[Book Spoilers] Theon!

[Nezzer]

If Alfie Allen acts out the transformation into Reek correctly then the first time he says "Reek, Reek it rhymes with freak" he wins the Emmy

I hope this season HBO nominates Alfie Allen instead of Peter Dinklage for the Emmys. Peter is great, but there isn't much material for him to truly shine this season. And I also think they should give the other actors more chances to win awards.

[The Ghost of Winter]

Why? It need to be shown for the show because of 2 things: 1. If Alfie isn't in the show for 2 seasons, he will be do other projects instead of GoT. 2. We need to know how he become this thing in DwD. his chapters has the benefit that we know through FB what happened. This need to be in the show. Else people will have, huh what? But I think it was better if they showed him not in this episode but in episode 5 or 6 for the first time this season.

And about Arya, you can't have too much arya in a season, Maissie is under age so there are rules about how long she can work a year.

True, but not everybody things the same. some hate him.

My boyfriend watches the first 2 seasons before the books, (he is in DwD now) and he felled sorry for theon from the beginning. And he loved the Starks.

Apparently my man is incapable of liking both. :o

[Minsc]

I like the show's portrayal of Theon a million times better than the show's portrayal of Arya, so I'm ok with this, personally.

I find show Theon a ton more likable then show Robb to the degree that it harms the sense of "betrayal" between the two.

[BananaSpice]

I find show Theon a ton more likable then show Robb to the degree that it harms the sense of "betrayal" between the two.

That's also true. I'm pretty sure Theon is one of D&D's favorite characters, so that makes sense, I suppose.

[shiola]

I don't think Stark Lover and Theon Lover are mutually exclusive. I happen to love both. Fans should learn to not pick sides!

[Conchobar]

I loved the Theon scenes too, got me really looking forward to what is in store.

[King Tyrion I]

I think that the torture scene was extremely well written and the actors did a great job.

Alfie, yeah, he nailed it. I liked his acting very much.

[buckfosto]

I find a little of the fervor around hoping to see Theon in brutal torture sequences a little...unsettling. But then again, I'm not a fan of the SAW movies or stuff in that genre, so I can understand that sort of thing just might not be my cup of tea. I do think though, that when stuff is left to the imagination more than shown it can be even more horrific. Take The Tickler, for example. In the book, he was terrifying and you had no idea what he was actually doing to people. Just that they "died screaming" and no one was safe. Theon's stuff in ADWD really hit me on a gut level because you saw the results of it and the toll it took on him. I could see them doing the hunt (which I really am looking forward to, as well as Ramsay's reveal) and then kind of going "dark" on the character for a couple of episodes. Maybe showing Reek in the finale. I can't imagine Theon is going to be featured on every episode.

I will say this, Alfie Allen is a brilliant actor and is not going to need to be mutiliated onscreen to make people feel sorry for him. He was doing that already in Season 2. The looks on his face as he's executing Rodrik and when they raise the two children's bodies...even the scene with Maester Luwin in the finale...all make you really feel for him and think that he's a mixed up idiot in way over his head.

Speaking of that, my wife and I rewatched the first two seasons before the premiere and his speech about "do you know how it feels to be told you're lucky to be a prisoner" really foreshadows what happens to him. Remember being the Starks' prisoner, Theon? Those were good times, huh?

[TheDarkOne]

I've never been a Theon fan and was glad to see him tortured last night and hope we get to see a lot more. That would include the teeth getting broke out because of his smile. He betrayed Robb, saw Winterfell drove to ruin, and yet we are supposed to feel sorry for him because he is an interesting character, not me.

Let the torture continue.

[RhymesWithChic]

Yeah, I am not emotionally prepared to watch the Theon/Reek thing play out. I thought I'd have a few more episodes at least. Aughh.

[BananaSpice]

I've never been a Theon fan and was glad to see him tortured last night and hope we get to see a lot more. That would include the teeth getting broke out because of his smile. He betrayed Robb, saw Winterfell drove to ruin, and yet we are supposed to feel sorry for him because he is an interesting character, not me.

Let the torture continue.

You have no soul :crying:

[Sullen]

I've never been a Theon fan and was glad to see him tortured last night and hope we get to see a lot more. That would include the teeth getting broke out because of his smile. He betrayed Robb, saw Winterfell drove to ruin, and yet we are supposed to feel sorry for him because he is an interesting character, not me.

Let the torture continue.

You are a terrible person.

[Chuck88]

I'm convinced that may actually be you in your avatar.

Derp. Forgot to quote :( Aimed at the poster with Joff in their picture, clearly.

[~Shiera Seastar~]

Speaking of that, my wife and I rewatched the first two seasons before the premiere and his speech about "do you know how it feels to be told you're lucky to be a prisoner" really foreshadows what happens to him. Remember being the Starks' prisoner, Theon? Those were good times, huh?

It would be a great wake up call for him. He'll realized the Starks treated him like a family, his true family treated him like he's no family, and the Boltons treated him like a lowly animal. He'll one day wished:

"I should have died with him," and die as Theon not Reek.

Theon betrayed his adopted family and murdered children. He deserved to be punished, yes, but not to be tortured gruesomely by Ramsay, who's not even in the right position to carry out a just sentence or punishment to Theon's wrongdoings.

[Warden of the North121]

One thing I noticed during the interrogation scenes is that the "interrogators" are wearing Greyjoy armor. I think this is a layer to Ramsay's game and it will be revealed that the Bolton men slaughtered all of the ironborn men and that they're masquerading as ironborn men to make seem like Theon is still among his own people.

[Sun]

Actually I thought the torture scenes were quite mild considering this is GOT... ofcourse, it could just be Alfie's acting that I found unconvincing.

So excited to see "Boy". I really hope the actor is a good fit.

[Chirpy]

I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS.

I'm so glad that he's in the show and Alfie Allen is amazing, but that was brutal!! I loved so many things about his two short scenes, though ...

I love that they reminded viewers that he was a prisoner at Winterfell. I love how they already seem to be setting up an unhealthy Stockholm Syndrome relationship between Theon and (unnamed character who is obviously Ramsay) - "Please don't leave me!" I'm really impressed.

I understand that this is confusing to non-book-readers, though ... my husband thinks that Theon is being kept by his father / Ironborn since Ramsay mentioned his sister.

Ahhh so good! I loved so many things in this episode!!!

I TOTALLY agree with you ... Theon is a fascinating character and I really enjoyed reading his storyline, even after he became Reek.

I noticed that non-readers I watched this episode with were confused as to where he was being held as the whole thing with Ramsay Bolton telling him to surrender wasn't exactly explained. From what I remember in the second season, Theon gave his speech then was knocked out by his own man, but it wasn't clearly explained as to it being because Ramsay agreed to let them all go if they all surrendered. Unless I'm forgetting something in Season 2.....?

What will be interesting to see is Theon's transformation into Reek. In the books we have no idea what goes on as it happens and only find out bits and pieces from his memories while reading book 5. Personally I don't think they have the cajones to show the entirety of his torturing (the flaying, cutting off fingers and toes, pulling his teeth, etc). I mean, they could show the aftermath, but I feel at least seeing SOME of the torturing would really make viewers understand just how he turns into Reek, how he loses his mind from the torture itself. It will still be effective if he is shown after all of that, although not as much as if we witness some of it firsthand. I just hope they don't do a little here and there and keep him relatively normal yet still have him lose his mind.

[Nezzer]

I TOTALLY agree with you ... Theon is a fascinating character and I really enjoyed reading his storyline, even after he became Reek.

I noticed that non-readers I watched this episode with were confused as to where he was being held as the whole thing with Ramsay Bolton telling him to surrender wasn't exactly explained. From what I remember in the second season, Theon gave his speech then was knocked out by his own man, but it wasn't clearly explained as to it being because Ramsay agreed to let them all go if they all surrendered. Unless I'm forgetting something in Season 2.....?

What will be interesting to see is Theon's transformation into Reek. In the books we have no idea what goes on as it happens and only find out bits and pieces from his memories while reading book 5. Personally I don't think they have the cajones to show the entirety of his torturing (the flaying, cutting off fingers and toes, pulling his teeth, etc). I mean, they could show the aftermath, but I feel at least seeing SOME of the torturing would really make viewers understand just how he turns into Reek, how he loses his mind from the torture itself. It will still be effective if he is shown after all of that, although not as much as if we witness some of it firsthand. I just hope they don't do a little here and there and keep him relatively normal yet still have him lose his mind.

Well, I think they do have the guts to show gory stuff like that. Do you remember Drogo ripping off some guy's tongue back in season 1? There's also the nipple cut scene in Valar Dohaeris. The latter was basically flaying, though a milder kind of flaying. Don't worry, we will see Theon losing some skin eventually.

[buckfosto]

I don't know. It's pretty effective in the book when you just "see" what's become of him. It could be pretty compelling to show him how he is now and through this storyline and then you see what's become of him. Again, it let's the viewer think "what the hell did they do to him" and come up with much more vicious stuff than they can show. But I definitely think they need to and will show him having a finger flayed...if not show it, then show them about to and then come back to him later on with the flayed finger and begging Ramsay to cut it off.

[episodenone]

I hope this season HBO nominates Alfie Allen instead of Peter Dinklage for the Emmys. Peter is great, but there isn't much material for him to truly shine this season. And I also think they should give the other actors more chances to win awards.

HBO doesn't nominate anyone for the Emmy's. It is not up to them to give nominations to their own actors.

There are three rounds of judging. The first round takes place in the spring; the semi-final round takes place in the summer - hosted by Member companies; and the finals take place in September. Nominations are announced in October. Four nominees are selected in each category and winners are revealed at the International Emmy Awards Gala, held in November.