Why is Euron's ship called Silence? Here's the gruesome Game of Thrones clue you probably missed

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It's safe to say no one's forgetting the final battle scene from Game of Thrones' Stormborn any time soon. The cinematically captivating sequence saw Euron's fleet decimate Yara's forces, taking the Greyjoy captive as well as her cargo Ellaria Sand. (Guess we know what his gift to Cersei will be...)

There's plenty to process in these finale moments - Euron's baddie brutality, the death of the Sand Snakes, Theon's abandonment - so you could be forgiven for missing a subtle nod to the name of Euron's infamous ship.

Fans of the books will know that Euron's ship is called Silence and just how it got this disturbing name. For everyone else, let me explain...

In the books, when Euron is exiled from Westeros and the Iron Islands, he takes his ship and travels to the far reaches of the world, raiding and pillaging as he goes. At one point, his ship is caught in a storm in the Jade Sea and he goes mad. To stop him from jumping overboard, his crew tie him to the ship's mast, but once the storm passes and they release him, he cuts all their tongues out. 

When Euron returns, his brother Balon questions him about it, saying: "I heard you lost your mind during a storm on the Jade Sea." Euron tells him that he cut his crew's tongues out because he "needed silence". Creepy, right?

Ever since, Euron cuts out the tongues of all his captives, sometimes adding them to his crew, so that when they come across another unsuspecting ship ripe for attack, all the innocent crew aboard can hear is silence... *shivers*

So, now you know. The scenes where Euron's crew cut out the tongues of Yara's supporters isn't just a brutal torture technique, nor a gruesome reminder for Theon, it's actually a really well-hidden nod to the name of Euron's ship. 

Want more Game of Thrones? Find out why Euron Greyjoy is a new breed of villain, or check out the best fan theories for the new season. 

Images: HBO

Lauren O'Callaghan
Lauren O'Callaghan

Lauren O'Callaghan is the former Entertainment Editor of GamesRadar+. You'd typically find Lauren writing features and reviews about the latest and greatest in pop culture and entertainment, and assisting the teams at Total Film and SFX to bring their excellent content onto GamesRadar+. Lauren is now the digital marketing manager at the National Trust.