Daenerys Targaryen went by many names throughoutGame of Thrones, collecting titles like they were Pokémon. From the great grass sea of the Dothraki tothe Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, she was known as the Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, and many more besides. But while some of those could come and go, one she was mostly commonly known as was Daenerys Stormborn.
Indeed, though obviously amember of House Targaryen, Stormborn was often used either interchangeably, almost acting like a surname, or sometimes as Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. It is, undoubtedly, a badass title that gives Dany an extra mythic quality and even greater sense of power to her name, but there’s a really simple reason as to why she has it, and it even ends up connecting toGame of Thrones' ending.
Daenerys Stormborn Comes From Her Birth
Daenerys Targaryen Was Born On Dragonstone
The origins of the “Stormborn” name are as old as Daenerys herself, as it comes from her birth on Dragonstone. Dany’s mother, Queen Rhaella Targaryen, fled King’s Landing during Robert’s Rebellion along with her son Viserys, prior tothe Mad King being killed by Jaime Lannister. She was pregnant with Daenerys at that point, giving birth a few months later.
Rhaella went back to House Targaryen’s ancestral seat of Dragonstone, and it was there Daenerys was born amid a great storm…
Rhaella went back to House Targaryen’s ancestral seat of Dragonstone, and it was there Daenerys was born amid a great storm, so devastating it wiped out the Targaryen fleet. It’s from this Daenerys Stormborn comes from, with George R.R. Martin writing in her first chapter inA Game of Thrones:
“She had been born on Dragonstone nine moons after their flight, while a raging summer storm threatened to rip the island fastness apart. They saidthat storm was terrible. The Targaryen fleet was smashed while it lay at anchor, and huge stone blocks were ripped from the parapets and sent hurting into the wild waters of the narrow sea. Her mother had died birthing her, and for that her brother Viserys had never forgiven her.”
Daenerys may have been born on Dragonstone, but did not spend long there. Before Stannis Baratheon could lay siege to the castle, Viserys and Dany were smuggled away by a small group of remaining loyalists, and taken across the narrow sea to Essos. It was there Daenerys grew up, moving around various times, before her marriage to Khal Drogo and the beginning of her story inGame of Thrones.
Season 7, Episode 2 Took Its Title From Daenerys' Name
Fast-forward toGame of Thronesseason 7, and“Stormborn” actually lends itself to the title of an episode, the second installment in the season. Dany had only arrived back in Westeros the episode prior (titled “Dragonstone,” meaning the first two episode titles of the season are connected to her birth) and, having been born in a great storm that destroyed a Targaryen fleet, one plays a big part in her return too (and helps destroy another fleet).
It’s during a storm that Euron Greyjoy and the Iron Fleet attack the Greyjoys and Martells, who had been sailing for Dorne. The story with Euron - who had previously declared himself to be“the storm,”adds to the episode title, but it marks the loss of several key allies for Daenerys, with Ellaria Sand captured along with one of her daughters and Yara Greyjoy, and two of the Sand Snakes murdered.
At Dragonstone, Olenna Tyrell tells her: “You’re a dragon. Be a dragon.”
That itself is an early sign that Dany would need to fight with fire, and ruling Westeros wasn’t going to be easy, but she’s also directly encouraged to unleash that side of her. At Dragonstone,Olenna Tyrell tells her:“You’re a dragon. Be a dragon.”Dany takes that advice and then some - burning the Lannister army, and then Randyll and Dickson Tarly, in season 7 - but it also works as a foreshadowing ofDaenerys burning King’s Landing in season 8.
Game of Thrones: What Happened To Drogon After Daenerys' Death
Drogon flew away with his Khaleesi after Daenerys' death in the Game of Thrones finale. Here’s what’s known about where Drogon went after GoT.
It’s quite fitting that comes in an episode called “Stormborn.” The title conveys a great power; a force of nature, which is what Dany’s dragons were. It suggests something wild, a raging storm that she had inside her. And, as the saying goes, when a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin. Daenerys may or may not have been pre-determined to become the so-called “Mad Queen” but, having been born during a storm (which itself feels an ill-omen), she then became a storm of fury and fire on those who wronged her.
What Daenerys Targaryen’s Other Titles In Game Of Thrones Mean
Dany Picked Up A Lot Of Titles Throughout The HBO Show
Daenerys Stormborn may be one of her most iconic titles, but she held a lot of them throughoutGame of Thrones’ eight seasons. Each carried meaning and power, with some more straightforward than others.
Daenerys’ many titles inGame of Thronesreflect just how great her journey was, and how much she managed to accomplish. They were also played for laughs, such as when she meets Jon Snow for the first time, who only has “King in the North” in response. Each was important, and, while it’s not as official an honorific, Stormborn is absolutely one of her most iconic.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
