Bad Worldbuilding in ASoIaF

[astarkchoice]

8 hours ago, Ran said:

It's explained by the fact that he was a great reaver in his youth, and was only in decline now.

He had the most significant Drowned Priest and the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet as his brothers who were extremely faithful to him, and Victarion was not a man people were willing to cross (at least not until Euron came around). 

 

Add on that His in laws are one of the most powerful lords in the isles too hence why asha runs to them, euron while banished casts a powerful hold as the ultimate reaver

 

in many ways the 3 brothers of balon have the 3 aspects of all ironborn life sown up hence balon holds such command. In the damphair he holds a man who backs him that is head of their spiritual order , Vic commands the iron fleet dutifuly and efficently but also has respect as  still one of their elite warriors for their storytellers and singers. Finaly the wild independent reaver and explorer  streak and no one better embodies that than the famous exile euron who still obeyed balon to leave...between the obedient uber warrior captain, the drowned man and the  reaver balons brothers project considerable soft power over the hearts and minds of all ironborn

Theres also cleftjaw who while not a lord has a fierce rep among older ironborn helping their rep further. Asha we know has done well with her own ship and has at least a good rep among lordsport one of their biggest population centres.Her lover quarl is supposedly one of the ironborns best fighters too again all adding to their rep/soft power/brand

 

 

Plus finaly while the iron island lords are a bit more unruly and rough around the edges they still roughly follow like greenlamder houses follow lords. Greyjoys have been in charge since hoare died..anything other than greyjoy rule has passed from memory from all but  the 1-2  houses strong enough to remember they won more kingsmoots than the current rulers.

All that said though the dumbest shit balon ever did seems.to be not telling anyone asha was to be his heir!  he began building forces way  before theon was released to him so had clearly given up on him, hell whe  theon returns he can literaly do no right!.balon repeatly  considers his own son soiled by the starks 'weakness!

Most other father in westeros would kill to have a son thats achieved what theon did beside robb in battle but nope not good enough. Then when he takes winterfell not a word or reinforcement or even a command! Instead asha is forced to drop the bombshell on them at the kingsmoot only to have the predictable " a woman? What?" If balon wasnt such a sldolt hed have been softening the ground for her rise (a strong marriage arramgementncould hage helped)