In Defense of Theon Greyjoy

I have long been a Game of Thrones fan. Having seen every episode (often more than once...or twice) and read every book in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, I have spent countless hours getting lost in the politics and folklore of Westeros and Essos.

I have developed extremely close bonds with these fictional characters, and I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to any of them in the coming weeks as the show wraps up.

However, no character in the show am I more anxious to lose than Bran's new personal bodyguard, Theon Greyjoy. Theon may be one of the most hated characters still alive in Game of Thrones. As the Ringer's Ben Lindbergh writes, " The show [Game of Thrones] is always worse when Theon plays a prominent role." Admittedly, Theon has committed his fair share of atrocities, but he has also suffered more than almost anyone on the show and had his entire identity stripped away from him.

Why, still, is it so hard for people to give Theon a chance? Does he deserve that flak that he constantly gets from casual and devoted fans alike?

Theon of House Greyjoy has a very checkered past over the duration of the show. We first meet Theon as the ward of Ned Stark, as a punishment for his father's failed rebellion prior to the events in the show. From the onset, Theon struggles with his identity. He has lived his entire life as a ward of the Starks, and acts almost as an honorary member of their family. On the other hand, he bears the name of his house, and is loyal and admiring of his father, Balon Greyjoy.

Season two sees Theon go from a neutral character to a full-on villain. Disobeying the orders of his father to raid the small fishing villages of the north, Theon instead takes his small army to Winterfell where he sacks the under-manned castle.

This act represents the major shift in feelings towards Theon. By sacking Winterfell and taking the youngest Starks, Bran and Rickon, hostage, Theon turns on the family that so graciously accepted him. It is an excusable and unforgivable offense for many Game of Thrones fans.

But he pays for it. BIG TIME.

The next three seasons of the show see Theon suffer mentally and physically at the hands of the show's cruelest villain, Ramsay Bolton. Theon is stripped completely bereft of his life, name, and ====> (iykyk).

Ramsay subjects Theon to years and seasons of absolute torment. To the point that Theon's identity is no longer. He is Reek, Ramsay's new name for him. Reek is totally incapable of doing anything other than what Ramsay commands. From season three to the end of season five, Theon is dead, and in his place is Reek.

Theon is resurrected at the end of season five when he helps Sansa escape the clutches of Ramsay. However, this act does not change his standing amognst GOT diehards. Clearly he had to do more to win back their support.

From that point until now, Theon has remained largely anonymous. Glimpses and parts of Reek still remained though. When faced with saving his sister Yara from the capture of his maniac uncle, Euron, Theon flees. This isn't theon fleeing, it's the years of suffering at the hand of Ramsay Bolton, it's the years of being Reek.

In episode one of season eight Theon rights this wrong by saving Yara and heading to Winterfell. Telling his sister he wishes to defend the castle and his former friends and family from the army of the undead.

Which leads us to where we are now in the show. Theon has offered to protect Bran in the Godswood from the Night King, who Bran is certain will come after him.

The show is almost certainly setting Theon up for a final sacrifice to save Bran. One which will have major plot implications and will be of great use to the survivors in the great war. But part of me knows that despite this sacrifice, fans still won't give Theon credit or respect him any more. In many eyes, Theon just doesn't deserve redemption.

To all those with that mindset, I respectfully disagree. It's time that Theon gets exonerated.

My admiration for Theon as a character stems from his relatability. Theon can't control dragons like Danaerys. He doesn't follow an extremely strict honor code like Jon Snow. He isn't an extremely intuitive game-changer like Samwell or Tyrion. What he is is normal. He's a regular guy from Westeros who just happens to belong to a powerful family.

Theon made a mistake by trying to appease his father. He experienced extreme karma for his acts by suffering through torture for years. He's imperfect, and that's what makes him such a great character.

So this week or next on Game of Thrones, when Theon Greyjoy inevitably bites the bullet saving the only family he's ever known and loved, don't cheer. Take a moment to respect that fallen hero, a man who had his life stolen from him yet overcame his personal demons to try to redeem himself.

Theon Greyjoy may not live, but in the words of his house, "What is dead may never die, but rises again, harder and stonger."

Let Theon live on "harder and stronger" in all of our hearts.