Theon sacrifice. Spoilers?!

[TheUnknownTargaryen]

Why is Asha eager to have him sacrificed to the old gods instead of burned for the red god. Also, is the raven being warned by Bran? I have a few questions and would love to know your opinions.

Will Asha try and save him somehow?

Will Theon's being sacrificed to the old gods have something to do with Jon Snow being resurrected? If so, how?

Why would an iron born care where or how they were put to death? Does she wanna see her brother suffer less or is there a hidden meaning behind it?

I'm very curious to see how this plays out. Brans weir wood visions, especially the old one with the woman and bronze sickle, have me thinking something will go down. That, with the fact Theon has kings blood equals something special going down.

[Pinkie Baelish]

Asha doesn't want her brother to suffer more than he already has, which is why she asks that he receives a quick, clean death rather than a slow, agonizing death.

[Ser Wun Wun]

Asha doesn't want her brother to suffer more than he already has, which is why she asks that he receives a quick, clean death rather than a slow, agonizing death.

I agree.

Asha watches as several soldiers are about to be burned alive for cannibalism and she sees one of them goad a guard into cutting his throat. Her reaction to that is that he was the smart one, that it was a better death than burning. She wants Theon to have a clean death, she doesn't want to see her brother burn.

[Faint]

Despite its popularity on this forum, I have never found the theory having Theon serve as some kind of sacrifice for Jon at all likely. Far too much groundwork was laid in Asha's chapters in A Dance with Dragons outlining a very different future for Theon. Needless to say, it does not entail him losing his head by a weirwood tree.

[Mad Monkey]

Honestly, I hope that Theon isn't sacrificed. He's essentially lost everything but his life; I can't imagine what else anyone could possibly inflict on him.

[Fire Eater]

Despite its popularity on this forum, I have never found the theory having Theon serve as some kind of sacrifice for Jon at all likely. Far too much groundwork was laid in Asha's chapters in A Dance with Dragons outlining a very different future for Theon. Needless to say, it does not entail him losing his head by a weirwood tree.

Agreed, GRRM creates an impression only to pull the rug out from under us. Nearly everyone with Stannis wants Theon to die and Theon wants to die, so Theon won't die. Just when Theon is about to be executed before the heart tree, he remembers Maester Luwin's suggestion from ACoK, join the NW, and he asks to take the black. He can't be denied that request and everyone knows that Jon Snow is the LC, and they could grudgingly take him to the Wall.

I think Asha's life will be used to resurrect Jon since her last POV was "The Sacrifice" when she wasn't even among the sacrifices.

[bemused]

I don't believe for a minute that he will be sacrificed, and I'm watching for the kid to pop up.

ETA: EEK! no , not Asha either . Jon requires no sacrifice.

[tormund's beard]

just let the guy die already i hate the dude, but it will be a mercy.

[FireInTheNorth]

Agreed, GRRM creates an impression only to pull the rug out from under us. Nearly everyone with Stannis wants Theon to die and Theon wants to die, so Theon won't die. Just when Theon is about to be executed before the heart tree, he remembers Maester Luwin's suggestion from ACoK, join the NW, and he asks to take the black. He can't be denied that request and everyone knows the Jon Snow is the LC, and they could grudgingly take him to the Wall.

I think Asha's life will be used to resurrect Jon since her last POV was "The Sacrifice" when she wasn't even among the sacrifices.

Great idea! I don't know whether Theon will be in good enough state of mind to think about that. But definite possiblity.

[not in the face]

Could someone explain what Asha meant by this;

Would that I could do the same. It would be sweet to lose herself in Qarl’s arms one

last time. Asha had a bad feeling in her belly. Would she ever feel Black Wind’s deck

beneath her feet again? And if she did, where would she sail her? The isles are closed to

me, unless I mean to bend my knees and spread my legs and suffer Eric Ironmaker’s

embraces, and no port in Westeros is like to welcome the kraken’s daughter. She could

turn merchanter, as Tris seemed to want, or else make for the Stepstones and join the

pirates there. Or …

“I send you each a piece of prince,” she muttered.

Qarl grinned. “I would sooner have a piece of you,” he whispered, “the sweet piece

that’s—”

I think Qarl was going to answer but it does not make sense to me still. Does she mean to chop up Theon ala Ramsay? Or capture the boys or Shireen and Ramsay them?

[thecryptile]

Just when Theon is about to be executed before the heart tree, he remembers Maester Luwin's suggestion from ACoK, join the NW, and he asks to take the black. He can't be denied that request and everyone knows the Jon Snow is the LC, and they could grudgingly take him to the Wall.

Why can't Stannis deny this request? Not everyone gets a chance to take the black, many are summarily executed. IIRC Randyll Tarly didn't give any one a choice when he was dispensing justice in Maidenpool.

[Faint]

Agreed, GRRM creates an impression only to pull the rug out from under us. Nearly everyone with Stannis wants Theon to die and Theon wants to die, so Theon won't die. Just when Theon is about to be executed before the heart tree, he remembers Maester Luwin's suggestion from ACoK, join the NW, and he asks to take the black. He can't be denied that request and everyone knows the Jon Snow is the LC, and they could grudgingly take him to the Wall.

I think Asha's life will be used to resurrect Jon since her last POV was "The Sacrifice" when she wasn't even among the sacrifices.

Actually, my own guess is that Manderly will end up revealing that Theon never killed Bran and Rickon, thereby allowing Stannis to use Theon much more usefully. There is a reason we learned of the story of Torgorn Greyiron (see here).

[Frey-A-La-Mode]

Could someone explain what Asha meant by this;

Would that I could do the same. It would be sweet to lose herself in Qarl’s arms one

last time. Asha had a bad feeling in her belly. Would she ever feel Black Wind’s deck

beneath her feet again? And if she did, where would she sail her? The isles are closed to

me, unless I mean to bend my knees and spread my legs and suffer Eric Ironmaker’s

embraces, and no port in Westeros is like to welcome the kraken’s daughter. She could

turn merchanter, as Tris seemed to want, or else make for the Stepstones and join the

pirates there. Or …

“I send you each a piece of prince,” she muttered.

Qarl grinned. “I would sooner have a piece of you,” he whispered, “the sweet piece

that’s—”

I think Qarl was going to answer but it does not make sense to me still. Does she mean to chop up Theon ala Ramsay? Or capture the boys or Shireen and Ramsay them?

I think that the answer to her intentions towards Theon come from Tristifer Botely and Rodrik The Reader. The Reader kept telling her to read about a certain kingsmoot (the name of it escapes me) and then later Tristifer brings up the same kingsmoot. Basically that kingsmoot took place because the King's son was presumed dead, but was simply off reaving for two years. They crowned someone else with a lesser claim to the Seastone Chair, but when the crown prince returned, the result was declared invalid because he had not been at the kingsmoot to press his claim.

Ergo, Asha intends to find "Prince" Theon and bring him back to the Iron Islands, because as the last remaining son of Balon Greyjoy, his claim would be stronger than Euron, Victarion, or even her own claim. She wants to use Theon to make Euron's kingship/kingsmoot result invalid, and I'd be willing to bet that Aeron Damphair would help her with that.

Then again, this is all before she finally sees Theon again.

[Fire Eater]

Why can't Stannis deny this request? Not everyone gets a chance to take the black, many are summarily executed. IIRC Randyll Tarly didn't give any one a choice when he was dispensing justice in Maidenpool.

They weren't offered the black, and the idea never occurred to them.

[profilebegone]

I think that the answer to her intentions towards Theon come from Tristifer Botely and Rodrik The Reader. The Reader kept telling her to read about a certain kingsmoot (the name of it escapes me) and then later Tristifer brings up the same kingsmoot. Basically that kingsmoot took place because the King's son was presumed dead, but was simply off reaving for two years. They crowned someone else with a lesser claim to the Seastone Chair, but when the crown prince returned, the result was declared invalid because he had not been at the kingsmoot to press his claim.

Ergo, Asha intends to find "Prince" Theon and bring him back to the Iron Islands, because as the last remaining son of Balon Greyjoy, his claim would be stronger than Euron, Victarion, or even her own claim. She wants to use Theon to make Euron's kingship/kingsmoot result invalid, and I'd be willing to bet that Aeron Damphair would help her with that.

Then again, this is all before she finally sees Theon again.

:agree:

Though it would be cool if, after that, he took the black. He is a first-class archer, which is what they need on the wall. But there's probably not enough time for him to get from Winterfell to Pyke to Old Wyk then back to the Wall before it gets blown up.

[Dragon Shieldbreaker]

Why would Theon take the black? He WANTS to die I think. He might be too cowardly though.

[Fire Eater]

Why would Theon take the black? He WANTS to die I think. He might be too cowardly though.

Theon might take it to save his skin, and Luwin's advice and Theon considering the offer can be taken as a Chekov's gun.

[Jslay427]

I can't think of any scenario where Id be happy with a Theon sacrifice. As the Theon fanboi president I must insist that GRRM spare his life in order for him to carry on his legacy of greatness.

[Hodor knows]

"The tree, the tree, the tree"... "Theon, Theon, Theon,"

[Sweet-N-SourRobin]

A decapitation in front of a heart tree is a much quicker and much less painful way to go than being burned alive. In her chapters as Stannis' captive, she noticed one prisoner meant for the pyres successfully taunted his jailer into stabbing him before it was his turn to burn. Asha took note and considered him "the clever one" for pulling this off.

Of course, it should be obvious to anyone reading that Asha doesn't plan on letting her baby brother die at all. Asha is tempting Stannis with the (likely false) potential to curry nothern favor and win the Northmen's hearts by killing Theon "northern style" and avenging Ned Stark's boys the way Ned Stark himself would've done it. Sure, if Theon can't be saved, she'd rather save him the pain of immolation, but finding some way to fast talk Stannis into staying his hand or even Putting It Off until after the battle for Winterfell is step one in Saving Her Brother's Life, because it buys her time to come up with a plan. Maybe she's counting on the chaos of battle, or maybe she's got something else in mind.

She's not just the clever one in her family (faint praise if ever there was), Asha's clever, period. And all through that sample chapter, you can hear her gears turning.