In both Game of Thrones and the book series it’s based on, one of the most popular characters is Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). The last child of the Mad King, Aerys II (David Rintoul), Daenerys was born on Dragonstone following the collapse of the Targaryen dynasty and was raised in Essos by her older brother, Viserys (Harry Lloyd).
Initially timid and lacking agency, she slowly takes control of her life after marrying the Dothraki Kahl, Drogo (Jason Momoa). Upon his death, she hatches three dragons and commits herself to one day taking back the Iron Throne. Across Game of Thrones’ eight seasons, Daenerys racked up an impressive list of quotes. Many come from her elaborate yet inspiring speeches or declarations about the world she intends to build. Though repetitive at times, these quotes stand out as some of the most iconic in the show, thanks to Daenerys’ conviction and Clarke’s strong performance.
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“A man who fights for gold can’t afford to lose to a girl.”
Season 3, Episode 8, “Second Sons”
After torching the city of Astapor, Daenerys begins a campaign of liberation through Slavers Bay. The next city, Yunkai, hires a sellsword company called the Second Sons to defend them. When Ser Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) explains that the mercenaries have cavalry and superior weapons to their unsullied, Daenerys tells him to arrange a meeting with the captains of the Second Sons with the above quote.
To say that the world of Game of Thrones is not kind to women would be an understatement, but Daenerys knows how to use this to her advantage. She knows that, due to her sex and age, men will underestimate her and can be counted on to follow predictable strategies to save face around her. This allows Daenerys to use her enemies’ overconfidence against them.
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“I’m no ordinary woman. My dreams come true.”
Season 2, Episode 6, “The Old Gods and the New”
While in the city of Quarth, Daenerys attempts to persuade the Spice King (Nicholas Blane) to part with some of his ships to allow her to travel back to Westeros. He isn’t so quick to give in, however, and points out that since Daenerys has no army or allies, her retaking the Seven Kingdoms is based on hopes and dreams. This prompts Daenerys to tell him how she hatched three petrified dragon eggs and concludes with this quote.
When you look at the history of Daenerys’s life and how many close calls she has dodged and miracles she has witnessed, it’s easy to understand why she believes her dreams are more attainable than others. It also reinforces that, though she carries herself like a queen, Daenerys at this point is still a young woman who doesn’t have a lot of worldly experience. Still, even the Spice King has to admire her passion, and that passion would carry Daenerys to do great things in Essos.
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“A mother does not flee without her children.”
Season 2, Episode 8, “The Prince of Winterfell”
When Daenerys refused to marry him, Xaro Xhoan Daxos (Nonso Anozie) teamed up with the warlock Pyat Pree (Ian Hanmore) to take over Quarth and kidnap the dragons. Pree tells Daenerys the dragons wait for her in the House of the Undying, but Ser Jorah Mormont (Ian Glen) begs her not to walk into the obvious trap and come with him to Astapor. Daenerys rebukes him with this quote before demanding he accompany her to the warlock’s lair.
Daenerys doesn’t just look at her dragons as terrifying weapons of war, but as the only children she will ever have following her husband’s death. Thus, her love for them is perhaps the deepest of any Targaryen-dragon bond. This makes it all the more tragic when the smaller dragons, Viserion and Rhaegal, are killed in later seasons.
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“I was born to rule the Seven Kingdoms. And I will.”
Season 7, Episode 3, “The Queen’s Justice”
After many years in exile, Daenerys and her allies land in Dragonstone to begin her conquest of Westeros, though she faces opposition from the ruling queen, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). She is also approached by the King in the North, Jon Snow (Kit Harington), who petitions Daenerys to join forces against the Night King (Vladimir Furdik) and his army of the dead.
Daenerys initially refuses until Jon bends the knee to her and delivers a long monologue retelling her life’s story, culminating in the above quote. The line is very textbook Daenerys and the culmination of seven seasons of reminding people of her bloodline and claim to the Iron Throne. It works in isolation due to how short and to the point it gets, but it gets drowned out by some of her flashier and more bombastic quotes. Even Jon isn’t impressed when she says it and refuses to bend the knee, though he changes his mind following the infamous episode “Beyond the Wall.”
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“Yes, all men must die, but we are not men.”
Season 3, Episode 3, “Walk of Punishment”
To get an army big enough to invade Westeros, Daenerys travels to the city of Astapor to inspect the Unsullied—eunuch soldiers trained to be obedient and fearless. While purchasing them in exchange for her largest dragon, Drogon, she also gets Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel), a translator slave. When Daenerys asks for her thoughts about joining a warband, Missandei replies with “Valar Morgulis,” meaning “All men must die,” which prompts Daenerys’ reply.
“Valar Morgulis” is one of the best quotes in Game of Thrones, and it’s great to see Daenerys subvert its meaning. Westeros is a highly patriarchal world where women often get the short end of the stick; however, Daenerys here is saying that, while women don’t often have the same privileges, they also don’t have to follow the same rules—or suffer the same consequences. She demonstrates this when she goes to acquire her Unsullied: Daenerys orders them and Drogon to kill the masters of Astapor. Dany’s willingness to break barriers is a crucial part of her character, and this line perfectly captures her incendiary nature.
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“I am the dragon’s daughter, and I swear to you that those who would harm you will die screaming.”
Season 1, Episode 10, “Fire and Blood”
After seeing Drogo reduced to a catatonic state by the witch Mirri Maz Duur (Mia Soteriou), Daenerys suffocates him with a pillow to put her husband out of his misery. With what remained of his khalasar, Daenerys builds a pyre for Drogo and places her three eggs and Mirri Maz Duur in it. Before setting it ablaze, Daenerys addresses the assembled Dothraki with the above quote.
This is Daenerys’ first speech to rally people to her cause, and though she has a long way to go before she is the Breaker of Chains, this gives a good indication of the kind of ruler she could be. Daenerys cares about the slights against her people and is motivated as much by keeping them safe as by taking back her birthright. Though not every member of the Khalasar sticks around to follow her, the others change their minds quickly when she emerges from the pyre with three living dragons.
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“They can live in my new world, or they can die in their old one.”
Season 4, Episode 7, “Mockingbird”
Shortly after taking Mereen, Daenerys learns that the Masters of Yunkai have regained control of the city. She wants to send the Second Sons to attack them, but Ser Jorah convinces her to take a more diplomatic approach. She then tasks Jorah with assigning Hizdahr zo Loraq (Joel Fry) to treat with Yunkai and present the masters with a hard ultimatum.
Daenerys’ time as Queen showcases how difficult it can be to balance kindness with authority, especially when one wishes to change the world. It’s very difficult to remain morally sound when dealing with people who are too set in their ways to change, meaning that sometimes, the only solution is violence. This is the case with Slavers Bay, as the masters unify into a coalition against Daenerys.
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“I will not let those I have freed slide back into chains. I will not sail for Westeros. I will do what queens do. I will rule.”
Season 4, Episode 5, “First of His Name”
After a hard fight, Daenerys captures Meereen, the last and largest city in Slaver’s Bay. However, she gets word that the previous two cities she liberated, Astapor and Yunkai, have fallen back to practicing slavery. Deciding that simply liberating slaves isn’t enough, Daenerys decides to remain in Meereen with the above quote to learn how to be a proper queen of Westeros.
This quote shows that Daenerys is wise enough to understand her inexperience. This puts her ahead of many of the leaders in Westeros, who are so arrogant that they believe no advice about improving their leadership style is worth hearing. The only downside is that it delays her return to Westeros, which many of her fans were hoping for in the early seasons due to how disconnected she was from the main story.
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“The next time you raise a hand to me will be the last time you have hands.”
Season 1, Episode 4, “Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things”
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Daenerys’ attempt to invite Viserys to supper does not go well. He is furious at the idea of her commanding him and, when Daenerys stands her ground, he strikes her, claiming she “woke the dragon.” However, Daenerys beats Viserys with a golden necklace and gives him a stern warning with this quote.
Viserys kept his control over Daenerys by making her fear to “wake the dragon,” which he used to describe his temper. However, her time in the Dothraki has emboldened her by showing that she controls more power and autonomy than she initially suspected, and won’t hesitate to remind her brother of just who has power in this camp. It is the first major step in Daenerys’s rise to power and authority, and satisfying as hell to watch as Viserys loses what little power he had left in his life on the run.
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“I will take what is mine with fire and blood.”
Season 2, Episode 6, “The Old Gods and the New”
Even after listing her accomplishments, the Spice King refuses to part with his ships. His reasons are pretty sound: ships are how he makes money through trade, and with no guarantee she will win, giving even one to Daenerys will cost him. Daenerys attempts to intimidate him to capitulate to her demands with the above quote, but he still denies her.
This is one of the earliest examples of Daenerys quoting the words of her house and promising ruin to her enemies. However, it also shows one of Daenerys’ worst qualities: how uncompromising she can be with diplomacy. Daenerys often expects people to do things for her due to her family name and dragons and often reacts with indignance and wrath when denied. Still, this is a brilliant showcase for Daenerys’ ancestry, as House Targaryen was largely extinct, and everyone had every reason to doubt the once iconic words; it was up to Dany to make them remember her house’s might—and she did.
