As the curtains fall

A frenzy swept the globe as the last season of the sensational TV show Game of Thrones (GoT), and the latest movie out of the Marvel stable, Avengers: Endgame drew curtains on a generation drawn to popular fiction. Naturally, the show and the movie broke all records in terms of viewership.

Behind the larger than life sets and storyline though, something even more interesting seems to be unfolding – die-hard fans have entered a solemn depressive mood now that their favourite fictional journeys have reached their conclusive end. "I don't know how my life will go on without GoT! The very thought fills me with a sense of dread and emptiness. I felt the same way after Friends ended too," wailed Arpita Deb, a true blue GoT fan.

Arpita might sound extremely sensitive but she isn't alone; millions like her feel a deep connection with their favourite fictional characters. Many have been moved to tears while watching a movie, reading a book or even playing a deeply interactive computer game. Some also have anxiety attacks worrying about a favourite character being in grave peril. While others are in awe of a fictional role-model, most superhero movies showcase flawed protagonists who viewers and fans can relate to. Whether it is Tony Stark in Iron Man or the tormented Bruce Wayne in the Dark Knight, these characters are anything but perfect.

"Some of these shows leave an indelible imprint in the minds of people. They identify with both the characters and the situations characters' encounter. There are of course parallels with their everyday lives – the adversities they face, their struggles etc. In some cases, there is a deep void in their lives which these shows fill," explains Upasana Chaddha Vij, counselling psychologist and co-founder, Mindscape Centre for counselling and psychological well-being.

"We recently had a client who was heartbroken that her favourite show – Made in Heaven was over. Her own life mirrored her favourite character's in the web-series. There was another middle-aged client who was so profoundly impressed by a mythological figure that he contemplated changing his name," she added.

So, how does one deal with the overwhelming emptiness and grief that surfaces when one's favourite show ends?

"After seeking refuge in a fascinating make-belief world, we are yanked back to reality. You have marvelled at the dragons of GoT, or seen the Avengers stand up to the mighty Thanos. Don't be in denial; you need to allow yourself some time to grieve. Deal with the sense of loss. Wallow in your pain. It will help you adjust. Talk to like-minded people who are dealing with similar feelings. Try and inculcate positive traits from your favourite characters," Vij adds.

We all know that these characters aren't real and that these stories are mere fiction – so, why is it that we are so deeply moved and swayed by the characters and their lives?

Studies suggest that when something moves in a certain way – based on in-built algorithms – we assign it agency and react to it as though it were a living thing: even when we know that not to be the case.

How can one forget the worldwide grief that gripped readers who turned that final page of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? Even JK Rowling, the creator of the boy wizard and his magical world, felt a deep sense of emptiness as she was penning the last chapters of a most fascinating journey that had sent the world into raptures.

When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had killed off his greatest creation Sherlock Holmes, there was a global outcry from Holmes-faithfuls. Readers were horrified when the celebrated detective tumbled to his death from the Reichenbach Falls, locked in a death-struggle with his nemesis Professor Moriarty. Conan Doyle then relented with The Adventure of the Empty House in 1903. The escapade at the Reichenbach Falls did not, Watson revealed, kill the detective after all. The stage was set for Holmes to reappear in as many stories Conan Doyle chose to write.

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington said he experienced "grief" after filming the end of the show. In fact, grief and disassociation have been so overwhelming that Harrington slipped into alcohol addiction and endured spells of deep anxiety. He is now in rehab to recuperate from this emotional nadir that he has been battling since his very last day on the familiar sets of Northern Ireland.

"These shows are inspired by real-life characters, situations. The writers understand human psychology very well. They know how to tug at the heartstrings. We crave for warmth and companionship – something that is woefully amiss from our lives. So, we live vicariously through our favourite characters. We get into their skin; we breathe life into those characters," reasoned Rana Banerjee, a Kolkata-based music composer.

A woman from Ningbo, China, got so emotional after watching Avengers: Endgame that hospitalisation became necessary. She cried uncontrollably after the movie finished due to which signs of hyperventilation became ominously visible in her.

With a plethora of shows on offer across multiple platforms, there is no lack of entertainment. Let the shows enrich you and help soothe your frayed nerves, don't hyperventilate like that young lady in China, or it may prove costly!

(The author is Executive Editor, Millennium Post)