Game of Thrones: Daenerys’ 10 Biggest Mistakes (That We Can Learn From)

Daenerys Targaryen almost had it all in Game of Thrones, but she makes several mistakes that causes her descent from grace. The Targaryen queen slowly rises to power in exile in Essos, hatching dragons and conquering Slaver’s Bay whilst on a campaign to abolish slavery.

The Dragon Queen’s inner demons get the better of her during her conquest of Westeros. Daenerys loses several loves ones during her fight against the Night King and Cersei Lannister, including Jorah Mormont, Rhaegal, and Missandei. Daenerys was a powerful player in the game of thrones but made countless mistakes that we can all learn from…

10 Falling In Love With Jon Snow

Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow’s romance was doomed from the start. The lovers were oblivious to Jon’s heritage as the trueborn heir of House Targaryen and Dany’s nephew. Although Daenerys sacrificed a lot to defend the North from the White Walkers, Jon kills her in the series finale after she destroys King’s Landing.

Daenerys made a big mistake that we can all relate to by falling in love with Jon. Like the Targaryen queen, we should try and be more cautious with matters of the heart.

9 Helping The Starks

Daenerys agreed to fight the Night King with Jon before the King in the North bent the knee, yet in Season 8, the North resents Daenerys for seemingly forcing their king to swear fealty. Sansa Stark and the other Northerners are openly hostile to the Targaryen forces even after the Dragon Queen leads the fight against the dead, defending Winterfell.

Sansa tells Tyrion about Jon’s true parentage which causes dissent in Dany’s council. We can learn from this mistake of Daenerys’ to be more careful with the people we help.

8 Killing The Masters Before A Trial

Whilst marching from Yunkai to Meereen, Daenerys discovers the crucified bodies of 163 slave children. The Targaryen queen crucifies 163 Great Masters in vengeance after she takes the city, though regrets this after Hizdahr zo Loraq informs her that his father and several other people opposed the crime she punished them for.

Daenerys acted out of haste and made a mistake by not giving the Masters a trial first. We can learn from this by heeding the words of Barristan Selmy and answering “injustice with mercy.”

7 Destroying King’s Landing

Daenerys’ biggest mistake is her fiery destruction of King’s Landing. The Targaryen queen destroys the Iron Fleet as her armies overwhelm the Lannister forces. The city surrenders, but a grieving Daenerys descends into Targaryen madness and burns thousands of innocent people with dragonfire.

The Dragon Queen was consumed with rage, and allowed her fury to get the better of her. This divisive moment teaches a lesson not to let anger rule our decisions.

6 Leaving Daario In Meereen

Tyrion Lannister convinces Daenerys to leave her paramour Daario Naharis in Meereen when the Targaryen forces set sail for Westeros. Daario implores Dany to take him with her but she refuses, leaving him and the Second Sons in charge of the city.

Daario was loyal to Daenerys, and could have protected her during her conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. This mistake of the Dragon Queen’s stresses the importance of valuing loyalty and surrounding ourselves with people we trust.

5 Banishing Jorah

Daenerys makes a similar mistake when she exiles Ser Jorah Mormont from Meereen. The Targaryen queen discovers the disgraced knight spied on her for Varys and exiles him from the city. Jorah returns with Tyrion in tow, and the Lannister convinces Daenerys to banish Jorah from Meereen again.

Jorah luckily returns to Daenerys in time to save her from an attack by the Sons of the Harpy. This is another moment that highlights the importance of trust and loyalty.

4 Making Tyrion Her Hand

The duo of fan-favorite characters Tyrion Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen initially seemed like a Game Of Thrones dream team. However, in serving the Dragon Queen, Tyrion displayed little of the political brilliance fans saw during his tenure as Hand of the King to Joffrey.

Tyrion made several glaring mistakes as Daenerys’ Hand, including repeatedly underestimating his sister, Cersei. The Targaryen queen made a mistake by making him her Hand and trusting him to fight against his family.

3 Ignoring Olenna’s Advice

Daenerys initially arrives in Westeros with three dragons, two armies, and the allegiance of Dorne and the Reach. Tyrion counsels her against attacking King’s Landing, and she agrees despite Olenna Tyrell warning her against it. This leads to several huge blows against her army including the siege of Highgarden and Olenna’s death.

The Targaryen queen takes King’s Landing with ease in “The Bells” before her controversial meltdown. If she had listened to Olenna, Yara and the Sand Snakes, and attacked King’s Landing when she first arrived in Westeros, then the war could have been over quickly with minimal bloodshed.

2 Forgetting About The Iron Fleet

Daenerys makes a grave mistake in Season 8’s “The Last of the Starks” which results in Rhaegal and Missandei’s deaths. Despite being warned about Euron Greyjoy earlier by Varys, the Targaryen queen omits the Iron Fleet, and they ambush her at Dragonstone. Her dragon is shot down by scorpions, and Missandei is captured and executed by Cersei.

The Dragon Queen loses her child and her best friend, and is further driven to madness. This vital mistake could have been avoided if Daenerys had been more mindful of the positions of her enemies and less hasty to resume her war with Cersei.

1 Trusting Mirri Maz Duur

This is one of Daenerys’ earliest mistakes in Game of Thrones that has terrible consequences for the Khaleesi. Daenerys rescues Mirri Maz Duur after Khal Drogo’s khalasar sacks her village whilst preparing to invade Westeros. She asks Mirri for help when her husband becomes ill, which results in the deaths of Drogo and her unborn child, Rhaego.

Daenerys believed she had saved Mirri but Mirri tells her that she had already been assaulted and witnessed the destruction of her home. This mistake teaches Daenerys ⁠— and viewers ⁠— vital lessons about trust.

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