Game of Thrones: 7 best (and 5 worst) Daenerys Targaryen episodes
Best Daenerys Targaryen episode: “A Golden Crown”
Taking it all the way back to the first season of Game of Thrones, one of the most memorable episodes for Daenerys is “A Golden Crown,” where her storyline takes a dramatic turn. After being forced into marrying Dothraki leader Khal Drogo, she goes to great lengths to prove her strength, at one point eating a raw horse heart as part of a ritual.
As I mentioned, Dany is a timid, scared young woman at the start of the show, but her confidence begins to grow after marrying Drogo. Eating the heart is the first time she really earns respect from the Dothraki people, as she proves she’s stronger than she looks and is ready to become a mother.
Of course, this episode is major for Daenerys for another reason; it’s when her brother Viserys dies. Viserys is very clearly jealous of Daenerys’ popularity with the Dothraki and realizes they don’t want him as their king. He causes a scene and threatens to kill Daenerys, saying he just wants his crown. In an unpredictable turn of events, Drogo agrees before dumping molten gold over his head, instantly killing him.
Dany doesn’t stop this from happening and instead looks relieved and empowered, ending the scene with a fantastic line: “He was no dragon. Fire cannot kill a dragon.” This episode truly is the beginning of Daenerys’ evolution, and Viserys dying is probably the best thing that could’ve ever happened to her.
Worst Daenerys Targaryen episodes: “Beyond the Wall”
Season 7’s “Beyond the Wall” is one of the most frustrating episodes of Game of Thrones ever, and unfortunately, it’s a big one for Daenerys as she loses one of her dragons. I’m still not over how terrible of a plan it was for Jon Snow and co. to kidnap a wight; it just doesn’t make any sense. And although they’re saved by Dany, Viserion is killed by the Night King and then resurrected into as an undead thrall to the Night King.
There’s not a whole lot of logic in this episode, a common complaint fans had with the final two seasons of the show. The pacing is also distractingly inconsistent. For Daenerys’ storyline specifically, while she’s able to temporarily demonstrate how powerful she is, the loss of Viserion is a huge blow to her cause. This is one of the weaker episodes of Game of Thrones’ run and a straight-up embarrassingly bad one for Dany.