Daenerys Targaryen Acts In Character

There are a lot of complaints about last night’s episode of Game of Thrones, titled “The Bells.” The primary complaint seems to be that Daenerys suddenly becomes the “Mad Queen” when she torches everyone — citizen and soldier alike — in King’s Landing. Practically everyone has come to believe that Dany was going to be a benevolent dictator, an enlightened despot — but what I saw last night was completely consistent with what Dany has done for all eight seasons.

Daenerys believes it is her destiny to sit on the Iron Throne. The funny thing about believing something is your destiny: you are apt to do literally anything to ensure you in fact fulfill that destiny. We see this in Stannis Baratheon, who after being converted to the religion of the Lord of Light, is convinced it is his destiny to both sit on the Iron Throne and to introduce this monotheistic religion to the Seven Kingdoms. He is the prophesied hero, according to Melisandre, which only secures his belief that it’s his destiny to rule. This goes well beyond the right, as brother of the deceased king, to the throne, but involves a belief in fate, an absolute certainty about the future. What is Stannis willing to do to realize this destiny? Literally the worst thing imaginable: he sacrifices his own daughter. Naturally, such an action does in fact seal his fate, ensuring people turn against him, ensuring his death.

People will do terrible things to ensure their destiny is realized, and Daenerys is no different. She has never been any different. She has been…