Theon Greyjoy: Hero, great human being, and my favorite character.

[TK-421]

The depiction of Theon in the scene created just for the TV series with Roz sums up his character well before his meeting with Bolton's bastard: insecure, vain, petty, lost.

I pity him.

[NenadBulaja]

I must add something to this thread, Theon is depicted as every other character in the book. Slave to his own character and desires, he struggles to fulfill his dreams of ruling Ironmen, being part of Stark family, and whatnot. Off course it's impossible and he must make some tough choices, unfortunately most of them are wrong.

But in ADwD, my favored chapters were the ones with POV called Reek. It was obvious that Martin put extra effort in those, and they are easily best part of the whole book. For those who read ADwD, it's clear what this has to do with Theon, for those who didn't - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

[Yog-Sothoth]

I felt sorry for Theon since the day he captured Winterfell, a man that would never be a Stark, nor ever a Greyjoy. The Theon & Asha flirt turned me on until she revealed herself as his sister, then I felt a little sick and a little bit more sorry for him lol, though Asha is still my favorite female character.

ADWD, has redeemed him already in my opinion, he allowed Ramsay to flay two innocent children and their mother, as a substitute for the Stark brothers; a dungeon cell for life, or the death penalty would have been the right punishment, but what he went through is sickening. I don't think his capture of Winterfell was a crime, as he was only trying to build a kingdom of his own, and not be anyone's ward, or subject. Robb did the samething and many people also died in his quest.

I just wish Theon never captured the Castle, because that forced Robb to please Lord Walder and head to the Twins, otherwise he would have marched South. I would have loved to have seen Tywin and Robb go at it on the battlefield, the former was feared and a real strategist(notice how everybody suddenly has the heart to return to Westeros to fight Tommen's reign now he's dead? from Selmy to Connington) and the latter a natural commander(If Edmure hadn't mocked up his plans my dream would have been a reality).

I can't deny it though there were many moments in ADWD where I laughed out loud at Theon's behaviour, be it the Reek rhymes, or for example when he and the Abel girls went to get Arya/Jeyne, for a split second Theon pictured Ramsay coming up the stairs and discovering him, causing Theon to want to scream like a little girl lol.

Theon's suffering and broken spirit reminds me of Gollum/Smeagol alot.

[TK-421]

Theon has no real place in the world. He lacks confidence in himself and this drove him to be petty, impressionable and willing to seek his place.

The HBO series added a scene between him and Roz, which sums up his character to the letter. I think it's in episode 4 or 5.

[Alayne Stone]

Theon is very complicated. Kinda like Gollum and Svidrigailov (who is my favourite creepy/unpredictable character ever).

Also wonderfully written. The kind of role that can win an award for a good actor.

[The Imp]

Originally Posted by Alayne Stone

Theon is very complicated. Kinda like Gollum and Svidrigailov (who is my favourite creepy/unpredictable character ever).

Also wonderfully written. The kind of role that can win an award for a good actor.

Welcome to the forum Alayne, if no one has said it.

Gollum is a very good comparison, but sadly, I've never read Crime and Punishment

[DNAP51]

I like Theon for a bunch of reasons.

1. He is one of the only characters that I like that are still alive lol

2. He said a quote in the episode 'A man without honor' that i really liked. He said "It is better to be cruel than weak."

3. He was taken by the Starks when he was very little, and torn away from his family. So in my eyes, he has been f*cked by the world, and now hes f*cking it back. Yes he has made some very hasty decisions, but he is young and new to this 'lord' stuff.

4. His family was not very welcoming of him when he returned to pyke, and now he wants to do whatever it takes to prove to his family and soldiers that he is a good lord.

5. He's pretty bad ass.

[Eversummer]

Theon is just a poor boy who is eager to prove his worth to the Starks (as he was staying with them) and to his own father who did not welcome him. As an outsider in Winterfell, a young boy taken as a political hostage, he was empty and he felt unimportant, unwelcome. He was an alien. But the notion of coming home to Pyke, the dream of being wanted, that his family yearned for their reunion,--is very intoxicating. Years under the Starks' roof made him forget what and how it was in the Iron Islands. He just couldn't understand why his own family was alienating him.
I pity him. I understand where he's coming from. I think all of us do, that's why we hate and love his character. He's got a pitiful character and Yog-Sothoth and Alayne were right in saying that Theon shared Gollum's broken shadow.

[Syphon of Oor-Tael]

Then, a question to Eversummer, Alayne and Yog-Sothoth: do you guys foresee a sort of redemption for Theon? I mean, one of the most important aspects of Gollum was not his fall from grace, but his gradual rehabilitation and total lapse into evil that ultimately destroys him?

That said, I can see what you three are saying, but I don't agree. Theon could have chosen to talk to his father, heard him say no and gone back to Winterfell. He could have chosen to ignore the rest. There was no place for him on Pyke or anywhere on the Iron Islands. He didn't understand it.

He didn't get treated like a Stark per sé, but at least he was accepted and liked. But he threw that away when he went nutso in Winterfell.

I say that Theon is not a tragic character. He's just a douchebag. Mind you, I liked him as a rogueish scoundrel but as a traitor, he's despicable. Maybe saying that he deserves what was coming to him is a bit too much since Ramsay in his Reek guise was responsible for the exacerbation of the situation, but still...

[Tywin]

Originally Posted by Syphon of Oor-Tael

I say that Theon is not a tragic character. He's just a douchebag.

I love it.

Also, I think that GRRM wanted him to be a complete douchebag so that when he redeems him we will be all the more impressed. I think the Jaime Lannister redemption after tossing a kid out the window was too easy, so he wants a harder target.

[ArstenWhitebeard]

Okay, so here is MY crack pot theory on the future of Theon Grayjoy

As we already know (or at least those of us who read the Teaser Chapter for the next book, WoW) Asha wants Stannis to spare her brother. I think she will offer herself to help Stannis in some specific way. Maybe she will try to infiltrate Winterfell once Ramsey's host marches out to meet Stannis. She will sneak in with some of her Iron Born and lead some attack behind enemy lines and help Stannis to win Winterfel. Soemthing along those lines anyway.

Stannis, being an honourable man, will let Theon live, BUT, his crimes won't go unpunnished. Stannis is nothing if not fair, and 1 good deed does not wash out the bad, nor a bad deed the good. He can't really take his fingers, because Theon has precious few of those. Instead, he will be sent to live the rest of his "life" at the wall.

once at the wall, Melisandra will sacrifice him, since he is the son of King Balon (now deceased) and nephew of King Euron. So he will be burned and Jon (who is not dead... and more and more I am agreeing with Needle's theory that the jon who was attacked and killed(?) was not really Jon) will get a dragon who is raised from either the Wall, or from Beneath Winterfel.

Then Jon, with his Dragon, Dragon steel sword and Dragon Glass Armour (why not) will fly north and battle the White Walkers. (ghost will probably die somehow cause all those dogs seem to be dropping dead)

So that's my theory. As for my personal feelings toward Theon, I never really liked him, but I never really hated him either. He always seemed kind of spineless to me. He killed those 2 kids cause Ramsey (as Reek 2.0) told him to do it. He attacked the north cause his dad told him to. He kind of just does as he is told all the time. He definately didn't deserve what ramsey did to him though.

[Eversummer]

Originally Posted by Syphon of Oor-Tael

Then, a question to Eversummer, Alayne and Yog-Sothoth: do you guys foresee a sort of redemption for Theon? I mean, one of the most important aspects of Gollum was not his fall from grace, but his gradual rehabilitation and total lapse into evil that ultimately destroys him?

That said, I can see what you three are saying, but I don't agree. Theon could have chosen to talk to his father, heard him say no and gone back to Winterfell. He could have chosen to ignore the rest. There was no place for him on Pyke or anywhere on the Iron Islands. He didn't understand it.

I do wish he'll find redemption.

Theon became what he was because of what his father had done several years earlier--pitiful and yeah, a douchebag. A boy of nine or ten more or less tends to become one. A boy taken from his mother as hostage (though the Starks were civil to him) would think he was abandoned, unloved, unwanted.... The Iron Islanders were crueler than the wildlings, I'd dare say.

[juleska]

Originally Posted by ArstenWhitebeard

Okay, so here is MY crack pot theory on the future of Theon Grayjoy

As we already know (or at least those of us who read the Teaser Chapter for the next book, WoW) Asha wants Stannis to spare her brother. I think she will offer herself to help Stannis in some specific way. Maybe she will try to infiltrate Winterfell once Ramsey's host marches out to meet Stannis. She will sneak in with some of her Iron Born and lead some attack behind enemy lines and help Stannis to win Winterfel. Soemthing along those lines anyway.

Stannis, being an honourable man, will let Theon live, BUT, his crimes won't go unpunnished. Stannis is nothing if not fair, and 1 good deed does not wash out the bad, nor a bad deed the good. He can't really take his fingers, because Theon has precious few of those. Instead, he will be sent to live the rest of his "life" at the wall.

once at the wall, Melisandra will sacrifice him, since he is the son of King Balon (now deceased) and nephew of King Euron. So he will be burned and Jon (who is not dead... and more and more I am agreeing with Needle's theory that the jon who was attacked and killed(?) was not really Jon) will get a dragon who is raised from either the Wall, or from Beneath Winterfel.

Then Jon, with his Dragon, Dragon steel sword and Dragon Glass Armour (why not) will fly north and battle the White Walkers. (ghost will probably die somehow cause all those dogs seem to be dropping dead)

So that's my theory. As for my personal feelings toward Theon, I never really liked him, but I never really hated him either. He always seemed kind of spineless to me. He killed those 2 kids cause Ramsey (as Reek 2.0) told him to do it. He attacked the north cause his dad told him to. He kind of just does as he is told all the time. He definately didn't deserve what ramsey did to him though.

You had me up until the bolded part. I'm rooting for the wolves and can't stand to think of the Starks losing another. I still believe Arya will be reunited with Nymeria.

[ArstenWhitebeard]

I don't want to see the wolves go either, and I guess only 2 of the six bit the dust so far. hopefully the rest will survive, but who knows. Who ever just attacked Jon might have it in for Ghost too.

As for theon, I really think he is going to be making the trip north. Whether that means being burned alive (which is probable IMO) and whether that subsequent burning results in a new Dragon, that is debateable.

We shall see (or rather, read) I guess.

The next book cannot come out soon enough for me.

[Young stormlord]

Originally Posted by ArstenWhitebeard

I don't want to see the wolves go either, and I guess only 2 of the six bit the dust so far. hopefully the rest will survive, but who knows. Who ever just attacked Jon might have it in for Ghost too.

As for theon, I really think he is going to be making the trip north. Whether that means being burned alive (which is probable IMO) and whether that subsequent burning results in a new Dragon, that is debateable.

We shall see (or rather, read) I guess.

The next book cannot come out soon enough for me.

Jayne, Theon and Asha will survive, if we can trust Ramsey's letter.