Theon Greyjoy

"What is dead may never die!"

- Theon Greyjoy

Theon Greyjoy is a major character in the first and second seasons. He is played by starring cast member Alfie Allen and debuts in the series premiere. Theon Greyjoy is the heir of Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands. He has been a hostage of House Stark since his father's failed uprising against King Robert Baratheon. Despite his status he became a close friend to Robb Stark. However, after Robb sent him as an emissary to his father during his war against the Iron Throne, Theon turned on the Starks and joined Lord Balon in his campaign to seize the North.

Background
Theon is the youngest son of Lord Balon and Lady Alannys Greyjoy. Balon is the head of House Greyjoy and Lord of the Iron Islands. The Iron Islands are one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms and House Greyjoy is one of the Great Houses of the realm. House Greyjoy rule the region from their seat at Pyke and Balon also holds the title Lord Reaper of Pyke.

Theon was born at Pyke. He is Balon and Alannys' fourth child after Rodrik, Maron, and Yara. Eight years before the start of the series Balon rose in rebellion against the Iron Throne. The ironborn were crushed in a war led by King Robert Baratheon and Lord Eddard Stark. Theon's brothers were both killed in the fighting. Balon surrendered and was allowed to remain Lord of the Iron Islands on the condition that Theon remain a hostage and ward of Eddard Stark. Theon's sister Yara has remained on the Iron Islands. Despite his status as a hostage at Winterfell, Theon has been treated well by the Starks. He and Robb Stark are best friends. Theon is a skilled archer. His cocky arrogance and cavalier actions contrast with the staid ways of the North.

Season 1
Theon hands Eddard his sword for the execution of Will, a deserter from the Night's Watch. On the way back to Winterfell the party find a partially dismembered stag dead in the road. Looking for the killer, they find a dead female direwolf, killed by a stag antler to the throat. The female died after giving birth, and five pups huddle by the corpse for warmth. Theon suggests killing the pups, but Jon Snow convinces his father that this is an omen as there are five pups and five Stark children, Eddard consents to allowing his children to adopt the pups. Just as the party leaves, Jon finds a sixth pup, an albino, the runt of the litter. Theon ruefully points out that this one belongs to Jon. Later, Robb, Jon and Theon ponder the impending arrival of the royal party, notably the reputation of Queen Cersei Lannister as a great beauty and the poor reputation of Prince Joffrey Baratheon. Bran is found at the foot of a decrepit tower, comatose from an apparent climbing incident.

After the royal party's departure an assassin attempts to kill Bran. Theon learns that Catelyn has found evidence implicating the Lannisters in Bran's 'accident' and the failed assassination. Theon and Robb suggest taking revenge through military action, but Maester Luwin counsels patience. Catelyn and Ser Rodrik Cassel depart for King's Landing, leaving Robb in command of the castle. Theon is present when Robb frostily receives Tyrion Lannister on his way back from the Wall. Afterwards Tyrion and Theon exchange insults about the defeat of the rebellion led by Theon's father, Balon Greyjoy, and how Theon is Robb Stark's 'lapdog'. Whilst boasting about his family's exploits and heritage, he is put down by Maester Luwin. He reacts angrily to a further insult from his favourite prostitute, Ros, after sneaking her into the castle to engage her services.

Theon and Robb exchange views over the matter of Jory Cassel's death and the growing Stark-Lannister animosity in King's Landing. Robb brusquely reminds Theon that he is not a Stark. Bran is taken prisoner by wildlings in the forest near Winterfell and Theon saves him by shooting Stiv, the wildling leader, in the back. . With the departure of Ros for King's Landing, Theon is left bored. He accosts the surviving wildling prisoner, the spearwife Osha, but is warned off by Maester Luwin.

Robb summons his banners to war when word comes of Lord Eddard's arrest. Theon tells Robb that it is good that he is afraid, as it shows he is not stupid. As the northern army marches south, Theon advises Robb at strategy meetings and greets Catelyn when the army meets her on the road. When a Lannister scout is captured, Theon obscures their maps and battle plans, to Greatjon Umber's amusement. Reaching the Twins, Theon shoots down several ravens leaving the castle bearing messages from Lord Walder Frey, allowing Catelyn to negotiate an alliance. Theon fights alongside Robb at the Battle of the Whispering Wood, where Jaime Lannister is taken prisoner. When Robb laments the loss of 2,000 of his men in the feint at the Battle of the Green Fork, Theon assures him that songs will be sung of their bravery. Robb responds that they will not hear them. After news arrives of Eddard's execution, Robb Stark is proclaimed the King in the North by his lords bannermen. Theon swears his sword and fealty to Robb's service.

Season 2

 * Main: Theon Greyjoy Season 2

Theon appeals to Robb to seek an alliance with his father, Balon Greyjoy, reasoning that Robb needs a fleet to attack King's Landing. Robb sends Theon home to Pyke as his envoy. Theon is deflated at the lack of a reception for his return. His sister Yara poses as a stranger to see what Theon has grown up to be. He flirts with her relentlessly. Balon greets Theon coolly, believing that he has forgotten his roots and become loyal to the Starks in his time away. Yara reveals her deception and Balon compares Theon to his sister unfavourably. Balon rejects the alliance Theon suggests and is insulted that Theon thought he would accept being given a crown. He reminds Theon that they pay the iron price and take what they want.

Balon reveals that he plans to attack the North while it is poorly defended. Balon gives Yara a fleet of thirty ships to take Deepwood Motte and insults Theon by assigning him a single vessel to raid fishing villages on the Stony Shore. Theon considers informing Robb of the plot but decides that his loyalty lies with his family. Having decided to betray House Stark he is baptised in the name of the Drowned God as Balon and Yara watch. He takes command of the Sea Bitch but finds his crew unruly. His first mate Dagmer Cleftjaw tells him that he must prove himself to the men and that Ironborn do not follow orders. Theon senses the opportunity to attack Torrhen's Square to lure the Stark garrison away from Winterfell. His plan is successful.

Theon has his men seize the poorly defended Winterfell. He forces Bran Stark to yield to him by threatening his people. His men capture Ser Rodrik Cassel and Rodrik is openly defiant, even spitting at Theon. Dagmer insists that Rodrik must be killed to maintain the respect of the men. Rodrik baits Theon into performing the execution himself. Theon botches the beheading, taking four swings. He is seduced by Osha who then frees Bran and Rickon. He leads a hunt for them but is unable to find them. Unwilling to appear weak, he has Dagmer murder two boys from a farm and burn their bodies. He displays the corpses at Winterfell and claims they were Bran and Rickon. Theon sends word to Yara to bring him reinforcements. She arrives with just twenty men and warns him that everyone in the North wants him dead because he has claimed to have killed the Stark boys. She urges him to abandon Winterfell and return to the Iron Islands but he refuses to give up his prize.

Winterfell is surrounded by Northmen under the command of Ramsay Snow. Besieged with no hope for relief, Theon laments to Maester Luwin the horrible things he has done in search of respect and power. Theon admits that he always felt like an outsider among the Starks and wanted to win the affection and approval of his true family. Luwin suggests that Theon flee to the Wall and join the Night's Watch to save his life and attempt to redeem himself. Theon refuses to deviate from the course he has set and readies his men for glorious death in battle. He gives a rousing speech but is betrayed and knocked out by Dagmer. Luwin attempts to aide Theon but is stabbed in the gut by Dagmer, who then has Theon dragged away with his head covered by a cloth bag.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels, Theon was a young boy when the rebellion was crushed and his two brothers were killed. He has been raised at Winterfell for the nine years since and has become close friends with Robb Stark. He is cordial to the rest of the family, but more distant. Theon is known for his arrogance, as he is the heir to House Greyjoy, one of the Great Houses of Westeros, despite not having seen home in a long time.