The Iron Islands: The Greyjoys
Remember the Iron Islands? Me neither, so the opening scene sets about reminding us: Balon is a dick, Yara is not, Balon wants war, Yara does not etc. The self-styled king sees no reason to give up his dreams of conquest, even though both of his mainland invasions have been an utter failures. He boasts that he alone is the only king left alive from the War of the Five Kings which of course means, given the bloodlust this season has already seen, that he is not long for this world.
It’s been a longtime coming but seeing him on that rickety bridge in the storm (an event only referenced in the books) I felt some grim satisfaction. He encounters a hooded man, who reveals himself as Balon’s long-lost brother, the pirate Euron (Question: how many viewers had no idea who this dude was or what he doing there? Just curious how effective it was). Euron promptly does what we’re all thinking and tosses Balon off the bridge.
At the funeral the next day, Yara is denied her birthright to rule as the first Queen of the Ironborn. Instead, the misogynistic Ironborn chose their kings via Kingsmoot, a gathering of the Ironborn to elect a king, something Euron was clearly counting on. Hey, who recently lost some ships and might need a renegade pirate to help them out?
The Utopian finally opens up.
Emilia Clarke is keeping her lips sealed.
Hail to the King.
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