YouTuber INCBlackbird has made a video which nicely covers some of the characters emotional highlights;
I like him because he is a character born of bad choices, his father's (Balon Greyjoy) for rebelling against a King and an entire continents worth of soldiers (over a tiny archipelago, sound familiar?) and then handing over nine year old Theon as a goodwill hostage to ensure his father never rebels again, with the threat that if Balon did decide to raise an army against the Iron Throne once more Ned Stark would execute Theon in retaliation.
Then the Stark's poor decision to raise Theon almost as one of their own, certainly he grew up with Robb (Stark) and Jon (Snow) as if they were his new brothers. All while making sure he knew exactly where he stood should his father break his word. You wouldn't raise a lamb as a family pet if you were going to have him on your plate on any given Sunday would you?
Robb's decision to criticise every action Theon took- even when that action was to save younger brother Bran's life, to remind him that he is not a member of the family. Compounded by his bad decision to let Theon go to his father and ask for aid during Robb's rebellion. By which point Theon had the romanticised notion that his family would actually care about him enough to agree, after having discarded him to save their own necks..
Theon's own decision to betray Robb and take Winterfell (the Stark's castle) was fatal. It lead to the deaths of many innocent individuals (including to children) and eventual burning down. But while Theon instigated the murder of the two children to look like he'd killed the younger Stark brothers for running away he didn't enjoy the decision, found no satisfaction or love in the killing. Nor was he conscious for Winterfell's destruction, and if anyone truly believes he would have killed two boys who he had known since their birth, than cynicism has gotten a firm grasp on you ;p
And this is before season 3.. Whatever his faults and crimes, torture- including flaying, removal of fingers and toes and castration, not to mention psychological torture- is not something Robb Stark would ever condone. There is no justice in what happens to Theon in season 3.
In all honesty I've never understood why people show so much hatred to the character of Theon (and there is, you don't have to look far) when he is no different to Jaime Lannister, who it would seem viewers are much more willing to forgive and who has performed a similar level of atrocities (and more) and who has suffered and sought redemption since.
Which kind of brings me to the second reason I surprisingly found myself liking Theon Greyjoy.
Alfie Allen. I'd only ever seen him in a historical Casualty spin-off, all I really new about him was that he was Lily Allen's little brother, and that he was portrayed as a weed-smoking, slightly demonic puppet in her single Alfie.
So imagine my surprise when he shows up on such a big name series as Thrones. And just when I'd thought I got a bead on who his character was (a pr*ck), all the ungratefulness of people he was supposed to be close to, maybe even love, turned my opinion on it's head.
And that's not just the script working in the characters favour, it requires an actor who understands what is running through the characters head, what is in their psyche and be able to project the deep-seated trust issues that Theon has so that we the audience can have a hope of empathising with them.
And I'll be honest, it wasn't something I was expecting from Allen from what I knew of him. And I am pleasantly surprised at the discovery.
