The mother of dragons is obviously a big deal. Aside from maybe Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen is likely the most important character in the world of Game of Thrones. She’s been set up as one of the characters who may end up on the Iron Throne. She claimed it as her birthright the end of the show’s first season, and she’s been slowly making her way toward that goal ever since.
Daenerys may seem to some, both on the show and outside of it, like a natural fit for the throne. She’s got the bloodline, and her heart is certainly in the right place. What’s more, she has three massive dragons that make conquering Westeros much easier than it might otherwise be. Even though she has all that going for her, Daenerys Targaryen still shouldn’t sit on the Iron Throne. Her virtues are many, but they aren’t enough to make her a worthy ruler for the seven kingdoms.
Dany certainly has her fans. She very well could end up on the throne with those dragons, plus the armies of Dorne and Highgarden. If she does end up ruling Westeros, things probably wouldn’t end well for her or the kingdom.
Here are 15 Reasons Daenerys Should Not Win The Iron Throne.
15. SHE LACKS MILITARY EXPERIENCE
Although military experience probably isn’t a necessity in Westeros, it can’t hurt. After all, many of the rulers we’re led to believe are strong earn that strength through their fighting or war-waging capabilities. It’s true, of course, that Daenerys has advisors around her who do understand the nuances of war, and can guide her in her quest to retake the Seven Kingdoms. Even so, Daenerys will ultimately be the one making the calls for Westeros, and she doesn’t have as much experience fighting as King Robert did.
Of course, many of the male kings of Westeros, including Joffrey and Tommen, didn’t have any experience in battle, and it’s not as if Robert was a great king because of his combat experience. The most likely alternate to Dany is Jon Snow, who does have some combat experience, although the Battle of the Bastards did showcase many of his weaknesses. Dany’s lack of combat experience certainly isn’t an asset, but it may not be a liability either.
14. THE IRON THRONE MAY HAVE TO BE MELTED
A fan theory suggests that no one will ultimately be able to sit on the Iron Throne. They won’t be able to sit there for a really practical reason: the throne will no longer exist. This fan theory suggests that the Iron Throne is actually made of Valyrian Steel swords, and it will have to be melted down in order to defeat the White Walkers.
It’s true, of course, that there are several Valyrian Steel swords around the world of Westeros. Valyrian Steel is supposed to have magical properties, and we saw what it could do to a White Walker during Jon’s battle at Hardhome in the show’s fifth season. Still, if they want more, the show’s many characters may have to melt down the Iron Throne to make it. It would be a symbolic end for the show, one that suggests that the humans of this world have to work together if they are going to beat the most pressing threat in the world of Westeros.
13. SHE HAS NEVER LIVED IN WESTEROS
Although Daenerys’s family hails from Westeros, Dany herself has never set foot there, which may pose something of a problem for her for a number of reasons. For one thing, she’s unaware of many of the customs of the kingdom, and has never experienced most of its people first hand. She doesn’t have a firm grasp on the philosophies of northerners and how they different from southerners, and so on.
On top of that, she doesn’t get the way she will be viewed by those who have lived there their entire lives. She may see it as her home, but many natives will not share that view. It’s true, of course, that most commoners probably aren’t too pleased with the current queen either, but they also may want someone from their own land to rule over them.
Dany does have Tyrion, though, and his ability to maneuver Westerosi political systems knows no bounds.
12. SHE COULD MARRY JON SNOW
The upcoming season of Game of Thrones is shrouded in mystery, but there’s a popular theory that Daenerys will end up marrying Westeros’s most eligible bachelor — Jon Snow. This marriage could be for love, but it would definitely be advantageous for Daenerys and Jon politically, as it would give her a powerful ally in the North against the Lannisters. Unfortunately, this marriage would also keep Dany from taking the throne.
Although it may seem stupid for Daenerys to take this deal, since she believes she is the rightful ruler, she may ultimately come to the realization that Jon’s rule would be good, and he would treat her as an equal. If there’s anything we know about Jon Snow, it’s that he’s enormously respectful. Daenerys may choose to marry him understanding that it’s what’s best for the kingdom, even if it means giving up a huge chunk of her power. It may be a sacrifice that she’s willing to make.
11. SHE’S MUCH BETTER AT CONQUERING THAN SHE IS AT RULING
The fact that she took over Slaver’s Bay may lead some to believe that Daenerys is a natural fit to unite Westeros under her rule, the way her ancestors did centuries before. Unfortunately, Daenerys’s talent for conquering did not extend to ruling. In fact, things got so challenging for her in Meereen that she basically burned the whole thing down and left it for one of her followers to clean up.
Dany would much rather prove her strength than compromise with others, and that leads her to deal in absolutes.
Daenerys has a habit of leaving things unfinished, which means that she usually doesn’t stick around long enough to see if her rule has been prosperous for the people she’s conquered. The addition of Tyrion as hand of the queen makes her much more equipped to rule than she was before, but Dany has yet to prove that she’s great at any part of being a leader – besides deposing the leader that was there before her.