When the HBO series Game of Thrones began in 2011, I didn’t watch it because I didn’t have HBO, and it didn’t look like anything I’d want to see. Despite that, several people told me how great the show was and that they thought it was something that I’d like. Jump forward in time to 2022, and we now have HBO, and my husband I and decide to watch an episode to see if we like it or not.
One episode quickly became another one, and we were soon obsessed. We binge-watched the entire series, and loved it so very much. Game of Thrones is quite possibly the greatest series ever created, with characters that you feel so passionately either for or against. Along with that, there is suspense and intrigue to keep you needing to know what will happen next.
I am going to assume that whoever reads this has watched the series in its entirety, so I don’t need a lengthy description of the various plot points or character descriptions. What I’d like to do here is outline the reasons why I’m infuriated by the series ending, and why I love Daenerys Targaryen and feel that she should still be alive.
The Remaining Starks Should be Grateful to Daenerys at Winterfell
Bran, Sansa, and Arya should be thanking their lucky stars for being alive because they could not have won the battle of Winterfell without Daenerys’ and her army. Of course, Arya gets major credit for killing the Night King, and Bran gets credit for drawing the Night King to him. I don’t really know what good Arya was doing way up on that tower for most of the battle before she made it over to Bran, but that’s besides the point. Daenerys, Jon, and the dragons were saving so many lives by mowing down the zombie attackers. Also, so many unsullied and Dothraki soldiers risked their lives to save the North. No way could the combined Northern forces have defeated the Night King and his army alone.
Did Daenerys and her combined forces get any credit for that? Yes, but definitely not from the incredibly ungrateful Stark family. The Stark family really proved to be nothing but pure, ungrateful trash in my eyes. Meanwhile, true and brave fighters like Tormund Giantsbane and Yara Greyjoy were smart and always acknowledged Daenerys’ sacrifice to help them. Jon Snow was also grateful to the Mother of Dragons and her armies, but, of course, he is definitely not a Stark.
Daenerys is Betrayed by the People Closest to Her
Varys
In the beginning of the show, Varys was one of the most supportive people of Daenerys, even before they had even met in person. He knew that she would make a far superior ruler of the Seven Kingdoms than anyone from the House of Baratheon. He pretended to be loyal to the Baratheon Kings until he was able to meet up with Daenerys and her army. That is why it is so puzzling and surprising that he would eventually betray her.
Varys did so very much to help Daenerys get support against Cersi. He went to Dorne to get their support, and he also got support from the House of Tyrell. Unfortunately, Cersi and her minions were already several steps ahead, but Varys did very good work to help Daenerys and her cause. His treasonous acts against Daenerys broke my heart because I really liked his character. The change in attitude toward Daenerys was so sudden, and there wasn’t really a good explanation of it in the show. We see Varys’ loyalty changing directly after the defeat of the Night King. He saw that all the people were openly supporting and congratulating Jon Snow. Also, he noticed that it hurt Daenerys’ feelings to be so under-appreciated. For some reason, that made Varys suddenly conspire against Daenerys in support of Jon Snow. Ultimately, Daenerys had to execute Varys not only because she had warned him what would happen if he betrayed her, but also because he truly deserved it.
Tyrion
I so loved Tyrion for most of the show, and eventually hated him because he betrayed Daenerys in the worst way. He essentially decided that he had the moral superiority to be her judge and jury after the Battle at King’s Landing. In my opinion, he is just as guilty of murdering Daenerys as Jon Snow is. You know how Charles Manson didn’t kill anyone, but manipulated others to kill for him? Well, Tyrion is a Manson figure in that sense because he convinced Jon Snow that Daenerys needed to go. Watch the scene where Tyrion convinces Jon to murder Daenerys and tell me that is no a master manipulator in action. He is a horribly despicable character for this action alone. But, I also hated him when he let Jamie Lannister go to Cersi, thus betraying Daenerys. He was also wrong for disagreeing with Daenerys’ decision to kill the rotten head of the Tarly family and Samwell’s stupid and overly proud brother. She had to do what she had to do there.
Jon Snow
Nobody in their right mind can hate Jon Snow. He is the moral compass of the show, and he is one of the truly good characters throughout every season. That said, I was furious at him when he killed Daenerys. It was such a shocking and unbelievable betrayal, and it is outrageous that he would allow himself to be so manipulated by Tyrion. I’ve already talked about the way that Tyrion suggested that Jon kill Daenerys, but there was also an interaction with Arya that helped convince Jon to commit cold-blooded murder. Arya told Jon that she knows Daenerys is a killer, and that Daenerys will see Jon as a threat.
It’s just incredibly foolish of Jon to believe Tyrion and Arya, when he knows that Daenerys loves him more than anyone. Daenerys exhibits nothing but loyalty to those she loves, and has never given any indication that she would be violent to Jon Snow. It’s just a terrible shame that Jon allows himself to be so easily manipulated.
The Attack on Kings Landing
This was a completely justified invasion on the part of Daenerys and her combined forces. I doubt there’s anyone who think Cersi needed to stay on as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. After all, she mass murdered her own people when she blew up the big church where they were having a trial for Loras Tyrell. For Daenerys, however, it’s not only necessary for personal reasons because she is next in line as a descendant of the last Targaryen king. That is, at least until she finds out about Jon Snow’s heritage. Jon has told anyone and everyone that he doesn’t want to be king so he supports Daenerys. Another reason why Daenerys wants to attack King’s Landing is because she really hates Cersi after she has Missandi beheaded. Daenerys is extremely loyal and protective of those who are loyal to her, and Cersi really messed up when she had Missandi executed.
What Exactly Happened After the Bells Chimed?
This is a question that I’ve spent some time trying to figure out, and I have some ideas but no conclusive answers. First of all, there is nothing to suggest Daenerys knows that the ringing of the bells is a signal of surrender. It’s never something that was shown to be discussed in front of Daenerys. The first I recall hearing about it was when Tyrion tells Jamie to ring the bells if Jamie can convince Cersi to surrender. Tyrion says nothing about this plan to Daenerys. How was she to know that was the signal? And, who was authorized to ring the bells? From Cersi’s reaction, it sure doesn’t look like it was her idea to ring the bells. Anyway, I suppose that the reason why Daenerys is murdered is her behavior after the bells rang.
So, yes, Daenerys directs Drogon to burn and destroy almost everything and everyone in King’s Landing. Yes, that was overkill, when she should have just had Drogon fly directly over to the tower that Cersi was in and destroy that. She did let her grief over the execution of Missandi, and her hatred for Cersi guide her actions that day. Personally, I think she was justified in her actions because Cersi was the ultimate evil, and the civilians were incredibly stupid to stay in town when they had to know an attack was imminent.
That being said, we have a saying in our family where something in a movie or TV show absolutely makes no sense, we say, “It wasn’t in the script.” So, yeah, the writer of the show needed a dramatic or shocking ending and just put it in the script. It was a cop-out and a terribly disappointing end to a great heroine.
