Game of Thrones: 7 best (and 5 worst) Daenerys Targaryen episodes

Best Daenerys Targaryen episodes: “Battle of the Bastards”

While the central storyline of the season 6 episode “Battle of the Bastards” is, of course, all about Jon Snow versus Ramsay Bolton, the episode is also great for Daenerys. She’s not involved in the events taking place in the North, but she does make significant moves in Meereen.

At the start of the episode, Dany uses Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion to launch an attack on the masters’ fleet, as they want to retake the city and enslave its people once more. At this point, it’s been proven how passionately against slavery Dany is, and she has no other choice but to use her dragons and army to put a stop to it.

Dany is not quick to use violence (for the majority of the show, at least), but she will when she needs to protect innocent people. This act sends a powerful message about her strength and the control she has over her dragons as she prepares to sail to Westeros. Plus, the episode is just awesome because we get to see her ride Drogon and cause major havoc. It’s a great way to begin the episode.

Worst Daenerys Targaryen episodes: “The Last of the Starks”

Unfortunately, the majority of the episodes I’m calling Daenerys’ worst on this list come in the final two seasons of the show. I don’t mean to be a hater of seasons 7 and 8, but I mean…these episodes are when Dany messes up the most. (I blame the writers, not her!)

In the season 8 episode “The Last of the Starks,” Dany finds herself in a tough situation up north. She’s feeling threatened by Sansa Stark and has found out that Jon Snow has a claim to the Iron Throne. Though Jon is loyal to her, she pressures him to keep his true identity a secret. I certainly can’t blame her for feeling overwhelmed, and her actions in this episode are a result of that.

Daenerys is adamant they must storm King’s Landing, and she makes the mistake of bringing both dragons with her. This leads to Rhaegal getting killed and Missandei being captured and then beheaded, leaving Cersei with the upper hand. This episode is truly terrible for Dany, and it sets in motion her actions in “The Bells.”