Something just hit me about Theon

[Lord Damian]

Theon is so terrified of Ramsay, he cannot think straight.

[jarl the climber]

Probaly because it would seem like a self serving lie. I would go so far as to say that no one would beleive him but I suppose the Liddle who Bran broke bread with might be with Stannis's army.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

Because in this case, Arya is no way the heir to Winterfell but Bran is... dont think Ramsay would like it...

But he's not in Ramsay's custody anymore. He's in Stannis' custody. And "Arya" would still be valuable marriage material even if the boys were alive.

[WillWork4NinjaPowers]

Maybe because Theon killed the miller's children and he still sees himself as Reek.

[Melpomene]

It's an interesting thought.

I suppose he thought it would have been a mute effort? Theon doesn't know where the real Stark kids are, which would add to the disbelief of his truth.

And at this part of his life, it could be a "What's the point" mentality - he is severly disfigured, he is widely disliked, he is mentally traumatized, his family line is on the brink...what difference would it make, in his mind, might as well focus on other things or die.

Or, maybe in it's wierd particular and subtle way, Theon still clings to that hint of pride; pride coming from taking over a whole major castle dwelling with his own hands, his last legacy. Telling someone that be botched killing a Lord (Even if a child one) is embarassing.

Or...doesn't want to give someone else the advantage by going off and obtaining such high valued children. Maybe he feels he has that small stint of power, that he himself is the only one that knows this dirty little secret.

Or..maybe it is a way to actually protect them :dunno: they are better off, assumingly safe in an unknown place far away, not be used as pawns or hunted by other people.

Or, he might just not care, plain and simple. I might have missed it, but I haven't actually seen him feel entirely sorry for killing the miller's family. He thinks about it, but doesn't feel guilty. And maybe doesn't really care about Bran and Rickon. They are all the same, they are all a bunch of young boys.

And if Bran or Ricikon is found, they might identity Jeyne as an imposter.

It's a simple thing, but a compelling one if something deeper is involved.

[alienarea]

Also, Theon knows that Bran and Rickon escaped but must coclude they are dead anyway. If they had been found some of the Northmen would have either told the Bolton's ( in a Bran Stark is alive and the true heir of Winterfell kind of way) or confronted Theon about it.

In Theon's weird logic he is expecting to be executed anyway and doesn't seem to care about it. He's maybe more occupied with his legacy; taking Winterfell and ending the male line of Stark's after 8000 years sounds fitting for an Ironborn. He's still trying to make Balon proud of him. So he'll go with killing Bran and Rickon to give him a clean death and be done with.

[Gillio]

I got the impression he was ready to die

[Imascotsman]

I believe that Manderly will attack the Freys outside of Winterfell. They will then meet Stannis under peace banners or possibly aid Stannis if the Freys are attacking them first. Manderly and Stannis will be having a chat and Theon will be present in the room and the truth about Bran / Rickon will come out. Possibly even Manderly intervening infront of the wierdwood tree?. I just do not see Theon being executed / sacrificed for what he did, the punishment Ramsey dished out to him already with the loss of fingers / toes general health will be enough.

[jon rr stark]

I believe that Manderly will attack the Freys outside of Winterfell. They will then meet Stannis under peace banners or possibly aid Stannis if the Freys are attacking them first. Manderly and Stannis will be having a chat and Theon will be present in the room and the truth about Bran / Rickon will come out. Possibly even Manderly intervening infront of the wierdwood tree?. I just do not see Theon being executed / sacrificed for what he did, the punishment Ramsey dished out to him already with the loss of fingers / toes general health will be enough.

cold blooded murder of the millers boys plus all the others, what use is he to stannis or the north unless asha can hatch a plan that would deliver the iron islands to stannis. Stannis will lose all respect if Theon doesnt die.I think his only hope is some communication from Bran.

[Gillio]

I think I'll just wait for the book................

[VaramyrSixchins]

For me, the most compelling thing about Theon are the identity crisis themes. Iron-born heritage vs. Stark influence, the struggle to shed Reek, etc. From a plot standpoint, I'd like nothing more than for the truth about Bran/Rikkon to emerge, from a literary view, the idea of Theon taking to his grave the thing he's arguably most despised for, yet innocent of, is satisfyingly tragic.

[isiman]

Or, he might just not care, plain and simple. I might have missed it, but I haven't actually seen him feel entirely sorry for killing the miller's family. He thinks about it, but doesn't feel guilty. And maybe doesn't really care about Bran and Rickon. They are all the same, they are all a bunch of young boys.

Well he starts to have nightmares about it right the first night.

@jon rr stark

Bear in mind that it wasn't even his idea but Ramsay's and he probably didn't kill them himself.

[Greg Miller_2367]

I mean he killed or commanded the killing of alot of northmen and was the main person responsible for Winterfell being how it is now. And no one will believe him anyways.

[Brucolac]

He might still do this or maybe just thinks he won't be believed, but if he never says anything about it-it is just going to go into the wtf moments along with stuff like wex following someone all the way to skaggos. If he says something, it won't give him any reprieve from Stannis anyway though, he will find plenty of reasons to execute him if he wants to kill him. You would think Theon would bring it up though if he is to be convicted for killing them specifically.

[Capon Breath]

If he does reveal it is it even any better for him?

"Hey guess what - Not only did I kill 2 innocent children (and their parents) in order to propigate a massive lie that traumitised the surviving mebers of the Stark family and created political instability in the North. I was also so incompotent that I let the Stark Heir & his little brother escape me."

It makes Theon a fool as well as a murderer & turnclock and also makes the Northern Lords & Stannis fools as if they had know they would be spending their time & resources hunting for the Stark Boys.

I'm just not sure it helps him any.

[David C. Hunter]

I think the question is already answered: 1.) He's given up - 2.) No one will believe him anyway

[The Non-Human]

But he's not in Ramsay's custody anymore. He's in Stannis' custody. And "Arya" would still be valuable marriage material even if the boys were alive.

Theon is broken. And he thinks Stannis is going to be defeated, thus anticipating his return to Ramsay's hands. Also, even in his state, I think he figures that no one would believe him anyway, not to mention the fact that Stannis would still kill him for the Miller's boys.

Still, he might talk after Ramsay is death, if he even makes it that far.

[chrisdaw]

Manderly telling Stannis Rickon lives and Stannis questioning Theon about it is plausible. Doesn't matter though, Stannis will execute him anyway. Theon's only hope for survival is escape, the liklihood of which seems to hinge on Bran's mercy or BR having a use for him alive. Personally I think BR and Bran have a use in mind for him, but not alive.

[Stargareyen]

Manderly telling Stannis Rickon lives and Stannis questioning Theon about it is plausible. Doesn't matter though, Stannis will execute him anyway. Theon's only hope for survival is escape, the liklihood of which seems to hinge on Bran's mercy or BR having a use for him alive. Personally I think BR and Bran have a use in mind for him, but not alive.

GRRM doesn't normally execute people who have suffered an ordeal over a long time.

In Tyrion's section, he always shows Tyrion not afraid of death, and he is alive...

Theon has suffered tremendously at the hands of Ramsay and for a long time. He is not really afraid to die since it will relieve him of his miserable life. Stannis won't kill him yet. He probably has to account for being a turncloak, but it would be at the hands of a Stark.

[Edwin Snow]

A few possibilities I think as to why Theon hasnt said anything:

Theon might not be saying anything at this point in time because in a way he could trying to protect Bran and Rickon. They are in no danger when people believe them to be dead. If he tells Stannis they are alive that could possibly affect Stannis's loyalty from some of the northern banner-men. Stannis might see them as a threat to the support he would receive from the North on his claim to the throne because the Starks are so revered in the North. Even though Stannis has let Jeyne go, posing as arya, I doubt he feels any sort of threat by an abused young girl rallying the North around her.

He could possibly think that it is no benefit to him to reveal that he didn't kill them. All that would say to the other people is that while he didnt kill the two boys, he still sacked Winterfell and wouldnt change anyone's minds about his fate. That isnt going to change their minds on how they think of him and it might make him seem even more useless because he let a cripple, an extremely simple minded giant, a four year old, and a wildling slave escape under his watch.

He might believe that he is in no true danger at the present time because Stannis will need to try and rally the Iron Men to his cause because he is going to need some semblance of sea power in order to win. Asha isnt a really good envoy to try and win them to the cause because she had already attempted to take the crown for herself and failed and fled immediately rather than declare allegiance to the current king of the Iron Islands.

His mind still could be meddled from the torture and his paranoid fears could still be affecting him, but I believe this to be the most unlikely.