Due to information from Theon's ADWD/TWOW chapters it seems that we are destined to have some type of scene at the "tree". And by tree I mean the weirwood on the lake in the crofter's village. In this post I want to discuss the possibilities around how it could happen.

I am sorry for your mother, but I do not spare the lives of turncloaks. This one, especially. He slew two sons of Eddard Stark. Every northman in my service would abandon me if I showed him any clemency. Your brother must die."

The Showdown at the Tree

Background

As Stannis prepares for the Battle of Ice, he currently sits in a crofter's village (3 days ride from Winterfell). In a lake near the village is an island with a weirwood:

The crofter's village stood between two lakes, the larger dotted with small wooded islands that punched up through the ice like the frozen fists of some drowned giant. From one such island rose a weirwood gnarled and ancient, its bole and branches white as the surrounding snows. Eight days ago Asha had walked out with Aly Mormont to have a closer look at its slitted red eyes and bloody mouth. It is only sap, she'd told herself, the red sap that flows inside these weirwoods. But her eyes were unconvinced; seeing was believing, and what they saw was frozen blood. -ADWD, The Sacrifice

Stannis (whose storyline has been building up to an an ultimate sacrifice) has captured Theon (via Mors Umber) and due to Theon's crimes the north wants him dead:

"I know what he wants." The king indicated Theon. "Him. Wull wants him dead. Flint, Norrey... all of them will want him dead. For the boys he slew. Vengeance for their precious Ned."

and then we Asha tell Stannis this:

"Then do the deed yourself, Your Grace." The chill in Asha's voice made Theon shiver in his chains. "Take him out across the lake to the islet where the weirwood grows, and strike his head off with that sorcerous sword you bear. That is how Eddard Stark would have done it. Theon slew Lord Eddard's sons. Give him to Lord Eddard's gods. The old gods of the north. Give him to the tree." -TWOW, Theon I

I think that sets the scene. In order to placate the northmen, Stannis plans to sacrifice Theon to the tree/old gods/weirwoods.

Main Cast of Characters

- Stannis Baratheon

- Theon Greyjoy (POV)

- Asha Greyjoy (POV)

- Bran (POV)/Bloodraven/Weirwood/Old Gods

- Ravens

Buildup

It should be noted that from a timeline perspective that Bran's chapters end much earlier than other characters and therefore we don't get to see Bran's side of these interactions, thus meaning it isn't guaranteed to Bran/Bloodraven:

Theon found himself wondering if he should say a prayer. Will the old gods hear me if I do? They were not his gods, had never been his gods. He was ironborn, a son of Pyke, his god was the Drowned God of the islands … but Winterfell was long leagues from the sea. It had been a lifetime since any god had heard him. He did not know who he was, or what he was, why he was still alive, why he had ever been born.

"Theon," a voice seemed to whisper.

His head snapped up. "Who said that?" All he could see were the trees and the fog that covered them. The voice had been as faint as rustling leaves, as cold as hate. A god's voice, or a ghost's. How many died the day that he took Winterfell? How many more the day he lost it? The day that Theon Greyjoy died, to be reborn as Reek. Reek, Reek, it rhymes with shriek. -ADWD, The Prince of Winterfell

and:

And in the heart of the wood the weirwood waited with its knowing red eyes. Theon stopped by the edge of the pool and bowed his head before its carved red face. Even here he could hear the drumming, boom DOOM boom DOOM boom DOOM boom DOOM. Like distant thunder, the sound seemed to come from everywhere at once.

The night was windless, the snow drifting straight down out of a cold black sky, yet the leaves of the heart tree were rustling his name. "Theon," they seemed to whisper, "Theon."

The old gods, he thought. They know me. They know my name. I was Theon of House Greyjoy. I was a ward of Eddard Stark, a friend and brother to his children. "Please." He fell to his knees. "A sword, that's all I ask. Let me die as Theon, not as Reek." Tears trickled down his cheeks, impossibly warm. "I was ironborn. A son … a son of Pyke, of the islands." -A Ghost in Winterfell

It should be noted that Bran/Bloodraven have access to a minimum any weirwood/heart tree and possibly beyond that as well soon.

If interested: The Whispers of the Trees

He never wanted to do any harm to Bran or Rickon. Reek made him kill those boys, not him Reek but the other one. "I am no kinslayer," he insisted. He ... warned her that Winterfell was full of ghosts. "The swords were gone. Four, I think, or five. I don't recall. The stone kings are angry." He was shaking by then, trembling like an autumn leaf. "The heart tree knew my name. The old gods. Theon, I heard them whisper. There was no wind but the leaves were moving. Theon, they said. My name is Theon." It was good to say the name. The more he said it, the less like he was to forget. "You have to know your name," he'd told his sister. "You... you told me you were Esgred, but that was a lie. Your name is Asha." -TWOW, Theon I

But in addition the Theon being spoken to by the tree, the ravens also seem to be driving the scene toward the tree:

Theon slew Lord Eddard's sons. Give him to Lord Eddard's gods. The old gods of the north. Give him to the tree."

And suddenly there came a wild thumping, as the maester's ravens hopped and flapped inside their cages, their black feathers flying as they beat against the bars with loud and raucous caws. "The tree," one squawked, "the tree, the tree," whilst the second screamed only, "Theon, Theon, Theon." -TWOW, Theon I

If interested: Names Said by Ravens in the Series & Animals Screaming During "Magical" Events

So if you are still following me here, Stannis is going to take Theon out to the tree to sacrifice him to the Old Gods. Its likely that someone/something (probably Bran/Bloodraven interfere).

What Happens Next?

Timing

One big issue facing the showdown is when does it happen (before/after the Battle of Ice). But we have a few events that seem to frame our time window:

- Asha Fragment (Asha is alive at the beginning of the Battle of Ice, and she likely has several chapters in TWOW)

- Stannis/Shireen (Stannis is going to burn Shireen, so he at least survives the Battle of Ice, more than likely winning it).

Death

GRRM plans to cut down on the number of POV characters in TWOW ("take your bets"). With that in mind its easy to look to locations where there are multiple POVs and see how one could die (Theon/Asha in the North, Jaime/Brienne in the Riverlands, Barristan/Victarion in Slavers Bay, etc.).

TWOW is going to be a very dark book. Especially Bran's plotline. So (at least to me) something has to happen here.

The potential exists for Theon (or Asha, she is "The Sacrifice" after all) to die here, but any interference would have to be strong enough for not only Stannis to listen, but also the northmen/kingsmen.

Basically what Im trying to say is whatever Bran/Bloodraven do here, its going to have to be more impressive than just saying "Hey Stan, Theon actually didn't kill me, I'm in the tree!"

A Victory in the Battle of Ice

We have seen numerous sacrifices result in advantageous results for the practicioner (fair winds to the Wall, COTF, etc.)

Stannis with the backing of Two "Gods"

One thing that should be noted is how characters seem to feel after gaining the power of a second "god" as we could see Stannis feel he now has the old gods/r'hllor behind him (and could also foreshadow a potential Night's King 2.0 ending).

Rickon Stark

Bran could provide Stannis with information on the Manderlys allegiance or even Davos and Rickon/Osha

There are a few more less likely examples but these were the biggest I could think of. Share your thoughts in the comments.

TLDR: There is going to be an extremely important showdown at the tree on the lake in the middle of the Crofter's Village. What happens next (sacrifice, magical interference or both) will shape a few different character's plotlines pretty heavily.