Something just hit me about Theon

[mcb]

No more than he has any reason to grant chopping of Theon's head underneath the weirwood instead of burning him, no.

Way less. He needs the support of the northmen, that's why he has to show some respect to their indigenous culture slash religion, at least until he's strong enough to fuck them over and go on another weirwood burning spree. No such reservations about the ironborn, though: they're simply enemies he needs to crush. "That's the North's way" could give him a pause; "that's the way of the Iron Islands" would indubitably be answered with "I don't care about the ways of the Iron Islands".

Still, Asha posing as his expert on the North's customs and culture in general, and What Would Ned Do specifically, is fishy as seven hells.

[FacelessDude]

I think it's just because Theon is incredibly scared of Ramsay. The main reason I think Theon won't ever tell that he never actually killed Bran and Rickon is because Ramsay has sucked the Theon out of Theon. Theon and Reek are battling for his identity. Plus, he is always paranoid that everything that happens to him is a plot devised by Ramsay, I feel bad for him.

[The Lord of Cider Hall]

The only path of redemtpion I see possible for Theon is to take the black. Convincing his captors of letting him do so seems difficult though. However, it would give him an oppurtunity to at least in private tell Jon face to face that Bran and Rickon are still alive.

Another possibility I can sort of see is Jon refusing to let Theon take the black and calling for a block getting ready to execute him on the spot and then Theon blurts it out to save his own skin.

I´ve got some bad news for you...

[A Bong of Ice and Fire]

No more than he {Stannis} has any reason to grant chopping of Theon's head underneath the weirwood instead of burning him, no. But I think we can assume that's what will happen. It's a plot device to save Theon.

No, he has good reason to kill Theon by the tree - to appease the Northmen whom he desperately needs.

[Needle and I]

They should BURN Theon. He is a child killer.

[Mulled Wino]

Uhhh I dunno maybe because that was his brother and it wasn't fair? it was a underhanded plot done by someone who claims to be this upstanding moral guy who never breaks the rules.

Thats why he ultimately is irredeemable to ME. And I think he'll die by the end of the next book. Stannis is a boring character and over the course of the series he hasn't gotten any more interesting or likable. And the book has clearly made a point about how much weight he's lost and how he looks like a man on the verge of death.

He's a dead man walking. At this point I think he dies while fighting Ramsay.

Where are these war rules he broke?

What war rule excludes clandestine assassinations?

[Needle and I]

There is no Geneva Convention in Westeros :drunk:

[The Red Hand]

Yeah Theon killed 2 kids but thats like a misdemeaner in this book. I think hes not telling the truth because he just wants to die, sad as that is. Hopefully Davos finds Rickon and reveals Ramsays role in the burning of Winterfell so they don't really have a reason to kill him.

[Blisscraft]

Another thing about Theon and Stannis, Stannis is responsible for the deaths of Theon's two older brothers. That may make Stannis a bit intimidating. Their "history."

[WetHair]

But Stannis is not actually responsible for Theon's brother's deaths anymore than Ned Stark was. Or Robert Baratheon. Rodrick was killed at Seaguard by Jason Mallister and Maron died when a tower collapsed on Pyke. Though, of course, Stannis IS intimidating but not nearly as much as Ramsay!

[bemused]

Asha would have had time to try to find out what the Northmen actually would do. Stannis has not actually spoken to them yet , but assumes they'll want Theon dead.. " They will all want his head." , he says. ( paraphrase ). Asha's trying to get Stannis to emulate Robert was one thing , but trying to get him to emulate Ned might be another thing altogether , given the Northern forces under his command. ( Stannis isn't stupid. )

But since at least the leaders of the clans ( and probably Aly Mormont ) are very likely to know Bran and Rickon are alive , I doubt Theon's head would be as important to them as Stannis thinks. Asha could have been taken into their confidence , or they may have mislead for their own unknown reasons. ( Perhaps to allow him a chance to take the black ?) In any case , I don't think they'd be eager to see him offered up to R'Hllor.

[Jolene Brown]

I just want Asha to give Theon one nice long hug, whatever happens to him afterward. If a character has ever needed even a moment of warmth and tenderness, it is Theon. I also am curious about how Jeyne Poole's "Arya's" liking for him will be received. Could she argue that he should be spared? Would they listen? Would it endanger her own position? He is the only person she knows in Stannis's camp, and she may not want to be separated from him... I can't quite find the right word for the feeling she has when it comes to Theon - I guess some degree of comfort/trust because he was the one person who was familiar to her?

[IKE]

Theon's secret isn't nearly so secret as he believes. The blame falls, naturally, on Ramsay's reckless stupidity. Remember when Bran and the Reeds were making their way north? They received hospitality from an un-named member of House Liddle, who clearly recognized them. And he knew the truth already!

Something that occurred to me a while back. In a Reek chapter, near Barrowton, Ramsay and his entourage return from a hunt. They toss a severed head at Theon.. Could it be our Liddle?

I agree his secret's aren't essentially secrets, but as Lady Dustin points out as long as Bolton sits at Winterfell with the 'supposed' Arya no one could present a case to challenge them, despite all the knowledge of the RW, etc.. (Like Manderly, for example)..

Having Theon can be as significant as having Jeyne. Bolton needed Theon to hand-off 'Arya' at the wedding.. Now, what sort of legitimacy can Theon provide for Stannis?

[bemused]

No ,I don't think the head belonged to the Liddle. It was a random peasant with a goat and two kids .He was killed for calling Ramsay "Lord Snow "

[aryagonnakill]

You mean sacrificed, not just executed. Theon’s kingsblood shall water the thirsty weirwood so that his death shall pay for Jon’s life. And thus will Theon be finally redeemed.

You gave me an interesting thought, what if Theon's kingsblood touching the weirwood pays for bran being able to talk through the tree. That would explain why bloodraven doesn't seem to think it's possible, because a little blood magic is needed too.

[y ddraig]

Are people genuinely wondering why Theon, at this point, doesn't act completely rationally?

[4rcane]

He knows noone will believe him and I think he wants to die

[4rcane]

Yeah Theon killed 2 kids but thats like a misdemeaner in this book. I think hes not telling the truth because he just wants to die, sad as that is. Hopefully Davos finds Rickon and reveals Ramsays role in the burning of Winterfell so they don't really have a reason to kill him.

I'm secretly hoping that he didn't even kill the Miller kids. He simply took responsibility for their death because Ramsay did the deed

[Jolene Brown]

Ramsay almost definitely did the deed, don't you think? But Theon still approved it. Same with the murders of his own men, and the unjust execution of Farlan, which he actually did carry out. I love him, but he has a lot of blood on his hands. I can't forget the way he was going to give Palla to "Reek," as a reward for bringing men to fight Rodrik Cassel's force either.

[IKE]

Martin pushes empathy for even the most radical of his characters. Mel has a, 'I burn people,' tradition about her, but reading her POV I don't judge her for them, or at least I kept that on the sideline. Same with Victorian and his iron way lifestyle. As untastely his actions are, in his POV those actions are sidelined for empathetic purposes (Sibling squander, inferiority complex, etc).

Theon performed more then a few untasteful acts when Prince of Winterfell, but all were due to desperation and incompetent, not direct intention. The tragedy of it, in perspective, is understanding Theon did all these things because Winterfell was his home. He could have sacked WF and marched Bran and Rickon to Pyke like Balon and Asha wanted, but didn't because he didn't want to leave, he didn't want to go back to Pyke, that wasn't home.

Personally I don't understand how some write Theon off because of what he's done, for me that's watering down one of the most tragic character developments. Whether he's worthy or deserving of redemption, I find irrelevant, it's about understanding why he did what he did, and how the transition from good to evil is not a boldfaced white line, and anyone can fall down that path within the right (or wrong) circumstances.

---

Personally I'd rather he not be executed for 'blood sacrifice' purposes, not that it isn't possible, but I just can't see blood sacrifice as part of Bran's magic development arc. Even if it's suggested in some of the vague descriptions of CoF lore, for Bran to have kings's blood to become an even more powerful warg/greenseer, just seems too fantasy and descriptive of magic (not to mention, c'mon how much more powerful does Bran need to become? ), Bran's already exposed too much to magic. Tree-vampirisms just complicate an already established magical element.