Has Theon deserved all that happened to him for betraying Winterfell?

[The Killer Snark]

Good points. People who think he got what he deserved are missing the fact that he's been punished by Ramsay, who killed the children in the first place, and it was his idea.

Once Theon was naive enough to go back to his family in a wartime situation, he was effectively under house arrest, with Balon closing off the harbour, so he was given no choice but to go along with his father's plans or kill himself or otherwise die. He chose to take Winterfell in order to gain the maximum respect he could from the situation, yet if you think about it, it was also the target that would have quickest got the war over and done with. Unfortunately, he bungled it and got struck by appalling bad luck and wound up taking 100 percent of the blame.

[Nelapsi]

Good points. People who think he got what he deserved are missing the fact that he's been punished by Ramsay, who killed the children in the first place, and it was his idea.

Once Theon was naive enough to go back to his family in a wartime situation, he was effectively under house arrest, with Balon closing off the harbour, so he was given no choice but to go along with his father's plans or kill himself or otherwise die. He chose to take Winterfell in order to gain the maximum respect he could from the situation, yet if you think about it, it was also the target that would have quickest got the war over and done with. Unfortunately, he bungled it and got struck by appalling bad luck and wound up taking 100 percent of the blame.

The Ramsay bit - you are right. I also agree with your second point, it was Robb's mistake to send him in the first place (mama told ya). I'll go all Ned on this tho, Theon ought to have made another choice, to save his honour. And if he bungled it it was because of his poor 'management' skills. If he shouldn't take 100% of the blame, 80% seems fair to me.