MBTI Type: ESFP

Theon is opportunistic and invested in the moment. He doesn’t hesitate to take a risky shot to save Bran’s life. He eagerly anticipates war and leading armies. He frequently acts in the moment on his impulses – taking Winterfell to prove his valor to his father, shoving a woman from the battlements, helping Sansa escape Ramsay. He spends a good deal of his time with Ros, indulging in sensual pleasures. His blind spot is that he rarely sees the big picture – taking Winterfell has negative repercussions for all the families involved and displeases his father. Theon is not a Stark and knows it, but it takes tremendous internal effort for him to admit to his feelings of anger and bitterness about being taken and kept as a “hostage” for his father all these years. He lashes out at the Stark children when he comes to power, but mostly out of a desire for self-vindication. He’s deeply hurt that his father has such a low opinion of him. Others tend to bully him into decisions which are neither rational nor will work in the long term, but that are wrapped up in his own desire for self-importance. His attempts to make rational and strong military decisions often backfire due to his struggle to strategize, causing him to lose control of Winterfell. Listening to his cutthroat men burns his alliances with the Starks. Theon’s singular focus helps him achieve desired ends, such as claiming territories, but as Ramsay breaks him, he becomes obsessively paranoid about taking action, fearing the eventual consequences (further awful punishments).

Enneagram: 6w7 so/sp

Theon has a tremendous amount of anxiety, which he pushes through by pretending not to be afraid. He desperately wants others to approve of him and affirm his place among them; he lashes out and demands their respect when he takes Winterfell, reacting out of fear and a need for external affirmation, rather than trusting his own decisions. His need for social approval causes him to make mistakes – dealing too harshly with the Starks and their friends. Under stress, he cares how others perceive him – behaving like an unhealthy 3 when he demands respect, lashes out at others who scorn his image, and in his knee-jerk reactions. He hates conflict and merges with whomever he’s around, attempting to seem to fit in (this is why he betrays the Stark boys). His 7 wing wants adventure and is risk-taking.