Game of Thrones as Myth: Hero’s Journey in Season 6
DAENERYS TARGARYEN
Like Jon Snow, Season 5 left Daenerys Targaryen locked into the Apotheosis stage of her journey.
Apotheosis (Stage 10): the hero suffers a death, either spiritually or physically, and achieves a state of knowledge and understanding to equip him (her) upon his (her) return. He (she) now views the world in a radically different way.
Lost in the wilderness, Daenerys has been captured by the Dothraki and carried off to Vaes Dothrak. Her disappearance is a form of spiritual death, and she hovers in the Apotheosis stage for much of the early season. But her journey busts loose again once she emerges naked from the flames of the Temple of the Dosh Khaleen in “Book of the Stranger” (S6/Ep4).
"“Only birth can conquer death—the birth, not of the old thing again, but of something new.” —Joseph Campbell"
Charging into the Ultimate Boon (Stage 11), Dany wins two of the prizes necessary to achieve her ultimate quest of conquering Westeros: a massive Dothraki army and a huge fleet to carry it in. Once she takes the Iron Throne, she plans to “use the boon to everyone’s advantage” by building a society free of slavery and royal oppression for her newly conquered subjects.
Our Dragon Queen is, of course, as certain of her destiny as always. “I take what is mine,” she says in “Blood of my Blood.” And she does not experience The Refusal of Return (Stage 12). Like Jason once he has won the golden fleece, all she wants to do is get home with her prizes.
Like Jon Snow, Dany receives a lot of assistance along the way as per Rescue from Without (Stage 14): Dany is helped by Jorah and Daario in her spectacle at Vaes Dothrak. And her dragons, counselors, and soldiers are instrumental to her defeat of the Masters at Slavers Bay.
What’s next for Dany, now that she has her army, fleet, and dragons sailing across the Narrow Sea? This is potentially Magic Flight (Stage 13) territory, where Dany must escape with her boon. Her pursuer might appear in the form of Euron Greyjoy and his Ironborn fleet, who may intercept her before she can reach Westeros and continue her quest.
