Pilou Asbæk on Euron’s changeable personality, seeking a spectacular death, and his endgame in the ‘game of thrones’

702 - Sea Battle - Euron 3

It’s fair to say Euron made quite a splash in “Stormborn”. He wreaked havoc on Dany’s Dornish and Greyjoy allies, killing two characters, capturing three others, and humiliating another one. In new interviews, Pilou Asbæk went over Euron’s actions this episode, as well as last season and this year’s premiere… and teased what’s to come too!

Variety began the interview by asking Asbæk to address the perceived season seven changes to the character, who has been received much more warmly than last year. The actor, however, sees each scene as part of the sociopathic whole that is Euron Greyjoy:

“I’m actually doing what I did in [season 6] as well,” he explained. “He was very different on the bridge than he was in the throne room, than he was at the Kingsmoot. To me he’s one of those sociopaths that can transform. He adapts to the environment that he’s in. He’s a survivor. You can say there’s been an update in the costume department.”

You can certainly say that. Punk rock Euron and berserker Euron are much more visually striking than his get-up last year, and that is no coincidence, as Pilou had a “long discussion” with costume designer Michele Clapton and showrunners Benioff and Weiss, and reportedly told them: “Guys, we’ve established Euron. Now let’s show a guy who doesn’t give a s—. Let’s just show a guy who walk in and goes, ‘F— all of you. I want the power. And none of you can do anything about it, because I am the best.'”

“I was living out one of those childhood dreams,” Pilou revealed, regarding the filming of the sea battle at the end of “Stormborn”. “You’re on a boat in Belfast in the middle of the night with an incredible stunt department and some great actors in Alfie [Allen, Theon Greyjoy] and Gemma [Whelan, Yara Greyjoy]. If you’ve seen what I’ve done in Danish cinema, it’s always very tough social-realism stories. And I’ve loved doing them. And now I’m like a kid in a candy store. ‘How many people am I going to kill today? 25? For real? Okay, cool, let’s get it on.’ It’s fun, and I might as well have fun while doing it.”

Fleet Greyjoy Sea Battle 7x02 (10)

“I’m completely free in Euron. I don’t feel any restrictions. With Euron, it’s like ‘Let’s do more crazy eyes, more manic, more violent, and fierce.’ Until the day that Dan and David kill me.” That’s not to say Euron fears death: Asbæk says he enjoys the violence so much because “he knows his time is spare. He knows he’s going to die at one point. And if you ask me, it’s probably going to be spectacular. I hope so. But right now, he’s in for a ride.”

And what a ride it’s been! We’re only two episodes in and Euron has already made a great impression in the audience, and a dent in Dany’s armies. So who knows what will happen next! Well, Asbæk knows… but is he telling? What are Euron’s endgame?

“World domination, man. He’s going to start a collaboration with Russia — no, I’m sorry. That was inappropriate. What is left for Euron? To enjoy life. Let’s see what kind of gift he brings home to Cersei. And let’s see what her answer is.”

You can read the rest of the interview at Variety, where Asbæk addresses comparisons to Trump and why the characters matter more than the mechanics of the battle.

701 - King's Landing - Euron 6.

Speaking to Time Magazine, the Danish actor delved into Euron’s motivations:

“I think it’s very important that your lines are honest in the moment that they are said,” he said about his plans with Cersei. “So when he says ‘When I was a little boy, I wanted to grow up and marry the most beautiful woman in the world,’ I think he means it. And what’s more sexy than a beautiful woman with power? So I think he wants her. And I think he wants what she’s got. So how I played that scene, I wanted to be a contender to Jaime Lannister. I wanted to challenge him and the love between those two siblings.”

As for why Euron challenged Theon, the actor has a deeper interpretation than many have given the character credit for: “Maybe Euron wanted him to stand up for himself. Maybe Euron wanted him to be a Greyjoy, a viking, a man of the ocean and of the sea. The easy storyline is that Euron wanted to humiliate Theon, to prove that he’s a wimp. The more interesting angle is Euron wanted to put him into a situation where he would actually stand up for himself. That’s why he says, ‘Aw, come on you cockless coward!'”

702---sea-battle---euron--obar

Finally, regarding the criticism of Euron’s brutality towards the Sand Snakes, Asbæk said he likes it was brutal “for one simple reason: those two women were some fierce, incredible warriors in the previous season. And the more brutal we would make their deaths — and with their own weapons — in my mind, that’s barbaric but poetic that they get killed by their own weapons. It’s closer to Shakespeare.”

Euron is such a bleeding-heart poet, isn’t he?

83 Comments

  1. I LOVE that we have Euron on the show and that he’s leaving quite the impression and becoming fan-favorite after his bland intro in S6. He’s this years’ Oberyn. The only wildcard left in the show, really.

  2. What does he have against Theon and Yara? He didn’t even know them before he showed up on Pyke. What did they ever do to him?
    That’s a good question, man. I’ve done this two years and I haven’t even thought about the motivation for the character. Why does he want to kill them? I just do what the script tells me to do, bro.

    This part stood up to me. He remains a two-dimensional villain as far as this one is concerned. Doesn’t matter that he’s an accomplished warrior who is reinvented in every scene he’s in, it appears that depth is not on the table at this point. Euron is just another villain to fill in the void left by Ramsay (who could be similarly over-the-top, but at least we understood where he was coming from, the whole Snow–> Bolton thing). I am pretty sure Theon will be Euron’s downfall, and I can’t wait to see that on screen.

  3. Euron king!

    Pilou slayed me this season. He was hilarious and witty in episode 1 and in episode 2 he was crazy and terrifying. I think I replayed his WWE entrance during the naval battle over a dozen times.

  4. I’m glad they changed the wardrobe somewhat and changed his hair a little. He looked dirty before, messy and not in a stylish way. A grown man, especially a peacock like Euron, would be more fastidious about his appearance, and he has the funds and the power to do that. He can look “rock star” if he chooses, but not grungy. He’s trying to woo Queens. Queens may like wildness but not outright stink.

    As I said right after the episode aired, color me surprised, I really liked his performance. I was not a fan last year, I thought he bordered on buffoon. There have been subtle changes and all for the good. I’ll be a fan unless he starts torturing people, ala Ramsay. Then I use the fast-forward.

  5. Rygar:
    More Alfie please.

    Oh gosh yes, I would really love to hear more from Alfie after such an incredible acting moment in the last episode!

  6. I’m sorry everyone, I just can’t get on board with Show Euron. It’s a steaming pile of crap, it’s cheesy and the guy is not a good actor. And for me personally, he’s not even funny. I’ve tried for almost as season and a half and it’s not working for me. It was fitting that he locked horns with the sand snakes, because he’s just as bad on the show as they were.

  7. I don’t think Euron would give a damn about uplifting Theon – he was ready to murder both of them last year without a second thought. Once they stole ships from him, he would carry a churning internal rage, hell, he’d be outraged that they dared oppose him in any way – to me, that’s the kind of whacked-out crazy he is. Ironborn take what they want, and he’s the ultimate taker. That maniacal laugh was not “oh poor Theon, so sorry you’re afraid.” It was “Ha, you cockless mouse, how dare you even think to come at me? I GOT you. Jump you fucker, jump.”

    Killing the Snakes with their own weapons IS Shakespearean – it’s from Hamlet, and called being “hoisted by your own petard.” Meaning to be hurt or destroyed by one’s own plot or device intended for another. It could yet be his own fate; I have a feeling it will surely be Olenna’s.

  8. I am loving Pilou’s take on the character for sure. What fun.

    In particular I enjoy how he’s basically shitting on the Ironborn who I personally despise (Yara is ok… I suppose). He in essence is saying he reason he acted like a douchey fratboy at the King’ moot is because the Ironborn are basically a bunch of douchey fratboys and he’s trying to win them over. Which makes sense – it’s exactly how pre-Reek Theon was (Theon was always overcompensating to try to seem like a “real” Greyjoy).

    I think that Euron also really was hoping Theon was rise to the challenge – so that he could kill him. 🙂 Of course he doesn’t “care” about Theon, but he’d rather he go out as a warrior.

    BTW I haaaaaate the character in the book – he’s way too black and not fun at all – just another violent psychopathic slaving rapist asshole. Yay, like we needed another one.

  9. I’m loving Euron this season. He’s fast become my favourite GOT villain. Pilou is absolutely incredible in the role. And that entrance… That was f*cking awesome.

    I really like Pilou’s take on that scene with Theon. I kind of hope he’s right about that. I like the idea that, if Theon beat him, he would almost be proud…

  10. QueenofThrones: I think that Euron also really was hoping Theon was rise to the challenge – so that he could kill him.

    Yes, agree, killing him was the main thing, and Theon knew that. Theon was no match for Euron at that point, anything he did would have gotten them both killed. I do hope Theon is the one to get him in the end.

  11. I wish they would just have a villain that is imposing and terrifying, and not cackling OTT cartoon.
    Someone more in the mold of Tywin, except even more vicious and cruel.

    I will say, I am very very happy so many seem to love him.

  12. Joey,

    Have you seen him in other projects? That’s an honest question. If you have, I get that “he’s a bad actor” declaration but if you have not, how would you get to the conclusion with just one role? A role that is outlandish by the way. If you were to judge Keisha Castle- Hughes by her work as Obara you might say ‘she’s a bad actress’ but that would just mean you did not see the Whale Rider for which she was nominated for an Oscar. Good/great actors are at times awful in certain roles. By the way, I am not saying that he is awful in this, at least he is making Euron “fun” and not insufferable like he is in the books..

  13. Joey,

    Joey, he’s “ruining” the show for you and for people who may feel the same way. Most, from what I read, are actually liking the character a whole lot.

  14. Danny,

    Yes, but hes not a human character/
    I prefer dark/silent villains personally. It gives them more gravitas.

  15. Danny: were to judge Keisha Castle- Hughes by her work as Obara you might say ‘she’s a bad actress’ but that would just mean you did not see the Whale Rider for which she was nominated for an Oscar.

    I didn’t see it, and will make an effort to see it now. Speaking of all the Snakes, I liked them more this year than any year; the bickering is what many sisters do, and they fought bravely. Damned Ellaria didn’t even try to defend herself, she was like a little flower down in the hold. RIP Nymeria and Obara. You gave it a good try. Seeing them displayed as they were at the end actually got to me, a little.

  16. mau,

    Yea I suppose 🙂

    I just feel like Euron personally belongs on a different show.
    But I seem to be in the minority, and honestly, I’m glad because, if people like him now, that means hes doing something right.

  17. His laugh last episode was the most terrifying thing I heard in this show. It still rings in my head.

  18. What I liked most about Euron killing the Sand Snakes is that it almost seemed like an ironic comment on the “Dorne was worse! No, the Iron Islands was worse!!!” debate 12 years ago after Crows came out….. Woo hoo: Iron Islands wins! Um, wait: what is winning in this argument?

    QueenofThrones: BTW I haaaaaate the character in the book – he’s way too black and not fun at all – just another violent psychopathic slaving rapist asshole. Yay, like we needed another one.

    I, too, deeply dislike Book!Euron. Of course, he has only about 3 lines, but they all read like Ozzy Osbourne lyrics. Again, this was another part that left me wondering: what the hell happened? It was not the concept that bothered me, but the execution: Book!Euron is a dumb peron’s idea of a semi-mystical lunatic.

    Show!Euron (=Maliciously Psychotic Jack Sparrow) is a little silly, but not horrible. Still, I do worry that this diversion could weigh down the actual story.

  19. HelloThere,

    I don’t think so. If Ramsay and Joffrey belonged on this show I see no reason why Euron wouldn’t.

    There are so many different types of antagonists in this show. From Joffrey and slave masters to Roose Bolton and Alliser Thorne.

    And ofc the best antagonist ever – Cersei Lannister 😀

  20. Dee Stark,

    I have to agree with you. I’ve quite enjoyed him and that’s kind of scary…lol. I’ve been working so many hours and haven’t been online other than a quick peek and gone, but miss chatting and so glad you are here today!

  21. Joey,

    If you have seen him in Borgen and 1864 amongst his other roles then you would know that “not a good actor” is off the mark. You are entitled to dislike his characterisation or feel that he is miscast of course, but that does not make him a bad actor,

  22. Rex,

    I agree. And really, he hasn’t examined his character’s motivations? No wonder, Euron comes out flat and uninteresting to me.

  23. Without reading prior comments, let me just say that S6 Euron with his driftwood headset left me… underwhelmed, but S7 Euron has been malevolently delightful! Quite a change. I usually don’t like villain characters (*cough Littlefinger cough*), but Pilou has really added some charisma to Euron’s villainy.

    I saw Pilou in a brief supporting role in “Lucy” starring Scarlett Johanson (sp?) and thought he was good. I’m hoping his portrayal of Euron leaves me with the same impression.

  24. Flashy McPiratePants is too entertaining to dislike. I’m terrified of – and can’t wait to see – what he does next.

    I really really want to see a scene between him and Jon Snow. They’re basically polar opposites, but equally stubborn and determined. What would they say to each other?

  25. I too am not a fan. A pity he had to be included, and the actor isn’t selling him to me at all. It’s a massive drop in quality from Joffrey and Ramsay.

  26. Joey:
    QueenofThrones,
    So you prefer this Michael Bay version? He is ruining the show, very similar to what Negan just did to TWD.

    I do not know your references, don’t watch TWD and the last Micheal Bay movie I saw was Pearl Harbor (which was awful but I don’t know any characters like Euron in it)

    Euron seems to me somewhat like The Sexy Bandit guy (Hector) in Westworld. – Does bad shit and has fun doing it is his role. Of course the fact that in Westworld Hector’s only doing these things because he’s programmed to adds an additional layer – still.. are we not all programmed in the end?

  27. Singedbylife,

    Maybe it is because I read the books but Euron’s motivations were quite simple: 1) Get the Seastone Chair, 2) Get Dany and 3) Get the Iron Throne and with that Westeros. #2 was only a means to #3 but if she did not cooperate he could do without. Euron and his brother Victarion are simply psychotic. Euron wants world domination because why not. There’s no more to it than that.

  28. mau,

    Maybe its just the fact that he was barely introduced in season 6, and then now he is so FULL ON, and I don’t know how to interpret it. It just feels a bit try-hard; like they are trying to ram him into the narrative, with no real idea of who or what he is.
    Insert Mean Girls Quote “She doesn’t even go here”

    In a perfect world, Euron would’ve been introduced in season 4, and been peppered into 5 and 6, with a gradual build up to this season. But its not a perfect world, and this is how they kinda have to do it, so I get it… they aren’t going to prolong the narrative cuz some tertiary villain isn’t developed enough lol.

  29. Wimsey: Show!Euron (=Maliciously Psychotic Jack Sparrow) is a little silly, but not horrible.

    Wimsey!! we’ve missed you. I don’t know if you were able to follow many of the comments while you were away (on vacation, we were told) but we wondered where you were. Hope you can stay through next episode.

    At least Euron is more interesting this year than last, I was dreading what would be made of him this year, but it seems that even though he could be called a little silly, they decided to show him as someone effective at what he attempts. He said boats, check – got a bunch of beautiful boats; he said meet Cersei, check – met Cersei, and I think actually impressed her, to Jaime’s dismay. He said bring back a gift that Cersei would like, check – Ellaria and Tyene. So, he achieves what he sets out to do, however crazy he acts.

  30. Joey:
    I’m sorry everyone, I just can’t get on board with Show Euron. It’s a steaming pile of crap, it’s cheesy and the guy is not a good actor. And for me personally, he’s not even funny. I’ve tried for almost as season and a half and it’s not working for me. It was fitting that he locked horns with the sand snakes, because he’s just as bad on the show as they were.

    I have to agree. I don’t find Euron ‘badass,’ I find him goofy and one-dimensional, even if he does change his sales pitch to suit the audience. He’s still no better than a moustache-twirling villain to me. Asbaek’s ‘Oh good, I get to do crazy eyes’ is telling IMO.

  31. Joey:
    QueenofThrones,

    So you prefer this Michael Bay version? He is ruining the show, very similar to what Negan just did to TWD.

    Delurking to wholeheartedly agree. I immediately thought of Negan, too!
    Euron is thankfully not even the main antagonist (Cersei, NK, etc.) so I don’t think he’ll take over the show like Negan did TWD, but the cartoonish acting did spoil the battle scene for me.
    I found it particularly jarring because Alfie Allen and Gemma Whelan gave great, subtle performances as usual, but when the camera panned on Euron I expected to hear “your soul is mine” followed by “Mortal Kombaaaat!”…

    I’m sure that the actor can be good or even excellent in other roles, and I’m glad for those who don’t mind or like his performance. But I just can’t with his (and the director’s, I guess) choices here.

  32. Firannion: I have to agree.I don’t find Euron ‘badass,’ I find him goofy and one-dimensional, even if he does change his sales pitch to suit the audience.He’s still no better than a moustache-twirling villain to me.Asbaek’s ‘Oh good, I get to do crazy eyes’ is telling IMO.

    You kidding? Book Euron is WAYYY more moustache-twirling / over the top.

    “Why Yes, I literally AM a pirate with a missing eye, and BTW it’s an EVIL CURSED eye oh and also I have a horn that controls dragons and a dragon egg and I drink poison which makes my lips turn black, oh and also I molested my littlest brother and raped my other brothers’ wife because then I knew he would kill her and I thought that would be funny, oh and did I tell you I love human sacrifice and slavery and tearing out people’s toungues? Because, I totally do love those things also…”
  33. Luka, here’s a purely educational FYI, knowing English isn’t your first language:

    The phrase is properly ‘wreak havoc,’ past tense ‘wrought (not wreaked) havoc.’ It has nothing to do with the word ‘wreck.’ In fact, it’s almost the opposite, since to wreak means to make, create, shape, cause to happen. It’s the root of the noun suffix -wright, meaning ‘maker,’ as in such professions as shipwright, wheelwright, wainwright, cartwright. Or think of ‘wrought iron.’

    Lots of native English speakers get confused about this one as well, since ‘wreak’ to ‘wrought’ is an irregular tense conjugation. Please don’t take this as a complaint or criticism – just a bit of ‘fun with English, the world’s biggest toy’ from a linguistics geek!

  34. Dee Stark:
    not happy that I like watching him this year
    lol

    Haha beginning to cave, Dee? 😀 Gotta admit he’s grown a little on me as well and I hate it – still wanna feel more like Joey:“…it’s cheesy and the guy is not a good actor. And for me personally, he’s not even funny…” etc.

    I’m just clinging to the notion, it’s only due to the lack of another male villain on the show right now…

  35. I barely read through the Greyjoy chapters the first time I read the book but do remember really not liking Euron. But I certainly ‘like’ the character more than I did last season; he indeed seemed like a cartoon character. Here, he really comes across as the villian he said (or someone said they’d be someone replacing Ramsey) and did his best pirate impression. One thing I gotta say for him as Euron, he really looks like he is having a blast!

    And Luke don’t feel badly. It was years before someone actually told me the expression was actually ‘for all intense and purposes'” not ‘in tent. There were a couple of other groaners that were corrected by the good folk on the web.

  36. I LOVE this man. My new favorite person in the show, for the acting and now for the actor.

    Click through to the Variety discussion about Trump and read by far the most astute political answer I have ever heard any actor give about any political situation anywhere. All actors and public people should take notice and learn from this answer.

  37. Firannion: The phrase is properly ‘wreak havoc,’ past tense ‘wrought (not wreaked) havoc.’ It has nothing to do with the word ‘wreck.’ In fact, it’s almost the opposite, since to wreak means to make, create, shape, cause to happen. It’s the root of the noun suffix -wright, meaning ‘maker,’ as in such professions as shipwright, wheelwright, wainwright, cartwright. Or think of ‘wrought iron.’

    Like Luka, I am also not a native English speaker, but if I may be a bit presumptuous, I think you are wrong in this. Past tense of wreak is wreaked, and it means “to cause harm”. Wrought is nowadays used primarily as an adjective, but is also an archaic variant of worked. Though, you are right to point out that wreck havoc isn’t correct. It should be wreaked havoc.

  38. ash: It was years before someone actually told me the expression was actually ‘for all intense and purposes’” not ‘in tent.

    I’m afraid they misinformed you. It’s “for all intents and purposes”.

  39. ash: And Luke don’t feel badly. It was years before someone actually told me the expression was actually ‘for all intense and purposes’” not ‘in tent. There were a couple of other groaners that were corrected by the good folk on the web.

      Quote  Reply

    In no way should Luka feel badly. He writes more far lucidly than most native English speakers. I just got the vibe that he is motivated to keep improving his command of the language, so assumed that my correction might not be taken amiss.

    But if somebody told you that ‘for all intense and purposes’ is the correct rendering, they were pulling your leg. It’s ‘for all INTENTS and purposes.’ Don’t feel badly; there are plenty of people out there who hear it as ‘for all intensive purposes’!

    Like I said, fun with English. It’s glorious and maddening all at once. That’s what happens when you try to paste together one language out of dozens of others that aren’t even necessarily related to each other: a deliciously rich vocabulary, but pronunciation, grammar and spelling rules that make no sense and have no consistency.

  40. Mr Fixit: Like Luka, I am also not a native English speaker, but if I may be a bit presumptuous, I think you are wrong in this. Past tense of wreak is wreaked, and it means “to cause harm”. Wrought is nowadays used primarily as an adjective, but is also an archaic variant of worked. Though, you are right to point out that wreck havoc isn’t correct. It should be wreaked havoc.

    ::Googles furiously:: Well, danged if you aren’t right about that, non-native-speaker!
    I had no clue that ‘wrought’ originally derives from ‘work.’ Consider me schooled. (‘Wreaked’ still makes my skin crawl, though.)

    But I stick to my contention that the use of ‘wreak’ simply means ’cause to happen’ and does not always imply a negative outcome; that seems be simply a function of its familiar pairing with the word ‘havoc.’

    So Luka’s takeaway from all of this is not to use ‘wreck’ when he means ‘wreak.’ For the past tense, either ‘wreaked’ or ‘wrought’ is likely to be pretty universally understood.

    And I suppose we can all agree that when Theon had to sleep in the kennel with the hounds, he reeked.

  41. Mr Fixit,
    Firannion,

    I really appreciate the correction, of course 🙂

    I remember I wrote it wrong and I went for whatever the proofreading corrector suggested. I should’ve just looked it up instead.

  42. Firannion,

    Haha, English sure is maddening sometimes! A and the still taunt and mock me regularly, damn them! Lie and lay, and their past forms in particular, can go to seven hells for all I care. On the other hand, future perfect is so deliciously crazy that finding a way to stick it in a sentence somewhere makes me tingle in all the right places.

    Also, if I ever read one more instance of should of, would of, could of, I will publicly immolate myself.

  43. When I hear ‘wreck havoc’ I hear the long e, not the short e in car wreck’ Is that correct?

    BTW I also have a hearing loss which is probably why some of my takes on things are just really strange, and I still have to ask people about some words when I’m speaking

  44. A few links about wreak and wrought. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/wrought

    http://virtuallinguist.typepad.com/the_virtual_linguist/2011/08/wreaked-havoc-or-wrought-havoc.html

    http://www.dictionary.com/browse/wreak

    I’ve said elsewhere I liked Pilou Asbaek in “Borgen”. Actually the totally nutty Euron of episode 2 was probably the show version of Euron I have liked best so far (though with fire on a ship I may be having an association of ideas moment being still in awe of Orlando Jones’ fiery appearance as Mr Anansi on “American Gods”) though I did actually have a laugh at the (slightly Laurence Olivier as Richard III-ish) jibing at Jaime Euron from episode one of the current GoT season.

    I didn’t like Euron in the books and thought he was OTT. Has anybody any idea where GRRM might have looked for inspiration for the character? I tend to have heard of pirates that have something to do with UK history as that’s where I’m from and there’s no doubt there were real-life pirates who were thoroughly nasty. Henry Morgan the Welsh pirate is a well-known one and had a reputation for being ruthless. A google search brought up this article http://timhodkinson.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/medieval-pirates-tale-of-tavish-dhu.html – it’s not until about half way down the page that it mentions a pirate called Eustace the Monk a sometime Benedictine monk who had a reputation of being a black magician. Book Euron is alleged to have dabbled in sorcery I think (a few years since I read the book now). It also mentions a woman pirate Jeanne de Clisson though I think GRRM has mentioned Grace O’Malley (yes, I know that’s the anglicised version of her name) as being the inspiration for Asha (Yara). I’ve posted this link before – an Irish site which mentions Grace O’Malley http://www.mayo-ireland.ie/en/about-mayo/history/grace-omalley-the-pirate-queen.html I don’t know where the pictures with the boobs come from.

  45. Thronetender:
    I’m glad they changed the wardrobe somewhat and changed his hair a little. He looked dirty before, messy and not in a stylish way. A grown man, especially a peacock like Euron, would be more fastidious about his appearance, and he has the funds and the power to do that. He can look “rock star” if he chooses, but not grungy. He’s trying to woo Queens. Queens may like wildness but not outright stink.

    I heard someone on the web refer to him as “Hot Topic Euron.” lol

  46. Dame of Mercia,

    The reason why both ‘wreaked havoc’ and ‘wrought havoc’ are ok is because the expression ‘to work havoc’ used to be common, so, of course, its past tense was ‘wrought havoc’

    ah Ha! thanks for that link

  47. ash,

    Ash, you are quite right – ‘wreak’ sounds like Theon’s altered ego, Reek, though of course it is written differently. It is “wreak havoc” and not “wreck havoc”. Slightly off-topic but it’s my understanding that Joseph Mawle (the actor who plays Uncle Benjen) is somewhat hard of hearing.

    I mentioned some while ago on this site I go to a Spanish class and wrote “Cocinar los hijos” (Cook the kids) instead of “Cocinar los higos” (Cook the figs) in one piece of homework – it is so easy to make a mistake in a language that is not one’s own.

  48. It’s amazing the little subtle hints & foreshadowings you pick up on 2nd viewings. For example, Arya has clearly been mimicking the Hounds actions & attitudes (towards hot pie & the Lannister soldiers). Just imagine if those soldiers had attacked her after saying “I’m going to kill the Queen”. As much as I love her, I don’t think she could have taken 6-7 (even less than skilled) soldiers. She was on a very dangerous & reckless path. She probably would have died trying to kill Cersei in KL. Good thing she’s headed towards Winterfell.

    Also, upon 2nd viewing, I noticed Ellaria too busy looking Yara up and down at Dany’s council meeting & not paying much attention to the plans. No surprise that they were ambushed unawares… Another subtle clue, Jamie told Randyll that Oleanna was broken & bitter & only cared about revenge. Then we saw her giving Dany bad advice. I’m sure that advice will cost Dany later.

    Now as for the Euron foreshadowing… In his scene in the throne room, he was clearly testing the Mountain’s defenses. He moved toward Cersei & the Mountain blocked him. Notice he stored that info away. Then he took a step towards Jaime & the Mountain didn’t move. Notice he glanced the Mountain’s way to verify this 2nd movement. I’m calling it now, Euron will kill Cersei in episode 7 & steal the Iron Throne from her. The “most beautiful woman in the world” that he wants is Dany. But knowing this psycho, he’d probably try to kill her too.

    One last crackpot theory I have is that Euron (most likely in the books but maybe the show as well) will try to make some kind of pact with the Walkers or maybe even try to become the new Night King. Can’t think of a better candidate for World Domination than the NK…

  49. Actually I have two combinations that drive me up a tree ‘they, there, their’ and ‘you’ ‘your’ ‘you’re’. Like fingernails on the chalkboard….

  50. Thronetender: I don’t know if you were able to follow many of the comments while you were away (on vacation, we were told) but we wondered where you were. Hope you can stay through next episode.

    No, I wasn’t! I joined in a little on the Confederacy Thread because of a down day. However, I didn’t see Episodes 1 or 2 until last night, and I didn’t want to accidentally get spoiled. (I love Jodie Whittaker!)

    I really like the way that the season has gotten going: basically, this material has been the weakest so far, and it’s not weak!

    Thronetender: He said bring back a gift that Cersei would like, check – Ellaria and Tyene. So, he achieves what he sets out to do, however crazy he acts.

    True! One does wonder how he managed to find Yara’s flotilla: but, hey, I’ll let that slide….

    Thronetender: I don’t know if you were able to follow many of the comments while you were away (on vacation, we were told) but we wondered where you were. Hope you can stay through next episode.

    No, I wasn’t! I joined in a little on the Confederacy Thread because of a down day. However, I didn’t see Episodes 1 or 2 until last night, and I didn’t want to accidentally get spoiled. (I love Jodie Whittaker!)

    I really like the way that the season has gotten going: basically, this material has been the weakest so far, and it’s not weak!

    Thronetender: He said bring back a gift that Cersei would like, check – Ellaria and Tyene. So, he achieves what he sets out to do, however crazy he acts.

    True! One does wonder how he managed to find Yara’s flotilla: but, hey, I’ll let that slide….

  51. He remains a two-dimensional villain as far as this one is concerned.

    It’s not the actor’s job to provide motivation for the character; that obligation lies with the writer(s) and director(s). Since a throne can hold just one butt at time, and since Yara and Theon made off with the fastest ships in the Iron fleet, Lord Euron’s motivations in wanting his niece and nephew dead seem pretty straightforward. (It’s also possible the writers have another reason or three up their sleeves for later in the story.)

    For my part, I’m loving the idea Euron will present Cersei with both Ellaria and Tyene Sand. Ellaria and Cersei are very much counterparts, women who pursued power at the ultimate expense of their own children. Cersie would have the chance to visit the ultimate in revenge upon Ellaria — making her watch her own daughter die in front of her eyes. (On Westeros, that would almost count as justice.)

  52. I’m loving Euron this season and hoping he can do some further damage to team Dany before his anticipated death (he has to die before the end right?). No idea where his story is going though, he’s clearly bringing three gifts to Cersei next episode so will she agree to marry him? Will it happen this season and be the final straw for Jamie? Or will they agree to marry after Dany is defeated – which presumably won’t happen?

  53. What a great entrance, just slamming down the Plank crushing someone and then first into battle!

    Has shown some great variety so far, am just waiting to see the quieter sinister Euron of the books and the “bleeding eye” and then I am happy with what the show is doing, as I’ve accepted they are essentially rolling Victarion and Euron into one

    Don’t really care for them going on about that Russia nonsense the Democrats are weakly trying to pull as an excuse for the election loss (NAFTA gutting the last of the working class manufacturing base has more to do with it than Russia) and trying to “compare him to Trump”, as if Trump for all his daft talk is a war-mongering madman when Hillary was and would have been far worse in that Dept. Though over time Trump may go the way of “Nobel Peace Prize” Obama and Drone strike half the middle east anyway…

    As for going forward, looking forward to not only what happens next with Euron and Cersei but Euron and Jaimie as well

  54. One last crackpot theory I have is that Euron (most likely in the books but maybe the show as well) will try to make some kind of pact with the Walkers or maybe even try to become the new Night King.Can’t think of a better candidate for World Domination than the NK…

    Truth be told I kinda love this idea

    Something about anti-heroes, more specifically anti-heroes versus other anti-heroes

    Eg I imagine if we had a Nick Tanner vs Locke knife fight instead of Tanner vs Jon Snow

    In this case imagine Tanner/Clubfoot Karl with catspaw Valyrian dagger taking out White Walkers as part of Jons mission, really screws the viewer up cheering on one bad fellow against another one perceived as worse

    someone doing a Craster would be quite something

    Not sure if someone will fight the show NK for supremacy ala Kings fighting over the IT, but in the books I wonder what Eurons role is as a form of “anti-god”…

  55. True!One does wonder how he managed to find Yara’s flotilla: but, hey, I’ll let that slide….

    lol, considering he had to pass Dragonstone with his fleet when going to KL in E1 and opt not to take it, seems to be a case of while leaving KL the two fleets literally bumped into eachother

    Would have made more sense if he went to KL in just his Silence ship with his fleet in the process of rounding the Cape of Dorne so to speak, eg by itself as a kind of Stealth ship it seems it can get past Dany’s fleet easily and fast enough while ignoring it and Dragonstone and get back to the fleet quickly enough to organise and lead an attack

  56. Have to say one thing I liked about the episode is their portrayal of Silence, eg that ship came out of nowhere to smash into Yara/Ellaria/Theon ship while when Theon was in the water it snuck away nicely too

  57. I don’t have a problem with Euron finding Yara’s fleet. When you look at the map, there aren’t too many options to take if you want to sail from Dragonstone to Dorne. Narrow Sea is, well, narrow and supremely important for trade between various Westerosi cities as well as Westeros and Free Cities in Essos with many trading vessels sailing around at all times. It shouldn’t be that hard to keep informed of a large fleet’s whereabouts if you place a few well-positioned scouts.

    My question is this: how is it possible that none of Dany’s advisers apparently had a clue that a huge freaking Euron’s armada is in the neighborhood!? Dornish haven’t spotted them sailing around their coasts and it appears that Varys or any of the others don’t have a single informant left in King’s Landing to inform them of hundreds of ships arriving in Blackwater Bay. I find that exceedingly hard to believe.

  58. Dame of Mercia: I didn’t like Euron in the books and thought he was OTT.

    Likewise. The cynic in me believes that GRRM needed a character who was in possession of (avoiding spoilers) a certain object and could be well travelled enough to simply have “found it” while ransacking some ruins.

    And lo we were given Euron.

  59. Wimsey,

    They were sailing south from dragonstone, the amount of inlets down that coast I imagine would be prime locations to set an ambush, I put it down to that in my mind lol

  60. I liked Euron S6 introduction on the bridge (“I AM the storm”) When he pushed his bro from the bridge, I knew he was crazy. But the Kingsmoot was underwhelming. S7 Euron is a psycho and very entertaining. I hope he gives Cersei a run for her money.

  61. Through two episodes, I think Euron has been by far the season’s Most Improved Player, and there’s a case to be made for him as the season’s MVP at the quarter mark. I doubt he’ll hold on to that title – he has major competition from numerous long-running and beloved characters, and the stakes are only going to get higher. But he’s entering the clubhouse at least tied for the lead in my book. And Pilou’s performance has been fantastic. He’s having the time of his life playing this gleeful, sadistic, ever-shifting chameleon of a character, and it shows.

    mau,

    It was blood-chilling. The absolute perfect note on which to end that amazing scene.

  62. Loving the madman Euron this season! But he was there right from his first scene, the bridge scene.

    Afterwards, he donned the usual Ironborn togs and played the big-cocked buffoon to win the Ironborn on his side (also to show the viewers that he is Ironborn, same stock as Yara and Theon). Dressed a bit more sharply this season, for his interview with Cersei, very cocky but not a buffoon, also did his best to flatter Cersei and belittle Jaime, put a subtle wedge between the twins.

    The sea battle finally showed us the real Euron (the one on the bridge murdering his brother plus some!) The writers and Pilou have done a wonderful job in creating this dangerous new villain. We now fear him, yet are intrigued.

  63. Danny,

    What’s more interesting is why he wants world domination. The symbolism of “crow’s eye”, his red eye, the mirroring of the Night’s King and Euron with their ‘slaves’ (wights vs mutes), and in general the mystical side of things makes him quite interesting, to me at least.

    He has basically been introduced now to signal the beginning of Act 3, because he is going to play a huge role in the end game. “He brings the storm”, after all.

  64. Interesting perspective as I’m expecting Euron to be killed in the next couple of episodes, he will surely die before Cersei and there are only ten episodes left after tonight.

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