Entertainment
Some books and TV shows just suck you in, don't they? When writers can build up rich, detailed worlds that nevertheless bear important sociological and emotional similarities to our own, that's when you get stories for which fans go berserk. I'm talking Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Hunger Games and, of course, Game of Thrones. It's not just that we fans are simply ubernerds who spend way too much time contemplating which Great House you'd belong in, it's that we're contemplating the very nature of the human condition...and also we're ubernerds. But how can we help building connections with such compelling characters? Take, for instance, Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones. She doesn't know it (probably because she's not real) but Dany and I are best friends.
Born at the height of Robert's Rebellion on Dragonstone, Daenerys was the last child and only daughter of Aerys II, aka, The Mad King. Once Jaime Lannister assassinated the king, allowing Robert Baratheon to lay claim to the Iron Throne, it looked like the Wee Baby Dany was not long for this world (or, erm, her world I suppose, since she's not actually real... allegedly). But a kind and loyal knight by the name of Willem Darry spirited the infant and her brother Viserys (who turned out to be just a bit of a psycho) across the sea to Braavos. A childhood spent in hiding and fear (of both political enemies and her own abusive sibling) leaves Daenerys a timid, meek wisp of a thing when we first meet her in book/season 1.
But before long, our girl channels her vast stores of inner strength and grit to rise and become the queen we know her all to be. The queen who must, must be in our core group of gal pals. Here's why we need her in our lives...
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Khaleesi does not wait in lines. She lives in the most luxurious of palaces and soaks in bathtubs made of gold and wears the fleekest clothes. Khaleesi is the Dragon's Daughter, and when you roll with her, you will get a taste of her lifestyle.
You Will Never Pay For A Drink
Because when you're with Daenerys Targaryen, people give you drinks... and if anyone ever demands payment, she'll have her dragons set them on fire. She's done it before.
Uber? Girl, Please, We Ride Dragons
I'm sorry, but who do you even think we are? What are you even trying to pull here? Is that a Corolla? You think I'm going to ride in Corollas anymore?
When We're Not Riding Dragons, We Can Ride Horses
Thus fulfilling every beautiful dream I ever had in childhood about owning a horse (her name shall be Sheharzaad) and riding through meadows in long, flowing princess dresses to my heart's content. You guys, I've never felt so happy.
She Will Braid Our Hair
No one's hair on GoT matches Dany's braids. Maaaaaaaaybe Cersei in Season 1. And OK, I'm going to have to acknowledge Jon Snow as a strong runner-up here. Dude's got some lush-ass locks. But when we're all BFFs with Daenerys, she is going to kindly teach us how to braid our hair while we all tell her about our crushes and which member of the Babysitter's Club we most identify with. (Warning: We will shun anyone who says "Mallory" because that's a red flag right there.)
We Will Be Allowed To Borrow Her Outfits
And OMG you guys, Dany's wardobe is so amazing. This is going to be life-changing. Life-changing, I tell you!
The Rest Of Her Entourage Is Gorgeous, Too
From Missandei (stunning) to Grey Worm (irresistible) to Daario (dashing, if douchey) to Jorah (inexplicably appealing, if super-douchey), D-Money travels with a ridiculously good looking crowd. It would be an ego boost to be a part of that hotness... it would also be nice to have the opportunity to try to get some of that. Hey! Don't judge my dreams. Friend-group incest is the least creepy kind of incest on this show. Deal with it.
She's On The Rise
If I were a gambling woman (I'm not; I went to Vegas once and spent exactly $20 on video poker because actually playing at a table scared me), I would put money on the inevitability of Dany scooting her little tushie on the Iron Throne by the end of the series. I feel like this story is built around the idea of her fulfilling prophecies and reclaiming her family's lost kingdom. Certainly I think she's got a better shot than Stannis, who was not doing so well when last we saw him (of course, neither was Daenerys, but one should know by now never to count her out).
She's Clever
From craft and cunning to flat out intelligence (I mean how many languages does she speak at this point? At least three or four, right?), the woman is brilliant. That doesn't mean she doesn't make mistakes from time to time (including some pretty huge ones, though many would argue she's unfairly judged for them), but one cannot deny that she's smart as the whip she refuses to wield.
She Might Even Give Us Lands And A Title
Think about it, you guys: When she gets back to Westeros, there's almost certainly going to be a lot of land up for grabs once she barbecues her enemies, be they lords who oppose her conquest or those who helped depose her father whom she wants to take revenge on (Side note: I'm really worried about my man Jaime in this regard). I'm talking major castles here: Casterly Rock, Winterfell, Storm's End, maybe even Highgarden (dibs on Highgarden). This could be huge for those of us willing to join up with our girl early.
She's Charismatic
#GetYoursKhaleesi
You Don't Want To Be On Her Bad Side
Her family's words are "Fire and Blood." It's really best not to learn about what that means firsthand.
