Each week Bob and Ivey discuss 'Game of Thrones' as avid readers of the novels, so spoilerphobes should beware. This week Theon's future is the topic, and spoilers through 'A Dance with Dragons' abound.

We’ve entered that terrible time of the year. Season two of Game of Thrones is behind us and season three is far, far in the future. There aren’t even any casting rumors to talk about yet!

As always, we are book readers, so there are going to be plenty of spoilers ahead. It’s particularly true this week as you will find spoilers all the way through A Dance with Dragons.

Bob:

Something that struck me while looking back at season two is that Theon’s story resonated for me a lot better on screen than it did in the novel. I think it may have been my favorite subplot of the entire season. There was something about seeing the pathos and struggle on screen with talented actors living the emotions that really made me connect.

For those of us who have read the novels, we know what fate has in store for poor Theon. The trick is, however, that the character sat out two entire novels before reappearing in the series. I’m very curious to see what the producers are going to do with the character (and Alfie Allen). I feel like last season at this time we were talking about what was going to happen with Jaime. I was convinced that they couldn’t possibly leave him as a prisoner all season, but that’s pretty much what the writers did — and it turned out okay.

With that being said, I’m thinking that we are going to see very little of Theon for a while. Instead of being completely lost, however, I’m guessing that the writers are going to show some of his incarceration and torture. We know that Ramsay is being cast for the new season, and frankly he doesn’t have much more to do other than torture his little Reek.

Ivey:

For me, Theon’s story didn’t become interesting until I found out where it was going. It’s striking to me how much more I’ve been interested in following his story during this re-read of the series – my first – that I’m finishing up now. I couldn’t find it in me to care one way or the other about Theon during Clash of Kings originally, but now watching exactly his fall was crafted was quite fascinating.

Jaime’s story in season two is an excellent touchstone for what we should expect for Theon. While he was nearly completely absent in Clash – and the one scene he did appear was “borrowed” for the first season – he did appear in four episodes. That certainly wasn’t as much as he was in the first season, but far from absent. I see the same type of structure happening with Theon.

At the end of season two, we don’t know really know what happened at Winterfell – though I’d suppose that non-readers just assumed the Ironborn burned the castle to the ground to help cover their escape. We know differently, but we still don’t know how the series will handle Ramsay’s capture of Theon and what actually happened at Winterfell. We’ll probably see their arrival at the Dreadfort three to four episodes in, followed by the introduction of his torture in the next episode. Then, in one of the final episodes of the season, we’ll see Ramsay with his Reek in all of his “reeky-glory.”

Bob:

I’m not sure. I think it might be slower than that. If it follows that method, what comes after that? The third season is only going to bring us halfway through Storm of Swords. There is still half that novel and then a whole other novel without Theon! Granted, Crows and Dragons do overlap timeline-wise, but still. I don’t think I have the answer, but it is something that I’m curious about.

I’m thinking that we won’t see the Dreadfort at all (though I would love to). Although, with Winterfell burning, it would make some sense, wouldn’t it? In my head I was picturing Ramsay just hanging out in Winterfell, but perhaps there will be some story in the Dreadfort. I don’t know. I’m at a loss, which frankly has me excited for the new season. Too bad they’re not even filming it yet.

Ivey:

Well, Ramsay and Theon have to go somewhere long enough for Bran, Rickon, Osha and Hodor (HODOR!) to escape from Wintefell. In the books, that’s the Dreadfort. Keep in mind, Ramsay doesn’t even return to Winterfell until later in A Dance with Dragons. He’s all over the North in A Feast of Crows – or during the timeline of Crows — rooting the Ironbound out of places like Borrowton and Moat Cailin. I think Theon’s transformation into Reek has to take place at the Dreadfort, right?

The bigger question about what happens in season four really depends on how they plan on handling the timeline of both Feast and Dance. I think they’ll mash them together – I want to read the chapters from those two books in chronological order at some point – and if that’s the case, I think we’ll see some of Feast sneak into the back end of the (still hypothetical) season four.

Bob:

Hypothetical? What kind of thinking is that? The only thing that can get this show canceled is if the budget gets blown on digitally erasing the disembodied, wig-wearing heads of ex-presidents.

Photo Credit: HBO