The Iron Islands get a new ruler (Video)

I have to hand it to the show: the Kingsmoot chapters in A Feast For Crows drag on forever, and the entire election feels like a diversion from the main plot. When it became clear we were going to have the Kingsmoot, I was worried it would drag the show down like Dorne did in Season 5.

But I was wrong to fear! The entire Kingsmoot took all of nine minutes! And when it was over, we had a new ruler on the Iron Islands. SPOILERS AHEAD.

I remember running to the sea
Remember falling to my knees
I remember gliding off the shore
Until I spoiled the ocean floor
——————————————————-

Damn it, why must you spoil everything?

For book-readers, the fight this evening for the “Salt Throne” felt a little jarring, since we all know perfectly well that it’s actually called the Seastone Chair. We assume that renaming it the “Salt Throne” was a deliberate attempt by the producers to make it sound like the “Iron Throne,” but personally I think it’s dumbing down of the material. That’s pretty unusual for Game of Thrones, which usually assumes that the audience is intelligent enough to follow along. Perhaps we’ll hear a more thorough explanation for the change later.

At least the outcome of the Kingsmoot didn’t change. Though the scene was truncated, the plot points were all there, including that many among the Iron Islanders protested the idea that a woman could rule them. And not only that, but Euron does indeed plan to tie the Iron Islanders’ fortunes to those of Daenerys Targaryen, and has designs on marrying her.

It was a little surprising to see Euron admit to killing Balon, but considering the show already made no bones about that, and it plays into his retooled argument for being crowned, I suppose it’s not really the worst thing. It also cements that Yara and Theon are his enemies, even before he gleefully leads his men to go kill them. In the books, Yara Greyjoy flees after losing the Kingsmoot—but to Westeros, where she runs into Stannis’ Army. With Stannis gone, one can guess where she might be taking the fleet: to get to Dany first and thwart her Crazy Uncle.