If you haven’t seen the last season, or are waiting to catch up, turn back now. There will be spoilers.
Last April’s lackluster conclusion to the eight season, 73-episode-long series Game of Thrones, left something to be desired. The last season had fans protesting overly dark episodes, and crying “character assassination” as the Mother of Dragons slaughtered thousands of innocents in an unlikely act of madness.
The controversy from that decision, among others set forth by the directors David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, has since died down. However, this only made room for speculation as to what exactly happened to Daenerys of the House Targaryen, (the First of Her Name, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons). In her last moments on screen, Dany is taken out of the Game of Thrones by her boyfriend-nephew Jon Snow in what he and other advisors considered a mercy killing. Her last remaining dragon, Drogon, destroys the Iron Throne and YEETS that fresh momma corpse off into the sunset (alright he lovingly scoops her up and flies east).
Fans theorized that Drogon might be taking Daenerys to Asshai where a Red Priestess might be able to resurrect her as Melisandre did for Jon Snow. This theory gained a following on reddit, and posits that once resurrected Dany might go to the Shadowlands where there is still wild and untamed magic, and especially people who need a queen. Fans don’t have to theorize anymore, though, because as of last Thursday, Emilia Clarke, the Mother of Dragons herself, revealed what she thinks happened after Drogon and Dany flew away. According to Clarke, Daenerys is 100% dead, saying that “I (Daenerys) really am [dead]. I feel like that was– He really stuck the knife in guys, that went all the way in.” During a Q & A portion of a charity livestream, she was asked what exactly she thought happened after dead-mom and dragon-son flew off into the sunset. At first she joked how she typically answers that they’ve gone to Hawaii, but quickly got serious:
“There’s a theory that Drogon would have eventually eaten me.
And by way of/kind of two-become-one, in a beautiful way.
Like I was cremated thus ashes to ashes, etc…He eats you with love.
I think that’s kind of poetic, and lovely.”
For fans this might come as a shocking blow, that Clarke doesn’t see a magical failsafe for her beloved character. But perhaps it’s best left that way where the show, much like Daenerys, is very dead and the story over. Clarke revealed this information while on a YouTube charity livestream that benefited her charity SameYou. SameYou was founded after she suffered two brain haemorrhages in 2011 and 2013. SameYou strives to provide rehabilitation support to those recovering from brain injuries and to raise awareness. The livestream was hosted by Irish YouTuber and celebrity personality Séan McLoughlin, better known by his YouTube moniker, JackSepticeye. McLoughlin hosts a charity livestream each month with donations and full proceeds from the purchase of limited-edition cause-specific pins going to said charities. This live stream was special as it was the first time a celebrity guest was invited to co-host the stream (a celebrity from one of his favorite shows no less). In total they raised $278,275 from the four-and-a-half hour livestream and the last four days. If you want to see Clarke’s explanation yourself (or want to see McLaughlin teaching Clarke what YEET means, the two dabbing, playing games, and doing karaoke), you can watch the archived stream here.