nonexistentwench

A while ago, during a more flourishing time of the Theon fandom, I made a poll to ask people what their favorite point of divergence was for Theon-centric What if fics. While the love for mid-ACOK fixits was evident, I saw a lot of love for alternate paths of all sort, something fitting for a character whose arc deals so much with the consequences of impossible choices. So I'm going to propose to y'all an anthology of book-centred Theon fics sorted by point of divergence.

Stuff to keep in mind:

The time periods refer to the point where the fic diverges from canon, not where it's set! There are, for example, lots of fics where the divergence is that Robb didn't send Theon to Pyke back in ACOK but the fic itself is set in a far peaceful future, or where the divergence is ten year old Theon being sent to a different House but the fic is set in canon era exploring the consequences.
I have not read all these fics and will not be saying much about quality, providing trigger warnings etc. This is a celebration of the fandom's creativity more than rec of specific works, especially as I've also included my own
This said, the list will obviously follow my biases and draw mainly but not only from the authors I follow and from the three iteractions of the Theon exchange I modded, so feel free to reblog with your own favorite what ifs!
The fics are gen unless a ship specified. Some ships are more overrepresented than others for obvious reasons
Some show-verse or show-mixed fics are added so long as they follow a recognizable book storyline for Theon (ie. if they're set before Season 5).
Time-travel fix-your-past-life type of fics are placed at the point where Theon goes back to, rather than the point he time travels from

Before the Greyjoy rebellion

Sow The Tide, Reap The Storm, long, plotty WIP, Throbb - as a genderbend, this is technically a canon divergence from the moment of Theon's birth, though it has significant other divergencies at every step of the way

Ghostly series - another genderbend with more divergences later: Thea escapes from Winterfell with Ramsay's baby, meeting Stannis and Shireen

A Different Tide - Throbb. Robb is fostered with the Greyjoys since infancy due to Rhaegar defeating Robert's rebellion

The Night, Made Beauteous - Greysnow. Rhaegar wins, Theon and Jon meet at court

Crosswinds Rising - The Greyjoys win the rebellion, Robb is the one raised as a hostage in Pyke as a result

Wela'i Di Yn Aros Yma - Balon dies in Robert's rebellion, Euron takes advantage of the situation. Theon and Asha are fostered in High Garden and Winterfell as a result and plot to take back their Islands.

Before Winterfell

Caught - Theon/Cersei, Thramsay. Theon is sent to King's Landing instead of Winterfell

The Ward of Casterly Rock - Greysnow. Theon is sent to Casterly Rock instead of Winterfell, later he meets the Starks for the First time during Robert's visit

Deserved series - Throbb. Theon was sent to foster at the Dreadfort instead of Winterfell. The Starks find out only years later how he's been treated

depths filled with struggle and strife and TrisTheon follow-up my beetle brows shall blush for me - Theon is hidden at Pyke with Dagmer rather than going North

Contingency Plan - Theon is hidden at Pyke with Dagmer rather than going North

creatures lurk below the deck - Theon and Asha are sent to Winterfell together

Adjust for the Wind - Theon is sent to Riverrun instead of Winterfell, becoming friends with Edmure

Iron and Sand - Theon is sent to the Dreadfort instead of Winterfell, and then to Sunspear when the former situation goes as well as you could expect it

Every Captain a King - Theon is sent to Dragonstone instead of Winterfell, where he makes a special bond with Davos but is at no less risk of being sacrificed

Grace - Theon is sent to Casterly Rock instead of Winterfell, years later he fights the WOT5K besides Tyrion and Jaime

Riverwife verse - Theon and Asha are raised in Winterfell until Asha goes to Riverrun to marry Edmure Tully: the Freshwater Blues installment deals with their relationship

Before AGOT (going with a somewhat chronological order this being a lenght of 10 years)

close your eyes and spare yourself the view- Balon rebels early. Miserable negotiation ensues

Rebelling - Balon rebels early. Beheading ensues

I know my kingdom awaits - WIP, Theon escapes from Winterfell (he succeeds)

failure - Theon escapes from Winterfell (he fails)

you had heart where you should have had brains - Theon escapes from Winterfell (he takes Robb with him)

The Headsman - Balon rebels early. Ned executes Theon (Ned POV)

The Return - Balon rebels early. Theon's bones are sent back to Pyke

Runaway - Balon rebels early. The Starklings help Theon runs away from his execution, and Robb goes with him.

Iron and Flint - Theon/Jon/Ygritte. Theon runs away from Winterfell and is captured by a group of Wildlings

our words would take us half around the world - Throbb. Balon rebels early, Robb runs away with Theon

Before ACOK

A Little Distraction - Throbb. Theon and Robb both follow Ned to King's Landing and have some fun at the tourney

Salt and Coin - (Show-mix) Theon/Petyr. Theon follows Ned to King's Landing and becomes embroiled in Littlefinger's schemes

Iron and Silk and follow-up Iron and Thorns - Theon/Cersei, Theon/Margaery, Theon/Sansa. Theon went South with Ned and is stuck in King's Landing with Sansa

Want - Theyne (hinted) The plot of asoiaf mostly doesn't happen, Theon and Jeyne meet later after he has taken back his place on the Iron Islands

Tears in Waves - Balon rebels after Ned leaves from King's Landing, Robb is forced go execute Theon

Father - Balon rebels, Ned executes Theon

Second Verse series - a time travel sort-of-fixit starting from Robert's visit to Winterfell

Days Grow Long - Theon gets a time-travel induced epiphany and a chance to re-do his life around the time Robb is deciding whether to call the banners

The Knife - WIP, Robb sends Theon to King's Landing to bring Ned the dagger, he remains to help investigate

Before returning to Pyke

tangled up in morning white - Throbb. Theon meets an ambush on the way to Pyke, sparing him the choice of whether to betray Robb

all along me i can hear you - Throbb. Balon Greyjoy dies earlier and Theon has only a slightly less miserable time negotiating with his sister

Tore My Heart In Sunder - Throbb. Theon is never sent to Pyke and Robb survives the Red Wedding: the truth of what happened between them is slowly revealed over Robb's letters

A Soft Epilogue - Throbb. The ironborn attack before Theon returns to Pyke, Robb allows Theon to escape rather than execute him

Miseries of Victory - Throbb. Theon is at Robb's side when he wins the war against the Lannisters

You've got your peace now, but what about me? - Throbb. Theon remains at Robb's side and after the Red Wedding is given the mission to save Sansa from King's Landing

unkingly - Throbb. Theon is never sent to Pyke and faces the Jaime/Karstark crisis alongside Robb

Those Three Words - Throbb. Theon is named as Asha's heir and Robb remains king in the North, and they have a happy ending

they said you'd never have no worth - Throbb. Robb is under pressure to execute Theon after Balon rebels before he can send him to Pyke

Chickens come to Roost - Throbb. Robb refuses to send Theon back to Pyke, they're together when Robb gets some bad news from King's Landing

As Pretty as a Rose - Theon/Loras. Theon doesn't leave for Pyke - Robb makes an Alliance with Renly and the Tyrells.

Empty Promises, Empty Threat - Robb doesn't allow Theon to return to Pyke, this doesn't prevent their relationship from souring

A Bastard and a Salt Wife - Theon comes back to Pyke not in ACOK but after the Red Wedding and Balon's death, looking to overturn the kingsmoot and Euron's rule.

The Daffodil of the North - Theon remains at Robb's side and after the Red Wedding is given the mission to save Sansa from King's Landing

Before taking Winterfell

Fleeting, A Moment - Throbb, Theon stays loyal to Robb, an epilogue years later

find me in the shallows - Throbb. Theon choses his conscience over either Starks or Greyjoys, running to escape the war of the five kings in Braavos Sometime later, he meets Robb there

I am easy to find - Throbb, Theon chooses to return to Robb's side

The Price of Loyalty - Throbb. Theon refuses to partake in his father's plans and pays the price.

old friend - Throbb. Theon chooses to return to Robb's side

and you will find me, time after time - Throbb. Time travel AU where Theon makes several attempts to re-do the timeline for the better, starting from his arrival to Pyke

don't look back - Throbb. Theon returns to Robb's side

to bandage your wounds with the salt on my tongue - Throbb. Theon returns to Robb's side (in need of h/c)

Before killing the miller's boys

the one who feasts now - Theon burns Winterfell and brings Bran and Rickon back to Pyke rather than attempt to hold it

Before the Dreadfort

no love, no glory - TrisTheon. Tris joins Theon among the men sent by Asha

Watchful - TrisTheon. Tris joins Theon among the men sent by Asha

why do we have to die (for us to see the light) - TrisTheon. Tris joins Theon among the men sent by Asha and they're captured together by Ramsay

KINGS OF MEDICINE - Throbb. Theon is defeated by Rodrik Cassel and delivered south to Robb

But Rises Again - Throbb. Theon performs a ritual to bring Robb back to life

Second Chances series - Throbb. Theon accepts Asha's advice to abandon Winterfell when he still can, but he returns to Robb rather than going to the islands

I lost my head but found the ones I love - Greysnow, Theon accepts Luwin's suggestion to go to the Wall

Shadowed - Theon accepts Luwin's suggestion to go to the Wall and has a hard conversation with Jon.

Last Serving Daughter - A lot of ironborn plot in this fic that has nothing to do with Theon, but he also does accept Asha's offer to leave Winterfell with her, also he gets an aunt/little sister figure

Recovered - Yara saves Theon from Winterfell before Ramsay can capture him

Before ADWD

High Summer - Throbb. Theon escapes with Kyra and isn't caught when they split up, Robb survives the Red Wedding

"...and they would do it together" - Throbb. Robb survives the Red Wedding and comes find Theon in Winterfell

some flowers bloom dead series - Throbb. Robb survives the Red Wedding and releases Theon from the Dreadfort

we walked into the heart of darkness (it was very quiet there) - Throbb. Theon is rescued from the Dreadfort by his sister's men, Robb embarks in an unpleasant road trip with Ramsay to find him and have his revenge

we carry on through the storm, tired soldiers in a war, remembering what we're fighting for series - Throbb. Robb orders Ramsay to release Theon from the Dreadfort

Puzzled - Throbb. Robb survives the Red Wedding, takes the Dreadfort and saves Theon

Seawater King - Throbb. Robb survives the Red Wedding and Theon becomes king of the iron islands. They meet again as enemies.

all of us kids, knee deep in the dirt - Greysnow. Theon escapes with Kyra and turns to the Wall

The Unsworn Brother - Greysnow. Theon runs from the Dreadfort and reaches the Wall while Jon is on his mission among the Wildlings, taking him by surprise on his return

Winterskin - Theon/Kyra. Theon's escape attempt with Kyra succeeds

Pains - Thramsay. Theon dies at the Dreadfort

I've got you, brother - Theon and Kyra are succesful in their escape, thanks to Wex's external help

Steel - Robb survives. The Starklings meet Theon at the Dreadfort in peacetime.

Moved series - (ShowVerse) Yara saves Theon from the Dradfort, Theon gets revenge on the Boltons for himself and Robb

Iron and Fire and follow-up Iron and Ire - Theon is rescued from the Dreadfort when Daenerys takes the North

Before meeting Jeyne

An Envoy's Journey - TrisTheon, Theon's mission to Moat Cailing has a happier ending

Before the flight

Blood Upon The Snow - Jeyne makes a doomed escape attempt, Ramsay forces Theon to join the search

Silent - Theon and Jeyne escape from Winterfell and join the Silent Sisters

take us back to the way life used to be - Greysnow. Theon saves Jeyne on his own and seeks refuge to the Wall

old haunts are for forgotten ghosts - Throbb. Robb's ghost haunts the Dreadfort

Before TWOW

Iron and Steel - Theon/Brienne. Brienne offers to escort Jeyne and Sansa to the Wall

Lighting - Thramsay. Ramsay is Azor Ahai and Theon his Nissa Nissa

A Righteous Quest - Brienne and Pod find Theon and Jeyne after their fall

And you will bleed no more - Jeyne escapes, but Theon is returned to Ramsay. A triumphant ending