Withdrawal means they are upset about something which is actually what it means when anyone else does it too.
The difference is a withdrawal of energy; and you can feel it. What is happening is that Scorpio is taking the dynamic of relationship inside himself to manage his response. This is different from a more communicative sign, because what he's doing is taking the energy of the conflict and managing both sides of it -- yours and his -- until he's got the conflict under control inside himself. He's managing the energy. It's kind of like taking a nuclear bomb underground and containing the explosion.
Quite honestly they do this because they don't want you to get hurt. They're internal explosive ordnance technicians and they are protecting you from what would happen if the conflict was confronted directly.
Normally Scorpio takes hurting other people *very* seriously, even if they're really angry. They'll burn off the anger until they locate the source - detonate it and if there is still a relationship to build on after that -- he'll be back. If not...then he won't.
"Quite honestly they do this because they don't want you to get hurt."
I agree with this as well. 
They're internal explosive ordnance technicians and they are protecting you from what would happen if the conflict was confronted directly.
An amen to this!
There is a saying 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' (the complete quote is actually 'Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned nor hell a fury like a woman scorned)
I think this quote should be about Scorpio.
lol what is everyone talking about.... I'm usually antisocial and having fun in my own little world gathering information about whatever subject is capturing my attention..I love researching and searching and reading and focused. I seem to meet people and slowly bit by bit back away slowly until they are no longer part of my circle...if they understand that and just accept it...not needing me so much then I will pay more attention to them...weird or what 😉 I like people who just don't need so much......or, I just can't stand the person in general and then that's a different thing..I might humor the person and act all conversational but that's just to be nice at the time but by looking for the escape route at the same time...oh look at the time..blah blah. I'm good at puting on the social act and being all sweet and talkitive..thanks to Aqua influence..I can bluff, just smile and nod. If I love someone but need space and they understand...I cherish them forever.
i have always found anyone with plenty of scorpio energy deeply honest and open but spent time last year with a scorpio guy who was anything but! he seemed so happy to live in denial of so much that was going on in his family dynamics, with his youngest daughter in particular.
looking back i can see how full of bluster and diversionary talk he was from the start, most unusual for a scorpio really. he also had a gemini moon and was a cockney and trader by nature, so all in all that would have been blustery, so to speak! also scorpio sun conjunct neptune, i sometimes used to wonder if he had any emotions at all!
i stopped going to his house because his daughter was so rude and hostile, he left me alone all day christmas day, due to his family gathering at his, i ended it with him on new years eve, could not bear feeling so left out and excluded anymore.
he met a new partner within 8 days and is with her now, four months into this year. when i spoke to him recently i gave him a pile of home truths, which he probably wont have heard, and he was still lying and twisting the words to suit himself.
funny how we can miss people even though they were so obviously unsuitable as a partner.
so, in answer to is it a power game.....no, i guess in this case, this scorpio just had not got a clue about anyone elses feelings....could only deal with himself and his family and would just make gestures to try and keep his relationship going.
not enough for me!!
good luck and love
xxxx