DAENERYS TARGARYEN APPRECIATION MONTH 2022 || Day 28 - Antithesis to the Game of Thrones — Daenerys Targaryen breaks every major rule of the Game of Thrones (insp.)

+ bonus:

Barristan Selmy believes that the worst people played the game of thrones, and yet he (after hiding his true identity from Dany and observing her at first) decides to follow Daenerys Targaryen because he realizes that she is the antithesis to the game of thrones - she is a good queen who plays by her own rules, who genuinely cares about her people and who will stop at nothing to protect them.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN APPRECIATION MONTH 2022

Day 9: Anti parallels with the current ruling elite of Westeros and Essos & Day 28: Antithesis to the Game of Thrones - Dany’s idea of realm and rulership

Daenerys Targaryen Appreciation Month: Day 9 and 28

Day 9: Anti Parallel with the Ruling Elite of Westeros

Dany has shown herself to be a much different kind of monarch than most, if not all, the ruling monarchs Robert Baratheon became King. Best examples would be Cersei and Joffrey who have both sat on the Iron Throne. Cersei and Joffrey sit high above their subjects on a unique throne and rule over them with cruelty and tyranny. They see themselves as superior to them. Dany on the other hand sees herself as equal to her people. That is why she chooses to sit on a simple bench at the bottom of the stairs so she can be at an equal level with her people. This was even confirmed by GRRM himself.

Day 28: Antithesis to the Game of Thrones

We all know Cersei’s iconic line. “When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground”. Those who play the game play to further their own self interests. No concern for the smallfolk. Just how can they make themselves and their House (but mostly themselves) stronger and better than everyone else. Dany on the other hand is all about helping the smallfolk. Ending slavery isn’t in her interest to take the Iron Throne. But it doesn’t matter. Dany has immense empathy and compassion. As far as she’s concerned she cannot leave people to suffer even if it will not help her take back the Iron Throne. This is the polar opposite of those who play the game of thrones. To them the smallfolk are collateral. Unimportant except to be used as tools. But to Dany being a Queen means protecting those who cannot protect themselves.

Dany Month Day 28: Antithesis to the Game of Thrones

“‘When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.’” -AGOT, Eddard XIII

“‘Why do the gods make kings and queens, if not to protect the ones who can't protect themselves?’” -ASOS, Daenerys III

Everyone remembers Cersei’s iconic quote about how to play the game of thrones, and she’s stating it from the perspective of someone who sees the game as a way to serve their own self-interests, to look out only for yourself and your own, with the power you gain being well worth whatever price others have to pay. Dany, on the other hand, constantly sees rulership as a way to serve others, not herself, and is unwilling to be as ruthless and selfish as other characters, like Cersei, insist you have to be.