Victarion Greyjoy

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Victarion Greyjoy
Personal information
Culture	Ironborn
Sibling(s)	{Balon Greyjoy} Euron Greyjoy Aeron Greyjoy
World of Westeros
Season(s)	1

"I still remember seeing my father's fleet burn in Lannisport. I believe your uncles were responsible."

―Tyrion Lannister to Theon Greyjoy

Victarion Greyjoy is an unseen character in Game of Thrones. He is an uncle of Theon and Yara Greyjoy. He has only appeared in the first season House Greyjoy family tree issued by HBO. However, as of the sixth season, he has been removed from the website's family tree, and is unlikely to appear in the series.

Biography

Background

Victarion Greyjoy is the younger brother of Balon Greyjoy, Head of House Greyjoy and the Lord Reaper of Pyke. Victarion is the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet. His other brothers are Euron Greyjoy and Aeron Greyjoy.

Season 1

Tyrion Lannister tells Theon about his memories of witnessing the Raid on Lannisport which Tyrion says was caused by Theon's uncles.

Season 6

While seeking an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen in Meereen, Yara Greyjoy mentions she may need help "murder[ing] an uncle or two" who refuse to recognize her claim to the Salt Throne. It is possible that she is referring to Victarion and Aeron, as well as the obvious Euron.

Family tree

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Behind the scenes

Victarion appears in the first season House Greyjoy family tree issued by HBO. He was not included when the Greyjoy family tree was reissued for the second season. As of the sixth season, Victarion has not appeared, and since his role in the novels has been merged with Theon and Yara, it is now unlikely that he will appear in the series' two remaining seasons.

In the books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Victarion is Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, his flagship is Iron Victory. He is a fierce warrior and capable commander in battle, though otherwise he is not very intelligent. Outside of combat he has a calm demeanor, thinking of enemies with great respect. He is a religious man and wears full plate armor while sailing because he has no fear of drowning. He believes it is honorable to kill a foe, but shameful to humiliate a captive. He wishes to fight against Jaime Lannister or Loras Tyrell.

In his childhood, Victarion was often made fun of by his brothers Euron and Aeron. Their mockery often came disguised as praise, and sometimes Victarion had not even realized he was being mocked, but until he heard the laughter, then he'd explode in rage. As a result, he has grown to be a humorless person that mistrusts laughter. The sound of it always leaves him with the uneasy feeling that he is the butt of some jape he does not understand.

Victarion has claimed many victories, and was defeated only once by Stannis Baratheon at the Battle of Fair Isle during the Greyjoy Rebellion. 

Victarion has been married three times, none of which produced any children. His first wife died giving birth to a stillborn daughter. His second wife died from a pox.

Several years ago, Euron seduced - perhaps raped - and impregnated Victarion's third wife, which drove Victarion to beat her to death so he would not be put to shame as a cuckold. Only the taboo against kinslaying kept Victarion from killing Euron too, or rather, Victarion was so enraged that he would have killed Euron, but Balon would not have kinslaying within their family, so he made Victarion grudgingly promise not to harm Euron. As a punishment, Balon exiled Euron from the Iron Islands. Victarion deeply hates Euron ever since and wishes him dead.

During the ironborn invasion of the North in the War of the Five Kings, Victarion commands the attack on Moat Cailin. After learning of Balon's death (which happens much earlier in the timeline of the novels), Ralf Kenning and more of Victarion's subordinates urge him to return to the Iron Isles and claim the Seastone Chair. Victarion initially refuses, stating "Would you have me fight the Crow’s Eye? Brother against brother, ironborn against ironborn?”. However, when he receives Aeron’s summons, the call to kingsmoot, he changes his mind, reminding himself "Aeron speaks with the Drowned God’s voice, and if the Drowned God wills that I should sit the Seastone Chair". The next day, he gives command of Moat Cailin to Ralf Kenning, then leaves the stronghold and returns to the Iron Isles. Thus, he is absent when Moat Cailin falls to Ramsay Snow.

In the kingsmoot, Victarion is one of the favorite candidates, alongside Asha and Euron. Aeron secretly hopes that Victarion will be elected. Victarion is not overjoyed when his hateful brother is crowned, but refuses Aeron's suggestion to overthrow him, because the habit of obedience is rooted deep in him.

In private, Euron shares with Victarion his plan to marry Daenerys. He orders Victarion to sail to the Slaver's Bay and bring Daenerys to him. Apparently, Euron is so vain that he believes Victarion will obey him depite his hatred; Victarion, however, decides that he will marry Daenerys. As an ironborn, Victarion does not care if Daenerys will agree to marry him. Thus he becomes involved in the battle of Meereen.

On the way to Meereen, Victarion finds the Red Priest Moqorro, who was swept overboard the ship that carried him, Tyrion and Jorah Mormont during a storm. Initially, Victarion and his crew treat Moqorro hostilely because he worships a different deity than the drowned god, and even consider killing him. As time passes, Victarion grows to trust Moqorro, since he heals Victarion and his visions prove to be correct. Victarion even starts worshipping both the Drowned God and R'hllor - his reasoning being that a man with two gods behind him as opposed to one is unstoppable. Eventually, Victarion feels he can trust Moqorro enough to consult with him about Dragonbinder, the horn Euron gave him for controlling Daenerys's dragons. By the point the books reached, Victarion and Moqorro are still on the way to Meereen.

Victarion is very brave, but not rash. When the fleet reaches the island of Yaros, he considers the situation gravely, whether to risk the straits, or sail around the island: the first option will allow him to take the Yunkai by surprise, but put him in the same position that Stannis trapped him in the battle of Fair Isle, which he has not forgotten; the second option will cost him precious days, while it is vital to reach the bay before the Volantene fleet. He broods over it for a while, then chooses the first option. Indeed, during the battle, the besieging troops fail to notice the approaching ironborn till it is too late.

Victarion is capable of committing savage atrocities: on the way to Meereen, his fleet catches a ship carrying one hundred young people destined for slavery in Lysene pleasure houses; eighty of them are female and the rest are perfumed boys. Victarion divides most of the girls among his captains, telling them it is better fate than serving in the pleasure houses of Lys. The seven choicest girls, however, are put on a small boat and burned as a sacrifice to both the Drowned God and R'hllor. As for the perfumed boys, whom he considers to be "unnatural creatures", they are wrapped in chains and thrown into the sea.

Shortly before the battle begins, Victarion has changed his mind about accepting Euron as his lawful king. He muses "With this [Dragonbinder] I’ll win the Seastone Chair, and then the Iron Throne. With this I’ll win the world".

For a ship captain, Victarion is surprisingly ignorant in geography: he thinks that the Dothraki Sea is actually a sea.

See also

• Victarion Greyjoy on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (MAJOR spoilers from the books)

References

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