Waylin Stark Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 House Greyjoy remained neutral during Robert's Rebellion. All other great Houses took part in it and their numbers were affected.Plus House Greyjoy had a superior fleet of warships. So why did Balon wait 6 whole years before rebelling? Wouldn't it have been much more beneficial to attack mid-war, when both sides have faced heavy damage and neither side seems to be a clear winner just yet? Balon seems stupid. He waited nearly 7 years, enough time for the Crown to recover before rebelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Blue Eyes Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Balon seems is stupid. Fixed. Seriously, that's his defining characteristic through the entire series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylin Stark Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Fixed. Seriously, that's his defining characteristic through the entire series. :lol: True dat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert the Great Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Yeah, Balon's a bit dumb... Even look at his plan during the WOt5k, Tywin Lannister is being kept busy by Robb Stark whilst Stannis and Renly are probably waiting to pounce on him when his done with the starks. Whilst all this is happening the Westerlands full of wealth and riches are ripe for the (plus since he already burnt down tywins fleet last time around the challenge would be easier)... So what does Balon do, does he go sack and loot the west and get saltwives? No! He decides to go North and try settle.. Whatever happened to Iron Born not sowing, balon?? ... Balon is a stupid coward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert the Great Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Ripe for the taking* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RK Rajagopal Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I would guess that he rebelled when he thought that Robert was pretty weak, with several parts of the realm still calling him "Usurper." Unfortunately for him, his rebellion provided a common cause for the realm to join up, thus strengthening Robert's position. Not sure why he didn't choose a side in RR - maybe he thought (like Tywin and Frey) that it was too close to call, and decided to wait it out. He also probably didn't have any particular allegiance to either the Targs or the rebels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylin Stark Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Yeah, Balon's a bit dumb... Even look at his plan during the WOt5k, Tywin Lannister is being kept busy by Robb Stark whilst Stannis and Renly are probably waiting to pounce on him when his done with the starks. Whilst all this is happening the Westerlands full of wealth and riches are ripe for the (plus since he already burnt down tywins fleet last time around the challenge would be easier)... So what does Balon do, does he go sack and loot the west and get saltwives? No! He decides to go North and try settle.. Whatever happened to Iron Born not sowing, balon?? ... Balon is a stupid coward Exactly. I never understood those tactics of his. Even screwing over Theon. How plain dumb. His own heir who has the trust of Robb Stark. Instead he gives him some men who think he's a wimp, and sends him to capture villages. His pride gets in the way of common sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aegon the Great Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Balon was an idiot. He waited too long to crown himself king, then got his ass handed to him in his failed rebellion, losing all three of his sons. Then, when his only living son returns he treats Theon like crap, potentially alienating him if Theon had the good sense to go back to Robb. The Ironborn are much better under Euron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waylin Stark Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Balon was an idiot. He waited too long to crown himself king, then got his ass handed to him in his failed rebellion, losing all three of his sons. Then, when his only living son returns he treats Theon like crap, potentially alienating him if Theon had the good sense to go back to Robb. The Ironborn are much better under Euron. Euron is the type of leader the Ironborn need, not some bitter old codger like Balon. I think we'll see the worst of the Ironborn under him. Now they are truly a threat, getting mixed up with Dany and her dragons and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCasualObserver Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 I would guess that he rebelled when he thought that Robert was pretty weak, with several parts of the realm still calling him "Usurper." Unfortunately for him, his rebellion provided a common cause for the realm to join up, thus strengthening Robert's position. Not sure why he didn't choose a side in RR - maybe he thought (like Tywin and Frey) that it was too close to call, and decided to wait it out. He also probably didn't have any particular allegiance to either the Targs or the rebels. Except Aerys was never weaker than during Robert's rebellion. Declaring himself King before the new status quo could be established might have been the best way to go - many people doubted Robert's claim to the throne he'd taken; why didn't Balon simply remove the Iron Islands from the territories RObert would be crowned over? His plan in the WO5K definitely makes no sense, particularly taking Moat Cailin. Why? Because whilst Moat Cailin is the key to the north, it's also the only way home for thousands of Northern soldiers. Balon had no idea that those soldiers would all be killed at the RW (such a total massacre is very unusual for medieval warfare - usually people bend the knee before it comes to that) virtually assuring a confrontation so that the northmen can get home. Balon failed to live by the old way - since the Ironborn are based on vikings we can assume that the old way is the raiding lifestyle. In real life Norse warriors did conquer land (the danes seized much of northern England in the ninth century and the normans of normandy were once vikings as well) but these conquests took centuries, typically preceded by decades of raiding to soften up the surrounding countryside. Instead Balon just jumps right in, as if the Ironborn are capable of waging warfare like more traditional Great houses. Balon Greyjoy might be one of the only heads of house who forgot his family's words; We do not sow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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