Euron Greyjoy actor Pilou Asbæk welcomes divisive reaction to 'Game of Thrones' episode

Spoilers lie ahead for ‘The Bells’, the latest episode of Game of Thrones...

In the wake of Twitter's continuing dissection of the latest barbaric spectacle in Westeros, Game of Thrones actor Pilou Asbæk has said he welcomes the divisive reaction to the episode, adding the show "cannot satisfy one billion people".

The star, who portrays the murderous pirate Euron Greyjoy, also said he would be "very, very surprised" to see a happy ending for the HBO series when it airs its final episode next week.

Euron met a sticky end in this weekend's episode, pierced through the chest by the sword of Jaime Lannister, but not before getting in a few good blows himself on the Kingslayer.

Read more: Thrones actor admits they were “frustrated” by character arc

In an interview with The Wrap, Asbæk said the dedication and diversity of the Thrones fanbase is "admirable" and added he has made peace with all fan opinions.

The 37-year-old said: "You cannot satisfy one billion people, it’s not possible. But you want to have them commit to the show, even if they don’t like it.

"There was a guy called P. T. Barnum who said: 'There’s no such thing as bad press, there’s only press'.

"And I welcome everyone, people I agree with or people I disagree with."

Asbæk, who made his debut on the show in its sixth season, said he would continue to discuss and debate with fans on social media.

He praised the "passionate" fanbase for their willingness to engage with the material, both positively and negatively.

Read more: Recap of the latest Game of Thrones episode

The episode has been heavily criticised in the wake of Daenerys Targaryen's decision to torch King's Landing with dragon fire, despite the surrender of the Lannister army.

According to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the controversial installment is the worst reviewed episode in the show’s history.

"For me, the twists and turns were logical, because this is Game of Thrones and people have to die," said Asbæk, adding "I know how it’s gonna end, so I’m not gonna say a word".

He said: "[Showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss] have delivered for seven seasons admirable content and I would say they have delivered extremely well again this season. But again, you can’t please everyone."

The final episode of Game of Thrones will air on HBO this Sunday, with Sky Atlantic simultaneously showing the finale in the early hours of Monday morning.