Game of Thrones: Psychologist Explains Daenerys Controversial Turn

Game of Thrones fans, in part, were outraged when Daenerys Targaryen went full Mad Queen mode and torched King's Landing after Cersei and the people in Westeros had surrendered. Instead of accepting their surrender, she hopped on her dragon and burned the place to the ground, killing innocent men, women, and children along the way. Many fans did not approve of her actions, prompting intense reactions, which a clinical psychologist has now attempted to explain.

Janina Scarlet, a clinical psychologist, author, and massive fan of the fantasy genre sides with those who feel let down by Game of Thrones and its most recent episode. This is in part because some viewers felt a certain way about the character and developed a special type of relationship with the fictional character in the fictional world, so when the fiction went a certain way, they were rightfully upset.

"Parasocial relationships can help fans to feel less alone in their mental health struggles, can inspire hope, and create a dialogue about trauma and recovery," Scarlet told CNET. "Seeing a person who came from an abusive childhood, experienced violence, assault and tragedy can inspire many other trauma survivors, especially women, to better understand and process their traumatic experiences as well."

As the story goes, female fans do not often get the chance to identify with strong, independent heroes of their own journey on screen. In the case of Game of Thrones, it appeared the women might actually have a win on their hands in the famuos Khaleesi, who was conquering those who wronged her. Despite her claims of an effort to take what was hers by "blood" and "fire" along the way, the twist in burning Westeros to the ground shocked those who thought they identified with the character.

"For many fans, especially women, who might identify with Daenerys in terms of being a survivor, this sudden change can be both confusing and emotionally distressing," Scarlet said. "Such story arc can appear to take away from agency that many trauma survivors may develop through parasocial relationships."

Scarlet does have a solution to offer the future of fiction: "It is my hope that in the future, writers of television and films will consider having cultural and/or mental health consultants on staff, especially when writing storylines dealing with trauma, shock, and horror in order to be conscientious about the potential effects the particular episode or scene may have on the viewers."

Game of Thrones will air its final episode on Sunday at 9pm ET on HBO.