if balon greyjoy rebelled would ned have killed theon

[livewyre]

Honestly I think Ned would have killed Balon, Vict, Euron, and Aeron, set Theon on the Seastone chair and married him and Asha to a bannerman. This way you get a hostage in Asha and someone more tractable on the Iron Islands.

[mcb]

I believe Ned would have done it. Ned was never warm to Theon, never forgot the real reason Theon was there. I don't believe he'd have agreed to take Theon as a hostage if he wasn't prepared to kill him. Theon could have gone to any other of Roberts close allies, Tully's, Lannisters, Arryns, his brothers.

On another note were any other hostages taken from other families? Jaime takes hostages from the Blackwoods and Brackens, surely minor Ironborn would have been taken too.

The Redwyne twins, Horas and Hobber.

[The BlackBear]

The Redwyne twins, Horas and Hobber.

Are they secret Targs as well?

The reason Ned would have tried to spare the Lannister bastards and not Theon was that the bastards don't need to be dead for the right thing to happen: i.e. Robert stays king and remarries and has legitimate heirs. Cersei's scheme to kill Robert was harebrained and she was frankly very lucky it actually worked, so Ned or any other rational thinking person wasn't really risking that much.

Theon's death was part of a deal he entered into, I don't see why Ned would agree to the deal if he wasn't prepared to hold up his end. He never allowed himself to view Theon as truly a child.

[FittleLinger]

Yeah, Balon really wouldn't have been bothered. I agree.

I don't quite agree - I think Balon cares about the continuation of his line. And I actually think that's why he didn't rebel till now. If Asha had the same capabilities and was actually a boy, I think that maybe Balon would've acted earlier (of course that's why he was left with no boys by Ned and Robert).

So yeah, he wouldn't care about Theon, but he would care about the name and house Greyjoy.

[Ramsay Gimp]

Would Asha have pressured her father not to rebel, to save her brother's life? She is kind of a bitch to him but it's clear that she does care. And I don't see how Balon could really justify handing his own son a death sentence, even if he really didn't care (I don't buy that either - he does care about Theon, but refuses to acknowledge it)

[FittleLinger]

Would Asha have pressured her father not to rebel, to save her brother's life? She is kind of a bitch to him but it's clear that she does care. And I don't see how Balon could really justify handing his own son a death sentence, even if he really didn't care (I don't buy that either - he does care about Theon, but refuses to acknowledge it)

Well maybe he does on the inside, but the larger and main reason IMO is that he is his only son left and the succession thing, so he wouldn't even have to dig deeper to feelings (which he has or not). After all, he didn't do anything stupid until after his son was with him. I'm saying that maybe if it was not his only son, he could have acted before. But the truth is, there was no "suitable" political situation in which to act. So it is a hard question to answer.

[65536ob]

I don't quite agree - I think Balon cares about the continuation of his line. And I actually think that's why he didn't rebel till now. If Asha had the same capabilities and was actually a boy, I think that maybe Balon would've acted earlier (of course that's why he was left with no boys by Ned and Robert).

So yeah, he wouldn't care about Theon, but he would care about the name and house Greyjoy.

Theon wasn't the only greyjoy,there was balon's brothers also balon might have had cousins there would still have been other members of house greyjoy

[Ser Grimes]

Neds decision? No. They would have smashed Balon and raised Theon to rule as their friend.

If Robert ordered it? Probably...definitely after he was a bit older.

[Stannis Eats No Peaches]

Yes. He wouldn't of wanted to of course but he would've lost the respect of his his lords if he didn't. That's why he was purposefully distant and cold to Theon.

[Kolantero]

Good question. I believe he would, yes

[Blackfyre the Bold]

Either Theon is a ward or a hostage.

There is no honor in killing a ward and no benefit to killing a hostage.

So no, Ned wouldn't kill Theon if Balon rebelled.

[jarl the climber]

Balom waited until Ned and Robert were dead and Theon was on his way home before doing anything beyond mobilising his forces. I'm not sure how it would have played out if he rebelled and Robb had offed him, I do not doubt that Ned would have. Balon seemed to consider Asha as his heir and Theon as all ready being lost to him, a stranger. His execution could have been used as a pretext for the invasion. The North demanded the service of his fleet, he refused, they killed his son.

[Minsc]

He would internally struggle over the issue for a long time before he made the decision as he would be forced to chose between two of his deepest values, his commitment to duty and desire to protect innocents(in particular children).

Actually, I could see Ned taking the Black if he was forced to execute Theon as an innocent youngster because of the actions of Balon in how that would be only way Ned could redeem himself in his own eyes.

[Batman]

Ned is not Dany. He is not going to make a threat that he wont carry out.

[Ame]

I could see him sending Theon to the wall; destroying all his value and making him dead to the family; he would try to kill Theon after passing the sentence but would drop the sword the same way he meant to at some point inform Robert about twincest but only after the Lannister children are safe.

[eggs]

Im sure Ned knows that he would lose a lot of respect amongst his bannermen if he went against his word. If he was just gonna pussyfoot around the situation he should have let Tywin take him.

[Jslay427]

Ice cannot harm salt and iron (contents of Theons blood) so, no, Ned wouldn't have killed Theon.

[Naathi Prince]

We've had a few of these threads, but I'm going to lean towards the yes, Ned would absolutely kill Theon. Why would he have taken him a hostage otherwise, if he was unwilling to do the job?

[Lord Stark]

No. What point is there is killing him after Balon rebels. If that's the case the. Everyone would kill all hostages and prisoners of war, and yet they don't, because they have value.

Too many people look at this as black and white, you either kill him or you don't, but there is so much more to consider. Killings Theon just throws away one of your top cards for no reason, and would only be done by the most stupid and short sighted of lords. What happens if by chance a Stark is taken hostage sometime during the war, sure wish we had someone to trade for them. What if by chance the war starts to go against you? Theon sure could help in making a peace that you can shallow. There are so many options to consider, and in war, anything can happen.

Also, in the case of Theon, where he is the heir, the only hostage from the area, he can be used to create a more peaceful and friendly ally, you in fact turn a enemy into a friend, since you know, you raised him, he grew up with your children, learned your values, etc. After learning his father left him for dead by declaring war, he is also much more likely to be your friend should you raise him to power. A hostage of Theons value is too much to outright kill, and well I. So e places it might happen, it would always be the last option out of any.

As for the Norley, Flint, Jon, quote, that has to be considered in a different way. First unlike the Theon case, many wards were sent, many as in likely 1 from each clan, which is what was more in line with what happened throughout our history. Second, they never state he clans are in rebellion, but that they displease the Starks. So how do you place them back in line when they step out of line, pick the biggest trouble makers, kill their wards, and keep the remaining alive, what this does is show what you will do but leave you with hostages still to keep the rest in line, who will now refuse to join the trouble makers, and split what could have been a united enemy.

Theon is the only hostage though, and so there is no value in killing him what so ever. So between Ned's morals, and common sense, no Ned would not so it. He would use Theon in another way against Balon or keep him as an ace up his sleeve.

The biggest question is why weren't more hostages taken. There should have been hundreds taken to keep the Iron Island in line.

[danm_999]

I doubt it. Besides his whole moral objection to killing the innocent, tactically keeping Theon alive makes sense.

Theon, after all, can muddle Balon's succession, and can always be installed as a friendly Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands post war.