Warning: This Article Is Dark And Full Of Spoilers
If you aren’t up to date with Game of Thrones then be warned season seven has got off to one hell of a start, and Theon Greyjoy certainly raised a few eyebrows on Sunday night.
Alfie Allen has now explained why his character, Theon, -this is your final spoiler warning- chose to flee instead of fighting when his uncle Euron massacred Yara’s Iron Fleet.
In the scene, Theon jumps overboard after appearing to regress into a Reek-like state, leaving Yara with a blade at her throat and Euron giggling like a schoolboy who’s discovered the rude words in the dictionary.
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Alfie told HBO:
There’s conflicting emotions for him, because he’s sort of back in battle mode, which he hasn’t been in for a long, long time. The sight of blood is going to remind him of physical pain or mental torment.
It brings him back to that place, and he’s torn as to what to do. The reptilian part of his brain just takes over.
He added:
Going back to the imagery of what he saw back then, and allowing that to flood back in.
Also, as an actor, having to delve back into something that was so long ago in his arc is pretty crazy. But it’s always been there throughout; it’s just gauging what brings him back, how much is created in his own head, and how much is an effective threat.
I would say he’s in a better place, but he’s still definitely harkening back to those memories.
Theon’s decision could prove to be the right one, of course.
Theon could have charged in, Yara’s throat inevitably being slit in the process before the ‘cockless coward’ himself would be killed by Euron, but it’s all a bit obvious.
Here’s hoping the GOT scriptwriters have a surprise in store.
