Game Of Thrones: 12 Ups And 4 Downs From Season 6

Ups...

12. The Reemergence Of The Greyjoys

Theon Greyjoy, to put it lightly, has had a rough time of things the past few years. While he started the show as a bit of a d*ck, and only got worse when he took Winterfell, the way Ramsay Bolton has gradually torn him apart - mentally, physically, emotionally - has been harrowing to watch at times.

His sister Yara, meanwhile, has been missing since a rescue attempt on Season 4, and we haven't seen the Iron Islands in a long time; they have instead been cut adrift, left completely outside the bubble of Westeros.

Season 6 set about correcting that. Following on from Theon's partial recovery last year, he escapes Winterfell with Sansa, and then makes his way home for a reunion with Yara. The way Theon has set about rediscovering himself this year has been great to watch: he's slowly found some degree of confidence, but is a far more humble person than he was before, and the scars still show through at times, but he was continuously getting stronger. As for Yara, she really made a step-up this year, taking control when Theon clearly couldn't, and being the empowered one of the two.

Then there's the arrival of their uncle Euron, a dangerously unhinged presence who kills his brother and becomes King of the Iron Islands. It's a shame we didn't get to spend more time with him, but with his relatives stealing ships and meeting up with Daenerys, the stage is set for Euron to become a central villain next year, and the Iron Islands - or at least the Greyjoys - feel relevant and important again.