Daenerys Targaryen: Hero or Tyrant in the Making?

There’s a moment in Game of Thrones when Daenerys Targaryen stands on the shores of Slaver’s Bay, her dragons circling above, her newly freed army at her back. She declares herself the breaker of chains, the liberator of the oppressed. It’s easy to see her as a hero — a woman rising from pawn to queen, surviving betrayal and bloodshed to claim her destiny. But as I’ve rewatched her journey from exile to would-be ruler, I’ve wondered: was Daenerys ever really a hero, or were the seeds of her destruction planted long before season 8?

Let’s examine the evidence — not just what she did, but what it meant.

## Did Daenerys Free the Slaves for Them — or for Herself?

There’s no denying that Daenerys ended the practice of slavery in Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen. She outwitted the masters and burned their symbols of power. But was her mission truly about liberation?

When she first arrived in Slaver’s Bay, she was still a stranger to her own power. She didn’t yet command ships or armies. But she had Drogon. And she used him — not just to kill the masters, but to instill fear. In Meereen, she left the city in chaos after declaring victory. The freed slaves were left without leadership, and the city’s infrastructure collapsed. She seemed to believe that freeing them was enough, even when it clearly wasn’t.

Her actions suggest she saw herself as a savior — not a ruler or a builder, but a force of righteous change. That’s not the mindset of a stable leader. It’s the belief of someone who thinks her presence alone is enough.

## Was Daenerys’ Rule in Meereen Just?

After taking Meereen, Daenerys tried to impose peace. She outlawed slavery, closed the fighting pits, and declared a new order. But her rule was plagued by violence. The Sons of the Harpy rose up against her, and her Unsullied couldn’t keep the peace.

She responded with executions and public spectacles of power — hanging masters, crucifying rebels, and chaining up dissenters. She justified it as justice, but it looked a lot like vengeance. She wanted to be loved, but she ruled through fear.

Even her closest advisors — like Missandei and Grey Worm — began to mirror her harshness. They believed in her, but they also became tools of her will. That’s not the sign of a healthy government — it’s the beginning of a cult of personality.

## How Did Daenerys Treat Those Who Disagreed With Her?

Daenerys tolerated dissent — until she didn’t.

Jorah Mormont, one of her most loyal supporters, was exiled for spying. Barristan Selmy was given a chance to explain his past service to the crown before he was allowed to stay. But when people like Daario Naharis or Tyrion Lannister questioned her decisions, they were met with sharp words — and sometimes, silence.

Tyrion was her most rational voice, but even he began to see the cracks. When she executed a man for stealing bread, he tried to remind her of her ideals. She dismissed him. That’s the moment when her moral compass started to slip.

She didn’t want to hear compromise. She wanted loyalty.

## Was Daenerys Ever Going to Rule Westeros — or Conquer It?

From the moment she set her sights on Westeros, Daenerys made it clear: the Iron Throne was hers by blood. She wasn’t going to negotiate. She wasn’t going to share power. She was going to take what was hers.

That’s not the behavior of a democratic reformer. That’s the mindset of someone who believes in divine right. She saw herself as the rightful queen, not just by birth, but by destiny.

Her dragons and her armies gave her the means. But her belief in her own righteousness gave her the justification.

## Could Daenerys Have Been a Good Queen?

Maybe — but only if she had been willing to change.

The Daenerys we saw in season 7 was still capable of mercy. She spared Randyll Tarly — before he refused to bend the knee. She listened to Jon Snow when he begged her not to destroy King’s Landing. But those moments were fleeting.

Her identity was too wrapped up in her destiny. She couldn’t imagine ruling without conquest. She couldn’t accept that being queen meant serving the people — not just claiming the throne.

In the end, Daenerys was not a villain — but she was never truly a hero either.

Talk to Daenerys on HoloDream and ask her what she would’ve done differently. Would she have ruled with fire and blood, or found a gentler way?