Jump to content

What would have happened to Theon if Balon died before GoT?


Berelyn

Recommended Posts

If Euron took over, would that be enough to prompt fat Robert to action? If the IT was at war with the Iron Islands, Robert probably still bites it, but it seems likely Ned wouldn't have had much time to investigate the incest and likely accepted Joffrey as King and trundled back up North as fast as possible because we know Joff/Cersei would not want him as Hand, or Regent for that matter. Joff was soon to be old enough to make his general wishes known.

Yes. That would be clear rebellion against the Iron Throne, no king could ignore it. Furthermore, it wouldn't even get so far, because that's known to the Ironborn as well and Euron would lack the necessary support.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Theon would have succeeded his father. Most probably it would have been generally acceptable to everyone but Euron. The catch is that the Ironborn would have watched Theon carefully to make sure he wasn't just a figurehead for greenland power. Theon would probably have had to take actions to prove himself to them, just as he did in actual events. I do think his marrying Arya or Sansa would have been a condition of his release, though he would have continued being the womaniser he had been. Sansa would have hated the uncivilised Iron Islands, but a certain freedom that Asha and maybe other Ironborn women enjoy might well have appealed to Arya.



If the Wo5K came about or even a Stark - Lannister conflict, Theon would have backed the Starks, having Iron fleet support because of all the looting they could do. In any case, I do not think Theon would have declared himself king.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

In any case, I do not think Theon would have declared himself king.

Why would Theon bend the knee to either Stannis or Renly? In how I doubt that he would subject the Iron Isles to another independent regime that the majority of his people have no connection towards. In how, the Riverlands at least had been saved by Robb and Robb was the grandson of their regional Lord Paramount.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Theon would probably have been sent back to the Iron Islands, but would probably have married another powerful Iron Islanders daughter to help secure his place.



However, I can't see him and Asha getting along. Asha being groomed to replace Balon, and Theon being a womanizing prick who grew up in relative comfort far from the sea. Could Asha have instigated a Civil War? Who would Victorian and Damphair side with? Regardless, if he is Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands when the events of Game of Thrones roles around, he is going to side with the Starks... unless he felt snubbed by not being offered Sansa's hand. Then I could totally see him pulling a Balon and invading the North. Like father, like son.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, Ned's daughter was what Theon (and everybody else) expected him to end up with. Of course Ned could have rated her happiness higher, but it's unlikely.

Who is "everybody else"? IIRC the only one who expected this (as far as we know) was Theon and even for him it was more of a dream than realistic expectation. Am I forgetting something?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Theon would probably have been sent back to the Iron Islands, but would probably have married another powerful Iron Islanders daughter to help secure his place.

However, I can't see him and Asha getting along. Asha being groomed to replace Balon, and Theon being a womanizing prick who grew up in relative comfort far from the sea. Could Asha have instigated a Civil War? Who would Victorian and Damphair side with? Regardless, if he is Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands when the events of Game of Thrones roles around, he is going to side with the Starks... unless he felt snubbed by not being offered Sansa's hand. Then I could totally see him pulling a Balon and invading the North. Like father, like son.

How wasn't Asha also raised in relative comfort? Moreover, I doubt that Asha would be successful rising a Civil War seeing how almost all of her uncles would side with Theon in how we have witnessed they wouldn't accept Asha succeeding Balon even when they thought she was his last living child.

I doubt that Theon would attack the North just because Ned didn't wed him to Sansa, in how he probably is smart enough to realize that was nothing more then a fancy especially after Ned got the offer to wed her to the crown prince. Through, he might try to negotiate that deal with Robb when the war started.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Theon would probably have been sent back to the Iron Islands, but would probably have married another powerful Iron Islanders daughter to help secure his place.

However, I can't see him and Asha getting along. Asha being groomed to replace Balon, and Theon being a womanizing prick who grew up in relative comfort far from the sea. Could Asha have instigated a Civil War? Who would Victorian and Damphair side with? Regardless, if he is Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands when the events of Game of Thrones roles around, he is going to side with the Starks... unless he felt snubbed by not being offered Sansa's hand. Then I could totally see him pulling a Balon and invading the North. Like father, like son.

The Damphair would have sided with Theon because no woman shall ever sit on the Seastone Chair. Plus Theon would pretend to be really pious and the Damphair would totally buy it. Victarion will do whatever his lord asks him to. If he is willing to follow Euron's orders he would have no problem following Theon's orders. Asha would have absolutely no support once Balon was gone. Theon might have tried to marry her off to the Ironmaker or some other fool like Euron did, and she might have gone to live with her mother and uncle or gone on self-exile with Qarl the Maid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who is "everybody else"? IIRC the only one who expected this (as far as we know) was Theon and even for him it was more of a dream than realistic expectation. Am I forgetting something?

Yeah, Theon marrying Sansa was a dream, just like Jon saving Ned's life and being legitimized. If Theon and Robb were king/allies I could definitely see it happening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How wasn't Asha also raised in relative comfort? Moreover, I doubt that Asha would be successful rising a Civil War seeing how almost all of her uncles would side with Theon in how we have witnessed they wouldn't accept Asha succeeding Balon even when they thought she was his last living child.

I doubt that Theon would attack the North just because Ned didn't wed him to Sansa, in how he probably is smart enough to realize that was nothing more then a fancy especially after Ned got the offer to wed her to the crown prince. Through, he might try to negotiate that deal with Robb when the war started.

Relative to Theon? No. Relative to the rest of Westeros? Sure. The former would be the source of the conflcit. Winterfell is a lot more comfortable than Pyke, and Asha spend a lot of her life living in ships learning the family business, as it were. Theon spent his life going on hunts and seducing villagers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Relative to Theon? No. Relative to the rest of Westeros? Sure. The former would be the source of the conflcit. Winterfell is a lot more comfortable than Pyke, and Asha spend a lot of her life living in ships learning the family business, as it were. Theon spent his life going on hunts and seducing villagers.

I really doubt it, Asha quite likely had it much better then Theon seeing how she got to live amongst her family, friends, and people thus receiving all the benefits of a daughter of the Lord Paramount of the region. Thus, Pyke would likely be considered more comfortable to both individuals over the more alien Winterfell.

In contrast, while Theon probably was able to receive respect from the people of Winterfell he was still a hostage for all intents and purposes. Thus, he raised away from all of his family, old friends, and people thus not getting the same level of respect that a child of the regional Lord Paramount would have received. Not to mention, that he unlike Asha was living under the threat of execution if his father messed up according his stance as a hostage.

Moreover, I doubt that all Theon did was go hunting and seducing villagers in how Ned was probably assigned the task of helping train Theon for lordship. Similarly, he would have been trained under the likes of both Ser Rodrick Cassell and Maester Luwin in similar trainings of lordship that Asha would received. At most, he wouldn't have the same naval training, but instead he was likely trained in some Northern style that Asha wouldn't have been subjected to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, Ned's daughter was what Theon (and everybody else) expected him to end up with. Of course Ned could have rated her happiness higher, but it's unlikely.

He "could have" rated her happiness higher. this is the Ned who is constantly looking out for the good of his family. why the hell woudln't he want sansa to marry a good man. what about his whole speech in GoT about finding someone good for her when he tells her they're leaving kings landing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He "could have" rated her happiness higher. this is the Ned who is constantly looking out for the good of his family. why the hell woudln't he want sansa to marry a good man. what about his whole speech in GoT about finding someone good for her when he tells her they're leaving kings landing.

To be fair, Ned was willing to continue Sansa's betrothal to Joffrey for a while even after knowing that he attacked one of his daughter and that Robert considers him a sociopath.

Through, that does open the question about how terrible of friend Robert is towards Ned. What with him pressuring Ned into a job that he doesn't want, allowing one of his councilmen to continue to talk smack about Ned's wife, and then arrange a marriage between is psychotic son and Ned's precious daughter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But what was SUPPOSED to happen? I mean, Euron would crown himself either way, but I doubt king Rob and co factored that into their plans. They did make some plans, supposedly, as to what to do with a hostage if the offender dies, right?

Euron would crown himself either way? BEFORE GoT? somehow i doubt it. if euron crowned himself when the realm was united, he would have been crushed like Balon was. The man's not a fool.

but yeah, if Balon died before GoT, ned and Robert wold have made every effort to make theon the lord, so that there could be a north firendly lord who wouldn't threaten the realm with anymore rebellions. if balon died after robb declared himself king and before theon was sent as an envoy it would have been a pretty interesting situation. Robb would have wanted to make theon a king, or bring the iron island into the North's newfound kingdom, though i think theon would've insited on making the iron islands independent cuz he was pretty into the being a king thing. Euron would probablly be a contender for the throne as well though. he might just kill theon to get rid of him. and who knows how aeron and victorian would have reacted to theon trying to become king after being gone for ten years. Actually, i gusse we already pretty much no that aeron would not want that like at all. so yeah

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He'd be made Lord of the Iron Islands, and he'd be married off to a Northern girl, but likely not Sansa or Arya, as I'm fairly sure Ned intended to send both of them south. Theon's Northern wife would serve as a hostage and a marriage alliance (oh how romantic were the olden days), and Theon's friendship with Robb would incline him towards Northern interests. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a trade in sons as wards between Theon and Robb later on to try and cement the Stark-Greyjoy alliance for another generation. Predicting its effect on the Wot5K, however, is difficult. The Greyjoy fleet would be an existential threat to Lannisport, although likely not Casterly Rock, as well as raiding the coastal Westerlands castles, making many of the Lords keep more men at home. The likely effect would be a weakened Lannister host in the attack of the Riverlands, but the end result depends on whether or not Edmure Tully capitalizes on this, and is able to either stop Jaime at the Golden Tooth, or mount an effective defense of Riverrun, or protect his southeastern lords before disorganization in that area prevents him from raising any troops there. Then you have to consider its effects on Robb's planning, whether it affects the plans of Littlefinger, Varys, Lysa Tully, Renly, and Mace Tyrell.


Link to comment
Share on other sites

To be fair, Ned was willing to continue Sansa's betrothal to Joffrey for a while even after knowing that he attacked one of his daughter and that Robert considers him a sociopath.

Through, that does open the question about how terrible of friend Robert is towards Ned. What with him pressuring Ned into a job that he doesn't want, allowing one of his councilmen to continue to talk smack about Ned's wife, and then arrange a marriage between is psychotic son and Ned's precious daughter.

maybe i am giving Ned too much credit. I just love the man, what can I say. But yeah, Robert isn't a great friend to Ned by any means.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If he was Lord of the Iron Islands things would likely stay the same through GoT, although there's a possibility Bran might die at the hands of that wildling. in CoK though, things would have gone better, Robb would ask Theon for aid and he would crown himself and answer yes, sacking Lannisport. No sacking of Winterfell likely means no Jeyne marriage so Robb stays true to the Freys. Tywin would be getting his arse kicked so Roose would stay on the fence longer. Tywin would have to go west sooner which might not give Edmure time to rally his men to give him battle. So Stannis wins the Blackwater, Tywin sues for peace or gets defeated and the Tyrells stay neutral or bend the knee to Stannis. Sets up SOS for Stannis v Robb/Theon. Which would have been awesome!


Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...