Game of Thrones Psychology: The Mind is Dark and Full of Terrors is an upcoming book full of essays delving into the psyches and psychoses of the various cast members of the popular Game of Thrones universe. Several contributors to the book gathered at WonderCon in Room 515B to share their thoughts with fellow enthusiasts and share their expert opinions about the “best and worst” people of GoT.

Who is the most evil character in all of Game of Thrones? Is Joffrey an irredeemable psychopath, or is he a product of his environment? Could he learn to be a better human being if taken away from the influence of his family? Is anyone a black-and-white psychopath in the series? What do these words mean anyway, and how would you diagnose someone with a mental illness or disorder anyway? The panelists examined all of these questions and more during the hour-long psychological analysis of George RR Martin’s complex world. For the record, Ramsey Bolton seemed to come away with the prize for most evil character in the entire series (either books or TV show) so far, although Melisandre, Littlefinger, Walder Frey, and Joffrey were also mentioned as other contenders.

Evil is a massive topic, so it consumed the panel for most of the hour; however, the audience was riveted as the panelists offered thoughts, ideas, and scholarly reasons for their opinions.  Near the end of the hour, they briefly touched on which character might be the most self-actualized (Maslow’s hierarchy of needs) out of the entire cast. (The two top nominees were Aemon Targaryen and the Queen of Thornes.)  If the book is half as well presented as the discussion, it will be an intriguing addition to any Game of Thrones fan’s collection, and I’m tempted to pre-order a copy now to make sure I don’t forget to buy it in June!