Last night’s season seven finale episode of Game of Thrones was arguably the best episode in the history of show, and that’s saying something. It has been a whirlwind season for arguably the greatest show in television history, and after it’s all said and done, are we any closer to guessing who will ultimately sit on the Iron Throne? Nope!
After watching the episode, I sat down with Thriveworks mental health counselor, Joe Alvayero to see if he could provide any insight on who might ultimately sit on the Iron Throne based purely on psychological factors. Not only does Joe have a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling & Behavioral Medicine from Boston University School of Medicine, his clinical work also utilizes the Eco-Systemic Family Therapy Model, an evidenced based treatment, to help families, couples, and individuals successfully reach treatment goals.
Joe’s experience has been working with the specialized needs of children, teens and adults whose day to day lives are impacted by symptoms of anxiety and depression, loss of anger control, a traumatic or stressful event, grief and loss, attention deficit/hyperactivity, and/or overwhelming stress.
I think it’s safe to say that almost every single character on Game of Thrones could be described as falling under one of these psychological categories which is why I was curious about his opinion of who will ultimately win. Here’s what Joe had to say when I asked him about my list of potential front-runners to win the Iron Throne in the eighth and final season.
Me personally, I think the final shot of the show will be The Night King sitting down on the Iron Throne and giving the camera the middle finger, but that’s just me. (Warning: MAJOR spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk!)
Daenerys Targaryen
“I don’t think the “Mother of Dragons” will win because she’s been way too impulsive in the seventh season,” says Alvayero.” “Her incredibly impulsive behavior this season is the result of anxiety from all of the trauma she experienced early in her life. This also led to her developing a lack of identity and an extreme fear of failure. Dani hates being taken for granted, and as a result, her impulsiveness will ultimately lead to her demise.”
Tyrion Lannister
“Tyrion started suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) after he as injured and almost killed in “The Battle of the Blackwater,” says Alvayero. ” That event really mitigated his arrogance and changed his mental state forever. Tyrion is still verbally masterful, but his PTSD made him much more content to be a sidekick than a king. He simply doesn’t want to be the wolf and when you combine that with a lot of anxiety and alcohol addiction, I think he’s far too unsure of himself and ultimately doesn’t want the Iron Throne. Tyrion’s fear makes him accepting of what he can get rather than what he truly wants.”
The Night King
“I think the Night King’s arrogance will ultimately be his undoing,” says Alvayero. “He’s too narcissistic and driven to empower himself, and he suffers from anti-social personality disorder. When your goals are only for your own benefit, it ultimately affects your decision making and the ability to see how your actions will affect others and in turn, affect you. When you have no remorse for others, this leads to underestimating people, and this is why I don’t believe the Night King will win.”
Cersei Lannister
“Cersei won’t win because of her extreme narcissistic nature which drastically effects her foresight,” says Alvayero. “While she may be good at playing the game, her severe trust issues and having no true allies (especially with Jamie leaving King’s Landing last night) will ultimately lead to her losing her title of “Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.”
Jon Snow
While you can’t argue that Jon Snow has made some incredibly stupid decisions over the last three seasons, he has also truly started to empower himself with his tremendous leadership qualities over the last two seasons,” says Alvayero. “The King of the North is incredibly strong-willed. His ability to develop relationships and respect others is unmatched by any other character. After every misstep, people get closer to Jon Snow and he ultimately gains more powerful relationships and alliances as a result of his mistakes. It is for these reasons that I believe Jon Snow, the “heir to the Iron Throne,” will ultimately sit upon it.”
Do you agree with Joe’s assessment? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!
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I agree with your assessment of these characters for the most part. I don’t believe Daenerys will die. The pregnancy will change her outlook and her child will be her priority not the iron throne. Since she lost her first child, she will do what she has to do to make her child safe. Daenerys has always wanted family and security. I hope she gets that, and definatly not the Iron Throne. I personally think they will destroy it on purpose.