History Characters / ASongOfIceAndFireHouseGreyjoy

** To his uncle, Aeron. Both were the youngest in the family (Aeron being the youngest after the death of Urri) and abused by older siblings, Aeron by Euron and Theon by Rodrik and Maron. Both were the blacksheep of the family, and loved to drink and party. They faced a near death exprience that made them more religious and both were held captive in dungeons. Aeron and Theon also show kindness and protectiveness over two women, Falia and Jeyne, with Aeron trying to warn Falia to escape Euron while she can and later, when they are both tied to the ship and about to die, he tells her that they will both feast in the Drowned God's halls together (Ironborn's version of Heaven), even though she is a woman, not Ironborn, not a fighter, and not of the religion. Theon considers killing Jeyne or Ramsey on their wedding day to save Jeyne from the misery awating her, but decides against it due to fear. Later he risks his life and being retaken captive by Ramsey all for the sake of Jeyne, with no fame or reward to gain. He also tries to cheer her up or at least calm her down by telling her that he knows who she truly is, hold her hand and just being patient and kind to her, unlike the washerwomen.

>> "This is craven," Ser Rodrik said. "To use a child so ... this is despicable."
"Oh, I know," said Theon. "It's a dish I tasted myself, or have you forgotten? I was ten when I was taken from my father's house, to make certain he would raise no more rebellions." "It is not the same!" Theon's face was impassive. "The noose I wore was not made of hempen rope, that's true enough, but I felt it all the same. And it chafed, Ser Rodrik. It chafed me raw." He had never quite realized that until now, but as the words came spilling out he saw the truth of them.

> "This is craven," Ser Rodrik said. "To use a child so ... this is despicable."

* UngratefulBastard: How many Northerners view him. Ned Stark raised him like a ward instead of a hostage, Robb considered him his best friend and Theon repaid them by taking Winterfell and killing "Bran and Rickon." Theon believed otherwise, remarking that everyone at Winterfell was cold and distant towards him growing up and claims that this means he has no reason to be loyal to House Stark.

* PropheticName: In-universe, he might have possibly been named after a Stark king respected by the Greyjoys, Theon "The Hungry Wolf" Stark, long before he was ever sent to live with the Starks.

* MeaningfulName: He's named Theon probably after King Theon Stark, a WorthyOpponent of the Ironborns. This foreshadows the tragedy of his life: being torn apart by his Ironborn origin and his northern upbringing.

* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: Like many Ironborn, Theon is probably named after their greatest WorthyOpponent, King Theon Stark.

* PropheticName: In-universe, he was named after a Stark king respected by the Greyjoys, Theon "The Hungry Wolf" Stark, long before he was ever sent to live with the Starks.

** [[spoiler: In ''A Dance with Dragons'', he comes to the realization that he wanted to be a Stark. He wanted a family.]]

* RapeAsDrama: Theon has a complicated arc when it comes to rape, since he really doesn't twig that he actually ''is'' a full-on rapist (mostly through intimidation and coercion of "voluntary" bedmates) who has caused trauma and lasting harm to a number of his "conquests". [[CultureClash He's Ironborn -- he's supposed to have fun at the expense of those who can't fight back or who aren't important enough to have any backing worth noting, yes? Even Greenlander lords do this kind of thing to their smallfolk, right? It's really no biggie to use coercive means, and it's not like it's kidnapping somebody for years.]] Then Ramsay gives him an extended tutorial in how RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil for everybody involved in whichever role. It's certainly... dramatic if not incredibly tragic.

* FreudianExcuse: He had a pretty miserable time at the hands of [[BigBrotherBully his brothers]] as a kid and going by what he says to the Captain's daughter, by his father as well. Then, at age ten, he was sent away from his family, home, and culture as a hostage to prevent his father from rebelling again and expected to live by a [[ValuesDissonance completely different set of values]]. Not to mention that the stranger he was expected to love as a father would have beheaded him with the sword that he, Theon, carried for him and handed to him for executions, the moment word came of another rebellion by Balon. He recalls going through corporal punishments in Winterfell, something non of the other Stark children mention, even Jon. Furthermore, seems to have a had a lonely time there as Robb is suggested to have been his only friend during those 9-10 years. Logical considering he grew up in a place where no one trusted him, due to him being Ironborn, including his supposed caretakers. During his traveling to Pyke, Theon was gettign along and making friends with Patrek Mallister, but his father, Jason Mallister, discourages Patrek frm doing so as Theon is Ironborn. This is likely the treatemnt Theon recieved during his stay at Winterfell.

** To Jon Snow. Both feel like outsiders, both are raised at Winterfell, and both experience identity issues that have left them bitter and with the desire to prove themselves. While Jon Snow faces societal prejudice for being an illegitimate child who does not even know the identity of his mother, he is loved by his father, siblings, and uncle, and is raised alongside his siblings by his father Ned Stark. Theon -- though he is the new heir to the Iron Islands -- is sent away to another family as a hostage at age ten, raised away from his family, was bullied by his brothers before he was sent to the Starks, and his birth father treats him poorly. Jon is a blood Stark in all but name and raised as part of his family as Ned Stark's son. Theon has his family's name, Greyjoy, but is a Greyjoy raised as a ward among all of Ned Stark's children to keep his father Balon from rebelling again. Both Jon and Theon shared very close relationships with Robb, who was Jon's half-brother and whom Theon regarded as a surrogate brother. Theon loves and is loved by his sister and Jon loves and is loved by his siblings. However, while Jon decides to join the Night's Watch for the sake of honor and duty, has risen to Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, and [[spoiler:might possibly be the heir to the Iron Throne]], Theon becomes a traitor to Robb for the sake of winning his father's approval. He fails at keeping Winterfell after he captured it in an effort to gain affection from said father (a vain attempt, anyway, as Balon's [[TheUnfavorite Unfavorite]]), [[spoiler:and is later tortured into thinking of himself as Ramsay Bolton's servant named Reek]]. But both have expriences living in different cultures due to circumstances, with Jon living with the Wildling and Theon with the Starks, and afterwards both are considered turncloaks and are shunned for it (Jon by the Nightwatch and Theon by his family and later the Northerners). And despite both being companions to Robb, Theon and Jon have little love lost between them, with Theon resenting how Jon, a bastard, is (supposedly) afforded more respect than he, while Jon doesn't share Robb's trust and liking for Theon.

** To his uncle, Aeron. Both were the youngest in the family (Aeron being the youngets after the death of Urri) and abused by older siblings, Aeron by Euron and Theon by Rodrik and Maron. Both were the blacksheep of the family, and loved to drink and party. They faced a near death exprience that made them more religious and both were held captive in dungeons. Aeron and Theon also show kindness and protectiveness over two women, Falia and Jeyne, with Aeron trying to warn Falia to escape Euron while she can and later, when they are both tied to the ship and about to die, he tells her that they will both feast in the Drowned God's halls together (Ironborn's version of Heaven), even though she is a woman, not Ironborn, not a fighter, and not of the religion. Theon considers killing Jeyne or Ramsey on their wedding day to save Jeyne from the misery awating her, but decides against it due to fear. Later he risks his life and being retaken captive by Ramsey all for the sake of Jeyne, with no fame or reward to gain. He also tries to cheer her up or at least calm her down by telling her that he knows who she truly is, hold her hand and just being patient and kind to her, unlike the washerwomen.

* BecomingTheMask: [[spoiler: All right, not so much becoming as being viciously tortured until your mind snaps.]] Also heavily implied that Theon's arrogant and smirking attitude is to hide his many insecurities, and had been using these methods for so long, that even he forgot they are just a coverup.
* BeingEvilSucks: Finds out the hard way in book 2, as he tries to live up to his family and people's standards, and acts increasingly ruthless as his desires to earn his family's respect and to rule Winterfell become more and morey desperate, but it only worsens his guilt and mental state and makes him even more miserable. By the time of A Dance With Dragons he deeply regrets his choices [[spoiler: and wishes that he had stayed with and died with Robb instead of betraying him.]]

* BlackSheep: To House Greyjoy, as despite his initial excitement to go back home and his desire to earn his family's respect, his own father and uncles view him as soft and weak and believe him to have become a "greenlander" or "wolf" and treat him with open disdain, his own sister ridicules and humiliates him, and despite his efforts he cannot bring himself to enjoy their lifestyle of reaving nor to fully abandon the lessons Ned Stark taught him. Suggested that Theon was always viewed as a black sheep as his brothers abused him, his father disapproved of him and Asha remembers him as being "meek and shy". Not Ironborn qualities.

* CoolCrown: Averted when he has one made upon taking Winterfell. Everyone agrees it looks ugly.

* AssholeVictim: ZigZagged. Though Ramsay is a MUCH worse person, and what Theon went through at his hands is so horrific that it's more terrifying and heartbreaking than anything close to satisfying, Theon himself is [[SmugSnake no]] [[JerkJock innocent]]. To explain [[spoiler:the deeds that put him into AssholeVictim territory. He betrayed Robb Stark for his own House, and he lets Ramsay [[WouldHurtAChild kill two innocent farmer's children to pass them off as Bran and Rickon]]]]. Seems like no matter which side Theon would have chosen, Greyjoy or Stark, he would have been considered a turncloak, either for betraying Robb or for betraying his own blood, and in Westseros blood relations and kinship is of outmost important. Although this is pretty theoretical, but since Balon already planned on invading the North and breaking truce even before Theon got to Pyke (something that takes at least a few months to arrange), Robb would still be stuck in a situation where he has to choose between chopping heads or losing bannermen. No matter what, Theon's reputation at least would not get away unscathed.

** He waits until he gets word that Theon is coming home before joining the war.

* AbusiveParent: Towards Theon only, whom he treats with open disdain and ignores him when Theon tries to give him advice, to the point he completely ignores Theon's crucial knowledge of the North while planning the invasion of the North, and even wishes for him to die so he can't stand in Asha's way. Not Asha, who is his favorite and whom he wants to inherit the Seastone Chair over Theon.

* SmugSnake: Greyjoys have a ''very'' serious problem of seeing themselves and the rest of the Ironborn as far bigger, more dangerous and smarter than they actually are, and tend to bite more that they can chew. All Greyjoy attempts to restore the Old Way and make the Iron Islands independent have failed miserably and yet, Balon Greyjoy and his brothers Aeron and Victarion still delude themselves that they can accomplish that as well as conquering the North despite the Ironborn's limits and them having no allies in the rest of Westeros. Balon and Victarion, to an even greater degree, are TooDumbToLive, Theon took Winterfell by surprise but tried to hold and rule the castle despite it being strategically impossible, Rodrik got himself killed attacking the strongly defended Seaguard led by the very skilled Jason Mallister, etc...Only Euron has actually the intelligence and personality to be a real threat, while Asha is smart and level-headed enough to recognize the Iron Islands' limits and to suggest wiser solutions. Ironically, her solutions are similar to the ones her brother suggestedm which their father (who she supported at the time) rejected: Alliances with the North. Much like Theon, she also thinks that the Ironborn have to change their ways and start sowing.

* ShoutOut: A character named Harlan with no mouth is almost certainly a reference to ''Literature/IHaveNoMouthAndIMustScream'' and its author Creator/HarlanEllison, who Martin was a big fan of.

* SmugSmiler: {{Lampshaded}} quite a bit, his tendency to keep up a smile in even the most inappropriate situations is his most memorable feature and its usually the first thing they bring up when talking about him. Other characters describe it as if the situation is some kind of joke that only he's clever enough to understand. It's one of the main reasons why several characters can't bring themselves to like him.

* AlasPoorVillain: A lech, an oathbreaker, and a murderer of children, but damn if Ramsay Snow's torture doesn't make you pity Theon.

** Sansa Stark. Both are romantics with a tendency to fantasize only to have reality crush their dreams, and they even dreamed of marrying and becoming part of a different family (Sansa wanted to marry Joffrey and be a queen whilst Theon wanted to marry Sansa and become a Stark). Both held hostage and abused by their captors (including sexually by Joffrey in Sansa's case and by Ramsey in Theon's case), treated as dogs (Sansa comments on how Joffrey calls to her as if she were a dog and Theon is forced to sleep with dogs). Both have to change their names and identities (Alayne Stone and Reek) and change hands from one captor to another (Sansa- from the Lannisters to Petyr. Theon- from Starks to Boltons and now to Stannis). Their resilience and ability to adapt keeps them alive and both have a connecting link, Jeyne Poole. Furthermore, both are improving at being cunning, with Sansa trying to mainpulate Joffrey through body language and stroking his ego, same as she does with Sweet Robin. and Theon keeping Jeyne's true identity a secret from Abel and later Stannis, and keeps playing Reek even when he gained his identity back.

* FreudianExcuse: He had a pretty miserable time at the hands of [[BigBrotherBully his brothers]] as a kid and going by what he says to the Captain's daughter, by his father as well. Then, at age ten, he was sent away from his family, home, and culture as a hostage to prevent his father from rebelling again and expected to live by a [[ValuesDissonance completely different set of values]]. Not to mention that the stranger he was expected to love as a father would have beheaded him with the sword that he, Theon, carried for him and handed to him for executions, the moment word came of another rebellion by Balon. He recalls going through corporal punishments in Winterfell, something non of the other Stark children mention, even Jon. Furthermore, seems to have a had a lonely time there as Robb is suggested to have been his only friend during those 9-10 years. Logical considering he grew up in a place where no one trusted him, due to him being Ironborn, including his supposed caretakers.

* AssholeVictim: ZigZagged. Though Ramsay is a MUCH worse person, and what Theon went through at his hands is so horrific that it's more terrifying and heartbreaking than anything close to satisfying, Theon himself is [[SmugSnake no]] [[JerkJock innocent]]. To explain [[spoiler:the deeds that put him into AssholeVictim territory. He betrayed Robb Stark for his own House, and he lets Ramsay [[WouldHurtAChild kill two innocent farmer's children to pass them off as Bran and Rickon]]]].

* FateWorseThanDeath: Ramsay Bolton [[spoiler: held Theon prisoner in the Dreadfort, torturing him into insanity by [[FlayingAlive peeling off his skin]] inch by inch and apparently castrating him. The result of this is that Ramsay now has another slave called Reek (most of the time)]].

* GroinAttack: [[spoiler:It is heavily implied that Ramsay Bolton either castrated Theon or at best mutilated his genitals. Could also be interpreted that he just suffered straight up sexual abuse like rape.]]

*** Even Roose took notice of Theon's love of silks and velvets.