Balon Greyjoy
Balon Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind, and Lord Reaper of Pyke, is a figure defined by his unyielding pride, his rebellion against the Iron Throne, and his refusal to commit his naval strength to the Stark cause during the War of the Five Kings. He represents the ironborn's fierce independence and their ancient, predatory way of life, a legacy that shapes his every decision and ultimately leaves him a peripheral yet significant force in the realm's great conflicts.
Rebellion and Defeat
Balon Greyjoy's most decisive act before the events of the main narrative was his rebellion against King Robert Baratheon. Eddard Stark, recalling the conflict, notes that he last saw Robert nine years before during "Balon Greyjoy's rebellion, when the stag and the direwolf had joined to end the pretensions of the self-proclaimed King of the Iron Islands." The rebellion was crushed, and as a consequence, Robert accepted the rebel lord's surrender while Eddard Stark took Balon's son, Theon Greyjoy, as a hostage and ward to ensure the Iron Islands' future good behavior. This defeat and the loss of his son are the foundational humiliations that define Balon's subsequent actions.
A Reluctant and Pragmatic Ally
Despite the Stark family's role in ending his rebellion and raising his son, Balon Greyjoy is not a reliable ally. When Eddard Stark, as Hand of the King, considers the possibility of war with the Lannisters, he instructs his wife Catelyn to keep a careful watch over Theon Greyjoy, stating, "If there is war, we shall have sore need of his father's fleet." This reveals that Balon's potential support is a strategic asset, but one that cannot be taken for granted. Later, when Cersei Lannister and her council are debating the succession, Lord Petyr Baelish notes that Robert Baratheon had once pardoned Balon Greyjoy, welcoming him into friendship for a pledge of fealty, a precedent that highlights the king's capacity for mercy but also underscores Balon's history of rebellion.
The Iron Price and the Game of Thrones
Balon Greyjoy's worldview is rooted in the ironborn creed of paying the "iron price"—taking what one wants by force rather than buying it. This philosophy makes him a dangerous but unpredictable player in the larger war. When Petyr Baelish outlines the potential consequences of supporting Stannis Baratheon's claim to the throne, he warns that Stannis "will not have forgotten the siege of Storm's End, and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dare not. Every man who fought beneath the dragon banner or rose with Balon Greyjoy will have good cause to fear." This places Balon among the former rebels who would be threatened by a Stannis kingship, suggesting that his loyalties are fluid and based on self-preservation. His son Theon, raised at Winterfell, is a constant reminder of the price of his failed rebellion, and Balon's own ambitions remain a latent threat, ready to be unleashed when the opportunity for plunder and independence arises.
