By: Elena Donatone
Name: Daenerys
Family: House of Targaryen
Nickname: Dany
Occupation: Queen, Liberator
Nationality: Westerosi
Eye colour: Green
Hair colour: Icy-white
If there is a character that embodies strength, vulnerability and humanity all at the same time, that is surely Daenerys Targaryen, the famous "Queen of Dragons" from the greatly acclaimed TV series Game of Thrones (2011-2019).
Daenerys, played by the talented Emilia Clarke, is one of the most important characters in the TV series.
Daenerys is part of the house of Targaryen, which was in power for many years in the fictional world of Westeros. But the Targaryen are famous for their cruelty and mad ideas, and to top it off they are the only ones in Westeros that can control and ride dragons!
When Daenerys’ father, known as the “Mad King”, is killed alongside many other family members, the girl and her brother Viserys (Harry Lloyd) are the only survivors.
Exiled and living in the remote lands of Essos, the siblings grow up knowing the throne was stolen from their family.
At the start of the series, Daenerys is insecure and quiet, always submissive to her brother and his wish to reclaim the throne and what was taken from them.
Daenerys has no desire to be queen and she can’t stand up to Viserys and his toxic ways.
Daenerys: "I want to go home."
Viserys: "I want us both to go home, but they took it from us. So tell me, sweet sister, how do we go home? We go home with an army."
When she is forced to marry the powerful warlord of the Dothraki Drogo, played by Jason Momoa, her future seems to be filled with abuse and no liberty whatsoever.
But what Daenerys doesn’t know is that her life is destined for more than that, and when her brother dies, Drogo and his army pledge loyalty to her as their Khaleesi (Queen). They want to help her become the Queen of Westeros, as the rightful heir to the throne.
As the episodes go on, we start to see a new side of Daenerys. The girl can be fierce and stubborn and she wants to be respected as the rightful Queen.
When Drogo tragically dies from an infected wound, Daenerys is destroyed. She loved the man with all her heart but her future is awaiting.
Although a life with Drogo would have made the girl happy, she wouldn’t have been fulfilled and satisfied. Daenerys knows her fate is on the throne and she is willing to fight anybody that will stand in her way.
"You're the moon of my life, that's all I know and all I need to know and if this is a dream I will kill the man who tries to wake me."
But unlike her ancestors and most powerful people in Westeros, Daenerys wants to liberate slaves and have a peaceful society. She wants to be accepted and she wants to stop the cycle of tyranny and political agendas that has been present in Westeros up until then.
And Daenerys has great weapons and allies on her side: her three faithful dragons Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal.
"When my dragons are grown, we will take back what was stolen from me and destroy those who have wronged me.”
Nothing will be able to stop her. Or so it seems…
In reality the road to power is filled with obstacles and several people, who don’t want her to be Queen, don’t agree with her ideology of a society free of slavery and poverty.
The closer she gets to Westeros and the throne, the harder it is for Daenerys to maintain control over her status. And that is when we see Daenerys’ vulnerability and her fear of not being loved like she thought she would be.
"I am Daenerys Stormborn of the blood of Old Valyria, and I will take what is mine. With fire and blood, I will take it.»
And, as we unfortunately see in the last season of the series, Daenerys will end up just as much a tyrant as her ancestors and the people she wants to overthrow.
Power can be dangerous and way too tempting and Daenerys finds herself becoming what she always fought against.
Towards the end of Season 8, the girl sets fire to King’s Landing, the capital of Westeros, killing innocent people and children. And while Daenerys gets the throne by force and destruction, in the very last episode she dies tragically because of it.
Although many fans complained that Daenerys’s character development was rushed, we knew she was destined to become what she always loathed.
"They can live in my new world or they can die in their old one."
Daenerys is a Targaryen after all and she has fire and blood in her veins. Just as many other characters, the girl has two sides to her: the one that wishes to reign in a peaceful land and the one that wants power and revenge more than fairness. And unfortunately the latter is the one that prevails.
Daenerys is a great character and a strong woman that was unfortunately ruined by power.
She is also a great example of how family is always part of you, even when that is a curse.
"I'm not going to stop the wheel. I'm going to break the wheel."
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