TheLionOfTheRock Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 The Iron Islands thinks of Balon as if he's the drowned god come again, my question is why? The raise him to their king twice and both times he fails miserably. All we see of Balon Greyjoy, is a greedy, arrogant and impulsive fool. So why do the Ironborn love him so much?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joluoto2 Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Because most Ironborn are greedy, arrogant, impulsive fools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Arryn Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Unknowable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLionOfTheRock Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Because most Ironborn are greedy, arrogant, impulsive fools. That occurred to me as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Reaver Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 All we get to see is Balon AFTER he's been defeated and humiliated. His brothers, however, paint a very different picture. And the person they describe is virtually the ideal man, by Ironborn standards. Here's a list of his accomplishments: - Scaled the Flint Cliffs at age ten (as good a climber or better than Bran) - Was an expert oarsman at 13 (ever try rowing, it's not a walk in the park, I can tell you) - Went reaving with Dagmer Cleftjaw at 15, killing his first man and capturing two salt wives. - Captained his first ship at 17. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Frasier of House Crane Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 The Iron Islands thinks of Balon as if he's the drowned god come again, my question is why? The raise him to their king twice and both times he fails miserably. All we see of Balon Greyjoy, is a greedy, arrogant and impulsive fool. So why do the Ironborn love him so much?? You're viewing Balon through a greenlander's eyes. What you call greed, the ironborn call ambition. What you call arrogance, the ironborn call ballsy. What you call impulsive, the ironborn call fearless. Balon Greyjoy is exactly the sort of man they'd want leading them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLionOfTheRock Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 You're viewing Balon through a greenlander's eyes. What you call greed, the ironborn call ambition. What you call arrogance, the ironborn call ballsy. What you call impulsive, the ironborn call fearless. Balon Greyjoy is exactly the sort of man they'd want leading them. That too is very true, I suppose this explains why they Ironborn are so unsuccessful in their rebellions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLionOfTheRock Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 All we get to see is Balon AFTER he's been defeated and humiliated.His brothers, however, paint a very different picture. And the person they describe is virtually the ideal man, by Ironborn standards.Here's a list of his accomplishments:- Scaled the Flint Cliffs at age ten (as good a climber or better than Bran)- Was an expert oarsman at 13 (ever try rowing, it's not a walk in the park, I can tell you)- Went reaving with Dagmer Cleftjaw at 15, killing his first man and capturing two salt wives.- Captained his first ship at 17.That does sound quite impressive I have to say... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frey Pie Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Unknowable. Agreed with this. I mean his first rebellion I can kind of understand but after that I would have thought more people would convert to say the readers views Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damp Hair - The Prophet Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 The Greyjoy rebellions fail b/c they are constantly outnumbered 10 to 1, but they just don't give a shit, they want freedom and their traditions back. Once they were conquerors & held sway everywhere the sound of waves was heard. Since Aegon and his dragon burnt Harrenhall they've been oppressed. Balon gave them pride in themselves again (think Hitler's rise between WWI&WWII). As a man, Balon was also all the commendable things Lord Reaper described. Viewed through a greenlander lens it's difficult to fathom the Ironborn, I get it. But there are legit reasons for Balon's popularity among them. It's not unknowable. If Ned & Bob weren't bff's the North would have taken a cue from Balon and seceded also. I certainly don't understand why Dorne didnt, especially after the burning of Lannisport, except for that Doran is the most passive man to ever live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pod The Impaler Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I think it helps if you think of the Ironborn like they're an outlaw biker gang or the mafia. They measure a leader in how bad-ass he is as a crook, how few fucks he gives, etc. Balon getting defeated was like doing time in prison. You can call them a thief or a life-long loser and they don't care; it's if you call them a goof, a bitch, or a rat that they get mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee-Sensei Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 That too is very true, I suppose this explains why they Ironborn are so unsuccessful in their rebellions More successful than the Starks and the Tullys. The Iron Islands is currently still an independent Kingdom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Doe Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 More successful than the Starks and the Tullys. Indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsay Gimp Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 The raise him to their king twice and both times he fails miserably. At the time of Balon's death, his invasion of the North was going even better than expected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wmarshal Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Because no one else said shit, everyone has a opinion when he is dead, yet no one seems to say a word while he lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Damian Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Because most Ironborn are greedy, arrogant, impulsive fools. The perfect and most accurate response. The Iron Born are basically, act before they think, pirate/viking/sea barbarians that are too lazy to grow their own crops and work like normal people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Reaver Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 The Iron Born are basically, act before they think, pirate/viking/sea barbarians that are too lazy to grow their own crops and work like normal people. :bang: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damp Hair - The Prophet Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 ^I'm with ya Reader. They just don't understand our kind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryanfury Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Because he inherited his seat hereditarily and the lesser lords had the option of following a man who paid the iron Price when he was younger, or fight him. They chose to follow him. Ironically, Balon then acted contrary to the Iron Price and had everyone else in his family of fighting age go and try to claim his crown for him. That the Ironborn supported an Ironborn leader who failed to fight in his own war of independence for a second time is really weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sifth Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 You're viewing Balon through a greenlander's eyes. What you call greed, the ironborn call ambition. What you call arrogance, the ironborn call ballsy. What you call impulsive, the ironborn call fearless. Balon Greyjoy is exactly the sort of man they'd want leading them. In other words from the eyes of someone intelligent. Baelor Blacktyde, The Reader, Asha and possibly Theon are the only members of the Iron Born who seem to know the right way to use their brains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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