Did Ramsay torture Theon for any reason other than that he was a sadist?

[Fetch me a block]

Ramsay flays and then cuts off half of Theon's fingers and toes, pulls out most of his teeth, covers him in filth and excrement, and it is repeatedly implied he castrated him.

But why? Roose Bolton knows that Theon could have been a valuable prisoner, and Theon didn't really do anything to harm Ramsay or the Boltons. Ramsay is the most evil person in the series, but surely from someone who hates the Starks his behaviour is counter-productive?

Theon may live, but he'll never recover. He's scarred, mentally and physically, for life.

[Whitering]

Well, he probably is aware his father would be upset if he killed Theon but he did need to scare Theon, a la Blue Bard, into singing whatever song he wanted, which included claiming the Stark children were dead and that he did it with no help from Ramsay.

[Corvo Attano]

Ramsay is like The Joker: He just does it because he thinks its fun. He probably didn't kill Theon because Roose wants him as he's a valuable hostage

[Lord Reaver]

Ramsay hates the Starks ?

We have no indication of any particular hate towards the Starks for him, other than the general "I hate everyone equally".

So yeah, he tortured Theon because he could and to turn him into his new Reek, also clearly to parade him around and say "see how powerful me and my daddy are, we can torture the only son of a Lord Paramount and keep him as a pet".

[Young Nan]

He probably did it just for fun, also maybe to garner favor with the rest of the north who all want to see Theon die horribly for "murdering" Bran and Rickon. He actually doesn't have that much value as a hostage with Balon dead and Euron on the seastone chair. Theon's claim is better than Euron's, so if anything, Euron probably wants him dead too.

[therealbando]

Well, he probably is aware his father would be upset if he killed Theon but he did need to scare Theon, a la Blue Bard, into singing whatever song he wanted, which included claiming the Stark children were dead and that he did it with no help from Ramsay.

I was ready to say that the answer is no, he did it just because he thought it was fun, but you`re right. The Theon from the first two books wans`t someone who would just keep his mouth shut or say whatever his captor would want him to say, so Ramsay had to make sure that Theon won`t cause any harm by saying the wrong thing.

[Theda Baratheon]

He's a sadist. He does it because he can. He has all the power and takes joy in dehumanizing Theon and stripping him of all his power.

[Lord Reaver]

Theon's claim is better than Euron's, so if anything, Euron probably wants him dead too.

Well, the Iron Islands don't quite work that way, what with the Kingsmoot and all.

That said, there is presedence that Theon could have the Kingsmoot declared null and void, since he wasn't present. So yeah, Euron probably would want him dead if he found out he was still around.

[Naathi Prince]

Ramsey did it for fun.

[Young Nan]

That said, there is presedence that Theon could have the Kingsmoot declared null and void, since he wasn't present. So yeah, Euron probably would want him dead if he found out he was still around.

sort of off-topic, but I think this may come into play later, Asha was talking about that precedent and it gave her some kind of idea, but she never verbalized it because she was distracted by the northmen.

[MasterJack]

Well, the Iron Islands don't quite work that way, what with the Kingsmoot and all.

That said, there is presedence that Theon could have the Kingsmoot declared null and void, since he wasn't present. So yeah, Euron probably would want him dead if he found out he was still around.

The kingsmoot is really a rare thing, it happenned because of the lack of Male heir present.

[Lord Reaver]

Actually, it happened because Aeron drummed up enough support to call one. Euron had already claimed the throne, so there was a male heir present.

[MasterJack]

Euron was banned but the eldest brother alive so it was complicated, but with Theon there it would be simple since he is the only son and first heir... and not banned.

[Lord Reaver]

I don't know if it would be that simple. Theon had been a ward at winterfell his entire life, and Balon had clearly groomed Asha to take over.

And as Aeron say time and again "no godless man may sit the seastone chair", Theon could well have ended up being considered "godless" by him, prompting a call for a Kingsmoot.

[Young Nan]

I don't know if it would be that simple. Theon had been a ward at winterfell his entire life, and Balon had clearly groomed Asha to take over.

And as Aeron say time and again "no godless man may sit the seastone chair", Theon could well have ended up being considered "godless" by him, prompting a call for a Kingsmoot.

I don't think he would have gone to such a great length over Theon. He didn't care for Theon, but he absolutely hated Euron, for some kind of traumatic thing Euron did to him when he was little (door creaking memory).

[Strongest Of All Belwas]

I would think that Theon's presence wouldn't really affect Euron's rule, honestly. Sure, his mere existence, as a son of Balon, would cause some confusion, perhaps even a few folks may want to reconsider things, but once the Ironborn see Theon, is his current state, they'd never accept him. He had everything taken from him. His will, his confidence, his pride, hell, even his manhood (implied). If anything, it might prompt some Ironborn to nominate Ramsay Bolton for King, seeing as how he is a bit more Ironbornish than Theon ever was. (just kidding about the nomination bit, haha)

[MasterJack]

I would think that Theon's presence wouldn't really affect Euron's rule, honestly. Sure, his mere existence, as a son of Balon, would cause some confusion, perhaps even a few folks may want to reconsider things, but once the Ironborn see Theon, is his current state, they'd never accept him. He had everything taken from him. His will, his confidence, his pride, hell, even his manhood (implied). If anything, it might prompt some Ironborn to nominate Ramsay Bolton for King, seeing as how he is a bit more Ironbornish than Theon ever was. (just kidding about the nomination bit, haha)

Yeah right now Euron wins it hand down with Theon in this state. But a whole and sane Theon present at Piken when Balon died...even with Euron apparence and his baddass attitute wouldnt result in a kingsmooth, Theon becomes ruler of the Iron Born immediatly, with some protest from Asha and his men. imo.

[RenlyIsNotRight]

Mostly just because he was a sadist, but if anyone in The North ever asked he could probably use the cover that he was interrogating him for information...not that Theon would have had much of value anyway.

[Young Nan]

Yeah right now Euron wins it hand down with Theon in this state. But a whole and sane Theon present at Piken when Balon died...even with Euron apparence and his baddass attitute wouldnt result in a kingsmooth, Theon becomes ruler of the Iron Born immediatly, with some protest from Asha and his men. imo.

yeah, exactly. The kingsmoot was an anomaly and Aeron only ordered it because he found the idea of Euron sitting the seastone chair so repellant.

most of the ironborn don't know the extent of what happened to Theon, so his existence would somewhat threaten Euron's claim, or would have, pre-kingsmoot.

My basic point was, nobody would want to ransom Theon, least of all Euron.

[Castellan]

He's a sadist but I do wonder why Roose allowed it, since he knows everything Ramsay does.

He must have thought it was tactically OK.