Several deleted scenes from the final season of Game of Thrones may have better set-up Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) turn to become the Mad Queen. It’s been several months since HBO’s fantastical series based on George R.R. Martin’s novel ended its eight-season run with a divisive ending. Following a well-loved first several seasons, the series’ final shortened year was picked apart by both fans and critics for its nonsensical narrative turns and rushed pacing.
After eight years wondering who will eventually sit on the Iron Throne, Game of Thrones crowned its newest King – Bran the Broken (Isaac Hempstead Wright), a creative decision that many found unreasonable. For years, fans slimmed down their pool of potential new Westeros ruler to Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys. But with Khaleesi’s much-criticized turn to become the Mad Queen, burning King’s Landing to the ground, including its innocent civilians, it was clear that she wasn’t going to be the leader everyone hoped her to be. There might have been a better way to sell the idea that following his father’s footsteps was inevitable, however, as revealed in a string of deleted scenes from the show’s final season.
The complete scripts for Game of Thrones‘ six-episode season 8 is now available to read at the Writers Guild Foundation library in Los Angeles, and Insider cites several main takeaways from them, including some deleted scenes that would’ve better laid the ground for Daenerys’ dark turn. In episode 4 titled “The Last of the Starks,” Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) and Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) were supposed to have additional screen time emphasizing their love affair, and in turn would’ve further drive the point of Khaleesi being isolated. It would’ve been the most prominent during Winterfell’s celebration following their win against the Night King where Daenerys felt so alone seeing her two closest allies madly in love, while her own lover, Jon, seemed oblivious to her woes. It didn’t help that at this point, Jorah (Iain Glen) was already dead.
![Game Of Thrones Deleted Scenes Improve Daenerys’ Mad Queen Arc](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jon-Snow-and-Daenerys-Targaryen-in-Game-of-Thrones.jpg)
Another critical deleted moment came later in the same episode where Jon and Daenerys supposedly discussed more about the conflict between them in terms of their respective claims to the throne, as well as a more elaborate conversation about their incestuous relationship. In their one-on-one, the Mother of Dragons asked her lover what he thinks will happen if Sansa and the rest of his siblings found out about his real identity. Like in the episode, they eventually kiss, but the script reveals that before Daenerys declared that she will rule through fear, she would’ve verbalized Jon’s true feelings about their relationship – “it disgusts you,” she would’ve told him.
It’s important to note that while Game of Thrones season 8 only had six episodes, the last four of them ran for 80 minutes. These extended episodes were supposed to make up for the shortened final year. All that said, the omission of the said scenes further drives many fans’ criticism the show’s last hurrah was simply rushed. Long-running were abruptly wrapped up, while other lingering narratives didn’t even get any pay off. While including the aforementioned bits in the broadcasted episodes isn’t a guarantee that viewers will be more accepting of how things panned out in the beloved series, it would’ve made Daenerys’ arc made much more sense.