Ahead of the final season of Game of Thrones, HBO is creating character retrospectives on its Making Game of Thrones blog. We’ve already seen retrospectives for Tyrion Lannister, Cersei Lannister, and Arya Stark. Today, HBO turns its attention to the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen.
Unlike most of the characters on Game of Thrones, Daenerys started her journey on Essos, where she was sold to the Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo as his bride. She had to quickly learn the difference between being a Queen and a Khaleesi, especially since her brother Viserys was constantly threatening violence against her if she didn’t do what he wanted. “You don’t want to wake the dragon,” he’d tell her. It ended badly for him:
By this time, Daenerys was pregnant with Drogo’s child, but the great khal died, thanks in part to the machinations of the witch Mirri Maz Duur. In her grief and anger, Dany burned her husband’s body, along with the witch, walked into the flames with three dragon eggs, and emerged with three living dragons, the first seen in centuries.
Daenerys really started to come into her own at this point, using her khalasar and her dragons to liberate the cities of Slavers’ Bay and swelling the ranks of her supporters.
By the time she arrived at Meereen, Dany’s armies were massive, but it was here that she would face her toughest challenge: learning to be a ruler. The Great Masters of the city rebelled, striking from the shadows and behind golden masks. It all culminated in an attack at the Great Games in Daznak’s Pit. Surrounded by enemies, Dany was saved by Drogon, the largest of her dragons, who she then rode for the first time, flying to safety.
Daenerys eventually returned to Meereen in its darkest hour, putting down the slavers blockading the city and finally setting sail across the Narrow Sea to Westeros. She landed at Dragonstone, the place of her birth, with her army and her new advisors at her side. Once there, Dany set about planning her invasion, but needed allies. She made and lost a few, but at the moment it seems she has one she can trust: the King in the North, Jon Snow.
Now, the two of them are headed north to fight the White Walker threat. With one of her own dragons lost to the enemy, it’s going to be trying times for Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regnant of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons, but she’s nothing if not resilient.
Head here to see more of the retrospective, complete with video clips. Game of Thrones premieres in April.
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