Daenerys Targaryen

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Lore & Background

Daenerys was born during a great storm almost 14 years before the first novel, earning her the nickname "Stormborn," following the deaths of her father, King Aerys II, and brother Rhaegar. After her mother Queen Rhaella died in childbirth, she and Viserys were smuggled to Braavos by Ser Willem Darry, who died when Daenerys was five years old. By the start of A Game of Thrones, they had been guests of Illyrio Mopatis in Pentos for half a year. Her story is defined by her evolution from a fearful girl speaking with a Tyroshi accent to a confident leader fluent in Dothraki and Ghiscari. She executes the Good Masters in Astapor after freeing the Unsullied, conquers Yunkai and Meereen, and establishes herself as a self-critical ruler disturbed by prophetic warnings from Quaithe. Despite her strong moral compass, she deals ruthlessly with enemies, eventually becoming the dragonrider to Drogon after taming him with a whip at Daznak's Pit.

In Their Own Story

In A Game of Thrones, Daenerys is sold into marriage to Khal Drogo for an army to reclaim Westeros. She receives three petrified dragon eggs from Illyrio Mopatis and grows to love Drogo, standing up to her abusive brother Viserys until Drogo kills him with molten gold. After Mirri Maz Duur's blood magic leaves Drogo catatonic and their child stillborn, Daenerys smothers Drogo and burns the priestess and eggs on his pyre. Emerging alive and unburned from the ashes with three hatched dragons, she leads the khalasar through the Red Waste to Qarth. There, she survives an assassination attempt by a manticore saved by Arstan Whitebeard and escapes the House of the Undying after Drogon kills the warlocks who tried to hold her prisoner. In A Clash of Kings, she sails to Astapor, betrays the slavers to free the Unsullied, and conquers Yunkai. By A Storm of Swords, she discovers Barristan Selmy's identity in her court and learns Jorah Mormont was an informer; disgusted, she sends them on a suicide mission to capture Meereen.

Reader's Guide

Daenerys Targaryen serves as the third-person point-of-view character for 31 chapters across A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Dance with Dragons, making her the series' fourth most prominent narrative voice after Tyrion Lannister, Jon Snow, and Arya Stark. Her physical description includes long pale silver-gold hair, purple eyes, and a slender build taller than some ancestors. She speaks Common Tongue, Dothraki, High Valyrian, and bastard Valyrian with a Tyroshi accent, later mastering Ghiscari. In the television adaptation, portrayed by Emilia Clarke, she is depicted as late teens with unexplained fireproof abilities not present in the books, nor does she receive prophetic warnings like her book counterpart. Clarke's performance earned Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2013, 2015, and 2016, and Outstanding Lead Actress in 2019. Her character arc from heroic to villainous at the end of the HBO series remains a source of controversy among critics and fans.

Did You Know?

• Daenerys is fluent in Common Tongue, Dothraki, High Valyrian, and bastard Valyrian, the latter spoken with a Tyroshi accent.
• She serves as the third-person point-of-view character for exactly 31 chapters across four novels, making her the fourth most prominent narrative voice in the series.
• The New York Times has cited Daenerys Targaryen as one of George R. R. Martin's finest creations.
• Emilia Clarke received Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series specifically in 2019, and Supporting Actress nominations in 2013, 2015, and 2016.
• Daenerys was born during a great storm almost 14 years before the events of A Game of Thrones, earning her the nickname 'Stormborn'.

Origins and Early Exile

Daenerys enters the narrative as one of the last survivors of House Targaryen, born during a great storm almost 14 years after her father and brother were killed in Robert's Rebellion. Her mother died in childbirth, and she was whisked away to Braavos by Ser Willem Darry before Dragonstone surrendered. After Darry died when she was five, she wandered the Free Cities with Viserys, who frequently abused her, fostering a fearful and submissive nature. By A Game of Thrones, they are guests of Illyrio Mopatis in Pentos for half a year. Daenerys is fluent in Common Tongue but speaks bastard Valyrian with a Tyroshi accent. She agrees to marry Khal Drogo in exchange for an army, initially terrified but eventually finding strength and love within the Dothraki culture. This period marks her transition from a dependent victim to a leader who stands up to Viserys's bullying.

Rise as a Slave Liberator

After acquiring the Unsullied in Astapor, Daenerys betrays the Good Masters by commanding the freed soldiers to kill them, freeing all slaves and establishing a council for the city. She subsequently conquers Yunkai and Meereen, settling in the latter to learn how to rule. Her leadership is characterized by a strong moral compass that coexists with ruthlessness toward enemies she believes are conspiring against her. In Qarth, she resists the temptations of the Undying, who prophesy she must light three fires, ride three mounts, and know three treasons before burning their temple to escape. She is saved from a manticore assassination attempt by Arstan Whitebeard and Strong Belwas, sent by Illyrio with ships to return her to Pentos, though she chooses instead to go to Astapor for an army as a safe measure against the elusive Mopatis.

The Mother of Dragons

The defining moment of Daenerys's power occurs when she burns Mirri Maz Duur and three petrified dragon eggs on Drogo's funeral pyre, emerging alive and unburned with three living dragons. These creatures provide her with a tactical advantage and immense prestige as the only person capable of hatching them. In A Dance with Dragons, while ruling Meereen, she becomes disturbed by prophetic warnings from Quaithe, a shadowbinder from Asshai. She eventually establishes herself as a dragonrider to Drogon, whom she tames using a whip after he disturbs the fighting pits at Daznak's Pit. The dragons allow her to project power far beyond traditional armies, validating her claim as heir to the Targaryen dynasty and facilitating her conquest of Slaver's Bay.

Narrative Context and Production

Daenerys appears in novels published between 1996 (A Game of Thrones) and 2011 (A Dance with Dragons), notably absent from A Feast for Crows. George R. R. Martin created her as a combination of Joan of Arc, Lawrence of Arabia, and Napoleon according to showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff. In the HBO television series, she is portrayed by Emilia Clarke, whose performance garnered multiple Emmy nominations between 2013 and 2019. Her arc concludes with controversy regarding a shift from hero to villain, though the book series remains ongoing.