Yara Greyjoy was killed by Theon Greyjoy at the Battle of King‘s Landing

Yara Greyjoy was a formidable military leader who campaigned vigorously to become the first ruling Queen of the Iron Islands in HBO‘s epic drama Game of Thrones. As the eldest daughter of former King Balon Greyjoy, Yara boasted the experience and fiery determination necessary to seize power over the rugged territory and its inhabitants who respected strength above all else.

After her father‘s death, Yara set out on an ambitious mission to rescue her brother Theon from torturous imprisonment by House Bolton and then launch an all-out assault to consolidate her hold over the many islands under the Greyjoy banner.

Yara Greyjoy‘s Upbringing Forged Her Tough and Ambitious Personality

Born in 275 AC on Pyke island, Yara endured the notoriously spartan, harsh conditions of the Iron Islands from an early age. As a girl she became skilled at arms, navigation, piracy, and commanding the respect of rough and rugged Iron Born males who populated the ranks.

Yara did not get along well with her brother Theon, who was groomed from birth to succeed their father Balon as heir while she was relegated to a secondary role despite possessing many leadership qualities and military capabilities exceeding those of her brother.

When Balon rose up to rebel against the Iron Throne and Robert Baratheon, Theon was taken hostage by House Stark’s Lord Eddard Stark as leverage and to ensure Balon’s compliance with the peace terms. This event strained the siblings’ relationship further while shaping the diverging paths that would ultimately lead to their tragic fateful encounter years later.

Theon’s Imprisonment by House Bolton Hardened Yara’s Resolve

After failing to hold the North, Theon turned on the Starks and seized Winterfell in his father’s name, only to be betrayed by his own crew weeks later. The sadistic Ramsay Snow imprisoned, tortured, and brainwashed Theon into becoming a broken pet called ‘Reek’ for years afterwards.

Upon hearing of her brother‘s horrific fate, Yara was incensed and vowed to not let this insult stand. After gathering 100 combat-hardened Iron Born reavers, she sailed East on the Black Wind and infiltrated the Dreadfort to rescue her lost kin. Though Theon had been conditioned not to escape, Yara’s persistence won out and she fled with her diminsihed brother in tow before Ramsay’s forces could cut them down.

This daring mission cemented Yara’s legendary status throughout the Iron Islands and proved crucial experience for the battles still to come.

Yara Assumed Control Over the Iron Fleet Before Setting Sights on King‘s Landing

After returning home, Yara wasted no time asserting herself as the new ruler of the islands after a Kingsmoot ceremony while her weakened brother Theon backed her claim. Now possessing the formidable naval might of the Iron Islands with Euron Greyjoy exiled, Yara set about solidifying her power.

Her swift and decisive actions ensured numerous houses pledged oaths of fealty to House Greyjoy’s new queen. Yara then began preparing for an even greater challenge: open war against the Lannisters alongside Daenerys Targaryen‘s own armies and dragons.

With a formidable fleet now sworn to her cause numbering over 100 ships and 5,000 ruthless reavers, Yara set sail alongside Ellaria Sand‘s Dornish fleet towards King‘s Landing where she hoped to help Queen Daenerys seize the Iron Throne in exchange for Iron Islands independence.

Little did Yara know this fateful decision would lead her towards a brutal reckoning with the brother she once rescued from torture and death itself.

Theon Chooses Family Honor By Supporting the Starks Over Yara

While sailing south, Yara‘s fleet was ambushed by her uncle Euron‘s own ships manned by savage mutes and mongrels. Her fleet scattered and crippled, Yara was captured herself along with Ellaria Sand‘s daughter Tyene. Locked in the bowels of Euron‘s enormous vessel Silence, Yara defiantly resisted his torments while awaiting her chance.

Meanwhile her broken brother Theon reached breaking point after encountering stark reminders of his torment at Ramsay Bolton’s hands. Abandoning Yara to Euron and Cersei’s cruel ambitions, Theon threw himself overboard during the attack, aiming to warn House Stark of the Lannister’s treacherous promises and Euron’s dangerous maritime power.

After almost drowning, Theon was rescued by fishermen loyal to his sibling captors. Facing scorn for appearing a coward, Theon soon experienced an awakening of his former self and intervened to save his sister Sansa Stark from harm – killing one of his own men in the process.

This noble act re-ignited Theon‘s courage and sense of honor. After confessing what he had done and asking forgiveness from the Starks, Jon Snow himself anointed Theon as an honorable ‘Greyjoy and Stark’ for finally finding redemption and choosing to do the right thing over easier paths.

Theon pledged to travel to Dragonstone and recruit what ships he could to defend House Stark at Winterfell against the Army of the Dead. This fateful choice would set Theon on course for a tragic final reckoning with his thought-lost sister Yara down in the South.

Yara Eventually Escaped Euron‘s Clutches, More Hardened Than Ever

Rotting in chains aboard Silence for months while being transported back to the Iron Islands, rage and despair warred within Yara’s heart as she endured constant degradation with no hope of escape. She watched helplessly as her ally Ellaria’s daughter Tyene was poisoned by Cersei using the same Long Farewell toxin used on Myrcella Baratheon prior.

Yara was convinced her uncle Euron would soon end her life as well to secure his position. However to her surprise, Theon staged a daring infiltration and managed to free Yara during an evening where most of Euron‘s mutes were passed out drunk. Escaping on a stolen ship, Yara‘s hatred towards Euron tempered her into hardened steel – more determined than ever to help Daenerys take the throne and avenge this humiliation.

She rallied the remnants of her scattered forces and set sail with Theon for Dragonstone, aiming to support their Targaryen ally‘s next moves.

Theon and Yara Reunite With Daenerys in Preparation for War

Arriving at Dragonstone, Yara volunteered the might of her Iron Born in support of Daenerys’ final attack on King’s Landing against Cersei Lannister. The dragon queen was impressed by Yara’s loyalty and cool confidence even after terrible defeat and captivity. For her part, Yara praised Daenerys for giving her both compassion and reprieve against Cersei, promising to return the favor tenfold.

Theon pledged his faith as well, citing Daenerys‘ heroic actions saving countless lives beyond the Wall. The siblings both admired the queen’s sense of justice. As they made plans to sail on King‘s Landing, Theon made his intentions known to ride North and defend Winterfell against the armies of the dead.

Yara reunited with her brother told him she understood this decision, formally forgiving Theon for abandoning her fleet. But secretly she hoped the growing darkness would end up consuming her last living relative, removing any rival claims to her rightful place as queen on the Seastone Chair – even kin who she once loved so dearly.

With the Iron Fleet crippled, Yara set sail with the Targaryen forces aboard the remaining 16 longships still loyal to House Greyjoy. The stage was set for her destiny to play out during the fateful Battle of King‘s Landing.

Entering the Red Keep Proved a Fateful Error for Yara Greyjoy

Arriving at King’s Landing, Yara captained her flagship while surveying the overwhelming opposition. She scoffed at the arrogance and smugness of Euron Greyjoy commanding the ramparts – the uncle who humiliated her was now aligned with Queen Cersei. Vengeance burned hotly in Yara’s heart.

Once Daenerys‘s dragon Drogon breached the city walls with fiery fury,Greyjoy forces flooded ashore ready to fight with no quarter given. Yara herself cut down dozens of Lannister soldiers during the assault seeking to make the upjumped lions pay.

Spying an opening amidstDrogon’s aerial assault, Yara led her ironborn fighters into the Red Keep itself – hacking, slashing and looting their way inside to find Cersei and avenge all the blood debts owed by this vile pretender queen.

Victory seemed imminent until the great beast turned it’s flames loose upon friend and foe alike in a rampage of hellish frenzy.

In the spreading chaos and smoke, Yara‘s reavers became separated and disoriented within the castle corridors and chambers. It was there, blinded by ambition, that the warrior queen came face to face with a ghost from her past she had long thought dead.

Theon Intercepts His Sister Amidst the Burning Red Keep

Emerging from the smoke and cinders with blood dripping from his spear came Theon Greyjoy – once her prisoner, then her rescuee, and now foe again. Time seemed to slow for Yara as she spotted the kraken crest upon his leather armor before their eyes locked with mutual shock.

Why was he here after riding north, unless…Realization dawned – even near death Theon could not abandon the Starks and leave their fate to chance. He betrayed me yet again, Yara realized bitterly while gripping her axe tightly for combat.

“Sister…” Theon uttered in bewilderment mixed equally with anguish. He had survived the Battle of Winterfell through perseverance and courage. But in the light of the burning Red Keep he now realized that same perseverance brought him face-to-face with his blood kin fighting on the wrong side. Fate means for me to end House Greyjoy – once and for all. Theon steeled himself for savage combat amidst the flames.

Yara felt only icy betrayal and contempt burn behind her gaze at the last living obstacle barring her ascendancy.

“You made your choice, little Theon. Now come and die by it,” she stated coldly before lunging forward with murderous intent…

Theon Deals a Mortal Blow to Queen Yara Amidst the Chaos

The clash of Theon‘s spear and Yara‘s axe echoed through the smoke-filled corridor mingled with the distant screams and roar of dragonflame. Back and forth they traded vicious blows seeking purchase between bits of familiar armor. Yara fought fiercely like a woman possessed – her quest for power so close at hand.

But Theon had also changed much since their youth. Forged in pain, battle hardened beyond his years, the Kraken warrior expertly parried his sister’s attacks while awaiting his own opening. Then, spying fatigue and frustration mounting behind queen Yara‘s eyes, Theon swiftly disarmed her axe then drove the tip of his wrought-iron weapon deep under her breastplate with a mortal thrust before she could react.

Staggering against the cold stone wall, Yara stared with disbelief at the entry wound far beyond healing, then back towards her younger brother with sadness and resignation. She had lived by ruthlessness and died the same. Perhaps this was justice.

She fell face first to the floor without another word, her lifeblood leaking out swiftly amidst the flames and chaos. The victor knelt down to slide his sister‘s eyelids closed, saying a silent prayer to the Drowned God of their ancestors for her soul’s salvation.

Then Theon disappeared back into the smoke to seek his own ending or glory, leaving Yara’s corpse among the other dead all around. She died as she lived – a fighter. But one blinded by relentless ambition. Her quest for power from Pyke to King’s Landing ultimately led to oblivion. Betrayed by her own blood, Queen Yara had finally met a force she couldn‘t conquer.

Significance of Yara‘s Death Within the Finale‘s Events

Yara’s untimely death at her brother’s hands carried tragic irony but also grimly fitting conclusions for the ambitious would-be queen who pursued power at any cost. Her demise occurred mere moments before Theon met his own end defending Bran Stark from the Night King.

The widening chaos and architect of the whole conflict – Daenarys herself then perished soon afterwards at the hand of Jon Snow. In many ways these three violent ends closed out the period of turmoil and war which began its dark descent when King Robert died years earlier. They each fell in ways aligned with their own life choices.

For years Yara tried to forge her own glory only to perish unknown in darkness alongside so many others. With her demise amidst King‘s Landing’s destruction, Yara’s quest to become Queen of the Iron Islands ended forever along with her ancient family line. Though she nearly succeeded before her brother intervened.

Ultimately her death carried little impact upon the finale’s outcome, unlike others in the battle. But still completes her ambition’s tragic arc by closing out Faabian prophecy‘s promised age of pretenders on the throne with fire and blood. She died as she lived – chasing destiny within her grasp but tragically just beyond reach in the end.