Game of Thrones is responsible for making the medieval fantasy genre popular once more. It has made history and provided a source of great entertainment, joy, and irritation for millions of viewers around the world. One of the reasons it was as popular as it comes down to the characters.

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George R.R. Martin, the author responsible for the novels upon which the show is based, believes in 'gray' characters, characters that are never wholly good or wholly bad, characters that are simply extremely complex.  While just about every character displays startling complexities, the most effective of these might just be Theon Greyjoy, who exhibits one of the most compelling and effective redemption arcs in television history. Here are 10 ways that he changed between the first season and the finale.

Honor

Theon is murdered by the Night King during the Battle of Winterfell in Game Of Thrones

In the beginning, Theon was arrogant, crude, and simple-minded. His time with Ramsay stripped him of everything, turning him into a mere shadow of a man. But his rebirth that followed this degradation saw him attempt to pursue honor.

There is no greater example of this than his final sacrifice. He defended Bran to his last breath, outlasting every other defender until he finally charged the Night King himself. This is honor. This is evolution.

Acceptance of Past Mistakes

"Lady Sansa, I want to fight for Winterfell."

When Theon stood before the girl whose family he had ripped apart, he made himself vulnerable before her. Mingled amongst the apologies and the guilt was a true and personal acceptance of all that he had done wrong.

And while his betrayal didn't come until after Season 1, it came as a result of the kind of person he was at that age. He accepted that before her and in his own mind, and only then could he come to terms with it.

Acceptance Of Death

Theon accepts his impeding death in Game of Thrones

Young Theon was afraid and insecure. These fears and these insecurities led him to do a whole host of evil deeds, deeds that would shape his future. Had he not taken Winterfell, Roose Bolten would never have sent his son to reclaim the castle. And had that not happened, he would never have become Reek. And if Theon had never become Reek, it is likely he would never have changed at all.

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During his time as Reek, he learned that there are things far worse than death, though it was a wish for the suffering to cease that led him to crave death. It was not until the Starks welcomed him back amongst them that he was able to accept the thing itself, so that he could die nobly, not as a coward.

Conspicuous Lack Of Arrogance

One of Theon's leading character traits in the first several seasons is blatant and irritating arrogance. He was in a lordly position, and he lorded that over everyone else. He was crude to women, disrespectful to just about everyone, save Robb or Eddard Stark, and was more than a little full of himself.

But the trials and tribulations he suffered at Ramsy Bolton's hands blunted his hot-headedness and razed his ego. He spent too long living as something far less than a man to act with pride or arrogance toward another.

Regret Replaced His Anger

In the first few seasons, Theon was quick to anger. This was, of course, a hallmark of his extreme pomposity, but it existed nonetheless. He was physically rough with people that upset him, he would mock people to put them down, he would shout.  But again, his time with Ramsay blunted this, essentially wiping it completely from his system.

His ability to feel anything fell away with the strips of skin that Ramsay took; with that went his temper. And in its place came a deep, profound sadness. The sadness of a tortured soul.

Humility

When Robb Stark bid Theon return to the Iron Islands to treat with his father, he returned with excessive, irritating swagger and a haughty sort of pride that is so often found amongst young soldiers who still think there is glory in war.

This pride continued until he fell into Ramsay's hands. And then it vanished entirely. Out of the torment that Ramsay put him through came true humility.

Courage

Theon was not brave until the Battle of Winterfell. In the first season, he was an arrogant, naive boy. In the second season, he was a despicable coward. When Asha tried to free him, he was a coward, made so by Ramsay. When he finally escaped Ramsay and served with Asha, he was a coward, abandoning his sister to flee the wrath of his Uncle, the Crow's Eye.

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Cowardice and prolonged cruelty kept Theon alive throughout the show. His newfound courage came as something of a surprise. It came as a result of his acceptance of his past failures; it came with an acceptance of death, and it came with an urge to right his wrongs.

Strength

Just as Theon lacked courage for so long, so did he lack strength. The strength to do what was right, the strength to stand and fight, the strength to persevere.

His physical and mental fortitude crumbled in hours and continued to decay until he was rendered little more than a dog in clothing, who existed to serve his lord, Ramsay Bolton. But time away from Ramsay taught him that strength is in the mind, and he was able to foster it once more.

Hope

Hope was the first thing that Ramsay took from Theon. He soon fell into desperation, then despair, then servitude. But with Sansa at his side, urging him to resist, the fires of hope began to burn softly in his chest, until he made his valiant effort at escape, bringing Sansa out of the clutches of the monster, Ramsay Bolton.

But this hope was never more prevalent than in the final season, when he held hope that the armies of Winterfell could prevail. When he held hope that his sacrifice would be worth it. When his heart was lightened for the first time by hope, rather than fear.

Faith

Faith is different than hope. Faith is a fervent belief or trust in a thing or a person; hope is a state of mind. It is difficult to have one without the other. In the beginning, Theon lacked faith. He lacked faith in the Starks, in Robb, in his own men, as well as in his own ability to find success in battle.

By Season 8, he had at last found his faith. His faith that they would beat back the Night King and his armies of White Walkers and wights. His faith that he could protect Bran until the trap snapped shut. His faith that it would all be worth it, in the end.

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