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‘Game of Thrones’ fans  launch ‘Justice for Daenerys’ campaign for Emilia Clarke’s charity

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There’s another fan-led “Game of Thrones” campaign making the rounds online, but this one isn’t calling for a rewrite of the controversial final season.

However, it is inspired by it. It also began in the same r/freefolk subReddit online forum that spawned the viral do-over petition.

The new “Justice for Daenerys” campaign is a Just Giving fundraiser benefiting SameYou, the brain injury rehab charity that “Thrones” star Emilia Clarke launched in March.

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Since a fan started it last week, 2,150 people have boosted the fundraiser to 71% of its goal of 50,000 British pounds, which is roughly $45,300. It’s a far cry from the 1.6 million disgruntled fans who signed the Change.org petition to remake the final season, but, hey, it’s a start.

‘Game of Thrones’ final season: Full coverage of the news and features »

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The 32-year-old actress, who played Daenerys Targaryen on the hit HBO series, launched SameYou just before the debut of “Game of Thrones’” eighth and final season and accompanied it with a personal essay revealing that she suffered two life-threatening aneurysms while working on the show.

The fundraiser is an attempt to honor Clarke’s health battle and rally public support for her charity, as well as her character’s evolution (and devolution) despite Dany’s maddening fate. (Clarke’s own reactions to the finale varied from numbness to freakouts.)

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“As each season passed, we fell more and more in love with Dany,” the fundraiser’s page said. “We rooted for her through trauma and hardship. We watched her triumph over her enemies and struggle with responsibility of rule. We saw her grapple between the urge for revenge, and the need for justice. And even at the very end, when things took a tragic turn for Daenerys Stormborn, Emilia still made us feel pity for the little girl who only ever wanted to return to her home.”

Organizers still expressed their disappointment with the show’s conclusion, namely “in the potential that was lost due to the rushed pace of storytelling.” That’s the same criticism that launched the Change.org remake petition that has garnered 1.6 million supporters.

The latest effort is far more benevolent (its hashtags include #ThankYouEmilia #WeStandByDaenerys) and is meant to be “a gesture of love and support from the fandom to the entire cast & crew.” Namely, Clarke, who organizers believe “poured her very soul into her character … and inspired so many of us with her resilience.”

Follow me: @NardineSaad

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