Game of Thrones features wildly varied geography. Westeros includes frozen wastelands, punishing deserts, and everything in between. Every region’s shifting conditions affect the cultures they house. The North gives its citizens the hardy, noble camaraderie of huddling together for warmth. Dorne’s glorious oasis in sweltering sands prompts hard-won freedom mixed with elegant revelry. Less common locations, like Bear Island, provide residents with an enjoyably unique experience.
Most Noble Houses in Game of Thrones have a long and proud tradition. Not every Stark enjoys the same regal bearing as Ned, Robb, or Arya. Some families earn a banner, a catchphrase, and even a castle without gaining enough screen time to make much use of it. House Mormont is a great example. Despite providing two notable characters to the franchise, they’re much less iconic than most. That’s mostly because the show seldom visits their home.
Where is Bear Island?
Bear Island sits in the Bay of Ice off the western coast of the North. The small land mass sits north of Deepwood Motte and south of the Frozen Shore. It lies in the eastern curved bay, west of the Last Hearth before the Wall. The sea surrounding Bear Island is freezing and frequently rough. Bear Island is heavily forested. Most of its land is covered with oaks that have stood for centuries. Tall, beautiful pine trees and endless thorny pine bushes also decorate the area. The island’s rocky surface doesn’t yield grass easily. Instead, moss coats most solid surfaces. The land features numerous hills, many of which feature streams of freezing water from the Bay of Ice. Of course, the most prominent feature of Bear Island is its bears. Large brown and black bears inhabit nearly every untamed inch of Bear Island. The adorable woodland predators are relatively rare in Westeros, aside from the polar bears that live comfortably beyond the Wall. Like the Basilisk Isles, Bear Island takes the name of its most prominent and iconic animal resident. Jorah Mormont once described his home like this:
Bear Island is rich in bears and trees, and poor in aught else.
Who rules Bear Island?
Bear Island has been the subject of several violent conquests over the years. The two main competitors were the North and the Iron Islands. House Woodfoot was the first noble dynasty to claim official dominion over the island. Their brief leadership ended abruptly when the ironborn struck. House Woodfoot went extinct in the battle, leaving Iron Island in charge of Bear Island. During the Age of Heroes, they used Bear Island as a base to conquer large swaths of the Frozen Shore. Theon Stark, a King in the North known as the Hungry Wolf, led a Northern army to Bear Island to purge the ironborn. He personally executed the Iron King, Ravos the Raper. Years later, Loron Greyjoy earned the black iron crown of the Iron Islands. Loron reclaimed Bear Island and Cape Kraken on his way to wage war on the North’s western shores. He held Bear Island as long as he lived, but new conflict emerged after the Old Kraken’s death.
King Rodrik Stark reclaimed Bear Island for the North. The story of how he reclaimed the land mass is in dispute. It’s said that Rodrik won Bear Island, fair and square, in a wrestling match against an unnamed ironborn competitor. Some evidence supports that idea, though many historians argue against it. Ironborn kings are known to establish their right to their title through feats of strength. It stands to reason that someone in that role might bet land on a similar ritual. Others argue that Rodrik won the island with words. Either way, Rodrik Stark handed his latest conquest to House Mormont, who have held it ever since. House Mormont remains loyal to the Starks, maintaining their unpleasant territory from the Mormont Keep.
House Mormont struggled with leadership in the modern era. Jeor Mormont abdicated his rightful seat and became Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch before Robert’s Rebellion. He willingly took the black to allow his son, Jorah Mormont, to take the throne. Jorah is an unfortunate figure. He attained the throne, gained a knighthood after fighting valiantly in two wars, and delivered an astonishing performance in a tournament. This won him the hand of a beautiful queen, but his new bride had tastes too expensive for the remote Bear Island to provide. He succumbed to selling poachers into slavery, earning him an exile. Jeor’s sister, Maege Mormont, took the throne and worked tirelessly to repair the damage Jorah caused. In the show, she dies fighting for Robb Stark, leaving her daughter Lyanna in charge.
Who lives on Bear Island?
The people of Bear Island primarily survive on fish from the Bay of Ice. The most fascinating aspect of their culture developed after years of conflict. Ironborn soldiers frequently attacked while men were away fishing, leaving the women of Bear Island to develop a unique warrior culture. Warrior women are rare in Westeros, but Bear Island creates ladies who fight as hard as their partners. This also leads to one of the few cultures willing to serve a queen. Maege and Lyanna take the throne as easily as Jorah or Jeor, suggesting no gender bias. They even receive similar nicknames, with Jeor called the Old Bear and Maege the She-Bear.
Bear Island is a cold, poor, distant place that survives mainly on grit. It shares its struggles with the North that gained it through fascinating means. Every man, woman, and child born on Bear Island learns to fight like one of their local predators. Though life on Bear Island is difficult, Game of Thrones always values the strength it takes to survive harsh environments.
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