of Lord Quellon Greyjoy and a lady of House Sunderly, Quellon's second wife. He is the fourth child of Lord Quellon. It is not clear when he was born.
Balon learned to sail when he was still young and was a very skilled captain. Balon scaled the Flint Cliffs to the Blind Lord's haunted tower when he was ten. By his thirteenth year, he had become an expert oarsman. At fifteen, he sailed with Dagmer Cleftjaw to the Stepstones on a reaving, killing his first man and taking his first two salt wives, women kidnapped to be used for sex but can't be used as slaves or whores, and their sons can inherit. By seventeen, he captained his own longship. Later, he often went raiding and was known for his fierceness and fearlessness.
Balon and two of his brothers, Euron and Victarion, wanted their father, Quellon, to join Robert's Rebellion. Quellon was peaceful and cautious, however, and desired neutrality. After Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen was slain in the Battle of the Trident, however, Quellon was convinced by his sons to join the rebellion or else gain nothing from the war. The ironmen's contribution to the war turned out to be minimal. Quellon was slain fighting the longships of the Shield Islands in a battle at the Mander, after which Balon brought the Greyjoy ships back to Pyke so he could claim the Seastone Chair.
When Balon returned to Pyke, he found out his younger brother, Urrigon, had died of gangrene after being injured in the finger dance. The maester had tried to save the hand of the boy, but his potions had failed, and the fourteen-year-old Urrigon lost his life instead. Balon commanded the same treatment be used on the maester, who died along with Balon's stepmother.
Balon was married to Alannys Harlaw, who gave him three sons and a daughter: Rodrik, Maron, Asha, and Theon.
Greyjoy's Rebellion[]
| “ | Balon: You may take my head, but you cannot name me traitor. No Greyjoy ever swore an oath to a Baratheon. Robert: [laughs] Swear one now, or lose that stubborn head of yours. |
„ |
| ~ King Balon IX Greyjoy and King Robert I Baratheon, moments before the former is forced to relinquish his crown. |
In the past, the Ironborn raided their neighbors and practiced the Old Way. They used to attack, killing anyone who resisted, taking thralls and salt wives, and leaving before an army could assemble. An ironborn man took pride in not having to pay for jewelry, but taking it from those too weak to hold it ("paying the iron price"). They ruled large parts of Westeros, including the riverlands, Bear Island, and the Arbor. After Aegon's Conquest, however, they lost their independence and were not allowed to raid other territories of Westeros.
Lord Quellon Greyjoy had desired stronger ties with mainland Westeros, forbade most reaving, brought maesters to the islands, and outlawed the taking of thralls. His son Balon, however, wished to return to the older customs, which he considered a better way for the ironborn. After becoming Lord of the Iron Islands, Balon reversed most of his father's reforms. Over the course of five years, he oversaw the construction of the Iron Fleet to serve the Seastone Chair.
Balon was quick to seize the chance to revert to the ways of old when he thought that King Robert I Baratheon's recently gained rule, through conquest, was unstable. Believing Robert would not have the support, the men, or the will to resist, Balon launched his own rebellion and declared himself King of the Iron Islands.
The ironborn won early success when they attacked Lannisport and destroyed its fleet, and then they started to raid all the western coast. During one of these raidings, Balon's eldest son, Rodrik, was slain by Lord Jason Mallister at the walls of Seagard, but the raidings were still going strong. King Balon's realm was short-lived. His defeat started when his fleet and forces were later defeated and destroyed near Fair Isle by Lord Stannis Baratheon. Stannis almost killed Balon's brother, Aeron, who was lost in the sea and nearly drowned to death. He survived and was held captive at Lannisport for the rest of the rebellion. The experience in the sea turned the cheerful and joyful Aeron Greyjoy into a cold and humourless religious zealot fanatically devoted to the Drowned God. Euron and Victarion managed to escape from Stannis' fleet, while Rodrik Harlaw, Balon's brother-in-law, lost all his sons in the Battle off Fair Isle.
Later, King Robert I Baratheon and Lord Eddard Stark attacked the island of Pyke, while Lord Stannis took Great Wyk and Ser Barristan Selmy took Old Wyk. Balon's second son, Maron, died while defending Pyke. Balon was forced to accept defeat and bent the knee, re-swearing fealty to the Baratheons, allowing his sole surviving son, ten-year-old Theon, to be taken hostage by Lord Eddard Stark to Winterfell. After the rebellion, many castles and towns in the Iron Islands suffered serious damage, and the castle of Pyke was almost destroyed. It took years to rebuild the places, and Greyjoy Castle is now smaller than before. Balon and his wife, Alannys, grew apart after the deaths of Rodrik and Maron and the taking of Theon. In fact, Alannys was deeply devastated by Theon being taken hostage and the deaths of her two eldest sons in the war, and she began wandering the halls at night, shrieking out their names. She had five ironborn boys brought to be fostered at Pyke after Ned Stark brought Theon to Winterfell, including Tristifer Botley, a childhood love of Asha's. During the years, she left Pyke to return to Great Wyk, at Ten Towers, the seat of her brother, Lord Rodrik Harlaw, who also lost all his sons in the rebellion. Her psychosis worsened greatly, and she's now unrecognizable. She's dying and wishes to see Theon again before her death.
Due to the fact that he's not a POV character, Balon's feelings are unknown. He became extremely cold and hateful. It's possible that deep inside he knew that his rebellion was a foolish idea that cost the lives of many of his people, including his two families, almost the complete destruction of his islands, and his wife's sanity. Even Aeron became a religious fanatic from this experience. Balon found himself to be the laughing stock of the Great Houses of Westeros. He always blamed Robert and Eddard for his failure instead of himself, and Theon was a reminder of that failure. He, along with his brothers, never got over this and never forgave it. He thought he had lost Theon as well, and because of that, he hated the Starks. He also accuses Ned Stark of having killed his sons, Rodrik and Maron.
While the latter is indirectly true, Theon and everyone else know Rodrik died before Robert's invasion of the Iron Islands; he was slain by Lord Jason Mallister at Seagard, and despite this, Theon and Patrek Mallister have been friends during their time in the riverlands, in the War of the Five Kings.
In 297 AC, one of Balon's brothers, Euron, seduced the wife of their brother Victarion. To prevent bloodshed between the brothers, Balon sent Euron into exile and swore he would be killed if he returned. To keep his honor, Victarion killed his wife, and Balon told him to never speak about her again.
War of the Five Kings[]
Balon never truly gave up on his lifetime desire to become King of the Iron Islands. As soon as chaos and the War of the Five Kings start, Balon assembles his fleet and orders all ships that visit the Iron Islands to remain, so he will have the element of surprise. He sends Dagmer to Old Wyk to raise the Stonehouses and the Drumms, while Asha goes to Great Wyk, taking messages for her father. After Eddard Stark is killed by Joffrey Baratheon, Robb Stark declares himself King in the North and the Trident and sends Theon to his homeland to try and persuade his father to join his cause in exchange for the independence of the Iron Islands. Insulted, Balon rejects the proposal and blatantly says he believes his only son has changed loyalty and gone green. Theon denies this and reverts to the Old Ways of faith—the faith of his family. Shortly after this, Balon once crowns himself King of the Isles and the North.
Balon personally favors his daughter Asha, who's also loved by the ironmen, and also wants her to become queen when he dies. The line of succession and the gender priority of the male don't really matter on the Iron Islands, even if the ironborn have never been ruled by a woman. This creates a rivalry between her and Theon. Both Balon and Victarion grin with the other lords' laughter when she humiliates Theon during the feast at Pyke.
With King Robb fighting in the westerlands and the riverlands, the north is left in a weak position and surrounded by enemies (the Lannisters and Stannis in the south, the wildlings beyond the Wall). King Balon sends his brother, Victarion, the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, to lead most of the fleet to the Neck and capture Moat Cailin to hold the entire north. Balon ignores Theon's advice to ally with the Starks against the Lannisters in exchange for Casterly Rock with Theon as its lord. Balon claims that Robb wanted to give him a crown, and what is given can be retaken.
Victarion successfully takes Moat Cailin and fights in the Neck against the Crannogmen. The ironborn's taking of the Neck cuts off Robb's army, which has been campaigning in the riverlands and the westerlands, from the North. Balon sends other ironborn forces, led by his daughter Asha, Theon, and Dagmer Cleftjaw, to ravage the western coastline of the North, including the Stony Shore. Asha takes 30 ships and captures Deepwood Motte, while Lord Galbart Glover and his brother Robett Glover are fighting for Robb. She holds hostages Robett's wife, Sybelle, and his children, Gawen and Erena. Meanwhile, Theon raids the northern coast in the west, raiding the Stony Shore with 8 ships, helped by Dagmer Cleftjaw and his uncle Aeron Greyjoy to supervise him since Balon doesn't think Theon would succeed alone.
Theon wanted to go to Deepwood Motte since he's been there a lot of times, but Balon did not listen. Later, wanting to compete against Asha and earn respect from the Greyjoy family, Theon captures Winterfell while Dagmer attacks Torrhen's Square and Aeron finishes to raid the western coast. The ironborn also take several other northern castles, causing Robb Stark's army to lose faith and interest in their war against the Iron Throne and the Lannisters. The news of the deaths of Bran and Rickon Stark causes Catelyn Stark to free Ser Jaime Lannister and send him back to King's Landing, nullifying the efforts made by the northmen in the war and angering Robb and Ser Edmure Tully.
With the entire north believing that Theon has really murdered Bran and Rickon Stark, the northern army marches to Winterfell to liberate the castle and kill Theon. He sends ravens to King Balon, Asha, and Victarion for reinforcements to hold Winterfell. He's ignored by his father and uncle and refused by his sister, who gives him only 10 men and leaves after urging him to burn Winterfell and flee before the northmen can kill him for the murder of the Stark boys. Theon thinks it was a bad move by Balon and the rest of the family, as Moat Cailin is what really matters to hold the north, but until Winterfell is occupied, the military forces in the north would have to focus only on the Stark seat. After the Boltons burn Winterfell, Dagmer's force captures Torrhen's Square.
After the Battle of the Blackwater, the proud King Balon Greyjoy styles himself the Ninth of His Name Since the Grey King, King of the Iron Islands and the North, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind, and Lord Reaper of Pyke. Theon failed to hold Winterfell and was captured by Ramsay Snow. This doesn't matter to Balon, for as long as his brother Victarion keeps holding Moat Cailin, the north belongs to the ironborn, and Robb's tired and decimated army cannot hope to return north without having to fight in the Neck. By destroying most of the military force that Robb had left behind in the north, the Boltons did Balon a huge favor, even if they were trying to use Theon as a hostage against Balon.
Although he claims that no man gives him a crown, Balon secretly sends a letter to Lord Tywin Lannister, trying to negotiate with him in exchange for the North: the Lannisters secured power on the entire south, commanding the power of Casterly Rock, Highgarden, Sunspear, and most of the stormlands, and wish to attack Dragonstone before Stannis can rebuild his strength, but their fleet has been destroyed. Balon offers his own Iron Fleet and support to fight Stannis and Salladhor Saan's fleet and give siege to Dragonstone, provided that Joffrey recognizes the Iron Islands as an independent kingdom and lets Balon keep the north as part of his realm. Tywin is aware that the Iron Islands are like the North, loyal to their own, and he also does not mind letting Balon remain king, but he refuses to make deals with Balon or help Robb liberate the north. Tywin says that Balon and Robb are now kings, and since they have no reason to be friends, the protection of their kingdoms is their own problem.
He declares that no help from the Lannisters will come to support the ironmen or the northmen in their war for the North. And Bowen Marsh sends a letter about another faction preparing to invade the north: the Free Folk, led by Mance Rayder. Tywin then decides that the best thing to do with King Balon is nothing and refuses to give support for the Night's Watch anymore, hoping that the wildlings will manage to destroy the Watch and invade the north, causing a northern conflict between the three kings: Balon, Robb, and Mance. Instead, Tywin wishes to take back Robb's current kingdom, the riverlands, and plans to find a way to have Lord Walder Frey prevent Robb Stark from crossing his bridge back to the north, while the Iron Throne deals with Stannis Baratheon.
When Aeron Greyjoy returned from his raidings in the north, he went to Pyke to speak with Balon about his heritage. Balon despaired when he received news about Theon's fate at Winterfell and accused the Starks of making him weak—so weak that he failed to hold a castle. He had hoped for Theon to die so that Asha would meet no opposition in taking the Seastone Chair. Aeron thinks that Balon made the Iron Islands great again and believes that it's now time to "listen to the sea," as they once did about choosing Balon's successor for the Seastone Chair. But Balon refuses to let the people choose his heir because he wants his daughter Asha to be queen. Aeron argues that no woman has ever ruled the isles and that such a thing should never happen, for only strong, godly men should rule their lands. The priest favors Victarion Greyjoy, but the king remains stubborn and keeps Asha as his heir.
King Balon Greyjoy dies shortly before the Red Wedding, falling off a bridge over the castle of Pyke during a fierce storm in the year 299 AC. He was actually assassinated by a Faceless Man hired by his exiled brother Euron Greyjoy, who meant to claim the Seastone Chair and take over the entire Westeros. The assassin destroyed the bridge as Balon was crossing it. His body washed up 2 days later, all bloated and broken.
Kingsmoot on Old Wyk[]
After King Balon dies in a fall while crossing a bridge at Pyke during a storm, his exiled brother Euron Greyjoy returns the day after (his timely return leads to speculation that Euron may have murdered Balon using a Faceless Man from Braavos, which proves to be correct, as Euron reveals to his brother Aeron Damphair). He claims the Seastone Chair and drowned Lord Sawane Botley when the Lord objected, but his brother Aeron, better known as Damphair, believes him to be godless and doesn't want him to rule the ironborn. As he travels with his army to the Twins, Robb Stark is not pleased to learn that he has to face Euron instead of Balon, but Lord Greatjon Umber is just amused by Balon's death. No war between Robb and Euron ever happens, as Robb is murdered during the Red Wedding shortly after Balon died.
Upon hearing about Balon's death, Victarion abandons his post at Moat Cailin and only leaves a small garrison under Ralf Kenning; Asha does the same and leaves Deepwood Motte to stop Euron after visiting the ruins of Winterfell, where she failed to find Theon's body.
Aeron Greyjoy, who's a priest of the Drowned God, hopes to stop Euron from becoming king and brings a kingsmoot election in which are candidates Victarion Greyjoy, Euron Greyjoy, Asha Greyjoy, and many other ironborn lords. Any land owner and captain (captains are called "kings" in these isles) of the Iron Islands have the right to claim the throne, unlike the ways of the green lands, for the ironborn follow strength before a noble house. Euron wins and becomes the new King of the Isles and the North. He wants to conquer all of Westeros using his dragonbinder horn on Daenerys Targaryen's dragons and take the dragon queen as his own salt wife.
Quotes[]
By Balon[]
| “ | No man has ever died from bending his knee. He who kneels may rise again, blade in hand. He who will not kneel stays dead, stiff legs and all. | „ |
| ~ Balon to Asha Greyjoy |
| “ | They are both dead, Stark and that Robert who broke my walls with his stones. I vowed I'd live to see them both in their graves, and I have. Yet the cold and the damp still make my joints ache, as when they were alive. So what does it serve? | „ |
| ~ Balon Greyjoy |
| “ | I will not have my son bedeck himself like a whore. It is as I feared. The green lands have made you soft, and the Starks have made you theirs. | „ |
| ~ Balon to Theon Greyjoy |
| “ | I mean to carve out a kingdom with fire and sword ... but not from the west, and not at the bidding of King Robb the Boy. Casterly Rock is too strong, and Lord Tywin too cunning by half. Aye, we might take Lannisport, but we should never keep it. No. I hunger for a different plum ... not so juicy sweet, to be sure, yet it hangs there ripe and undefended. | „ |
| ~ Balon wishing to conquer the North. |
| “ | Balon: The lords are gone south with the pup. Those who remained behind are the cravens, old men, and green boys. They will yield or fall, one by one. Winterfell may defy us for a year, but what of it? The rest shall be ours, forest and field and hall, and we shall make the folk our thralls and salt wives. Aeron Damphair: And the waters of wrath will rise high, and the Drowned God will spread his dominion across the green lands! Victarion Greyjoy: What is dead can never die. |
„ |
| ~ Balon and his brothers. |
About Balon[]
| “ | Catelyn: Balon Greyjoy is not a man to be trusted. He wore a crown himself, remember, if only for a season. He may aspire to wear one again. Robb: I will not grudge him that. If I'm King in the North, let him be King of the Iron Islands, if that's his desire. I'll give him a crown gladly, so long as he helps us bring down the Lannisters. |
„ |
| ~ Catelyn and Robb Stark |
| “ | Kevan Lannister: As regards the Starks... Balon Greyjoy, who now styles himself King of the Isles and the North, has written to us offering terms of alliance. Cersei: He ought to be offering fealty. By what right does he call himself king? Tywin: By right of conquest. King Balon has strangler's fingers round the Neck. Robb Stark's heirs are dead, Winterfell is fallen, and the ironmen hold Moat Cailin, Deepwood Motte, and most of the Stony Shore. King Balon's longships command the sunset sea, and are well placed to menace Lannisport, Fair Isle, and even Highgarden, should we provoke him. Mathis Rowan: And if we accept this alliance? What terms does he propose? Tywin: That we recognize his kingship and grant him everything north of the Neck. Paxter Redwyne: [laughs] What is there north of the Neck that any sane man would want? If Greyjoy will trade swords and sails for stone and snow, I say do it, and count ourselves lucky. Mace: Truly. That's what I would do. Let King Balon finish the northmen whilst we finish Stannis. |
„ |
| ~ King Joffrey's small council reacts to King Balon's terms. |
| “ | Paxter Redwyne: Greyjoy's longships will augment my own fleet and give us sufficient strength at sea to assault Dragonstone and end Stannis Baratheon's pretensions. Tywin: King Balon's longships are occupied for the nonce, as are we. Greyjoy demands half the kingdom as the price of alliance, but what will he do to earn it? Fight the Starks? He is doing that already. Why should we pay for what he has given us for free? The best thing to do about our Lord of Pyke is nothing, in my view. Granted enough time, a better option may well present itself. One that does not require the king to give up half his kingdom. |
„ |
| ~ Tywin Lannister decides to wait for future developments before officially acknowleding Balon as a king and rule the Seven Kingdoms with him. |
| “ | The wildlings will flood the north, and the Starks and Greyjoys will have another enemy to contend with. They no longer wish to be subject to the Iron Throne, it would seem, so by what right do they look to the Iron Throne for aid? King Robb and King Balon both claim the north. Let them defend it, if they can. And if not, this Mance Rayder might even prove a useful ally. | „ |
| ~ Tywin Lannister, about the Iron Islands' request for aid against the northmen and the North's request for aid against the free folk. |
| “ | Tywin: You will marry and you will breed. Every child you birth makes Stannis more a liar. Mace Tyrell, Paxter Redwyne, and Doran Martell are wed to younger women likely to outlive them. Balon Greyjoy's wife is elderly and failing, but such a match would commit us to an alliance with the Iron Islands, and I am still uncertain whether that would be our wisest course. Cersei: No. No, no, no. Thoughts of Tyrion: [he could not quite suppress the grin that came to his lips at the thought of packing his sister off to Pyke. Just when I was about to give up praying, some sweet god gives me this.] |
„ |
| ~ Tywin considers accepting King Balon's offer and force Cersei to become Balon's salt wife. |
| “ | [with icy courtesy] That is so very kind of you, Father. It is such a difficult choice you give me. Who would I sooner take to bed, the old squid or the crippled dog boy? I shall need a few days to consider. | „ |
| ~ Cersei to Tywin, after being forced to choose between Balon and Willas Tyrell to take as her second husband. |
| “ | Tyrion: The key to the north, you say? The Greyjoys hold the north now, and King Balon has a daughter. Why Sansa Stark, and not her? Tywin: Balon Greyjoy thinks in terms of plunder, not rule. Let him enjoy an autumn crown and suffer a northern winter. He will give his subjects no cause to love him. Come spring, the northmen will have had a bellyful of krakens. When you bring Eddard Stark's grandson home to claim his birthright, lords and little folk alike will rise as one to place him on the high seat of his ancestors. |
„ |
| ~ Tywin explaining to Tyrion why he is marrying him off to Sansa Stark instead of Asha Greyjoy, as he doesn't expect the Greyjoys to be able to hold the North after winter and assumes the northmen will support Tyrion's future child. |
| “ | I dreamt of a man without a face, waiting on a bridge that swayed and swung. On his shoulder perched a drowned crow with seaweed hanging from his wings. | „ |
| ~ The Ghost of High Heart telling a prophetic dream, still unaware that this near future will be the assassination of Balon. |
| “ | There is no shame in it. Balon Greyjoy bent the knee to Robert when his rebellion failed. Torrhen Stark bent the knee to Aegon the Conqueror rather than see his army face the fires. | „ |
| ~ Catelyn Stark unsuccessfully trying to convince Robb to admit defeat, and make peace and swear fealty to the Iron Throne, as Balon did when he lost his first rebellion. |
| “ | The Ghost: The king is dead, is that sour enough for you? Lem: Which bloody king is dead, crone? The Ghost: The wet one. The kraken king, m'lords. I dreamt him dead and he died, and the iron squids now turn on one another. |
„ |
| ~ The Ghost of High Heart informs the Brotherhood Without Banners that Balon died. |
| “ | Aeron had been the last and least of the four krakens, Balon the eldest and boldest, a fierce and fearless boy who lived only to restore the ironborn to their ancient glory. At ten he scaled the Flint Cliffs to the Blind Lord's haunted tower. At thirteen he could run a longship's oars and dance the finger dance as well as any man in the isles. At fifteen he had sailed with Dagmer Cleftjaw to the Stepstones and spent a summer reaving. He slew his first man there and took his first two salt wives. At seventeen Balon captained his own ship. He was all that an elder brother ought to be, though he had never shown Aeron aught but scorn. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of Aeron Damphair |
| “ | Balon could be deaf to things he did not wish to hear. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of Aeron about his brother's flaws and foolish stubborness. |
| “ | We were born from the sea, and to the sea we all return. The Storm God in his wrath plucked Balon from his castle and cast him down, and now he feasts beneath the waves in the Drowned God's watery halls. Balon is dead! The king is dead! Yet a king will come again! For what is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger! A king will rise! | „ |
| ~ Aeron announces King Balon's death to the population of a village at Great Wyk. |
| “ | Catelyn: Balon Greyjoy? You are telling us that Balon Greyjoy is dead? Captain of the Myraham: You know how Pyke's built on a headland, and part on rocks and islands off the shore, with bridges between? The way I heard it in Lordsport, there was a blow coming in from the west, rain and thunder, and old King Balon was crossing one of them bridges when the wind got hold of it and just tore the thing to pieces. He washed up two days later, all bloated and broken. Crabs ate his eyes, I hear. |
„ |
| ~ The captain of the Myraham reports King Balon's death to King Robb and his council. |
| “ | Rodrik: Your father had more courage than sense. The Old Way served the isles well when we were one small kingdom amongst many, but Aegon's Conquest put an end to that. Balon refused to see what was plain before him. The Old Way died with Black Harren and his sons. Asha: I know that. Does that mean we must live and die as thralls to the Iron Throne? If there are rocks to starboard and a storm to port, a wise captain steers a third course. |
„ |
| ~ Rodrik Harlaw and Asha Greyjoy about Balon's obsession with the Old Way. |
| “ | Asha had loved her father, but she did not delude herself. Balon had been blind in some respects. A brave man but a bad lord. | „ |
| ~ Thoughts of Asha Greyjoy |
| “ | Euron: How fares your lady mother? Asha: Poorly. Some man made her a widow. Euron: [shrugs] I had heard the Storm God swept Balon to his death. Who is this man who slew him? Tell me his name, niece, so I might revenge myself on him. Asha: You know his name as well as I. Three years you were gone from us, and yet Silence returns within a day of my lord father's death. Euron: Do you accuse me? |
„ |
| ~ Asha confronts her uncle Euron about her father's death and Euron's sudden and timely return. |
| “ | The Silence was at sea when Balon died. If you doubt an uncle's word, I give you leave to ask my crew. | „ |
| ~ Euron's defense for his "innocence" |
| “ | Aeron Damphair: The Storm God in his wrath plucked Balon from his castle and cast him down, yet now he feasts beneath the waves in the Drowned God's watery halls. Balon is dead! The iron king is dead! Drowned Men: The king is dead! Aeron: Yet what is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stronger! Balon has fallen, Balon my brother, who honored the Old Way and paid the iron price. Balon the Brave, Balon the Blessed, Balon Twice-Crowned, who won us back our freedoms and our god. Balon is dead... but an iron king shall rise again, to sit upon the Seastone Chair and rule the isles. |
„ |
| ~ Aeron Damphair's opening words of the kingsmoot on Old Wyk. |
| “ | Nuncle says he'll give you more of what my father gave you. Well, what was that? Gold and glory, some will say. Freedom, ever sweet. Aye, it's so, he gave us that... and widows too, as Lord Blacktyde will tell you. How many of you had your homes put to the torch when Robert came? How many had daughters raped and despoiled? Burnt towns and broken castles, my father gave you that. Defeat was what he gave you. Nuncle here will give you more. Not me. | „ |
| ~ Asha Greyjoy during the kingsmoot. |
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Trivia[]
- While Balon is a villainous character in the books, the TV series added and changed several moments that made him even more antagonistic. For example, the book Balon, despite still insulting Theon, praises him for not being cowardly and standing up to his insults. In the books, the mission to invade Stony Shore, which he sends Theon to, is actually important to his campaign, instead of an insignificant task used to get rid of his son.
- Balon, in the books, never planned to disinherit his daughter Asha/Yara and treated her quite well. In the show, it is unknown whether he truly loved her, and as time goes on, the viewers realise that she is just another tool like Theon.
- In books, Balon died shortly before the Red Wedding occurred, being the second of the five kings to die. While travelling to the Twins, Robb Stark receives news about Euron Greyjoy declaring himself King of the Isles and the North, while Victarion and Asha are still in the North.
- In the TV series' third season, Balon remained alive and well even after Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, and Stannis Baratheon were killed, making him the last survivor of the Five Kings (outliving Stannis despite Melisandre's curse). This was until Euron personally appeared to kill him in the second episode of the sixth season. Balon's death occurred a lot of time later, unlike the original version, as the Ironborn storyline has been cut from season 4. In season 5, the showrunners wanted to introduce Euron and his storyline, but director Bryan Cogman convinced them to do the Dornish storyline, though they weren't really interested in it. This caused the Greyjoy storyline to start a lot of time later, when other events had already taken place, unlike the book version.
- The TV show's showrunners' decision to keep Balon alive far longer than the novels led to portray him as a less competent leader in the show than his book counterpart, and to questionable and unexplained story points.
- In the novels, Balon's invasion of the North is overall successful while he is alive, and both northrtn and southron Westerosi acknowledge that Robb lost the North. In the novels, Balon's conquest becomes mostly undone only AFTER he dies, as the Greyjoys and overall the Ironborn face a succession crisis and Euron's sudden return cause the Iron Islands to divide and nearly go into a civil war, causing mass military withdrawals from the North.
- The Ironborn garrisons and warbands in the North becoming small is the immediate result of Balon's death and his successor Euron completely abandoning the campaign of conquest in the North. After Balon died, Victarion and almost the entire Iron Fleet, as well as Asha and many of her followers and fleet retreated from the North to participate in the kingsmoot on Old Wyk, promising to return with bigger armies to continue the conquest. However, Euron's crowning and his new southern campaign led to most of the Ironborn forces either retreating from the North or keep struggling there.
- Thus in the novels, the reason why Moat Cailin's Ironborn garrison became so reduced during the fifth novel is due to the abandonment of the majority of their comrades in the Neck. Nonetheless, the ironmen who stayed managed to defeat the northern army thrice, despite being heavily outnumbered, as the Ironborn are hardened and fierce warriors, and sending Theon as an envoy to negotiate was required for them to surrender. In this version, Balon and Victarion's forces in the Neck are killed only in the fourth book, after Tywin Lannister's death and during Cersei's regency. Also, the reasons of the Ironborn garrison accepting Ramsay's terms of surrender are more sympathetic than in the TV show, as they were hurt and upset at the fact that they were abandoned and left behind to die fighting just so their superiors could save face, while they no longer cared about the North.
- The Ironborn garrisons and warbands in the North becoming small is the immediate result of Balon's death and his successor Euron completely abandoning the campaign of conquest in the North. After Balon died, Victarion and almost the entire Iron Fleet, as well as Asha and many of her followers and fleet retreated from the North to participate in the kingsmoot on Old Wyk, promising to return with bigger armies to continue the conquest. However, Euron's crowning and his new southern campaign led to most of the Ironborn forces either retreating from the North or keep struggling there.
- However, in the TV series, Balon outlives Robb and continues living in Season 4, where the fall of Moat Cailin's ironborn garrison occurs, which is way earlier than the books (where it happens in the fourth and fifth novel at the same time). Furthermore, Euron's return, which was supposed to occur in Season 3, before the Red Wedding, is delayed until Season 6, when it was meant to be the cause of the abandonment of the northern campaign and the Greyjoy internal crisis. Despite Balon being still alive, he makes no efforts to hold his conquered lands in the North, unlike in the novels. In Season 4, Moat Cailin's garrison is inexplicably small and the Iron Fleet is nowhere to be seen in the North, despite Balon being still alive in this version. After the Moat's fall, Balon makes no further effort to press for his claim to the North and send in reinforcements, despite still having the numbers to do so. While the Ironborn keep losing territory in the North, until they get completely defeated, Balon didn't show much interest in Season 6 and only blamed his daughter a bit.
- Thus, the TV series version made Balon and the whole Ironborn look more ineffective, more cowardly, and less impressive.
- Also, another reason why in the books Balon's campaign doesn't hold in the end is because a large portion of the Iron Islands' population wasn't pleased with the spoils of war, as the North is mostly poor, with White Harbor and House Manderly's lands being the only targets truly worthy of interest for riches. Balon was more concerned with controlling the Sunset Sea, carving a kingdom for himself and gain more lands to oppress, rather than getting more material wealth or farmlands, while the smallfolk of the Iron Islands need the latter things more.
- In the novels, Balon's invasion of the North is overall successful while he is alive, and both northrtn and southron Westerosi acknowledge that Robb lost the North. In the novels, Balon's conquest becomes mostly undone only AFTER he dies, as the Greyjoys and overall the Ironborn face a succession crisis and Euron's sudden return cause the Iron Islands to divide and nearly go into a civil war, causing mass military withdrawals from the North.
External Links[]
- Balon Greyjoy on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Balon Greyjoy on the Game of Thrones Wiki
