I like your analysis and I can see why Theon is fascinating in that respect - but I can't like him more because even though you are right, he could have chosen differently.
You know I'm All Stark, All the Time - the current lot, that is, because it is abundantly clear to me that Ned, Robb and Jon are sadly not so representative of the House - so of course I'm partial, but I have some text to support me too ;).
The thing is this: Ned was no Brandon. He came across as cold, and Theon does resent the fact that Ned wasn't as warm towards him as towards his own children - but how quickly would Ned have chopped off the head of a young man raised in his household, close to his eldest son? In DwD, the Shavepate urges Barristan Selmy several times to kill Daenerys's hostages because the Sons of the Harpy keep killing, but Selmy refuses to, even though the hostages' purpose is to stop the Sons of the Harpy. Because Selmy just isn't built that way. Is Ned?
At the same time, it's true that if Balon Greyjoy could have been sure that his son wouldn't be hurt, there wouldn't have been a point to the hostage system, so Ned had to at least make his threat *look* convincing to Theon's father. And perhaps he kept some distance because otherwise he really wouldn't be capable of killing Theon should Balon rise again. So his troubled relationship with Ned I can understand.
But Robb! Robb doesn't treat Theon like a hostage. He truly treats him like a brother. I don't know if Robb's rebellion had much of a chance, but I do know those chances would have been better if Theon had backed him, and Theon would have done well by it. I just cannot understand why Theon betrayed Robb - and for what? His family are horrible. Taking Winterfell doesn't win him their esteem. Nothing wins him their esteem - they no longer consider him one of them. Robb *does* consider him one of them. You are right, he shouldn't have sent Theon to treat with his father; but if he did, it was only because he gave Theon more credit than he was worth. He never thinks too *little* of him.
Theon is truly tragic; because he is a hostage, he doesn't truly belong anywhere anymore. But he could learn to deal with his situation and make the best of it - and there is something to be gained. This he never does. He turns against the person closest to him. He reacts as he thinks an Ironmen should react, but he doesn't really feel it. He's no Balon, no Euron, no Victarion, no psycho Ramsay either. In fact he's been thoroughly Starked. But he goes on killing (children!) and committing brutalities anyway.
I can't help it: I despise him thoroughly. He's a character I'm keeping an eye on, to be sure (Victarion, on the other hand, I find totally uninteresting and annoying and I'd rather skip his chapters - not Theon's!), but I can't like him one bit. He does everything the opposite of what I would do :p. He's just everything you don't want in a friend.
You know I'm All Stark, All the Time - the current lot, that is, because it is abundantly clear to me that Ned, Robb and Jon are sadly not so representative of the House - so of course I'm partial, but I have some text to support me too ;).
The thing is this: Ned was no Brandon. He came across as cold, and Theon does resent the fact that Ned wasn't as warm towards him as towards his own children - but how quickly would Ned have chopped off the head of a young man raised in his household, close to his eldest son? In DwD, the Shavepate urges Barristan Selmy several times to kill Daenerys's hostages because the Sons of the Harpy keep killing, but Selmy refuses to, even though the hostages' purpose is to stop the Sons of the Harpy. Because Selmy just isn't built that way. Is Ned?
At the same time, it's true that if Balon Greyjoy could have been sure that his son wouldn't be hurt, there wouldn't have been a point to the hostage system, so Ned had to at least make his threat *look* convincing to Theon's father. And perhaps he kept some distance because otherwise he really wouldn't be capable of killing Theon should Balon rise again. So his troubled relationship with Ned I can understand.
But Robb! Robb doesn't treat Theon like a hostage. He truly treats him like a brother. I don't know if Robb's rebellion had much of a chance, but I do know those chances would have been better if Theon had backed him, and Theon would have done well by it. I just cannot understand why Theon betrayed Robb - and for what? His family are horrible. Taking Winterfell doesn't win him their esteem. Nothing wins him their esteem - they no longer consider him one of them. Robb *does* consider him one of them. You are right, he shouldn't have sent Theon to treat with his father; but if he did, it was only because he gave Theon more credit than he was worth. He never thinks too *little* of him.
Theon is truly tragic; because he is a hostage, he doesn't truly belong anywhere anymore. But he could learn to deal with his situation and make the best of it - and there is something to be gained. This he never does. He turns against the person closest to him. He reacts as he thinks an Ironmen should react, but he doesn't really feel it. He's no Balon, no Euron, no Victarion, no psycho Ramsay either. In fact he's been thoroughly Starked. But he goes on killing (children!) and committing brutalities anyway.
I can't help it: I despise him thoroughly. He's a character I'm keeping an eye on, to be sure (Victarion, on the other hand, I find totally uninteresting and annoying and I'd rather skip his chapters - not Theon's!), but I can't like him one bit. He does everything the opposite of what I would do :p. He's just everything you don't want in a friend.
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