Daenerys Targaryen became one of Game of Thrones’ most polarizing characters by the series’ end, leading some to hate and love her with a passion

Daenerys Targaryen is one of the characters who changed the most throughout Game of Thrones. She began as a character with little agency, yet she became one of the show’s most formidable and resilient characters.

It’s no secret that many Game of Thrones fans were disappointed by the culmination of her story, among many, many things. From beginning to end, though, Daenerys proved to be a character able to elicit both sympathy and anger from fans. So without further delay, grab a Starbucks coffee cup that’s not supposed to be there as we look at 5 times we felt bad for Daenerys and 5 times we hated her!

FELT BAD FOR HER: Getting Sold Into Marriage By Her Brother

All Viserys Targaryen cared about was getting revenge and sitting on the Iron Throne. Viserys was happy to force his sister Daenerys to marry Khal Drogo, all in the hopes of using Drogo’s khalasar to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. He did not give Daenerys any say in the matter.

The show changed some details from the book and made Daenerys’ first physically intimate experience with Drogo non-consensual. With all of this happening in the first episode, fans immediately felt bad for Daenerys.

HATED HER: Executing Mossador

Mossador helped convince his fellow slaves to rise up against the Masters and champion Daenerys. He became a member of Daenerys’ small council and provided valuable representation for the common people in Meereen.

When a Son of the Harpy was captured, Daenerys decided to give him a fair trial. Since the Sons of the Harpy wanted to reinstate slavery, Mossador understandably feared them. He wanted the captive to be killed rather than treated with mercy. Mossador proceeded to kill the captive, but Daenerys then had him publicly executed for his crime, to prove that no one was above the law. This was a terrible move as Daenerys lost a valuable ally and the sympathy of the common people, all so she could prove a point.

FELT BAD FOR HER: Losing Drogo & Her Child

Despite the problematic beginning to their relationship, Daenerys and Drogo did grow to genuinely love each other and were even going to have a child together. Mirri Maz Duur ruined all of this when she manipulated Daenerys into saving Drogo’s life with blood magic.

Drogo did survive, but he became nothing more than a living vegetable as a result. Daenerys lost her child as well. With Drogo no longer the strongest Dothraki, almost everyone in the khalasar abandoned Daenerys. Eventually, she had to smother Drogo to death and put him out of his misery.

HATED HER: Commanding Daario To Stay Behind

When Daenerys was finally ready to set sail for Westeros, she commanded Daario Naharis to stay behind in Meereen. She did this because Daario would complicate any potential marriage alliances she could make.

While it was a practical move, it was also cruel and self-destructive. Daario was always loyal to Daenerys and he made her happy. She tore someone out of her life who she loved and who loved her deeply; someone who’d always proved himself to be a loyal and valuable ally.

FELT BAD FOR HER: Being A Captive Of The Dothraki

Daenerys had developed so much since she was with the Dothraki in season 1 of Game of Thrones. In season 6, it felt wrong for such a mighty queen to now be a captive of the Dothraki.

She was first offered to Khal Moro as a gift and then seen as nothing more than the widow of Khal Drogo. The khals paid for these crimes as Daenerys burned them alive and she proved her indomitable strength, which convinced the khalasar to be loyal to her.

HATED HER: Killing Varys

Varys told Daenerys up front that he would never be blindly loyal to her as his loyalty would always be to the realm. All Varys ever did was keep his promise and stick to his principles.

When Daenerys began to lose her way, he began exploring other options for the good of the realm. Thanks to her, the world lost one of its wisest and most cunning members, and Tyrion lost his best friend.

FELT BAD FOR HER: Losing Jorah Mormont

Many characters came and went out of Daenerys’ life, but few cared about her as deeply as Jorah Mormont did. He believed in her back when no one else did. As her oldest advisor and friend, Jorah dedicated his life to her. At the Battle of Winterfell, he fought to defend her until his very last breath.

Daenerys had already experienced a great deal of loss in her life. Her close history with Jorah made his loss particularly difficult as she had to move forward without the man whom she counted on for so long.

HATED HER: Torching King’s Landing

After enduring so much loss and suffering, it’s understandable that Daenerys reached her breaking point. That still doesn’t excuse the fact that she torched King’s Landing and the countless citizens who lived there.

Even though she dedicated her life to creating a world founded on justice and freedom, Daenerys ended up committing an unspeakable and unforgivable massacre.

FELT BAD FOR HER: Losing Viserion & Rhaegal

No parent should have to experience the loss of a child. Daenerys’ dragons were bascially her children and she witnessed two of them dying before her very eyes.

Viserion was brought down by the Night King and Rhaegal was brought down by Euron Greyjoy. Their deaths were graphic and it was devastating to watch their pierced bodies plummet from the skies where they once flew freely.

HATED HER: Becoming A Dictator

It was crushing to see Daenerys become a dictator. After torching King’s Landing and all of the city’s people, she began building her kingdom off the foundation of their ashes. She spoke to the Unsullied and the Dothraki about their “victory” not being enough and that they would not rest until they “liberated” the entire world.

Daenerys became the Mad Queen Tyrion swore she would never become. In the end, she became the worst version of herself as she transformed into the kind of person she’d always fought against.