ACOK Reread - Theon

[Barba]

Theon I

Introduced: Aeron Greyjoy (called Damphair, a priest of the Drowned God, uncle of Asha and Theon, youngest brother of Lord Balon, Euron Crow's Eye, and Victarion; his ship sunk during the Rebellion, but he washed up on the shores of Lannisport, where he was imprisoned at Casterly Rock; after his drowning, he returned a fanatical priest);

Helya (keeper of the castle at Pyke);

Lord Balon Greyjoy* (Lord of the Iron Islands, Son of the Sea Wind, Lord Reaper of Pyke, 10 years prior proclaimed himself King of the Iron Islands but his rebellion was overthrown by King Robert, later again proclaimed himself King of the Iron Islands and then the North, father of Rodrik, Maron, Asha, and Theon, elder brother of Euron Crow’s Eye, Victarion and Aeron Damphair, husband of Lady Alannys of house Harlaw).

First Mentioned: Rodrik Greyjoy* (eldest son of Lord Balon, slain by Lord Jason Mallister during the raid of Seagard);

Maron Greyjoy* (second son of Lord Balon, slain at Pyke during Greyjoy’s Rebellion).

Legends: King Urron Redhand (legendary High King of the Iron Islands who made the throne hereditary by killing all the other kings of salt and rock, his line extinguished a thousand years later by the Andal invaders, and thereafter the ironmen intermarried with the Andals).

Theon is nearing Lordsport on the ship Myraham, and considers the Old Way, when the ironmen lived by the axe and took what they wanted. That ended with the coming of Aegon the Dragon, who gave the Riverlands to the Tullys and banished the ironmen back to the Iron Islands. Theon reminisces that his father had raised his banners in rebellion more to bring back the Old Way, than for the empty vanity of a crown. The captain’s daughter on the ship pleads with Theon to take her as his salt wife, but he ignores her and walks off the ship into Lordsport. None of the people seem to recognize who he is, and there is no escort from his father save his uncle Aeron Damphair, now a sour priest of the Drowned God. Theon remembers how his uncle had always been jovial, but the man was now a zealot after his near drowning a few years back. Damphair tells Theon that he is a boy of the green lands now, and is hardly welcome on Pyke.

Even Theon’s validity as heir to Pyke is put to the question by his uncle, who reminds Theon of his older sister Asha. Theon hated Lord Eddard, and had only gotten along with Robb, considering himself more a hostage than a ward during the 10 years he spent at Winterfell. He is still confident in the letter he carried from Robb, which contained the plan Theon had devised himself. At Pyke, Theon is ushered into a long-disused room in the Bloody Tower, where a thousand years before the sons of the River King had been slaughtered. When he is finally called in to see Lord Balon, his father mocks the way he dresses, and the fact the gold chain he wears was not bought by paying the iron price. Theon had forgotten much of the Old Way, and his father is merciless in his derision. When Theon presents his father with the letter from Robb, Lord Balon burns it, yelling at Theon not to name the Stark boy as a brother in his hearing. Lord Balon says the boy offers him a crown, but the Lord Reaper intends to take his own crown, and not by invading Lannisport as had been Theon’s plan, but a location far riper.

[Barba]

Thoughts:

We meet Theon as very egocentric guy who has many similarities with Sansa, considering his looks. To his bad luck, Iron Islands are the same, just as Pyke looks the same in the beginning of the chapter. And he has changed very much.

He thinks to himself:"I must never go far from sea again", but he didn't take his own good advice, eventhough Asha also told him to burn Winterfell and go closer to the Sea.

We see Silence in his thoughts. Red, lean and terrible. Do we have description of silence in FFC, and do we have description of a longship with strange looking Banner in last Sam's chapter in FFC?

"Greyjoy were not murdered in Pyke except once in a great while by their brothers, and his brothers were all dead" - Do we know what does this mean, and when did it happen

[The Adequate Jon]

"Greyjoy were not murdered in Pyke except once in a great while by their brothers, and his brothers were all dead" - Do we know what does this mean, and when did it happen

That's interesting because in Victarian's chapters in AFFC, he does not want to kill Euron because he is afraid of being cursed as a kinslayer. I don't recall any references to a Greyjoy killing his brother.

We meet Theon as very egocentric guy who has many similarities with Sansa, considering his looks.

Also, he's similar to Sansa in the way he treats the smallfolk. He's very rude to his servants and he's a total jerk toward the captain's daughter. Sansa is not so outwardly obviously so stuck up, but in her inward thoughts, it's obvious that she thinks she's better than the smallfolk. (Like how she's aghast at how Arya will befriend people like the butcher's boy.)

[Barba]

That's interesting because in Victarian's chapters in AFFC, he does not want to kill Euron because he is afraid of being cursed as a kinslayer. I don't recall any references to a Greyjoy killing his brother.

Maybe that guys that killed their brothers died pretty bad. Are they any of Balon's brothers, or his uncles

[The Adequate Jon]

Theon's plan was to attack Lannisport and Casterly Rock and take over all of the gold mines of the west. Balon dismisses this out of hand. First he says that the Rock has never fallen. Then he admits that it might be possible to take the Rock with the Lannisters worried about Robb, Stannis, and Renly, but that they would never be able to hold it. If the Rock is so strong, why wouldn't they be able to hold it? Balon is afraid to fight against Tywin, saying that Tywin is far too cunning.

Balon's plan was to attack the North. What did that give the Ironborn? As Asha showed at the Kingsmoot, it gave them rocks, pinecones, and seashells. I was less impressed with Balon during this reread.

[Barba]

Theon II

Introduced: Asha Greyjoy(only daughter of Lord Balon Greyjoy, older sister of Theon, twice a Princess when her father declared himself king; later holds Deepwood Motte; captain of the Black Wind; niece of Euron Crow's Eye, Captain Victarion, Aeron Damphair, and Lord Rodrik the Reader; claimant for the Seastone Chair at the kingsmoot, as her father intended for her to inherit; currently fled the Iron Islands, her whereabouts unknown);

Bluetooth, Uller, Skyte (seamen);

Qarl the Maid (a famous seaman, later one of Asha's champions for her claim to the Seastone Chair);

Wex Pyke (Theon’s squire, a mute, bastard son of Lord Botley's half-brother);

Victarion Greyjoy (Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet and Captain of the Iron Victory, brother of Lord Balon, Euron Crow's Eye and Aeron Damphair, killed his own wife after he caught her in bed with Euron).

First Mentioned: Sigrin (shipwright at Pyke).

Theon is admiring the new longship his father gave him, when he meets a beautiful ironborn woman calling herself Esgred, wife to Sigrin the shipwright. Theon is taken by her, and although she claims to be pregnant, they flirt extensively on the way back to Pyke. Theon fondles her, and she does the same to Theon, continuing to lead him on. She gets him to confess he probably doesn’t believe in the Drowned God, and that he thinks of his uncles as fools. When she asks of his mother, and Theon tells her she is away at Harlaw due to her poor health, she tells him he should go visit her. When they arrive at Pyke, the servants reveal that Esgred is really his sister Asha, and Theon is greatly disturbed by what he did and said to her. Theon goes to his father’s feast, but his sister is given the place of honor, and she mocks him mercilessly throughout the dinner. Afterwards, Lord Balon reveals his war plans, commanding Theon to raid the Stony Shore, Asha to take Deepwood Motte, and his brother Victarion to take Moat Cailin, sealing off the North from Robb’s return. Theon is given the most meaningless task, and realizes that his command will be nominal since his uncle Damphair and Dagmer Cleftjaw are sent to watch over him.

[Barba]

I felt really sorry for Theon in this chapter. He is still a jerk, but the fact that he spent half his life in totally different culture had main word in this chapter. He forgot how to be Ironborn. And It's kinda sad.

Balon noticed that, and he gave him small task - to do the raiding of Salt shores. Theon thinks how he should be sent to Deepwood Motte, and he is right. Look how he win Winterfell. He knows North better than anyone else.

I wonder what did Balon thought when he found out that Theon took over Winterfell (too bad we don't hear about it). I'm sure that if Theon took Asha's advice about burning Winterfell and getting back to the sea, Balon would be impressed.

[The Adequate Jon]

I agree that Balon didn't use Theon very well. But he didn't really trust him either. I notice that Balon didn't command any of the battle groups. He should have commanded and taken Theon with him as an adviser.

[Barba]

Theon (III)

Introduced: Benfred Tallhart* (son and heir of Ser Helman Tallhart; killed along the Stony Shore by Theon Greyjoy);

Black Lorren*, Werlag*, Tymor* (Theon’s ironmen given to him by his father, later stand with him when Winterfell is besieged by Ser Rodrik);

Stygg, Urzen (ironmen under Theon’s command, desert him when Winterfell is besieged);

Gevin Harlaw (one of Theon’s men);

Marron Botley (called Fishwhiskers, one of Theon’s ironmen);

Todric* (another of Theon’s men);

Dagmer Cleftjaw (master-at-arms of Pyke, a famed reaver; later under Theon’s command during the raids, later still besieges Torrhen’s Square).

Theon is trying to question Benfred Tallhart regarding the disposition of the North, but the young man will not answer the Turncloak’s questions. Damphair demands a sacrifice to his God, and Theon’s men have Benfred drowned in the salt water. Theon watches his ironmen paying the iron price by looting the corpses of trinkets. He is forced to kill a drunken man in his service who is starting fights over the loot. Theon finds himself remorseful that he had to kill Benfred, who he had once been friendly with. Theon, however, is not satisfied that his uncle and sister will be gaining all the glory, so he convinces Dagmer Cleftjaw, a warrior of great renown on the Iron Islands, to lay siege to Torrhen’s Square. It will be a feint to draw out Ser Rodrik, while Theon leads a small band to capture Winterfell.

[The Adequate Jon]

Is there anyone to root for among Theon's men? Theon is a turncloak. Damphair is a religious zealot who doesn't trust Theon at all. All of the soldiers are looting dead bodies and calling this "paying the iron price". What was so great about "paying the iron price" that Balon had to ridicule Theon for not doing it? I suppose I could root for Dagmer.

[Ealasaid]

I don't like anything about the Ironmen, Asha or Theon.

I doubt that Balon would have been happy with Theon. As you note all Asha got was pinecones. The Ironmen may want to rule the 7 parts of the Kingdom. But it seems all they want is the "good" parts - and nothing inland that they can't get to by ship.

I think that GRRM didn't have them attack Casterly Rock or Lannisport because it would have pulled Lannister attention away from Cersei's plot. Cersei may have referred to Margaery's home as "those rocks," but I don't think sh'd call Casterly Rock one. Besides, you're right, there are too many Lannisters in the North with their new friends, the Freys.

[The Adequate Jon]

Theon (IV)

Introduced: Squint*, Drennan*, Aggar*, Gynir Rednose*, Gelmarr the Grim* (Theon’s ironmen; killed by Dreadfort men when Ramsay Snow burns Winterfell);

Murch*, Gariss* (Winterfell huntsmen [this is a different Murch]).

Theon, who had been having nightmares of late, notices the absence of the direwolves’ howling one night, and sends men to investigate. Urzen and Black Lorren return to inform Theon that the wolves are gone, along with both boys, and that a couple of his ironmen were killed outside the Hunter’s Gate. Theon had sent a man to fetch help from his sister at Deepwood Motte, but help was far off. He learns that both Reeds, Hodor, and Osha are missing as well, and Theon curses himself for trusting the wildling woman. He has the people of Winterfell gather and demands to know the whereabouts of Bran and Rickon. When no one responds, Reek tells Theon to strip off their skins, as Lord Bolton used to say, "A naked man has few secrets, but a flayed man’s got none." Theon considered what he knew of the Boltons, that their lords used to wear cloaks made from the skins of their enemies, and several Starks ‘had ended thus’. Supposedly, that had stopped a thousand years ago when the Boltons bent the knee to Winterfell.

Theon then sets out with several of his men, bringing along a couple of huntsmen from Winterfell, as well as Maester Luwin since he could not be trusted if left alone. Little Walder comes too, saying he wants a wolfskin cloak. They track the boys into the wolfswood, but lose the trail by a stream. No matter how hard they search, the hounds cannot regain the trail, and they begin to head back to Winterfell, with Theon despairing of how he can reverse the indignity of losing the boys, especially with Asha soon to arrive. Theon did not want to appear weak before his sister, but Reek comes to the rescue by showing him the contents of a bag he was carrying. He suggests the boys are hiding at the old mill on the Acorn Water. Theon is somehow sure they’re there, and sends the others back to Winterfell, telling Maester Luwin he will show no mercy to the boys since his patience had worn out.

[The Adequate Jon]

I always have trouble trying to figure out how Bran and the others got back to WF after leaving a trail to the woods. Apparently, they all set out toward the woods. They left footprints in a particularly muddy spot near the edge of the woods. Then they sent the wolves on ahead. The humans doubled back to WF. But how did they not leave any sign of their returning?

It has been speculated on the board that the Miller's kids may have actually been Theon's sons since he thinks about how he had slept with the Miller's wife a few times. He's probably not the father of the older kid since he would have been about 12 when that kid was born. He could possibly be the father of the younger kid.

[The Adequate Jon]

Theon (V)

Introduced: Kromm*, Cadwyl (ironmen under Theon’s command).

Theon is having another nightmare when Reek awakens him to inform him of his sister’s arrival in Winterfell. He had been having nightmares of the evening he and Reek had killed the boys at the old mill and mounted their tarred heads on the gates of Winterfell. Theon is concerned because several of his men have mysteriously turned up dead recently. Asha has arrived with only 20 men, and she berates him for a fool for the slaughter of two innocent children, both of whom were princes. Asha plans to leave him only ten men, despite Theon’s protests that the remainder of the North is mobilizing against him, and that Dagmer was defeated at Torrhen’s Square, allowing Ser Rodrik to begin marching back to Winterfell. Asha tells him he should have burnt Winterfell to the ground and brought the two princes to Pyke as hostages. Asha again calls him a fool for his actions, but gives him one last chance to burn Winterfell and return to Deepwood Motte with her. Theon will not hear of it, not wishing to give up his prize. He tells his sister he killed the boys to pay for Rodrik and Maron, hoping his father would approve. Asha departs in disgust. Reek asks Theon for his permission to return to the Dreadfort and gather men to help him protect Winterfell. Theon, desperate for men, agrees.

That night, Theon dreams of the night King Robert feasted at Winterfell, nearly two years before. But all the diners were dead, Robert with his guts spilling out, Lord Eddard headless, and dozens of others Theon had known. But there were others he had never met, a sad girl with a crown of winter roses who could only be Lyanna, Ned’s brother Brandon and father Rickard. And then Robb entered the hall with Grey Wind at his side, both bleeding from dozens of savage wounds. Theon awakes, and goes outside; thinking that the castle belonged to the Starks and that he should have gone with his sister. He stares at the heads above the gatehouse, and reflects on what fools people are when they look with their hearts and not their eyes. The heads on the wall were from the miller’s sons, for Theon and Reek had never found Bran and Rickon….

[The Adequate Jon]

Theon (VI)

Introduced: Endehar (one of the ironmen Asha donated to Theon);

Dykk Harlaw*, Red Rolfe*, Ulf the Ill*, Harrag Sheepstealer*, Kenned the Whale* (ironmen under Theon’s command, stand with him when Winterfell is besieged).

Maester Luwin warns Theon to yield when Ser Rodrik arrives, for there will be no siege. Theon has too few men to hold the castle against two thousand men. The Maester advises that Lord Balon is concerned about Moat Cailin, because the North will be won or lost there, not at Winterfell. Luwin tells him to ask for mercy, but Theon will not hear of it. Only seventeen of his men stay with him, the rest desert along with all ten of Asha’s men. Even the men who remain loyal have contempt for him, and his plan to stay Ser Rodrik’s hand. When the old Castellan surrounds the castle, Theon comes out to parley. Ser Rodrik gives him the chance to die honorably, but Theon pulls out his trump card: Beth Cassel, with a noose around her neck. Ser Rodrik is horrified, but he is too honorable to withdraw, and tells Theon he has until sunset before he storms the walls.

Later, Theon is practicing archery, knowing he cannot win, when Maester Luwin tells him there is a way he can live through this: yield, and take the black. Theon decides that he will take the black and perhaps save some of his dignity and honor, but he never gets the chance. Fighting has broken out between several hundred men from the Dreadfort and Ser Rodrik’s. The Dreadfort men win because they were at first accepted as additional men until they began slaughtering Ser Rodrik’s troops. Theon meets their leader, who he identifies as Reek, but learns the man all along had been Ramsay Snow. The bastard prefers to call himself Ramsay Bolton, and we learn that he had a ring given to him by his father which allowed him certain authority at the Dreadfort. The Bastard of Bolton knocks Theon out cold with a punch to the face, and then commands his men, "Save me the Freys and burn the rest. Burn it, burn it all."