"I’m the only one with a real happy ending" - Euron Greyjoy actor Pilou Asbæk talks about the pirate not giving a sh** in Game of Thrones season 8

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A discount Jack Sparrow riding the high seas

What is spoiled can never be unspoiled. The drowned god warns you to stop reading if you're not caught up with Game of Thrones season 8.

Game of Thrones depiction of Euron Greyjoy has been odd. Fans of the book series A Song of Ice and Fire never took to the character due to how the show drastically changed his crazier elements. For the actor behind the pirate, Pilou Asbæk, the show version of Euron has always been a unique sort of villain.

"He’s very “just go with it.” He kills a dragon in “The Last of the Starks,” which was so fun, and then in “The Bells” his fleet burns and he doesn’t give a shit," Asbæk said in an interview with the Making of Thrones blog. "He’s just a survivor. Life goes on — things come and they go."

In a recent interview Asbæk talked about his final showdown with Jaime Lannister and his characters death in the most recent episode of season 8. Jaime's fight with Euron was an unexpected scene for most fans, no one thought that Jaime would be the one to end the eldest Greyjoys life. 

"Jaime’s character needed to be pushed," Asbæk said. "He needed as many obstacles as possible — and that’s why Dan and David threw Euron into the mix, so his journey back to Cersei would be even tougher. So I was playing my part to fulfill that goal, but also adding my own color to the big palette."

Euron's journey in Game of Thrones ended beneath the Kings Landing with Jaime Lannister's sword through his gut. Like every actor whose character died in the show before him, the scene was one of the most important things he shot while on set. Episode director Miguel Sapochnik and the shows creators wanted Euron to close his eyes once he was dead, but Asbæk wanted to keep them wide open as the camera cut away.  

"Everyone else has a terrible death, or are in a position of, “OK, the world has burned down and now I have to rebuild it.” Euron isn’t. He’s just like, “Yay, I killed the Kingslayer! I’m going to go into history.” I’m the only one with a real happy ending."

There is only one episode of Game of Thrones left. Enjoy these final moments by checking out the biggest questions we have after the season 8 episode 5.

Aron Garst
Contributor

Aron Garst is a journalist and writer exploring the future of games and interactivity. Follow him on X at @GarstProduction.