Highlights
- Daenerys stands up to her controlling brother Viserys, leading to his demise and empowering herself.
- Daenerys proclaims her determination to take back her birthright with fire and blood, foreshadowing her eventual downfall.
- Daenerys showcases her belief in empowering fellow women and her ability to control dragons, defining moments throughout the series.
Within the world of Westeros and Game of Thrones, many characters have an incredible set of quotes attributed to them. The writing of the show was unlike almost any other, with a huge number of memorable moments and a style that, despite the large amount of violence and war scenes that take place throughout the series.
Game Of Thrones: 6 Worst Decisions Made By Daenerys
Despite being one of the most popular characters, Daenerys was anything but a perfect princess.
Daenerys Targaryen has done and seen it all across Westeros and beyond. Starting Game of Thrones as an outcast, without any power of her own, and turning it all around to become the Queen she always knew she could be, few characters have had such a variance in character arc as Daenerys. She came through the series with a series of brilliant quotes, as well as some pretty humorous ones.
8 “The Next Time You Raise A Hand To Me Will Be The Last Time You Have Hands”
Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things - Season 1, Episode 4
- Said to Viserys Targaryen
There are many moments throughout Game of Thrones when Daenerys has to make some sort of stand. She must bravely stand up to many men who would try to control her, and the first time she does this is against her brother, Viserys. The man who controlled her for much of her life before the show started. He always attempted to use her for his gain.
Having already sold her to Khal Drogo as a wife, in an attempt to gain the armies of the Dothraki for his personal use, Viserys thought he could continue controlling Daenerys forever. But she stood up to him, leading to Viserys death at the hands of Khal Drogo, and Dany would continue finding her power from then on in similar situations, many of which made for the best episodes of the show.
7 “I Will Take What Is Mine With Fire And Blood”
The Old Gods and the New - Season 2, Episode 6
- Said to The Spice King
In the second season, Daenerys is trying to find more ways to consolidate her power by making allies whom she despises. Frustrated with her latest attempt to curry favor with one of the richest men in Qarth, needing ships to cross the Narrow Sea, Dany loses her temper with him and tells him that she will do whatever she must to take back her birthright.
Telling him that she is no ordinary woman, that she is not his little princess, she then proclaims that she will take what is hers with violence. This is not just a significant show of frustration at the time for Daenerys, it is also a major piece of foreshadowing over her eventual demise. Her rage while in Qarth is nothing compared to what she feels towards Cersei and many others by the time she makes it to King’s Landing, with countless losses behind her.
6 “All Men Must Die, But We Are Not Men”
Walk of Punishment - Season 3, Episode 3
- Said to Missandei
The friendship between Daenerys and Missandei is an important one. This servant that Dany freed became one of her most loyal allies, and losing her was enough to drive Dany into a rage that she, and King’s Landing, would not recover from. However, early in their relationship, Daenerys helped show at this moment the strength that Missandei could have, and Daenerys had gained for herself.
House Of The Dragon: 6 Ways Rhaenyra Is Like Daenerys
Daenerys and Rhaenyra Targaryen have more in common than you think.
Subverting Valar Morghulis, which means all men must die, Dany reminded Missandei in true Lord of the Rings fashion that “we are not men” and, at that moment, helped show a fellow female the power that they could have. The theme of women being underestimated was prominent throughout Game of Thrones, particularly for characters like Arya, Cersei, and, of course, Daenerys, but she never shied away from empowering her fellow women whenever she could, even if Missandei met a tragic end. Still, she wasn't as unlucky as some other characters in the show.
5 “Dracarys”
Kissed by Fire - Season 3, Episode 5
- Said to Her Dragons
The dragons of Daenerys were born during the first season of Game of Thrones. This major moment, as dragons had been thought gone from the world forever, was defining. However, just as defining was when Daenerys proved, beyond all doubt, that the members of her family were still capable of controlling these mighty beasts.
In many of her conquests, the dragons were a hugely important factor, and she uttered the word that caused them to attack her enemies with fire often from this point in the series. But the first time it happened remains one of the defining moments of the entire series.
4 “I Will Do What Queens Do, I Will Rule”
First of His Name - Season 4, Episode 5
- Said to Jorah Mormont
Daenerys could have taken her armies and dragons and attempted to take Westeros for herself much earlier than she ended up doing. When she discovers that the lands she has freed are starting to slide back into slavery without her rule, Dany decides that she must stay and unite them, ending in her doing much more good for those cities.
Not just a conqueror, Daenerys proved she wanted to actually lead and help people here. The difficulty of her sliding into madness was that her rage got to her, and she started distrusting all those around her. If Daenerys had stayed forever in Slaver’s Bay, she could have made these lands a happier place for the rest of her life, instead of being doomed to Targaryen madness when she returned to Westeros.
3 “They Can Live In My New World, Or They Can Die In Their Old One”
Mockingbird - Season 4, Episode 7
- Said to Jorah Mormont
Another great quote by Daenerys that helps sum up her entire journey, after sending Daario Naharis to retake Yunkai, she tells Jorah that she will no longer accept any of the men that call themselves Masters in that city remaining alive.
Game of Thrones: All of Daenerys Targaryen's Video Game Appearances
With the popularity of Game of Thrones, the series has had many video game endeavors, and Daenerys Targaryen has appeared in most of them.
Daenerys has her views on justice and how it must be dished out to those who are unjust. The Masters in Yunkai were slavers and monsters, but her handling of them and the mass execution it would lead to was a major step towards her believing she was correct in every decision she made. She regarded herself as the highest form of justice and righteousness, leading to the quick downfall Daenerys would eventually have. She believed herself to be prophecized as a ruler, much like her ancestors.
2 “I Am Not Going To Stop The Wheel, I’m Going To Break The Wheel”
Hardhome - Season 5, Episode 8
- Said to Tyrion Lannister
When Tyrion arrives in Meereen, he is one of the driving factors that eventually brings Daenerys back to Westeros. He is a major factor in her many victories and the horrors that followed. One particularly great scene between the two shows more foreshadowing of Daenerys leading to the eventual peace at the end of the show, achieved through her horrific destruction of King’s Landing and ensuing demise.
Referring to the many great houses of Westeros and how they squabble back and forth between themselves, Daenerys talks about how the houses are just spokes on a wheel, crushing whoever is beneath them. Ironically, she would become the most destructive spoke of them all. At the time, however, the future threat of Daenerys returning to Westeros was a fascinating future moment that would cause absolute chaos, exciting fans even further for the showdowns that were looming.
1 “Alright Then, Let It Be Fear”
The Bells - Season 8, Episode 5
- Said to Jon Snow
Many fans of Game of Thrones were left feeling as if Daenerys turning into the villain of the final episodes came out of nowhere. Setting aside all the dangerous foreshadowing that had been seen in some of her earlier quotes, the final moment when she surrendered entirely to the chaos and madness threatening to overtake her was in the penultimate episode.
After telling Jon that he had the love of the people, and she had only their fear, she decided that was all she needed. That leading the people wasn’t enough anymore, ruling them in a similar tyrannical fashion to her forebears was the necessary ending for this story. This terrifying moment showcased the true face of Daenerys, what was left after her many struggles and losses. Her frustration turned into true Targaryen madness, leading to her end, although Jon Snow shouldn't have trusted her for so long to begin with.
