Even though the exact contours of the upcoming House of the Dragon aren’t quite clear yet, it is nevertheless obvious that it’s going to focus on the many conflicts that roil House Targaryen. Of course, one member of this house looms large, and that is Daenerys, the woman who rose from exile to become the conqueror of Westeros, only to fall victim to the madness that was a key part of her family legacy.
Though she is a woman of many depths and complexities, there are still a number of important quotes that do a very good job of summing up her personality. Daenerys was always passionate about creating a better world and giving more freedom to the disadvantaged, but that didn't stop her from remarking on her rightful claim to the Iron Throne.
An Esteemed Bloodline
"I Am Daenerys Stormborn, Of House Targaryen, Of The Blood Of Old Valyria – I Am The Dragon’s Daughter. And I Swear To You, That Those Who Would Harm You Will Die Screaming."
House Targaryen is obviously one of the best and most powerful houses in Game of Thrones, and they cast a long shadow. Her relationship to this powerful dynasty was, from the beginning, one of the key things that gave Daenerys her sense of identity.
While it was originally used against her by her abusive brother Viserys, she ultimately came to wear it as her own sort of armor. She would use her relationship with her dynastic forbears to seek justice for those who have endured various acts of cruelty and torment, which would be the turning point of her pursuit to fend for the vulnerable people.
A Targaryen Never Forgets
"And I Swear This. If You Ever Betray Me, I’ll Burn You Alive."
Though she is very loyal to those who serve her, Daenerys repeatedly showed that she had the same view of loyalty as the many other members of her family. Her threat towards Varys reveals quite clearly the extent to which there is always a great deal of violence lurking beneath the surface of her seemingly placid and just personality.
When it comes right down to it, she is not that much different than her father, the Mad King, who was similarly inclined to absolutely destroy anyone whom he even suspected of being disloyal to him.
Asserting Authority
"You’re Both Here To Advise Me. I Value Your Advice, But If You Ever Question Me In Front Of Strangers Again, You’ll Be Advising Someone Else. Is That Understood?"
Like many of the other powerful people who inhabit the world of Game of Thrones, Daenerys is very much aware of her own power and position. Thus, while she is often willing to take advice from others, she never lets them forget that, when it comes right down to it, she is the one who is sitting on the throne.
She has to play the cards right to outsmart the tyrants and slave owners, and such discouragement from two older men only falters her legitimacy and apt as a ruler. It was important for Daenerys to demonstrate her high authority and dominance to remind those who had the final words in her decision and not to overstep those boundaries.
Attack From A Position Of Strength
"We Both Want To Help People. We Can Only Help Them From A Position Of Strength. Sometimes Strength Is Terrible."
Regardless of the events that happened before or after, she truly does seem as if she wants to help the people of the world, particularly the enslaved and the otherwise downtrodden. And, given that she is one of the series’ most intelligent characters, she also realizes a fundamental truth about the world they live on: that only through strength can she hope to make the world a better place.
She ultimately takes this in some devastating and deadly directions, revealing just how much this particular philosophy has become key to her way of making sense of the world.
She Knows Her Worth
"I’m No Ordinary Woman. My Dreams Come True."
It’s possible to accuse Daenerys of many things, but there is no question that she is very much aware of her own position in the world. Some might accuse her of arrogance in this particular quote, but it is actually nothing more than the truth.
She knows, better than anyone else, that she has been given many advantages because of her birth into one of the most powerful dynasties the world has ever known. And, as the events of the series continue to prove, many of her dreams will actually come true.
The Invincibility Of A Dragon
"Fire Cannot Kill A Dragon."
The dragons are some of the most compelling parts of Game of Thrones, and they are responsible for some of its most iconic moments. For Daenerys, however, they are more than just weapons. They are also a key part of her identity. From the moment that she emerges from the flames of Drogo’s funeral pyre, she adopts this quote as her mantra.
And, time and again, it is proven to be true, for it is through fire that she will ultimately achieve her heart’s desire. It further validates her strong bloodline as a Targaryen, who not only survived through the flames but showed her strength and power to become the next Targaryen ruler and reclaim her family crown.
She Knows What She Wants
"Let The Priests Argue Over Good And Evil. Slavery Is Real. I Can End It. I Will End It. And I Will End Those Behind It."
Game of Thrones, as is the case with all of the best series on HBO, raises very fascinating and thorny philosophical and moral questions. Many of these are channeled through Daenerys and her story arc, in particular her desire to end slavery.
While this is certainly a laudable goal, this quote reveals a great deal about this Targaryen, her personality, and her approach to the world around her. For good and ill, she will always adopt a position of strength, believing that any atrocity is worth doing if it is for what she perceives as the greater good.
The Old Blood Runs Strong
"I Am Daenerys Stormborn Of The Blood Of Old Valyria, And I Will Take What Is Mine. With Fire And Blood, I Will Take It."
There have been many powerful members of House Targaryen, but only a few have wielded it with such precision and efficacy as Daenerys. Given the way that she was raised, it’s unsurprising that she would come to see her bloodline as her most effective means of gaining power and influence in the uncertain world in which she lives.
It is also chillingly foreboding that she notes that it is through fire and blood, the watchwords of her family, that she will attain her dream. For Daenerys, power is ultimately all that matters.
Taking No Prisoners
"They Can Live In My New World Or They Can Die In Their Old One."
Like all of the power-hungry people who appear in Game of Thrones, Daenerys yearns for the ability to bring her vision of what the world should look like to fruition. As each season goes on, it becomes clear just how much she is willing to sacrifice to bring that to pass.
In this quote, she makes her own political project explicitly clear. Though she might dress it up in fancy language, the truth is that she is like autocrats and dictators throughout history: willing to utterly destroy anyone who doesn’t agree with her vision of how the world should work.
To Gain A Throne
"The Iron Throne Is Mine And I Will Take It."
The Iron Throne is one of the most important objects in the history of Game of Thrones. It is, indeed, the thing that everyone fits to gain. For Daenerys, it is almost a talisman, as this quote makes clear. She will stop at nothing to gain that which she believes to be hers.
Like the other members of her family, in particular her brother Viserys, she is possessed of an unshakeable belief that the Iron Throne is hers by right. No one and nothing will stand in the way of her trying to take possession of it.