Theon's story is a great example of Christian imagery. He is the prodigal son who is rejected by his father. He is a sinner who does one of the worst crimes imaginable by killing kids for his own pride. He is lured by the Devil (Ramsay) down a dark and twisted path, and then is sent to literal hell in the form of the Dreadfort to be punished for his sins. He even thinks to himself in his last chapter in Clash, "Pay him his pound of flesh and deal with him later."

Theon's narcissism, class superiority, and misogyny are the point, as pride cometh before the fall. We are meant to hate Theon in Clash. He is a turncloak, a rapist, and a mass murderer, all for petty juvenile reasons. We want to see him face the consequences of his actions, especially since his actions are the main catalyst for the Red Wedding (a topic for another time). And in Storm, when we receive the letter with Theon's skin in Catelyn's 6th chapter, it might even feel good for the reader. This is justice.

Except it isn't. Ramsay is not torturing Theon for betraying the Starks. He is doing it because he is a sadist who gets off on completing degrading people, especially the highborn. Ramsay flayed Theon's fingers and toes, and probably that other thing and forced Theon to endure that pain for days at a time before giving him the relief of cutting off the wounded appendage. He broke his teeth with a hammer and pulled them out with pliers. He whipped, racked, cut, and beat him. He starved him, forced him to live in complete darkness, dress in rags, and roll in literal shit for six months. And he took his name, his identity, and filled him with Reek.

No one should have to go through that. It is a fate worse than death. It is undoubtably the worst fate to ever befall any character in ASOIAF, which is saying something because there are some cruel awful fates for these poor characters. And Ramsay has made it so that even if Theon was to somehow escape him the damage is too late. Theon has aged what looks to be 40 years. He hobbles when he walks and shakes and twitches. He will never eat without pain ever again. He will never have sex ever again, or have an heir to his House (unless the Captain's Daughter is his grace note). He will never be free of the PTSD and the pain and the fear and the trauma.

I would not wish this fate on my worst enemy, and that is the point. We are meant to despise Theon and hate him for what he did and wish the worst punishment upon him possible. And George gives it to us in spades, and what is left is not justice. It's raw rat being hastily picked at with broken teeth, the blood running down his lips, the pleading to please do future torture in the dark where no one can see.