Who is Euron Greyjoy? A look at one of Game of Thrones’ new characters

This article was originally published on WiC on April 22, 2016. Now that we’ve got our first look at Euron Greyjoy on the show, it seemed like a good time to bring it back.

The Game of Thrones Season 6 premiere is rapidly approaching, and one of the new characters I’m most excited to see is Euron Greyjoy, played by Danish actor Pilou Asbæk. So what can we expect from Euron during his debut season? Let’s delve further into his backstory as detailed in George R.R. Martin’s A Song if Ice and Fire books to find out.

WARNING: A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE AND POTENTIAL GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS AHEAD

After Lord Balon Greyjoy, who we last saw receiving something to remember his son Theon by in Season 3, Euron is the second oldest Greyjoy brother. Euron is pale, with black hair and a dark beard. He’s considered handsome, and has two different colored eyes, one black and one blue. He wears a patch that conceals his black eye, earning him the nicknames “Crow’s Eye” and “Euron Crow’s Eye.” Like the warlocks of Qarth, he has a propensity for drinking shade of the evening, which turn his lips pale blue.

It should be said that, based on some of the quick glimpses we’ve gotten Euron in the Game of Thrones trailers (see the header image), the show may drop some of these physical characteristics, but then again, we haven’t seen everything.

 

Euron is known as a skilled captain and warrior who’s ruthless and cunning. His ship is named Silence, an apt name for a ship crewed entirely by mutes, whose tongues Euron ripped out. During A Feast for Crows, Euron sums himself up to the Lord of Harlaw by telling him, “I am the storm, my lord. The first storm, and the last.”

Euron fought in both Robert’s Rebellion and Balon Greyjoy’s Rebellion, which occurred some years after Robert took the Iron Throne from the Targaryens. During the Greyjoy Rebellion, it was Euron’s idea to sail the Iron Fleet into Lannisport and destroy the Lannister fleet while at anchor. Even though it was Euron’s idea, the plan was successfully carried out by the third oldest Greyjoy brother, Victarion. Despite sharing some victories in battle, there was no love lost between Euron and Victarion.

After the war, Balon exiled Euron as punishment for seducing or raping Victarion’s wife. He was warned never to return as long as Balon was alive (unless HBO is hiding him somewhere, Victarion also appears cut from the show, so the reason for Euron’s banishment may be different on TV). During his banishment, Euron sailed the Silence around the world, leaving a wake of destruction in his path. He claims to have traveled to Asshai, the Smoking Sea, and walked the smoking ruins of Valyria. He allegedly even owned a dragon egg that he threw into the sea during one of his foul moods.

In the books, Euron heeds Balon’s words and does not return to the Iron Islands until his death. He coincidentally returns from exile one day after Balon falls off one of the bridges on Pyke during a storm. Some speculate that Euron sent an assassin to murder Balon. Thrones may be more direct regarding Balon’s cause of death. Perhaps the shot of Asbæk on a bridge depicts Euron’s reunion with his brother?

Following Balon’s death, Aeron “Damphair” Greyjoy, the youngest surviving Greyjoy brother, calls for a kingsmoot to choose Balon’s successor. After heated debates, Euron bests his brother Victarion, as well as Balon’s daughter Asha (Yara on the show) to secure the Seastone Chair and become the new King of the Iron Islands. But he makes it clear that his ambitions don’t stop there. During A Feast for Crows, Euron implores his people:

We are the ironborn, and once we were conquerors. Our writ ran everywhere the sound of the waves was heard. My brother would have been content with the cold and dismal north, my niece with even less…but I shall give you Lannisport. Highgarden. The Arbor. Oldtown. The riverlands and the Reach, the kingswood and the rainwood, Dorne and the marches, the Mountains of the Moon and the Vale of Arryn, Tarth and the Stepstones. I say we take it all! I say, we take Westeros.

His plan to conquer Westeros includes the use of dragons, which he claims he can bind to his will with a dragon horn he found amongst the smoking ruins in Valyria. Despite some successful raids on the Reach, Euron fails to convince most of the Ironborn to leave reaving behind and embark on a dangerous journey in search of dragons. Instead, Euron sends Victarion and the Iron Fleet to find Daenerys Targaryen, court her in Euron’s name, and bring her and her dragons to Westeros. Euron gives Victarion the dragon horn to take with him. Because of Victarion’s enduring hatred for his brother he decides find Dany, but intends to win her for himself.

It seems possible that Thrones could combine the characters of Euron and Victarion. This means Euron could be sailing for Dany in Meereen by the end of this season, or he might send Asha/Yara in his place. Whoever goes, it may not be a pleasant encounter. In A Dance with Dragons, the red priest Moqorro gazes into the flames and sees many threats to Daenerys. The one that’s the most dangerous is described as, “A tall and twisted thing with one black eye and ten long arms, sailing on a sea of blood.” Euron the kraken is coming to Game of Thrones Season 6, and Westeros had better get ready.

Via http://winteriscoming.net/2016/05/03/who-is-euron-greyjoy-a-look-at-one-of-game-of-thrones-new-characters/