Throughout its eight seasons on HBO, Game of Thrones gave audiences all kinds of unforgettable and shocking moments committed by characters with some serious issues. Though we can go to therapy to work through our anxiety, depression, trauma, and other issues, Westeros wasn’t really the place for a one-hour session to talk it out. That said, some of the show's most beloved characters, as well as its sickest, probably would have been better off if they, you know, talked about their feelings instead of doing everything but.
After revisiting Game of Thrones, we’ve put together a list of 32 characters that clearly should have been in therapy at some point in their lives.
Jaime Lannister
Even before you factor in everything Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) went through on Game of Thrones, which was admittedly a lot, the favored Lannister son was in dire need of some heavy-duty therapy. Still, losing a hand, all your children, and the love of your life in the course of a few years certainly didn’t help.
Joffrey Baratheon
One of the most hatable and irredeemable characters in the history of TV, Joffrey Baratheon’s (Jack Gleeson) bills would have drained the Iron Bank of Braavos if he attended therapy. The one-time king of Westeros had so many issues ranging from his sadistic psychopathy to devastating temper tantrums to his lack of empathy. Though not the “Mad King,” many books would have been written about Joffrey’s issues.
Jon Snow
Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was one of the Game of Thrones characters featured the most, as well as one that could use a weekly visit to the local psychiatrist. Being raised as an unwanted bastard son, joining the Night’s Watch, getting killed and then brought back to life, and having some dark and distressing relationships will do a lot to a man.
Sansa Stark
Though Sophie Turner’s Sansa Stark did end up being one of the strongest characters in Game of Thrones, her strength came from all the trauma she experienced throughout her teenage years. Watching her father’s execution, marrying the boy-king responsible for it, and then being with an even crueler psychopath definitely had a toll on the Queen of the North.
Arya Stark
After killing countless people (though most deserved it), undergoing extensive and confusing training as an assassin, and living with the fact that all but a few of your family members were killed in violent ways, Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) could have benefited from some therapy. She might have killed the therapist, but that’s beside the point.
Bran Stark
Bran Stark’s (Isaac Hempstead Wright) story goes from bad to worse to even worse to okay throughout Game of Thrones, and there’s no way you can tell us he didn’t need at least some form of therapy. Being able to see into the past and through the eyes of random people also probably didn’t help things.
Ramsay Bolton
Is there a sicker, more demented, or unsavory Game of Thrones character than Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon)? Actually, he could very well be the sickest individual ever to grace the small screen. His treatment of Theon Greyjoy, Sansa Stark, Jon Snow, and everyone else could have been avoided if this guy had just opened up about his feelings.
Daenerys Targaryen
Bitterness, closing off the world around her, and megalomaniacal tendencies all made Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) one of the more interesting Game of Thrones characters but also one that could have used some therapy or at least some counseling. This was especially true at the end of her story when what little good in her was burnt up in dragon fire.
Cersei Lannister
Where do you even begin with Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey)? With generations of the Lannister family having severe mental, behavioral, and social issues, it’s no surprise she turned out the way she did. But maybe a trip to therapy could have prevented her from painting Kings Landing green, I mean red, after losing her kids.
Theon Greyjoy
Poor Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen). Not much needs to be said about this character who went from a good guy to a blood-thirsty and opportunistic sadist to a shell of his former self. Talk about needing to decompress after a bad few years.
Tyrion Lannister
Though one of the characters to come out on top by the time Game of Thrones ended, Tyrian Lannister (Peter Dinklage) went through A LOT throughout the show’s run and even before. A therapist could have really dove into the fan-favorite character’s upbringing and mistreatment and how those experiences impacted his worldview.
Lord Varys
Lord Varys (Conleth Hill) was one of the sneakiest, ambitious, and mysterious characters to come out of Game of Thrones but also one with a rather tragic backstory. He eventually came around and became a more respectable character, but imagine how much a weekly trip to a therapist could have improved life for Varys and everyone around him.
Lysa Arryn
Lysa Arryn (Kate Dickie) is another Game of Thrones character who would have been better off going to a therapist (or at least checking in for Westeros’ version of a 72-hour hold). What she had in vindictiveness she lacked in empathy and self-esteem, the root causes of her issues and downfall.
Stannis Baratheon
What would Stannis Baratheon’s (Stephen Dillane) story look like if he had listened to reason as opposed to a power-hungry witch all those years? Well, his daughter would have still been alive and so too would Stannis. But he wasn’t one to listen to truth, reason, or reality for that matter.
Davos Seaworth
Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) was one of the kindest, most sincere, and most decent characters on Game of Thrones, but still one that could use therapy. However, unlike others with personality disorders or sociopathic tendencies, Sir Davos would need it to just talk about all the terrible things he witnessed in life.
Rob Stark
I’m not sure if there was anything that could have saved Rob Stark (Richard Madden) from suffering a terrible fate and going out excruciatingly during the Red Wedding, but therapy maybe could have helped avoid the situation entirely. The arrogance with a failure to learn from one’s mistakes and an inability to see an enemy’s plan didn’t help the King of the North keep his head attached to his body.
Ned Stark
Ned Stark (Sean Bean) was one of the first major characters to be killed off on Game of Thrones and also one of the most shocking deaths of the entire series. Though he didn’t have too many character flaws, Stark did live a life kind of detached from reality. Maybe therapy could have helped that or given him the ability to see that he was walking into a trap.
Catelyn Stark
Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley), though pretty well-rounded with a good head on her shoulders for the most part, had some issues that she and Ned certainly could worked out before he went off and lost his head. She never really got over his infidelity and the birth of his illegitimate son, Jon Snow, and that resentment could very well have led to her undoing. Putting trust in the wrong people and closing off those trying to help didn’t help either.
Robert Baratheon
Mark Addy’s Robert Baratheon seemingly had a good heart, but the King of Westeros and Ned Stark’s longtime friend didn’t make the best of decisions in life. He was cocky, cruel, and brash, three traits that made more enemies than friends. If a therapist had been there to combat his delusional outlook on life, maybe all the bloodshed and politics of Game of Thrones wouldn’t have happened.
Petyr Baelish
Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen) was a major player throughout much of Game of Thrones and the impact of his death continued to be felt through the final episodes. Charismatic, self-serving, and downright awful, Baelish could have probably turned into a decent, or at least a somewhat decent, person if he had only gone to therapy at one point in his upbringing. He could have made something of himself.
Hodor
In addition to needing a nice hug, Hodor (Kristian Nairn) could have also used some therapy throughout his tragic life. After experiencing a traumatic event that was so damaging it impacted his mental state and vocabulary which was later followed by a life of servitude and an even more unsettling death, there would be A LOT to talk about.
Melisandre
Though Melisandre (Carice van Houten) began to see the faults in her ways near the end of her time on Game of Thrones, the “Red Witch” could probably have used someone to talk to about all she had done in her life. Like, her role in the death of Shireen Baratheon would be enough to fill like 10 sessions at least.
Sandor Clegane
A life of abuse, being prone to violence, and a debilitating fear of fire (and for good reason), are just three things Sandor Clegane, aka, “The Hound,” could have opened up about during a much-needed therapy session. Caught somewhere between the realms of good and evil, this fan-favorite and multi-faceted character could have seen some improvement in his life, that’s for sure.
Gregor Clegane
Coming back from the dead as an emotionless and subservient zombie had to have a major tole on Gregor Clegane (Hafthor Bjornsson), aka, “The Mountain.” That whole situation combined with everything that went down in his violent life made Sandor’s brother a Game of Thrones character in need of a good talk more than most. But the thing is, he just didn’t like to open up. Open people’s heads? Yes. Talk about feelings? Not so much.
Robert Arryn
Though Robert Arryn (Lino Facioli) eventually came around and turned into a somewhat decent person in the end, he was an absolute menace as a kid. His eating habits, his lack of care for others, and the pure enjoyment of watching people “fly” away were enough to put the kid in psych hold.
Jorah Mormont
Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) was a fiercely loyal advisor to Daenerys Targaryen all those years, but let’s not forget that he originally didn’t have the best of intentions. The weight of his decisions, the burning obsession with his ruler, and violent run-ins over the years made Mormont a perfect candidate for an extensive therapy program.
Roose Bolton
There weren’t too many great dads on Game of Thrones, and Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) was certainly not on that list. Bolton, who only legitimized his son, Ramsay, so he could marry him off to Sansa Stark and get more control of the North, had a lot of issues in his life. Could therapy have fixed them all? No, not really. But a session every few weeks would have served him well.
Three-Eyed Raven
The Three-Eyed Raven (Max von Sydow) saw a lot in life, so much so that it left him with some serious baggage and other problems. Though wise, noble, and strong-willed, even the best of us need to sit on a couch, open up about our feelings, and dive into our deepest, darkest fears and secrets.
Craster
Craster (Robert Pugh) is in a league of his own when it comes to disgusting and demented characters on Game of Thrones. While one could argue that the man with 99 sons and countless daughters was beyond repair, a few years (or decades) of therapy might have helped this sick fellow see the error in his ways.
Euron Greyjoy
Some will say Euron Greyjoy is the most messed up Game of Thrones character, and those falling into that camp aren’t entirely wrong. Pilou Asbaek’s pirate king was sadistic, crazed, and probably smelled like old fish. A bath and a new set of clothes could have fixed the latter problem, but those first two would have required loads and loads of therapy. The therapist’s survival is another story.
Tywin Lannister
Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) wasn’t going to win any “Dad of the Year” awards (he probably didn’t even attend his kids’ “Parents Day” events). However, he was a man who always paid his debts, which would have been a good promise for all those high-priced therapists and analysts that would be needed to break down the mental and emotional walls he put up over the years.
Walder Frey
After what Walder Frey (David Bradley) pulled off during the Red Wedding, there was no way this sick old man could ever be redeemed. Therapy wouldn’t have turned him into a great person or made up for the massacre he helped orchestrate during his daughter’s wedding feast, but it certainly would have helped others learn what was cooking up there in that twisted brain of his.
Therapy does the mind and spirit a lot of good, and can help us make sense of the madness of the world around us. And judging by everything that went down throughout Game of Thrones, these 32 characters could have used a little of that.
