SPOILER about which not too many will care: the ironmen will soon have a succession crisis on their hands, in which Theon will not participate. Even if Theon can no longer father children, he would still be the heir presumptive if he, the eldest living son, were available.

They need to establish that Theon is no longer a viable heir to Balon for the events on the Iron Islands in the near future.

After the pilot written by Jason Horwitch, the writing was terrible for the most part. Some of the character development worked, and the entire cast tried really hard with what they were given, but Henry Bromell had no interest in plugging any of the many leaks in the season's plot.