Which Theon do you prefer?

[Seaworth'sShipmate]

As we all know, Theon gets two POVs, one for "Theon" and the other for "Reek." Which do you prefer to read, or find more enjoyable?

I myself prefer the Reek ones. I remember when I read the "Theon" chapters of ACOK, I found Theon highly unlikeable, very arrogant and high handed, treating subordinates poorly and misogynstic. The misogny of Theon I found to be very apparent, much more so than that of say Tyrion, whose misogynt only dawned on me from what many posters have said about him.

Im not sure how consensual that encounter with the merchants daughter on the ship was, and even if it was 100% consensual he pretty much used her and threw her away to suffer her father's beatings. His whole attempted grope of Asha, treatment of Kyra,as well as his leering at Meera Reed in Winterfell, made me think he was rather contemptuous of all women and only saw them as vehicles for satisfaction.

I really didn't like his conduct during his campaign in the North and reign as Prince of Winterfell. He was shocked and outraged that his father didn't give him an important assignment for the Northern campaign, but he didn't really assess why not.

Yes his father was suspicious of and distrustful of Theon, and may have given him the whole "raiding fishing villages" assignment out of meanness and spite. But Theon had little to no experience commanding ships before, and little to no rapport with the iron born, certainly not as much as his sister. It may have been just entry level work for an entry level iron born.

He also seemed pretty vicious when he and his men occupied Torrhen's Square, and his whole reign as "Prince of Winterfell" reeked (heh) of poor judgement.

Sure Winterfell was a valuable asset, and Balon may well have approved if he was able to hold it. But if he studied the logistics for 5-10 minutes he would have known he couldn't have indefinitely. He was surrounded by hostile Northern Lords who were much closer to WF, than the potential IB supply lines would be.He should have known he would doom the 15-20 men he took with him, but he never seems to consider them as people at all. His mute squire Wex, he treats like dirt kicking him and berating him for no apparent reason

For all his talk of being a "merciful ruler" to the people of Winterfell, he should have realized they wouldn't have liked him, what with him giving people to the drowned God, and betraying their beloved Robb Stark. Yes, in some ways he is protecting them from the more savage people in his party, but the problem is that he is there at all.

For his whole duration in Winterfell, he is shallow, arrogant, unreflective and contemptuous of those with less power than him.

However, I think the whole "Reek" phase redeemed him a bit. Once he is Reek he is able to reflect upon the bad things he has done, and is able to stop being so arrogant and full of himself. I actually felt for Theon, and noticed him display compassion for other people and things (such as Jeyne Poole) something that never happened before. I think I prefer the Reek chapters.

Which Theon do you all prefer reading about?

[zammey12]

I prefer reading the Pre-Reek Theon. He is certainly a dick, but so is 80% of the other characters, so I'm used to it. He is entertaining and has a complex internal struggle that is fun to read. I also just don't feel good reading about how broken he has become, it makes me sad.

[The Marquis de Leech]

The Captain's Daughter has agency too. She wants to get into Theon's pants to get off the ship and become the mistress to the heir of the Iron Islands. Her plan failed, of course.

[Seaworth'sShipmate]

The Captain's Daughter has agency too. She wants to get into Theon's pants to get off the ship and become the mistress to the heir of the Iron Islands. Her plan failed, of course.

But as a gentleman, it was Theon's duty to take responsibility for his..indiscretion. It wouldn't have taken him much time or energy to set her up in a hut on the Iron Islands.

Do we know she had agency? It seems that he commanded her to come with him, and both she and Captain knew it was happening. Captain didn't stop him because he feared Theon's power.

[Lord Lannister]

She was begging him to become his salt wife. So yeah, she was a willing participant to that. It may have been stupid on her part, but that doesn't change that it was consensual. There's already plenty to go after Theon for without exaggerating.

[Voramir Glover]

Theon chapters were just great. I know when I first read ACOK, turned a page and saw "Theon" as the new chapter, I thought "what the f*ck" ... Because he was the first new POV since AGOT and I didn't expect that there would be any new POV's.

Also, I find it very exciting to read. Seeing Pyke for the first time and his family, later his adventure at Winterfell and the hard desicions he needed to make. Reek on the other hand makes me just sad.

[Seaworth'sShipmate]

Theon chapters were just great. I know when I first read ACOK, turned a page and saw "Theon" as the new chapter, I thought "what the f*ck" ... Because he was the first new POV since AGOT and I didn't expect that there would be any new POV's.

Also, I find it very exciting to read. Seeing Pyke for the first time and his family, later his adventure at Winterfell and the hard desicions he needed to make. Reek on the other hand makes me just sad.

But as sad as Reek made all of us, I think at some level Theon is better off morally for having become Reek. They are well written, and do a lot to make Theon reflect on his life.

[Visenya Stark]

Even though I find the Reek chapters disturbing to read, I prefer Reekified Theon. Mainly because his chapters are the best written.

[Kelsey094]

I didn't like Theon at all, but when he became Reek I found him very interesting. So I enjoyed reading about Reek more.

[King Tyrion I]

A tough one that.

I like both "Theons".

I'm doing a re-read at the moment, and I think both are interesting to read about.

Both crave affection, both have their needs. In ADwD, Theon became our POV for Winterfell.

[GuardstheRealmsofMen]

I loved reading about the Greyjoys in the Theon chapters, but I didn't like reading about Theon himself. As utterly disturbing as I find the content of the Reek chapters (especially the Ramsay & fArya sections) I have to say I am far more sympathetic to Reek. I find PostReek Theon to be a more interesting character, and I get my Ironborn fix with the Asha chapters so I have to go with "Reek" Theon.

[Westerosi Coast Gangster]

The Reek chapters in Dance are some of the best writing I have ever read. I enjoyed the Theon povs in Clash but the Stockholm syndrome in Reek is just so fascinating to me, and of course how he begins to become Theon again.

[Ser Brandon Badwater]

Reek by a mile for me. Don`t care for the ironborn, but liked the stuff with Roose and Barbrey Dustin

[A Horse Named Stranger]

Reek. It's amazingly written.

But I think there are more boxes chapters with more Theon.

The Theon on his voyage to Pyke is already somewhat different then the one leaving Pyke.

The one traveling to Pyke has the misconception that he is the heir to his father, and a cunning politician. His ego gets a first hit after he meets Big Daddy Balon. Who takes him down a peg. "Did the Starks dress you up like a salt wife?" "Have you paid the Iron or the Gold price?"

Then the humiliated Theon takes Winterfell to prove to himself and his sire, that he is not some foolish weakie, and is deserving of his father's love and approval.

After the capture of Winterfell he is back to his old pre-Pyke self. And entertains the Notion of being that great raider, military genius and ruler of Winterfell. While he gets played by Ramsay (fake Reek).

Then this cocksure and vain youth gets transformed into the cockless (sorry could not help making that jape) and submissive Reek.

The Reborn Theon that breaks loose from Ramsay is probably yet another person.

[TheOne-EyedHound]

Reek!

[ShadowCat Rivers]

Theon was a painful read, a disaster waiting to happen and then witnessing it in shock, but it was very interesting in character building. Pre-Reek Theon was a very complex, conflicted and perplexed character. I didn't like him as a 'person', I still don't, but it's a great read.

Reek is not that great IMO. He's still one of the most interesting POVs but it's as a window to the events around him, not for his own character developement. He's well written as a victim of torture, the characterization is well-informed, as much as I can know it's accurate enough, but well, this is not the best ever litterature I've read on the issue. It's alright, but IMO it's not that good, not as great as the general consensus about it seems to be.

[Dofs]

ACoK Theon was disgusting, so aDwD Theon all the way.

[Westerosi Coast Gangster]

Theon was a painful read, a disaster waiting to happen and then witnessing it in shock, but it was very interesting in character building. Pre-Reek Theon was a very complex, conflicted and perplexed character. I didn't like him as a 'person', I still don't, but it's a great read.

Reek is not that great IMO. He's still one of the most interesting POVs but it's as a window to the events around him, not for his own character developement. He's well written as a victim of torture, the characterization is well-informed, as much as I can know it's accurate enough, but well, this is not the best ever litterature I've read on the issue. It's alright, but IMO it's not that good, not as great as the general consensus about it seems to be.

If you consider Theon in clash painful how do you get through povs like Brienne and Bran?

[John Doe]

Theon at least treated women better than Oberyn.

[Westerosi Coast Gangster]

Theon at least treated women better than Oberyn.

Oberyn treated woman pretty good by westeros standards.