Daenerys (Pre-Season 8): What She Believed About Suffering

Before the events of Season 8, Daenerys Targaryen was often seen as a beacon of hope in a brutal world. She rose from a frightened exile to a powerful queen with dragons at her back and a claim to the Iron Throne. But her journey was steeped in suffering — both her own and that of others. Her beliefs about suffering were shaped by personal loss, political awakening, and the brutal realities of Westerosi history.

## Was Daenerys familiar with personal suffering?

Absolutely. Daenerys lost her father, the Mad King, before she could form memories of him. She was raised in hiding, shuffled between allies and opportunists, often hungry and afraid. Her brother Viserys, who should have protected her, treated her more like a pawn than a sister. These early experiences forged her resilience and gave her a deep awareness of suffering — especially the vulnerability of the powerless.

## Did she believe suffering was necessary for power?

Yes, but with nuance. Daenerys came to believe that suffering was a part of leadership — a cost of breaking the wheel of oppression. She witnessed how the powerful in Westeros thrived on the pain of the poor and the enslaved. To her, the cycle could only be broken through strength and, at times, difficult choices. She wasn’t afraid to impose suffering on tyrants, as she did when she crucified the masters of Meereen, believing it was a necessary warning.

## How did she view the suffering of the innocent?

Daenerys consistently positioned herself as a liberator of the oppressed. She was deeply moved by the suffering of slaves in Essos and made freeing them a central mission. Her actions in Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen were driven by a belief that innocent people deserved protection and dignity. She often spoke of ruling not for the powerful, but for those who had been trampled by the game of thrones — a sentiment that made her a compelling figure to many.

## Did she believe in mercy despite suffering?

Yes, but it was conditional. Daenerys showed mercy to those who surrendered and pledged loyalty, such as the Unsullied or former slaves. However, she could be ruthless with those she deemed irredeemable — like the masters or even her own advisors who betrayed her. Mercy, to her, was not blind compassion but a tool to build a better world. She believed in second chances, but not infinite ones.

## How did her belief in suffering shape her leadership?

Daenerys' belief in suffering was central to how she ruled. She wanted to create a world where others wouldn’t endure the same pain she and her followers had. This belief sometimes made her rigid — unwilling to compromise with those she saw as part of the old system. Her leadership style reflected both empathy and a sense of divine mission, but it also carried the seeds of future conflict, especially when her ideals clashed with the realities of war and politics.

## Did she see herself as destined to end suffering?

She did. Daenerys often spoke of her destiny — as the last Targaryen and the mother of dragons — to bring about a new era. She believed that her suffering was a preparation for this role, and that her dragons and armies were tools to end the suffering of the common people. But this sense of destiny also made her more certain in her righteousness, sometimes blinding her to the complexity of others' pain.

Talk to Daenerys on HoloDream to explore how her beliefs evolved and ask her what she would have done differently — or how she still sees her role in a broken world.