Game of Thrones: Is Daenerys what Westeros needs at this time?

Hi All,

 

Bariyu here. Game of thrones fever is high right now. My friend Wole knows I’m a fan & suggested I should guest on his blog. So here I am, bringing my Thrones obsession forged by reading the books, watching the series multiple times and regular visits to fan forums, to you.

 

The newly concluded season 6 was exciting and packed with a lot of revelations. There has been lot of speculation on our favourite dragon Queen. How she’s going to pulverize her enemies when she gets to Westeros, take over and rule happily ever after. She certainly has gathered a formidable force and seems likely to roll over any opposition, but exactly how welcome will Queen Daenerys Targaryen, mother of dragons be in the country of her birth? How much of a unifying factor would she be in a land wracked by internal strife and numerous wars? Perhaps not so much, for the following reasons.

 

Her selling point:

Daenerys abolished slavery when she conquered Slavers ‘Bay. That is her big thing. In Westeros, slavery has been illegal for thousands of years. There are no slaves to liberate. So what exactly is she bringing to the seven kingdoms? Why would the people want her for their queen?

 

Her claim:

Three hundred years preceding GOT, the Targaryens flew in from Valyria, slaughtered thousands with their dragons, conquered the seven kingdoms & proclaimed themselves kings. Their dynasty was ended when Robert Baratheon successfully rebelled against mad King Aerys. Technically, the ruling house is House Baratheon (Cersei being a usurper).

Also, if as we suspect, Jon Snow is the legitimate son of Crown Prince Rhaegar, that would make him the heir to the Targaryen dynasty with a far stronger claim to the throne.

 

Her family history:

"Half the Targaryens went mad, didn't they?... What's the saying? 'Every time a Targaryen is born the gods flip a coin.'" ―Cersei Lannister

Not everyone has fond memories of the Targaryens. The mad king loved to burn his enemies. Dany loves to burn her enemies. What other unpleasant similarities will be revealed as the show goes on?

The well-established family trait of insanity as well as practices of incest and polygamy and a weird obsession with fire, may put many off seeing another Targaryen on the throne.

 

 

 

Leadership:

“You weren’t made to sit in a chair… You’re a conqueror Daenerys Stormborn”- Daario Naharis

Dany has shown time and again that she is a conqueror, not a ruler. She has been unable to successfully administer any of the three cities she conquered. She tricked the Wise masters of Astapor out of their Unsullied slave soldiers and killed them all. Immediately she left, the city descended into chaos. The same flaws were observed in Yunkai and Mereen. She has been unable to secure a period of sustained peace, which is what any region needs to thrive. Even King Robert, apathetic as he was, had a peaceful reign.

 

Her invasion force:

“The common people pray for rain, healthy children, and a summer that never ends. It is no matter to them if the high lords play their game of thrones, so long as they are left in peace. They never are.”- Jorah Mormont

Daenerys army consists of the following;

1.       Dothraki horselords, masters of raping & pillaging

2.       Unsullied

3.       Iron born who are basically pirates

4.       Three dragons which she never bothered to train. Drogon listens to her when he feels like it. The other two are wild beasts.

So an army of tens of thousands of mainly foreigners, all of whom would be a drain on the resources of a people already exhausted by years of fighting among nobles. They are unlikely to be welcome.

 

Allies

1.       House Greyjoy; nobody likes Ironborn

2.       Ellaria sand and her Snakes: bastard women with no legitimate claim killed their kind prince and his heir. It’s like Jon Snow turning on his siblings.

3.       Her hand of the Queen is Tyrion Lannister: the much maligned imp who accused of committing the abominable offences of (a.) Kinslaying (true-he killed his father) (b). Kingslaying (false)

4.       Olenna Tyrell: Mama Sharpmouth is a delightful character with the largest army in the seven kingdoms.

 

 

THE IRON THRONE IS NOT THE ISSUE!

White walkers are coming. That’s what really matters.

 

As we look forward to season 7 and hopefully The Winds of Winter novel, it would be interesting to see how these factors play out. Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment. J

-Bariyu.