MEAWW.COM / ENTERTAINMENT / TV

'Game of Thrones' Season 8: Episode 1 hints Daenerys may not remain a favorable queen

Daenerys Targaryen started off as a noble heir to the throne, who wanted to be better than those before her, but that might not happen

The arrival of 'Game of Thrones' season 8 has finally put an end to the long wait for the final season, and episode 1 has already created a lot of buzz due to its predicted formula of introducing characters and reuniting them after several long seasons. Coming from creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, episode 1 was set on the last day right before the Great War would break between the White Walkers and the living.

However, as the characters returned as they journeyed to Winterfell, the tension between maintaining a secret and letting out information has gradually tightened its grip around the plot, and it seems one of the major characters is about to disappoint us. 

Daenerys Targaryen's (Emilia Clarke) arrival to Winterfell wasn't very well received by people in the North. While, on one hand, Daenerys was proud about her dragons creating quite a raucous in the otherwise quiet life of the North, Sansa (Sophie Turner) - who is now rightfully the Lady of Winterfell - is completely disgusted with the idea of her brother, Jon (Kit Harington), bending the knee to Daenerys. Tension among the Northerners escalated as Sansa mentioned there wouldn't be enough food to feed the Dothrakis and the Unsullied, let alone two full grown dragons whose appetite has somewhat reduced ever since they stepped in the Northern territory. 

While Sansa's concern was fair, considering she wasn't aware of the bulk of Southerners who are about to enter the North again, Daenerys' reaction in that particular scene was quite unsettling. She is a rebel queen who created her army from scratch, and let's consider for a moment, it wouldn't affect her chances of winning over the Iron Throne even if the North decides to step back from the war. However, Daenerys got what she had asked for, thanks to the absolutely smitten King in the North, and it seems that she is gradually descending upon her father's footsteps, Aerys II Targaryen who was infamously known as the Mad King.

Although, as of now, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) is being addressed as the Mad Queen, from the brief interactions which we witnessed in the first episode of season 8, chances are, Daenerys herself might turn out to be the Mad Queen. She came with an air of arrogance about her, being absolutely disrespectful of the Lady of Winterfell's concerns about her people, and time and again persuaded Jon to make his people believe she is the Queen whom they are bound to obey.

This particular aspect of Daenerys' nature was kept under check for a very long time by Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) who claims that although Daenerys is just as impulsive as Cersei, what sets the rebel queen apart is her urge to be the better person. 

However, looks like the rebel queen might not remain the better person for very long time, and we sort of received an indication of this from the interaction which she has with Samwell (John Bradley). Daenerys confesses to Sam about burning his father and brother alive when they chose to not side with her. Sam was gripped with the fear that Daenerys would turn into the tyrant her father was, and although he remained considerably calm in front of her, he quickly turned to Jon. After revealing Jon's true identity as Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen's love child, Sam told Jon his real name was Aegon Targaryen, which makes him the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.

This put the entire dynamics of loyalty to question for Jon who has already pledged his alliance to Daenerys. However, while Jon's identity formed the backbone to Sam's argument, that Jon should be the one going for the throne, the piece of information that Daenerys is a merciless ruler who burns anyone who chooses not to follow her, stood at the base of it. It is now on Jon to decide if he should let Daenerys become the Queen, and not listen to all of those who are trying to persuade him on deciding otherwise. Sam's question, "You gave up your crown to save your people. Would she do the same?” forms the key clue for Jon to decide on his actions, but the question still remains as to whether he will follow his morals or rely on logic, at least for once.

The promo trailer of episode 2 shows Daenerys speaking the language of a tyrant, as she tells Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) about a bedtime story her brother told of the Kingslayer who murdered their father, and what they would do to the murderer once the Targaryen siblings lay their hands on him. On the other hand, we also see a cold exchange of words between Daenerys and Sansa, who had not started off on a good note. Whatever happens, it will ultimately depend on what Jon decides for Daenerys and if he is willing to remain suppressed in his blind affection for her. 'Game of Thrones' season 8 episode 2 returns April 21.