The Crow's Eye, Part II

So, we established in Part I that Euron is probably a warg. I would like to elaborate on the points made in Part I, and present a new angle on Euron’s strange powers and seemingly obscure plan.

Let’s get right into it - in A Storm of Swords, Jorah Mormont cautions Daenerys about the dangers of sailing near Valyria: 

“There are dangers at sea as well. Corsairs and pirates hunt the southern route, and north of Valyria the Smoking Sea is demon-haunted. The next storm could sink or scatter us, a kraken could pull us under… or we might find ourselves becalmed again, and die of thirst as we wait for the wind to rise.” – Jorah Mormont’s advice to Daenerys, A Storm of Swords

Wow. There’s a lot in this. The references to Euron here are clear, at least in my opinion. Euron is clearly feared on the seas, being a notorious pirate and therefore corsair. Some theories also posit that the Corsair King, a shadowy figure never seen directly in the books, is an alias of Euron’s.

                                                                                       

Jorah goes on to mention the smoking sea, and that the next storm could sink or scatter any attempt to sail there. He also mentions that a kraken could pull them under. It seems that it is common knowledge that krakens infest the Smoking Sea; Jorah is not a stupid man or one to believe in unfounded legends. After all, his gift to Daenerys at her wedding to Khal Drogo was a compendium of books about the Seven Kingdoms; one can presume that he had read them. He is a learned man.

This is interesting for several reasons. Firstly, this entry in the series (A Storm of Swords) is the one in which Euron Greyjoy enters the story in a major way. The Mallisters report to Robb and Catelyn Stark that Euron has returned upon Balon’s death – this is his first move in the game of thrones. Was Euron’s story already in Martin’s mind when he was writing A Storm of Swords?

When we consider Jorah’s fears and fit them with the theory that Euron is causing these events, we can shine some light on Euron’s motivations.

Euron certainly seems to have been to Valyria, or at least the Smoking Sea. Why? Well, Moqorro tells Tyrion of a horrific danger that he sees heading towards Daenerys:

“One most of all. A tall and twisted thing with one black eye and ten long arms, sailing on a sea of blood.” – Moqorro’s predictions in A Dance with Dragons

Doesn't that make you think of someone?

I’m not the first person to immediately think of Euron. Euron has one black eye. Euron is a Greyjoy, whose sigil is the Kraken. Krakens, which are enormous squid, also have ten arms:

“Like all squid, a giant squid has a mantle (torso), eight arms, and two longer tentacles.” – Giant Squid entry, Wikipedia

In addition, sailing on a sea of blood sounds very cryptic, but can be explained simply - Moqorro in fact gives us the answer in a roundabout way:

“The sky is always red above Valyria.” – Moqorro, in A Dance with Dragons

This may seem like it has little relevance to Euron, but he claims to have been to the Smoking Sea:

“I have taken the Silence on longer voyages than this, and ones far more hazardous. Have you forgotten? I have sailed the Smoking Sea and seen Valyria.” – Euron, boasting to Rodrik the Reader in A Feast for Crows

As most of you will know, the Earth’s ocean is blue (or at least a blueish hue) because it reflects the blue sky above. This means that if we trust in Moqorro and assume that the area around Valyria has a red sky, then it stands to reason that the Smoking Sea just north of Valyria is also blood-red. For this reason, I believe that Euron has been to the Smoking Sea, and that he is thus the tall and twisted thing sailing on a sea of blood. Aeron also remarks in A Feast for Crows that Euron’s ship, the Silence, is painted red to better hide the blood that has stained its decks. Interesting.

So why is this relevant or interesting? Well, if Jorah is to be believed and the Smoking Sea is a place where all sorts of supernatural occurrences take place, I think the most likely cause is a character we know to have dabbled in at least one form of magic and likely to be embroiled in more: our old friend the Crow’s Eye. This may seem like a large leap, but I’ll justify it.

Euron is constantly referred to as being the embodiment of the storm. He says it himself:

A smile played across Euron’s blue lips. “I am the storm, my lord. The first storm, and the last. I have taken the Silence on longer voyages than this, and ones far more hazardous.”  – Euron bragging at the Kingsmoot in A Feast for Crows

Aeron corroborates this:

“Aeron tugged his beard, and thought. I have seen the storm, and its name is Euron Crow’s Eye.” – Aeron’s thoughts, A Feast for Crows

We have multiple instances of people referring to Euron as being ‘The Storm,’ whatever that may be. I again perceive that Euron is much more than he seems: Euron is the Storm God’s agent. He may even be the Storm God taken human form.

There are many clues that make me think this. Firstly Aeron immediately thinks that the Storm God was responsible for Balon’s death:

“Was the storm raging when he fell?” Aeron demanded of them. “Aye,” the youth said, “it was.” “The Storm God cast him down,” the priest announced. – Aeron’s interpretation of his elder brother’s death, A Feast for Crows

This is not the only time that Aeron blames the Storm God for his elder brother’s death. As I mentioned in part 1, it’s very possible that Aeron is traumatized by the cruel treatment he survived as a child, which may well have been at the hands of Euron. He has also been shipwrecked twice, the second time drowning and only surviving by a miracle, one that completely changed his personality; was he brain damaged?

I find this not only likely but probable, as Aeron has become so devout to the drowned god that he actually drinks seawater, an insane practice by any standard. In addition Aeron’s thoughts seem to steer away from thinking about his childhood and his past life, almost as though he is shutting down any remembrance that he might have of the clearly tormenting life he used to lead.

Despite this, he has a pathological hatred of his brother Euron. This is common in victims of complex trauma; despite the victim using an avoidance mechanism (here the lack of memory or perhaps a refusal to accept the truth) to cope with the traumatic event, an obsessive fear and loathing of the perpetrator remains.

In addition to this, Aeron’s previous personality holds several clues that he was harbouring personal demons – he drank heavily, gambled and made lewd jokes. It’s even implied that he wanted to fashion the prow of his ship, the Golden Wind, in the shape of a phallus. Doesn’t this seem like he’s trying a little too hard to be funny? Substance abuse and an overwhelming desire to please others are common symptoms displayed by those who have suffered abuse.

It is also worth noting that the Drowned God is in constant war with the Storm God. Aeron despises Euron for reasons that are implied rather than certain, as I discussed in part 1. There’s also this odd comment he delivers to Victarion:

“You heard the sound it made. It makes no matter. Euron is our king.” “Not mine,” the priest declared. “The Drowned God helps bold men, not those who cower below their decks when the storm is rising.” – Aeron beseeching Victarion to rebel against Euron’s rule, A Feast for Crows

So if Euron is the Storm God reborn, perhaps Aeron – with his bizarre revulsion towards Euron – is actually the Drowned God’s avatar, exactly as he believes he is. Consider this hint stashed away in Theon’s first Clash of Kings chapter:

“A memory prodded at Theon. In one of his rare curt letters, Lord Balon had written of his youngest brother going down in a storm, and turning holy when he washed up safe on shore.” – Theon’s thoughts upon meeting with Aeron in A Clash of Kings

How interesting. Aeron went down in a storm, which lead to his personality changing permanently and completely. Perhaps Aeron really did die, and the drowned god brought him back, as a prophet.

I also leave open the possibility that Aeron’s dread of the Storm God and longing for the Drowned God to show him the way is a symptom of the neglect he felt as a child, when he was essentially the plaything of the vindictive Euron – perhaps the Drowned God in his subconscious mind represents his lost brother Urrigon, whose death he blames on Euron, the Storm. This would also make some sense as it seems that Urri might have tried to protect Aeron. Or perhaps he always wished that his father Quellon could have saved him.

Back to Euron. Aeron thinks that Euron worships only himself:

“Only a godly man may sit the Seastone Chair. The Crow’s Eye worships naught but his own pride.” – Aeron to Gorold Goodbrother, A Feast for Crows

If Euron worships himself, and he is the Storm, as Aeron says in the very same chapter, then he is worshipping himself above all else; and through this he worships the Storm god. This makes sense as Aeron theorizes that the Silence’s red hulls are to hide the blood that soaks them, which may well be sacrifices to the Storm God in exchange for the control of the winds, as is implied here:

The wind was at their backs, as it had been all the way down from Old Wyk. It was whispered about the fleet that Euron’s wizards had much and more to do with that, that the Crow’s Eye appeased the Storm God with blood sacrifice. How else would he have dared sail so far to the west, instead of following the shoreline as was the custom? – Victarion, on Euron’s exploits in A Feast for Crows

There’s plenty of reason to believe that blood sacrifice can result in favourable winds; Victarion immolates a few young women which seem to grant him perfect sailing, and Melisandre is rumoured to have done the same while at sea with Stannis. Blood magic seems to be the most powerful kind in the world of ice and fire. If the Red God can do it, why not the Storm?

Also worth considering is this odd exchange between Asha and Euron when Asha implies, rather boldly, that Euron murdered Balon in some way: 

Euron shrugged. “I had heard the Storm God swept Balon to his death. Who is this man who slew him? Tell me his name, niece, so I might revenge myself on him.”

Asha got to her feet. “You know his name as well as I. Three years you were gone from us, and yet Silence returns within a day of my lord father’s death.”

“Do you accuse me?” Euron asked mildly.

“Should I?” The sharpness in Asha’s voice made Victarion frown. It was dangerous to speak so to the Crow’s Eye, even when his smiling eye was shining with amusement.

“Do I command the winds?” the Crow’s Eye asked his pets.

“No, Your Grace,” said Orkwood of Orkmont.

“No man commands the winds,” said Germund Botley.

“Would that you did,” the Red Oarsman said. “You would sail wherever you liked and never be becalmed.” – Euron deflecting Asha’s implication of murder, A Feast for Crows

I’m not certain whether Euron directly killed his elder brother. It’s very possible he got someone to do it for him. A compelling theory states that he paid a dragon egg to a faceless man in exchange for the murder. At the same time, it’s possible or even probable that he knew Balon was going to die, rather than committing the deed himself: 

“Crow’s Eye, you call me. Well, who has a keener eye than the crow? After every battle the crows come in their hundreds and their thousands to feast upon the fallen. A crow can espy death from afar.” – Euron at the Kingsmoot in A Feast for Crows

Through the use of one or more of the magics with which he is familiar, he likely kept a close eye on the Iron Isles even when he was very far away, and knew immediately that Balon had died, or even previously.

I’m going to sit on the fence and say that I do not know whether Euron killed Balon. There are too many factors to consider and too many suspects to deliver a verdict right now. It could also have simply been an accident; Theon notes in A Clash of Kings that the bridges on Pyke are unsafe, and he recalls that when he was a child, he was far more confident in using them. Perhaps this implies that the bridges have degraded.

It may even be the case that Melisandre’s blood magic brought about the death of Balon. We simply do not know whether this was trickery on her part or a legitimate blood sacrifice in exchange for death.

In any case, we know that Euron has a manipulative and cunning personality, as seen with his expert political manoeuvring at the Kingsmoot, and in his scenes with Victarion. Given that it’s specifically noted in the passage that Euron’s smiling eye is shining with amusement, I think it’s safe to assume that he’s lying, or at the very least playing some game with Asha.

I think Euron is toying with everyone in this scene – he does actually control the winds, or at least influence them, which is why he finds it so amusing to mention this in front of Asha who cannot imply that he does without looking like a fool. 

I also find the specific use of the word ‘becalmed’ here very interesting. Jorah Mormont used that same word to describe being lost in the Smoking Sea, which has unpredictable winds. The Red Oarsman might have used this word offhand, but to me it seems a clear hint that Euron can in fact control the winds, and this is how he traversed the volatile Smoking Sea.

So why is this important or even interesting? Well we know what Euron wants: Daenerys. He doesn’t want to kill her – he wants to marry her: 

“A king must have a wife, to give him heirs. Brother, I have need of you. Will you go to Slaver’s Bay and bring my love to me?” – Euron, to Victarion in A Feast for Crows

I find this to be the linchpin of this theory; one of Daenerys’ epithets in the series is ‘Stormborn,’ and at the time of Daenerys’ birth on Dragonstone, a huge storm was raging. I wonder if the Storm God had something to do with her conception, or if he simply desired a bride.

Daenerys’ blood is important; magically so. The crones of Vaes Dothrak believed that from her womb would be born the Stallion who Mounts the World; and after all, she is the last remaining female Targaryen. 

This certainly seems to be Euron’s objective:

“None is fit to sit the Seastone Chair, much less the Iron Throne. No, to make an heir that’s worthy of him, I need a different woman. When the kraken weds the dragon, brother, let all the world beware.” – Euron, to Victarion in A Feast for Crows

For whom is Euron so reverent that he would cross the world and spend years plotting?

There is of course the question of who ‘him’ is referring to in this passage. It’s not Victarion. I highly doubt that Euron is trying to live up to Balon or Quellon, however smart and fierce they were. Remember, Euron worships naught but his own pride. I can think of only one explanation:

“Euron stood by the window, drinking from a silver cup… The wind came gusting through the window and stirred his sable cloak.” – Euron in A Feast for Crows

Euron must have been looking out the window when he mused about birthing an heir for this mysterious ‘him.’ The wind was ‘gusting,’ which may indicate that a storm was brewing. 

Once again, eternal thanks to my friend and editor, Rambus Brogg.