Now that the Game Of Thrones finale is in the books, we can look back in totality at the entire experience. We can seek out the nuggets of gold and the diamonds among the occasional rough from the action, the story, and in this case, the choice quotes. There was plenty of that aforementioned 'rough' in the journey of Jorah Mormont, the Bear Island export. As a perennial companion to Daenerys, he was often sought out for his advice and wisdom. However, the roller-coaster that was his journey meant that some of his wisest words fell on deaf ears, regardless of its value. Other nuggets of wisdom only became apparent in hindsight. Others could've changed the course of Westerosi history but no-one could've known that at the time. Nevertheless, here are the best and unfortunately most pitiable quotes from our man across the Narrow Sea, Jorah Mormont.
Pity: Drogo Will Have No Use For Dragon's Eggs In The Nightlands. Sell Them... Live As a Wealthy Woman For All Your Days.
In hindsight, a major pity because this was perhaps the moment Daenerys could've truly taken her destiny in her own hands. In what was her lowest moment at the time, Jorah painted the simplest, most practical course for her to take. Abandon destiny. Let go of revenge. Take an opportunity to live a life without those corrosive beliefs at her core and maybe even find happiness. It was completely for naught though. Daenerys at this point was headlong into 'believing the hype' her brother had spoken of her whole life. She'd sooner seek out a happy life at the cost of her dragon eggs as she would burrow into the earth.
Wise: He Didn't Seize The 7 Kingdoms Because They Were His Right, He Seized Them Because He Could.
Jorah again lays out some fundamental truths about the world that Daenerys seems to be stuck on. It's a shame this little bit of information didn't take root more strongly in his Khaleesi though. While she takes it as meaning she needs to become strong to reclaim her perceived birthright, what he's really saying is that a birthright isn't worth much on its own.
She simultaneously wants to rely on tradition and end it, and that contradiction is missed. Jorah spoke of practicality when all she wanted to hear was about her destiny.
Pity: Please Khaleesi, I Have Protected You, Fought For You, Killed For You. I Have Loved You...
Please, baby, I didn't mean to cheat on you, I love you! The Westeros equivalent of 'she didn't mean anything' and it's just about as effective for poor Jorah here. In the face of his earlier betrayal of Daenerys, his 'Little Birds' come home to roost in the form of a belated pardon from the Iron Throne. Confronted with the belated consequences he grovels and begs to a woman he adores. All this despite knowing that she's pitiless to her enemies by this point. When she's decided he's indirectly the cause of her husband and child being dead, these words are woefully insufficient.
Wise: Every Man Has A Beast Inside Him, And It Roars When You Put A Sword In His Hand
A cool picture painted about most men, but this was particularly about the advantages of The Unsullied. Jorah seems to know a bit about every city Daenerys visits, and the legendary advantages of this army completely under her control are pointed out. Ultimately, Jorah may have even been prophetic in an unintended way.
You put a sword in a man's hand and the beast roars, but you sit a Queen astride a dragon and she may burn the world.
Pity: Have You Ever Heard Baby Dragons Singing? It's Hard To Be A Cynic After That.
Here Jorah abandons a lot of his wisdom and thought in exchange for 'faith'. He assumes that dragons and Fire Immunity +2 makes a good ruler. He has seen his queen make plenty of bad decisions and had to talk her down from even more, but dragons are all he needs to be convinced? It speaks to the lovesick blindness he has concerning Daenerys. Even wise men can fall when their hearts overrule their heads and here Jorah as much as admits that to Daario, just supplanting her dragons as the reason for his devotion. Like us, Daario sees right through it.
Wise: It's Tempting To See Your Enemies As Evil, All Of Them. But There's Good And Evil On Both Sides. In Every War Ever Fought.
This gets to the heart of so many of the situations Daenerys ultimately didn't handle well. Even though she hated her brother, she failed to learn any lessons from his cruelty and treats every opponent as villainous scum. Jorah succinctly points out that even in war nothing is so black and white. That the 'gray' holds much more content than either end of the spectrum.
A good leader needs to know this and act accordingly. We know how this advice didn't take hold, but it doesn't diminish the word's wisdom.
Pity: If I Win At The Great Pit, How Much Can You Sell Me For. Let Me Fight For Her And I Belong To You.
Not only is this moment desperate and pitiable, it's Jorah lying through his teeth. He has no intention of staying with his slave-owner should he get the chance to return to his queen. He's tried to return to her twice already at that point and now he's playing his lowest card yet. Jorah is willing to devalue himself to a mere tool on the off chance Daenerys sees him cutting down other lowly death merchants and that is far from the man at his best.
Wise: I Brought Shame Into My House. Broke My Father's Heart. I've Forfeited The Right To Claim This Sword. It's Yours. May It Serve You Well, And Your Children After You.
When Jorah joins Jon Snow on the excursion beyond the wall the two men discuss Long Claw. The sword given by Jorah's father to Jon with the re-shaped bear-to-wolf pommel. It's a great moment between two men driven by duty and fairness.
One trying to give back a family heirloom and the other setting aside any 'want' and letting go. Jorah has clearly done mountains of introspection over his banishment from Westeros, and here he shows some of that. A lesser man might jump at the chance to reclaim Long Claw. Jorah knows it is no longer his to claim.
Pity: All I've Ever Wanted Was To Serve You. Tyrion Lannister Was Right. I Love You. I'll Always Love You. Goodbye Khaleesi.
I can only imagine the number of people watching this who sympathized with Jorah here. Admitting your love to a person determined not to reciprocate is soul-crushing. Admitting it while also having to leave because your skin is turning to stone-scabs is worse. It also led to a line from Daenerys, "When I take the seven kingdoms I'll need you by my side", that is tragic in hindsight. In one moment we get Jorah's inherent worth and futility. Especially on a re-watch, this will make you wince.
Wise: As Have We All (Made Mistakes). He Owns His. Learns From Them.
The last bit of good advice Jorah is able to give his queen before falling at The Battle Of Winterfell. As Daenerys seems determined to blame Tyrion for every setback Jorah councils a different outlook. Making mistakes isn't the end of the world, even with the massive stakes here. Learning from mistakes is the ultimate sign of good decision-making. We know now that Daenerys, in the end, could not learn from history's mistakes, let alone her own. That only increases the value of these words and the 'what if' had Jorah been able to stay by her side till the end.