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Emilia Clarke Explains Daenerys' Dramatic Twist In Game Of Thrones

Emilia Clarke Explains Daenerys' Dramatic Twist In Game Of Thrones

'It's so natural for a person to resort to anger, and that’s exactly where she goes'

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

***WARNING: CONTAINS GAME OF THRONES SPOILERS***

Anyone who's seen the most recent episode of Game of Thrones (if that's not you, then look away now), will know there was A LOT of fire from Daenerys and her dragon - which actor Emilia Clarke has basically put down to her character getting fucked over by people one too many times.

Daenerys came down hard and fast with the House Targaryen slogan of 'Fire and Blood', wreaking havoc on King's Landing with her last remaining dragon.

Many fans took to social media to say they were unhappy with the slightly out-of-character plot twist, because while we were perhaps ready for her heel turn into the Mad Queen, it doesn't really fit with the rest of her narrative arc when you think about it.

Thus far, she's ruled with pretty much nothing but kindness, having freed slaves, liberated cities and mothered dragons. Hell, after her dragons killed one kid she locked them up under the Great Pyramid of Meereen. That doesn't sound like the actions of a heartless and ruthless tyrant, does it?

However, in a behind-the-scenes clip called 'The Mad Queen', Clarke revealed why she thought her character did what she did in the epic, flame-throwing sequence - justifying her change in direction as the result of grief.

The aftermath.
HBO

"It's so natural for a person to resort to anger, and that's exactly where she goes," she said.

"It's there, it has always been there. It's what has drove her throughout everything. Here comes that familiar feeling of anger and she doesn't do anything to choke that. She lives in it.

"It's this feeling that you could call Targareyn craziness, or you could give it all of these names that it doesn't deserve because it's just grief.

"It's hurt and she has this ability to make this hurt feel a little bit less for a minute. And the feeling is to fucking kill her [Cersei]. When you feel that much failure, disappointment, shame, hurt, and lost love, there's only so much pain that you can handle before you snap."

Showrunner David Benioff also agreed that Daenerys' recent losses had contributed to her 180-degree turn, saying in the show's 'Inside the Episode' featurette: "Dany's an incredibly strong person, she's also someone who has had really close friendships and advisors for her entire run on the show. Those people who have been closest to her have either turned on her, or died.

"She's very much alone and that's a dangerous thing for someone that has so much power, to feel so isolated. At the very time when she needs guidance, friendship and advice the most, everyone's gone."

Showrunner David Benioff.
HBO

Then, of course, there's Daenerys' complicated relationship with Jon Snow, which is yet another thing that's not exactly helped.

Benioff continued: "Jon Snow is someone that she has fallen in love with and as far as she's concerned, Jon has betrayed her by telling people about his true identity, and also he's unable to return her true affections at this point.

"When she says 'let it be fear', she's resigning herself to the fact that she may have to get things done in a way that isn't pleasant and horrible to lots of people."

What do you think? Did Dany deserve better? Come tell us your opinion at Game of Thrones: Westeros Posting on Facebook.

Game of Thrones concludes on Sky Atlantic at 2am on Monday 20 May, then repeats in the UK and Ireland at 9pm that same day.

Featured Image Credit: HBO

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones