Theon Greyjoy

The boy who lost his name, seeking a home he can never reclaim.

Theon Greyjoy is a fictional character in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series and its television adaptation, Game of Thrones. As the youngest son and heir of Balon Greyjoy, he was taken as a ward by Lord Eddard Stark following his father's failed rebellion. Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Theon serves as a major third-person point-of-view narrator in A Clash of Kings and A Dance with Dragons. His arc centers on a troubled relationship with both the family that raised him and his biological kin, evolving from an arrogant young lordling into 'Reek,' the tortured victim of Ramsay Bolton.

Quick Facts

Portrayed by

Alfie Allen

Creator

George R. R. Martin

Adapted by

D.B. Weiss & David Benioff(Game of Thrones)

First

Literature:
A Game of Thrones (1996)
Television:
"Winter Is Coming" (2011)

Last

Television:; "The Last of the Starks" (2019)

Also known as

Theon Turncloak
The Squid Prince
Reek

Gender

Male

Family

House Greyjoy; House Stark (foster family)

Lore & Background

Nine years before the series begins, Theon was taken hostage to ensure Balon Greyjoy's peace with King Robert Baratheon. Raised at Winterfell alongside the Stark children, he developed a close friendship with Robb Stark. By the fifth novel, Theon is either 21 or 22 years old; described as lean, handsome, and possessing long black hair, he often smiles and finds everything amusing. However, his arrogance leads him to betray Robb.

Charged to reave on the Stony Shore, he instead captures Winterfell with a small party after releasing Reek, a former servant of House Bolton. When Bran and Rickon Stark appear to escape, Theon follows Reek's advice to kill two miller boys, passing their bodies off as the Stark princes. The castle is soon besieged by Winterfell's own returning garrison, but Reek returns with hundreds of Bolton men, kills Ser Rodrik Cassel, burns Winterfell, and reveals himself as Ramsay Snow, taking Theon prisoner.

Reader's Guide

Theon serves as a major point-of-view narrator for thirteen chapters across two novels: A Clash of Kings and A Dance with Dragons. His age progresses from 19 in the first novel to either 21 or 22 by the fifth. Key turning points include his decision to capture Winterfell, the murder of the miller boys, and his transformation into Reek after Ramsay's torture. In the upcoming book The Winds of Winter, he remains a prisoner of Stannis Baratheon, who plans to execute him for the supposed murders of Bran and Rickon. Asha attempts to ransom him but ultimately convinces Stannis to behead him rather than burn him alive. Throughout these events, his physical description shifts from a handsome young man with black hair to a broken figure missing digits.