Wouldn't It Have Made More Sense for Robert to Give Theon to Stannis Rather Than Ned?

[Iona]

Also, keep in mind that if Balon ever got it to his head to start making trouble again and tried to save his only living son, having Theon inland instead of on an island makes more sense.

[Stan the Man Baratheon]

Also, keep in mind that if Balon ever got it to his head to start making trouble again and tried to save his only living son, having Theon inland instead of on an island makes more sense.

Well for IB to attack Dragonstone is extremely hard and Stannis would have enough time to prepare his fleet and smash IB again and this time IB are razed.

[Iona]

Well for IB to attack Dragonstone is extremely hard and Stannis would have enough time to prepare his fleet and smash IB again and this time IB are razed.

True, it would more likely be Euron's plan instead of Balon's... :D

[Slender Aimry Hill]

I think he should have given him to Renly, only a year Theon's elder, as a squire! Theon would have absorbed all that southron chivalry, become utterly unacceptable to the Ironborn and have had way to good a time ever to cause trouble again...

[direwienerdog]

Robert was mad at Stannis for not capturing Viserys and Dany. He might have thought Theon could escape Stannis .

[Stan the Man Baratheon]

Robert was mad at Stannis for not capturing Viserys and Dany. He might have thought Theon could escape Stannis .

Like he could. Theon would've lived in the dungeons forever if ever tried to escape.

[Shadrich]

Robert didn't really think about those things too much. Likely he gave Theon to Ned because they were together at Pyke, while Stannis was at Great Wyk. And also he didn't trust Stannis as much as he trusted Ned.

It would make more sense to give him to Stannis - but I doubt he would get more respect from the IB. For them it's not just about how great a Naval commander someone is - but also how much of an Iron born they are - and how they behave accordingly to the "Old Ways". Victarion wasn't an amazing naval commander - but he was respected by the Iron born.

[Ruby Chevrolet]

Eddard probably asked, for Theon's protection. Eddard doesn't kill children. But Stannis would.

[joluoto]

Because Robert likes Ned, he trusts Ned. Robert has never been able to stomach Stannis.

[Mom Like Stoneheart]

The Iron Islands are in the North. Keeping Theon there keeps them from raiding. Keep your friends close, Keep your enemies closer.

[Feliciano69]

Because Robert likes Ned, he trusts Ned. Robert has never been able to stomach Stannis.

Pretty much.

Like many have said before, it's a matter of friendship.

[Veltigar]

Plot reasons.

Theon was held as a ward for two reasons:

1) to punish Balon if he rose again. We can't be sure if Ned would have beheaded Theon, but Stannis would have executed the order if the need for punishing Balon arrives.

2) To make the future ruler of the Iron Islands into a decent man. I think Ned was chosen because he was an honorable man throughout, had children that were closer in age to Theon to soften the transition and because Bob didn't like Stannis.

From a political perspective I think it would have been better to drop Theon with Stannis. I mean they go through all that trouble to try and reform the Greyjoy heir, but he knows naught about sailing. How on earth did they see the Ironborn accepting a man who knows nothing of naval combat?

Stannis would have made a better man out of Theon and he would have turned him into a kind of leader that the Ironborn would want to follow.

[Nitromification]

Eddard probably asked, for Theon's protection. Eddard doesn't kill children. But Stannis would.

On the contrary, Stannis wouldn't kill children either, Refer to the bit (I forgot which book) where Melisandre, Selyse and the rest try to convince Stannis to sacrifice Edric Storm and raise the 'stone dragon' or something along those lines. Stannis refuses to do so because the boy is innocent.

[Veltigar]

On the contrary, Stannis wouldn't kill children either, Refer to the bit (I forgot which book) where Melisandre, Selyse and the rest try to convince Stannis to sacrifice Edric Storm and raise the 'stone dragon' or something along those lines. Stannis refuses to do so because the boy is innocent.

hmmm... That's a good point!

[Iona]

On the contrary, Stannis wouldn't kill children either, Refer to the bit (I forgot which book) where Melisandre, Selyse and the rest try to convince Stannis to sacrifice Edric Storm and raise the 'stone dragon' or something along those lines. Stannis refuses to do so because the boy is innocent.

That was Stannis' own call, but I'm inclined to think that if King Bob told his brother the boy needs to die, then it's off with Theon's head.

[Hajk]

Robert should have left Theon to Cersei's tender mercies. She would have slept with him, made him fall in love with her, manipulated him until he was no more than a self-loathing madman, and then sent her to kill Balon to prove himself to her. That would have put a damper on Greyjoy ambitions...

But seriously, I'm not sure IB culture would have respected him with either Stannis or Ned. Stannis would probably have done his duty and taught him a sense of honor and duty that would have been even more alien to the IB than anything ned taught him. Theon would probably have ended up wanting to kill his own crew for breaking the law.

[Bronn Urgandy]

Theon would almost certainly have rebelled as soon as Balon died. Could you imagine a lifetime of "I smashed your Uncle Vactarian at Fair Isle did I not? Are the contents of my privy not admirible? Good, now clean out my privy, or I'll make you wish you'd never been born, Iron or otherwise."

[random girl from westeros]

Theon would have taken his own life there are no whores in Dragonstone.

[Iona]

Theon would have taken his own life there are no whores in Dragonstone.

In case there are no millers on Dragonstone, I bet Theon could have found some fishermen's wifes.