#this is also why i low-key root for jonerys

[aboveallarescuer]

Daenerys Targaryen's tropes - Rule of Three

Sometimes called trebling, the Rule of Three is a pattern used in stories and jokes, where part of the story is told three times, with minor variations. The first two instances build tension, and the third releases it by incorporating a twist.

Three is the smallest number required to create a pattern, so it's especially common in storytelling.The third of three siblings succeeds after their older siblings each failed. The protagonist is given three tests and receives the prize after the third. It's almost unusual to find a folktale that does not incorporate the Rule of Three in some form. This may be an artifact of the oral tradition, in which the stock formula of the first, second, and third attempts makes the story easier to remember.

[...] Sometimes, an event needs to be shown three times to establish that a variation to the norm is happening. The first time the audience sees this event, they see it happening a certain way, but they don't yet know that this is typical. The second time they see it, it is the same as the first. This establishes that this is the standard way that things always happen. The third time they see the event in question, it is different, so the audience knows that this is a deviation from the norm. 

Dany's story is deliberately filled with Rule of Three examples. This trope is so significant to her character that GRRM even had her acknowledge it:

Her bell rang softly, and Dany found her thoughts returning to the Palace of Dust once more, as the tongue returns to a space left by a missing tooth. Child of three, they had called her, daughter of death, slayer of lies, bride of fire. So many threes. Three fires, three mounts to ride, three treasons. (ACOK Daenerys V)

Examples where the third time breaks the norm

1) Dany was the third of three siblings and became/will become everything that they couldn't be - conqueror, queen and savior

Dany had only been conceived when Aegon and his sister were murdered. Their father, her brother Rhaegar, perished even earlier, slain by the Usurper on the Trident. Her brother Viserys had died screaming in Vaes Dothrak with a crown of molten gold upon his head. They will kill me too if I allow it. (ADWD Daenerys I)

2) Dany has three dragon dreams, with the third happening just before she births her dragons

There are no more dragons, Dany thought, staring at her brother, though she did not dare say it aloud.

Yet that night she dreamt of one. Viserys was hitting her, hurting her. She was naked, clumsy with fear. She ran from him, but her body seemed thick and ungainly. He struck her again. She stumbled and fell. “You woke the dragon,” he screamed as he kicked her. “You woke the dragon, you woke the dragon.” Her thighs were slick with blood. She closed her eyes and whimpered. As if in answer, there was a hideous ripping sound and the crackling of some great fire. When she looked again, Viserys was gone, great columns of flame rose all around, and in the midst of them was the dragon. It turned its great head slowly. When its molten eyes found hers, she woke, shaking and covered with a fine sheen of sweat. (AGOT Daenerys II)

~

Yet when she slept that night, she dreamt the dragon dream again. Viserys was not in it this time. There was only her and the dragon. Its scales were black as night, wet and slick with blood. Her blood, Dany sensed. Its eyes were pools of molten magma, and when it opened its mouth, the flame came roaring out in a hot jet. She could hear it singing to her, She opened her arms to the fire, embraced it, let it swallow her whole, let it cleanse her and temper her and scour her clean. She could feel her flesh sear and blacken and slough away, could feel her blood boil and turn to steam, and yet there was no pain. She felt strong and new and fierce. (AGOT Daenerys III)

~

Wings shadowed her fever dreams.


[...] Ghosts lined the hallway, dressed in the faded raiment of kings. In their hands were swords of pale fire. They had hair of silver and hair of gold and hair of platinum white, and their eyes were opal and amethyst, tourmaline and jade. “Faster,” they cried, “faster, faster.” She raced, her feet melting the stone wherever they touched. “Faster!” the ghosts cried as one, and she screamed and threw herself forward. A great knife of pain ripped down her back, and she felt her skin tear open and smelled the stench of burning blood and saw the shadow of wings. And Daenerys Targaryen flew.

“... wake the dragon ...”

The door loomed before her, the red door, so close, so close, the hall was a blur around her, the cold receding behind. And now the stone was gone and she flew across the Dothraki sea, high and higher, the green rippling beneath, and all that lived and breathed fled in terror from the shadow of her wings. She could smell home, she could see it, there, just beyond that door, green fields and great stone houses and arms to keep her warm, there. She threw open the door.

“... the dragon ...”

And saw her brother Rhaegar, mounted on a stallion as black as his armor. Fire glimmered red through the narrow eye slit of his helm. “The last dragon,” Ser Jorah’s voice whispered faintly. “The last, the last.” Dany lifted his polished black visor. The face within was her own. (AGOT Daenerys IX)

3) Dany wakes up three times from fever dreams and gets up in the third attempt

She woke to the taste of ashes.


“No,” she moaned, “no, please.”


“Khaleesi?” Jhiqui hovered over her, a frightened doe. (AGOT Daenerys IX)

~

After a time—a night, a day, a year, she could not say—she woke again. The tent was dark, its silken walls flapping like wings when the wind gusted outside. This time Dany did not attempt to rise. (AGOT Daenerys IX)

~

When she woke the third time, a shaft of golden sunlight was pouring through the smoke hole of the tent, and her arms were wrapped around a dragon’s egg. It was the pale one, its scales the color of butter cream, veined with whorls of gold and bronze, and Dany could feel the heat of it. Beneath her bedsilks, a fine sheen of perspiration covered her bare skin. Dragondew, she thought. Her fingers trailed lightly across the surface of the shell, tracing the wisps of gold, and deep in the stone she felt something twist and stretch in response. It did not frighten her. All her fear was gone, burned away. (AGOT Daenerys IX)

4) Dany attempts to birth the dragons in three different ways: sleeping alongside the dragon eggs, putting them on a brazier and placing them on Drogo's funeral pyre. The third attempt works

“Please, bring me one of the dragon’s eggs.”

Irri fetched the egg with the deep green shell, bronze flecks shining amid its scales as she turned it in her small hands. Dany curled up on her side, pulling the sandsilk cloak across her and cradling the egg in the hollow between her swollen belly and small, tender breasts. She liked to hold them. They were so beautiful, and sometimes just being close to them made her feel stronger, braver, as if somehow she were drawing strength from the stone dragons locked inside.

She was lying there, holding the egg, when she felt the child move within her ... as if he were reaching out, brother to brother, blood to blood. “You are the dragon,” Dany whispered to him, “the true dragon. I know it. I know it.” And she smiled, and went to sleep dreaming of home. (AGOT Daenerys IV)

~

Was it madness that seized her then, born of fear? Or some strange wisdom buried in her blood? Dany could not have said. She heard her own voice saying, “Ser Jorah, light the brazier.” “Khaleesi?” The knight looked at her strangely. “It is so hot. Are you certain?” She had never been so certain. “Yes. I ... I have a chill. Light the brazier.”

He bowed. “As you command.”

When the coals were afire, Dany sent Ser Jorah from her. She had to be alone to do what she must do. This is madness, she told herself as she lifted the black-and-scarlet egg from the velvet. It will only crack and burn, and it’s so beautiful, Ser Jorah will call me a fool if I ruin it, and yet, and yet ...

Cradling the egg with both hands, she carried it to the fire and pushed it down amongst the burning coals. The black scales seemed to glow as they drank the heat. Flames licked against the stone with small red tongues. Dany placed the other two eggs beside the black one in the fire. As she stepped back from the brazier, the breath trembled in her throat.

She watched until the coals had turned to ashes. Drifting sparks floated up and out of the smokehole. Heat shimmered in waves around the dragon’s eggs. And that was all. (AGOT Daenerys VI)

~

She had sensed the truth of it long ago, Dany thought as she took a step closer to the conflagration, but the brazier had not been hot enough. The flames writhed before her like the women who had danced at her wedding, whirling and singing and spinning their yellow and orange and crimson veils, fearsome to behold, yet lovely, so lovely, alive with heat. Dany opened her arms to them, her skin flushed and glowing. This is a wedding, too, she thought. Mirri Maz Duur had fallen silent. The godswife thought her a child, but children grow, and children learn. (AGOT Daenerys X)

5) Dany births three dragons. She bonds with and rides the third one

She heard a crack, the sound of shattering stone. [...]

And there came a second crack, loud and sharp as thunder, and the smoke stirred and whirled around her and the pyre shifted, the logs exploding as the fire touched their secret hearts. [...]

Unafraid, Dany stepped forward into the firestorm, calling to her children.

The third crack was as loud and sharp as the breaking of the world. (AGOT Daenerys X)

~

Daenerys Targaryen vaulted onto the dragon’s back, seized the spear, and ripped it out. The point was half-melted, the iron red-hot, glowing. She flung it aside. Drogon twisted under her, his muscles rippling as he gathered his strength. The air was thick with sand. Dany could not see, she could not breathe, she could not think. The black wings cracked like thunder, and suddenly the scarlet sands were falling away beneath her.

Dizzy, Dany closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she glimpsed the Meereenese beneath her through a haze of tears and dust, pouring up the steps and out into the streets.

The lash was still in her hand. She flicked it against Drogon’s neck and cried, “Higher!” Her other hand clutched at his scales, her fingers scrabbling for purchase. Drogon’s wide black wings beat the air. Dany could feel the heat of him between her thighs. Her heart felt as if it were about to burst. Yes, she thought, yes, now, now, do it, do it, take me, take me, FLY! (ADWD Daenerys IX)

6) Dany sends her three bloodriders to look for a safe place to go and the third (who had followed the comet, strongly implying that it was indeed showing her the way) returns with news of Qarth, which is where she ultimately goes

“I have need of you. Each of you is to choose three horses, the hardiest and healthiest that remain to us. Load as much water and food as your mounts can bear, and ride forth for me. Aggo shall strike southwest, Rakharo due south. Jhogo, you are to follow shierak qiya on southeast.”

“What shall we seek, Khaleesi?” asked Jhogo.

“Whatever there is,” Dany answered. “Seek for other cities, living and dead. Seek for caravans and people. Seek for rivers and lakes and the great salt sea. Find how far this waste extends before us, and what lies on the other side. When I leave this place, I do not mean to strike out blind again. I will know where I am bound, and how best to get there.” (ACOK Daenerys I)

~

Rakharo was the first to return. Due south the red waste stretched on and on, he reported, until it ended on a bleak shore beside the poison water. Between here and there lay only swirling sand, wind-scoured rocks, and plants bristly with sharp thorns. He had passed the bones of a dragon, he swore, so immense that he had ridden his horse through its great black jaws. Other than that, he had seen nothing. (ACOK Daenerys I)

~

Aggo was back next. The southwest was barren and burnt, he swore. He had found the ruins of two more cities, smaller than Vaes Tolorro but otherwise the same. One was warded by a ring of skulls mounted on rusted iron spears, so he dared not enter, but he had explored the second for as long as he could. (ACOK Daenerys I)

~

Jhogo was gone so long that Dany feared him lost, but finally when they had all but ceased to look for him, he came riding up from the southeast. One of the guards that Aggo had posted saw him first and gave a shout, and Dany rushed to the walls to see for herself. It was true. Jhogo came, yet not alone. Behind him rode three queerly garbed strangers atop ugly humped creatures that dwarfed any horse.

They drew rein before the city gates, and looked up to see Dany on the wall above them. “Blood of my blood,” Jhogo called, “I have been to the great city Qarth, and returned with three who would look on you with their own eyes.” (ACOK Daenerys I)

7) The third fire that Dany must light is to (rather than for) love

The whispers became a swirling song. ... three fires must you light ... one for life and one for death and one to love ... (ACOK Daenerys IV)

8) Dany conquered three cities and ruled the third one

This dragon queen who wears her name is a true Targaryen. When I sent ships to bring her home, she turned toward Slaver’s Bay. In a short span of days she conquered Astapor, made Yunkai bend the knee, and sacked Meereen. (ADWD Tyrion II)

~

“Meereen is not Westeros, Your Grace.”

“But how can I rule seven kingdoms if I cannot rule a single city? [...] I will not let this city go the way of Astapor. I will not let the harpy of Yunkai chain up those I’ve freed all over again.” She turned back to look at their faces. “I will not march.”

“What will you do then, Khaleesi?” asked Rakharo.

“Stay,” she said. “Rule. And be a queen.” (ASOS Daenerys VI)

9) Dany is given the option to leave Meereen for Westeros three times in ADWD and only chooses to do so in the third time

“You turned north when you should have continued south and west, across the Summer Sea, but with my gift you shall soon be back where you belong. Accept my galleys with a joyful heart, and bend your oars westward.”

Would that I could. “My lord, I will gladly have those ships, but I cannot give you the promise that you ask.” She took his hand. “Give me the galleys, and I swear that Qarth will have the friendship of Meereen until the stars go out. Let me trade with them, and you will have a good part of the profits.”

Xaro’s glad smile died upon his lips. “What are you saying? Are you telling me you will not go?”

“I cannot go.” (ADWD Daenerys III)

~

“Your Grace, I must entreat you. My father’s strength is failing, but his devotion to your cause is as strong as ever. If my manner or my person have displeased you, that is my sorrow, but—”

“If you would please me, ser, be happy for me,” Daenerys said. “This is my wedding day. They will be dancing in the Yellow City, I do not doubt.” She sighed. “Rise, my prince, and smile. One day I shall return to Westeros to claim my father’s throne, and look to Dorne for help. But on this day the Yunkai’i have my city ringed in steel. I may die before I see my Seven Kingdoms. Hizdahr may die. Westeros may be swallowed by the waves.” Dany kissed his cheek. “Come. It’s time I wed.” (ADWD Daenerys VII)

~

You took Meereen, he told her, yet still you lingered. “To be a queen.”

You are a queen, her bear said. In Westeros.

“It is such a long way,” she complained. “I was tired, Jorah. I was weary of war. I wanted to rest, to laugh, to plant trees and see them grow. I am only a young girl.”

No. You are the blood of the dragon. The whispering was growing fainter, as if Ser Jorah were falling farther behind. Dragons plant no trees. Remember that. Remember who you are, what you were made to be. Remember your words.

“Fire and Blood,” Daenerys told the swaying grass. (ADWD Daenerys X)

Examples of three instances without a twist

1) The dragon has three heads (refers to the prophecy, to House Targaryen's sigil and to the Conquest Trio)

“There must be one more,” he said, though whether he was speaking to her or the woman in the bed she could not say. “The dragon has three heads.” (ACOK Daenerys IV)

~

“The dragon has three heads,” she sighed. “Do you know what that means, Jorah?”

“Your Grace? The sigil of House Targaryen is a three-headed dragon, red on black.”

“I know that. But there are no three-headed dragons.”

“The three heads were Aegon and his sisters.”

“Visenya and Rhaenys,” she recalled. “I am descended from Aegon and Rhaenys through their son Aenys and their grandson Jaehaerys.” (ACOK Daenerys V)

2) Dany is given three handmaids

Her brother Viserys gifted her with three handmaids. Dany knew they had cost him nothing; Illyrio no doubt had provided the girls. Irri and Jhiqui were copper-skinned Dothraki with black hair and almond-shaped eyes, Doreah a fair-haired, blue-eyed Lysene girl. (AGOT Daenerys II)

 3) Dany has three bloodriders

She turned to the three young warriors of her khas. “Jhogo, to you I give the silver-handled whip that was my bride gift, and name you ko, and ask your oath, that you will live and die as blood of my blood, riding at my side to keep me safe from harm.”

Jhogo took the whip from her hands, but his face was confused. “Khaleesi,” he said hesitantly, “this is not done. It would shame me, to be bloodrider to a woman.”

“Aggo,” Dany called, paying no heed to Jhogo’s words. If I look back I am lost. “To you I give the dragonbone bow that was my bride gift.” It was double-curved, shiny black and exquisite, taller than she was. “I name you ko, and ask your oath, that you should live and die as blood of my blood, riding at my side to keep me safe from harm.”

Aggo accepted the bow with lowered eyes. “I cannot say these words. Only a man can lead a khalasar or name a ko.”

“Rakharo,” Dany said, turning away from the refusal, “you shall have the great arakh that was my bride gift, with hilt and blade chased in gold. And you too I name my ko, and ask that you live and die as blood of my blood, riding at my side to keep me safe from harm.”

“You are khaleesi,” Rakharo said, taking the arakh. “I shall ride at your side to Vaes Dothrak beneath the Mother of Mountains, and keep you safe from harm until you take your place with the crones of the dosh khaleen. No more can I promise.” (AGOT Daenerys X)

4) Dany is the mother of three dragons

And my dragons, never forget. In time, the dragons would be her most formidable guardians, just as they had been for Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters three hundred years ago. Just now, though, they brought her more danger than protection. In all the world there were but three living dragons, and those were hers; they were a wonder, and a terror, and beyond price. (ASOS Daenerys I)

5) Dany is met by three representatives from Qarth at Vaes Tolorro (who are a deliberate reference to the Three Wise Men visiting Jesus after his birth)

One of the guards that Aggo had posted saw him first and gave a shout, and Dany rushed to the walls to see for herself. It was true. Jhogo came, yet not alone. Behind him rode three queerly garbed strangers atop ugly humped creatures that dwarfed any horse.

They drew rein before the city gates, and looked up to see Dany on the wall above them. “Blood of my blood,” Jhogo called, “I have been to the great city Qarth, and returned with three who would look on you with their own eyes.” (ACOK Daenerys I)

6) Dany receives three prophecy visions: she will light three fires and ride three mounts and know three treasons

Her own heart was beating in unison to the one that floated before her, blue and corrupt ... three mounts must you ride ... one to bed and one to dread and one to love ... The voices were growing louder, she realized, and it seemed her heart was slowing, and even her breath. ... three treasons will you know ... once for blood and once for gold and once for love ... (ACOK Daenerys IV)

7) Dany is called the child of three and is given three titles contextualized by multiple visions - daughter of death (because three men died so she could become who she is), slayer of lies (because she will reveal three assertions to be false) and bride of fire (because she will take three husbands).

Then phantoms shivered through the murk, images in indigo. Viserys screamed as the molten gold ran down his cheeks and filled his mouth. A tall lord with copper skin and silver-gold hair stood beneath the banner of a fiery stallion, a burning city behind him. Rubies flew like drops of blood from the chest of a dying prince, and he sank to his knees in the water and with his last breath murmured a woman’s name. ... mother of dragons, daughter of death ... Glowing like sunset, a red sword was raised in the hand of a blue-eyed king who cast no shadow. A cloth dragon swayed on poles amidst a cheering crowd. From a smoking tower, a great stone beast took wing, breathing shadow fire. ... mother of dragons, slayer of lies ... Her silver was trotting through the grass, to a darkling stream beneath a sea of stars. A corpse stood at the prow of a ship, eyes bright in his dead face, grey lips smiling sadly. A blue flower grew from a chink in a wall of ice, and filled the air with sweetness. ... mother of dragons, bride of fire ... (ACOK Daenerys V)

~

Child of three, they had called her, daughter of death, slayer of lies, bride of fire. (ACOK Daenerys V)

8) Illyrio sends Dany three ships

“It is so, Your Grace,” Arstan Whitebeard said. “The great cog Saduleon is berthed at the end of the quay, and the galleys Summer Sun and Joso’s Prank are anchored beyond the breakwater.”

Three heads has the dragon, Dany thought, wondering. “I shall tell my people to make ready to depart at once. But the ships that bring me home must bear different names.”

“As you wish,” said Arstan. “What names would you prefer?”

“Vhagar,” Daenerys told him. “Meraxes. And Balerion. Paint the names on their hulls in golden letters three feet high, Arstan. I want every man who sees them to know the dragons are returned.” (ACOK Daenerys V)

9) Three suitors outside Meereen are attempting to reach Dany in ADWD

When Victarion opened his hand, his palm was red with blood. “I’ll go to Slaver’s Bay, aye. I’ll find this dragon woman, and I’ll bring her back.” But not for you. You stole my wife and despoiled her, so I’ll have yours. The fairest woman in the world, for me. (AFFC The Reaver)

~

That was before Prince Doran had summoned him to the Water Gardens. And now the most beautiful woman in the world was waiting in Meereen, and he meant to do his duty and claim her for his bride. She will not refuse me. She will honor the agreement. Daenerys Targaryen would need Dorne to win the Seven Kingdoms, and that meant that she would need him. It does not mean that she will love me, though. She may not even like me. (ADWD The Merchant's Man)

~

“...It does make for a splendid story, and the singers will make much of your escape once you take the Iron Throne … assuming that our fair Daenerys takes you for her consort.”

“She will. She must.”

“Must?” Tyrion made a tsking sound. “That is not a word queens like to hear. You are her perfect prince, agreed, bright and bold and comely as any maid could wish. Daenerys Targaryen is no maid, however. She is the widow of a Dothraki khal, a mother of dragons and sacker of cities, Aegon the Conqueror with teats. She may not prove as willing as you wish.”

“She’ll be willing.” Prince Aegon sounded shocked. It was plain that he had never before considered the possibility that his bride-to-be might refuse him. (ADWD Tyrion VI)

Speculations

Considering how the Rule of Three was so important to Dany's story so far, it's only natural that people also use it to speculate on her future.

1) Dany is the third Daenerys that we get to know of and the one that will get to rule

While the three Daenerys’ don’t have anything close to similar lives, each of the Daenerys’ of the past seem to intentionally have call backs or call forwards to the canon era Dany. Both of them seem to foreshadow Dany’s current and future storylines with pushes for social progress and her future as the reigning Queen of Westeros. (x)

2) Dany's story is illustrated by the three walls of Qarth. It has three phases marked by her time with the Dothraki, by her actions in Slaver's Bay and, later, by love (read more about this in this meta)

Three thick walls encircled Qarth, elaborately carved. The outer was red sandstone, thirty feet high and decorated with animals: snakes slithering, kites flying, fish swimming, intermingled with wolves of the red waste and striped horses and monstrous elephants. The middle wall, forty feet high, was grey granite alive with scenes of war: the clash of sword and shield and spear, arrows in flight, heroes at battle and babes being butchered, pyres of the dead. The innermost wall was fifty feet of black marble, with carvings that made Dany blush until she told herself that she was being a fool. She was no maid; if she could look on the grey wall’s scenes of slaughter, why should she avert her eyes from the sight of men and women giving pleasure to one another? (ACOK Daenerys I)

~

Most of the "firsts” seem to relate to the beginning of Dany’s journey and her life with the Dothraki, just as the first wall of Qarth.

[...] Most of the “seconds” of the prophecies seem to relate to moments of war or moments in Slaver’s Bay, just like the second wall of Qarth is full of scenes of war. 

[...] And Dany’s third prophecies seem to mostly relate to love. Fire to love, mount to love and treason for love. (x)

3) Dany embraced fire and blood in two moments that marked the end of the first and second phases of her journey and will either do so again or reject it towards the end of the third phase

No, she wanted to shout to him, no, my good knight, do not fear for me. The fire is mine. I am Daenerys Stormborn, daughter of dragons, bride of dragons, mother of dragons, don’t you see? Don’t you SEE? With a belch of flame and smoke that reached thirty feet into the sky, the pyre collapsed and came down around her. Unafraid, Dany stepped forward into the firestorm, calling to her children. (AGOT Daenerys X)

~

You are the blood of the dragon. The whispering was growing fainter, as if Ser Jorah were falling farther behind. Dragons plant no trees. Remember that. Remember who you are, what you were made to be. Remember your words.

“Fire and Blood,” Daenerys told the swaying grass. (ADWD Daenerys X)

4) Dany had/will have two brief and unhappy marriages with her first two husbands (Drogo being represented by the silver, Hizdahr being represented by the corpse). Her third husband (Jon being represented by the blue flower) will finally allow her to enter a long and happy marriage (which the vision itself suggests since the blue flower "filled the air with sweetness")

Her silver was trotting through the grass, to a darkling stream beneath a sea of stars. A corpse stood at the prow of a ship, eyes bright in his dead face, grey lips smiling sadly. A blue flower grew from a chink in a wall of ice, and filled the air with sweetness. ... mother of dragons, bride of fire ... (ACOK Daenerys V)

~

The blue flower in the wall of ice is without doubt Jon. And this comes during the bride of fire prophecy, and it’s the third vision of the prophecy, meaning that it will happen during the third phase of Dany’s story, the one that is focused on romantic and sexual love. (x)

5) Dany had her first child killed and miscarried her second child. Her third child (with Jon) will live

She could feel the heat inside her, a terrible burning in her womb. Her son was tall and proud, with Drogo’s copper skin and her own silver-gold hair, violet eyes shaped like almonds. And he smiled for her and began to lift his hand toward hers, but when he opened his mouth the fire poured out. She saw his heart burning through his chest, and in an instant he was gone, consumed like a moth by a candle, turned to ash. She wept for her child, the promise of a sweet mouth on her breast, but her tears turned to steam as they touched her skin. (AGOT Daenerys IX)

~

When she woke, gasping, her thighs were slick with blood.

For a moment she did not realize what it was. The world had just begun to lighten, and the tall grass rustled softly in the wind. No, please, let me sleep some more. I’m so tired. She tried to burrow back beneath the pile of grass she had torn up when she went to sleep. Some of the stalks felt wet. Had it rained again? She sat up, afraid that she had soiled herself as she slept. When she brought her fingers to her face, she could smell the blood on them. Am I dying? Then she saw the pale crescent moon, floating high above the grass, and it came to her that this was no more than her moon blood.

If she had not been so sick and scared, that might have come as a relief. Instead she began to shiver violently. She rubbed her fingers through the dirt, and grabbed a handful of grass to wipe between her legs. The dragon does not weep. She was bleeding, but it was only woman’s blood. The moon is still a crescent, though. How can that be? She tried to remember the last time she had bled. The last full moon? The one before? The one before that? No, it cannot have been so long as that. (ADWD Daenerys X)

6) Dany is the third of the three queens (after Cersei and Margaery) that Littlefinger is referring to

“...What little peace and order the five kings left us will not long survive the three queens, I fear.”

“Three queens?” She did not understand. (AFFC Alayne II)

7) Dany is the younger more beautiful queen that Cersei is afraid of, which is only fitting since she will be specifically the third of the three candidates (after Sansa and Margaery) that Cersei will suspect

“I will be queen, though?” asked the younger her.

“Aye.” Malice gleamed in Maggy’s yellow eyes. “Queen you shall be ... until there comes another, younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear.” (AFFC Cersei VIII)

8) Dany couldn't trust the first two Qartheen envoys, only the third

“I have been to the great city Qarth, and returned with three who would look on you with their own eyes.”

Dany stared down at the strangers. “Here I stand. Look, if that is your pleasure ... but first tell me your names.”

The pale man with the blue lips replied in guttural Dothraki, “I am Pyat Pree, the great warlock.”

The bald man with the jewels in his nose answered in the Valyrian of the Free Cities, “I am Xaro Xhoan Daxos of the Thirteen, a merchant prince of Qarth.”

The woman in the lacquered wooden mask said in the Common Tongue of the Seven Kingdoms, “I am Quaithe of the Shadow. We come seeking dragons.” (ACOK Daenerys I) 

[stardyng]

salty ask list- asoiaf 1-15

1. What OTPs in your fandom(s) do you just not get?* 

Jon x Ygritte (ASOIAF): I think that finds this relationship rather uninteresting in the books. I felt like the show improved it, but in the books, I couldn’t enjoy it that much due to how much Ygritte would say ‘’You know nothing Jon Snow’’, and how she blackmailed him into sex. I don’t hate it, I just don’t care for it. 

Jon x Daenerys (GOT): Before watching the 7th season, I was perfectly open to the idea of a romance between these two characters, but in the show itself, it was a whole ass mess. It was barely developed, and the show-writers needed other characters to point out that they were into each other for me and a lot of other viewers to get that it was supposed to be something romantic because of how half-assed every one of their supposedly romantic interactions were. In the books, I do think that it would be executed much better than it was in the show. The pairing itself doesn’t bother me though, just it’s execution. 

Tormund x Brienne (GOT): I do understand the appeal in this relationship, especially in terms of the humor related to it, but I just can’t stand behind it, and it’s not just because I’m a rather fervent Braime shipper. I just find it a bit uncomfortable how he constantly tries to flirt with her when she shows clear signs that she isn’t the least interested in him. 

2. Are there any popular fandom OTPs you only BroTP?*

Gendry x Arya (ASOIAF/GOT): In my opinion, they act like siblings with each other, but ask any other GOT/ASOIAF fans, and they are soulmates. I’ll be fine if it happens, but I never got anything besides platonic vibes from them.

3. Have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion?

Jonerys (GOT): I’m fine with Jonerys and Daenerys stans appearing in my dash, but the person I was following posted so much Jonerys that it literally flooded by dashboard. It was just too much content for a ship I really don’t care for. 

4. Do you have a NoTP in your fandom? Are they a popular OTP?*

Sandor x Sansa (ASOIAF/GOT): He’s almost twice her age, he constantly belittles and torments her, he is sexually attracted to her despite her being an 11-12 year old, he threatens to kill her numerous times, he gets in her space often and even grabs her multiple time without her consent. I don’t really enjoy their interactions because in most of them, he has to degrade her, and I’m rather tired of it. 

Petyr x Sansa (ASOIAF/GOT): I love their interactions together (especially these where he isn’t flirting with her) because you can tell that he respects her opinion and her abililities/intelligence, and that he really is making her aware of multiple of her skills, however, it’s still awful especially if we’re talking romantically. He’s as old as her mother, he kisses her without her consent often, and just everything he does in regards to her is absolutely creepy. Just the fact that he started the war that led to half of her family members dying should be enough for there to be not be people rallying for this relationship. 

Ramsey x Sansa (GOT): I don’t need to say anything but re-watch season 5 if you ship this. 

Ramsey x Theon (ASOIAF): Re-watch season 3-5 and read Reek ADWD chapters you twisted fuckers. 

Drogo x Daenerys (ASOIAF/GOT): Let’s start this by saying that Drogo raped Daenerys in both the book and show. In the show, it was in their first night together whereas in the books, she was droven to tears because of his constant assault of her body. I really don’t like how the writers turned that into some kind of romantic relationship that we are supposed to root for. It’s really not. Drogo himself is terrible. He pillages villages, which leads to hundreds of men and children being killed and women being raped and enslaved. I really don’t understand how people could be cheering at something like this or why the writers thought it was a good idea to present it in a positive manner. 

Jorah x Daenerys (ASOIAF/GOT): He’s another grown adult romantically and sexually attracted to a child. People feel bad for him because he’s friendzoned but due they realize that this dude fell in love with her when she was a child. And that’s not even addressing the fact that he is an ex-slaver and just such as awfully boring character. 

Rhaegar x Lyanna (ASOIAF/GOT): Rhaegar is a piece of shit who had a wife that he just left to go run away with a 16 year old girl just because he cared about some prophecy. How low can you get? And don’t think Lyanna is any less terrible when she knew what she was doing as well. It doesn’t help that them running away together was inconsiderate to literally everyone in their lives, and that happening was the first step to a rather massive war. How many people had to die because of their selfishness? And some people just blindly ship it too. Elia Martell deserved better. 

5. Has fandom ever ruined a pairing for you?*

Tyrion x Sansa (ASOIAF/GOT): I actually liked the idea of Tyrion and Sansa being together after watching the show for the first time. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the age difference, which I now see as enough of a problem. However, I rather liked that pairing, and then I went online excited to see people talk about it, and found out that the reason a lot of people want them together was to punish Sansa for wanting to be someone she finds attractive and apparently not appreciating Tyrion enough. All of that is bullshit especially when Tyrion expects to be with someone conventionally attractive as well and how he molested her and is bitter because she didn’t want to have sex with him. He doens’t deserve an award for not raping her. The books in general definitely made sure that I became anti sanryion due to how awful he could be to her sometimes. 

6. Has fandom ever made you enjoy a pairing you previously hated?*

Jon x Sansa (ASOIAF/GOT): I didn’t really hate the idea of JonSa so much as it was apprehensive about it due to the fact that it is incest. I don’t exactly ship it but I am open to the idea of them happening because of the Jonsas I came across. It’s the only major Sansa pairing that doesn’t force Sansa in a relationship with an adult man who treated her horribly. I don’t know how to explain it but the existence of JonSa led to a wave of new Sansa fans who not only defend her character and appreciate parts of her that a lot of the fandom didn’t, but just generally treats her character with respect. It also helps that they have fantastic meta, and often discuss theories that I am fond of like DarkDany (and to a lesser extent, Political!Jon)

7. Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?*

Arya Stark (GOT): I really enjoyed Arya’s character in the first few season of the show when I was first watching. Even after I went through her Braavos storyline, she was in my five favourite game of thrones characters. However that changed with season 7. I didn’t like how she was obsessed with revenge to the point of cooking people into pies, her constant shaming of Sansa for liking nice things, how she immediately wanted to kill the lords of the north just because they didn’t like their new leader, how she threatened to kill Sansa and how hypocritical she was being about Sansa being the hostage of the Lannisters when she served as cupholder to Tywin. I also didn’t like the way the actress was portraying her character this season, it seemed really off. I hope for a better season 8 for her, but I doubt I’ll forgive her for all that she said and did this season. Book Arya is such a better character, especially because they let her be a much more emotionally vulnerable and human. If you want an elaboration of this, I made a post about it. 

Tyrion Lannister (ASOIAF): I don’t exactly hate Tyrion, but the books made my opinion of his character change. Because of them, I started to realize that ShowTyrion stopped having a character arc after season 4, and only exists as pure comic relief at this point, whereas in the books, I really don’t enjoy the way he mistreats the women in his life, and a lot of the other horrible stuff he is doing. As a character, I’m rather fond of him because his arc is rather brilliantly written, but he’s a really awful person and not a lot of fans are willing to admit it. 

8. Have you received anon hate? What about?*

Daenerys Targaryen (GOT): It’s not a surprise that Daenerys fans wouldn’t enjoy my constant support of the DarkDany theory, which has to be my favorite theory in this series. I just love all of the things it implies thematically and narratively. It makes Dany much more of a better character, and really makes it evident that all the horrible things she did in the past few season are considered to be bad things by the narrative, and existed to build her up to when she went to the point of no return and aren’t just actions we were supposed to hail her for. 

Arya Stark (GOT): My negative opinion on Arya in Season 7 had led to a few anons who needed to remind me that Sansa betrayed the Stark family, that she isn’t in the key 5, that Arya has more chapters than her among other petty things. 

Sandor x Sansa (ASOIAF): Some people don’t like when I point out that this ship is problematic on so many levels. 

9. Most disliked character(s)? Why?

Lyanna Mormont (GOT): I actually made a post explaining why I don’t like her.

Maester Pycelle (GOT): I know he does a lot of horrible stuff but I just hate him for the crime of talking so damn slowly. 

Victorian Greyjoy (ASOIAF): I don’t usually dislike characters the narrative tells me to dislike, but I can’t stand this dude. He killed his wife because his brother raped her. He murdered tons of prostitutes, manages to find new and innovative ways to be idiotic, and is just incredibly misogynistic.

10. Most disliked arc? Why?

Samwell Tarly (ASOIAF): I don’t really enjoy the wall storyline in the first place, and I’m even less so interested in Sam’s character and his development. I just don’t find anything interesting in his character or his arc. Everyone else has some appeal to their arc, but he just doesn’t have anything going for him in my opinion.   

Arya Stark (ACOK): I enjoy a lot of Arya chapters in other books, but I have never read anything as tedious and boring as her 10 chapters in A Clash of Kings. That’s just way too many chapters for an arc where nothing of interest happens. Her entire supporting cast is not the least bit interesting unlike literally every other POV character. I understand the themes the author was diving into, but they were done in a much more poignant manner with Brienne in AFFC. Her character was good in that book, but I just didn’t myself entertained by what I was reading.  

Jon Snow (ACOK/ASOS): Jon’s story in A Dance With Dragons remains to be one of my favorite parts of the entire story, but I didn’t expect it to be because of how much I didn’t enjoy the happenings at The Wall in the books preceding it. I just don’t find him wandering beyond the wall that interesting, nor do I find his whole infiltrating in Mance Rayder’s camp shenanigan entertaining. I don’t care that much about the white walkers, or the wildlings of the night’s watch in genera. I was honestly surprised at how GRRM was able to take all of these things that I didn’t like and make a fantastic story arc that was revolved around it in ADWD. 

11. Is there an unpopular character you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?

Harrold Hardying (ASOIAF): I absolutely adore Harry The Heir and his dynamic with Sansa, but everyone else seems to use him as a prop in their fanfiction for their favorite ship. I just enjoy seeing this confident jerk be thrown off guard by Sansa, and constantly left embarassed and bewildered by her. He laughs at her jokes, he calls her beautiful without being creepy about it, he compliments her intelligence, like yeah he blundered in the beginning, but he shown more respect to Sansa in that one scene then Tyrion/Sandor even did in all of their interactions combined. 

Melisandre Of Asshai (ASOIAF/GOT): It’s hard to find people who are a fan of her character in the books and even more so in the show. Her entire character and how she was built up to be the way she is (and why she does everything she does) is so fascinating but people are quick to dismiss her which is a bit sad to me. 

12. Is there an unpopular arc that you like that the fandom doesn’t? Why?

Daenerys Targaryen (ADWD): I have never hid the fact that I love Daenery and her arc in the books, but it wasn’t until ADWD that I came to that realization. I always love these storylines where someone in power is left to make decisions where there are no clear right and wrong and it’s their upbringing and morality that affect how they make their decision, and we get to see how their own principles start affecting an entire population, and how that population reacts to these changes. Daenerys ADWD does just that and rather perfectly. Not only that but it really explores every side of her character, and we see try desperately to find somewhere where she can belong in her efforts of planting trees and making a home, but with all that happens through out the book, she eventually ends up abandoning that ideal and the reasons why she wanted to stay, be a child, and live her life in Essos, in order to embrace her identity as a Targaryen and her other wish which is it to bring fire and blood to Westoros. 

Brienne Of Tarth (AFFC): Can I just say what a fantastic arc this is? There are definitely a lot of people who would agree with me but there are even more who hate AFFC, and a major part of it is Brienne’s chapters in that book. I found them extremely entertaining. We get to understand her character and her backstory through out the chapters, GRRM continues to dive in the theme of what is a ‘’true knight’’, we get to see how this kind of society especially in times of war affect the peasants, and a variety of fascinating and interesting characters from the Riverlands. I know I only dived into the surface of why it is so good, but with moments like ‘’No chance and no choice.’’ and the broken men monologue, I don’t think I need to justify it’s greatness when it already does it well enough itself. 

Theon Greyjoy (ACOK): Everyone and their mother appreciates Theon’s ADWD arc and for good reason, but far less tend to enjoy his character or his arc in this book which make sense, but I really like it. It’s his whole internal fight about his identity and where he belongs and his allegiances that I find really fascinating. We get his wish to be a Greyjoy and a Stark at the same time pull him apart and drive him into desperation. I think it’s one of the better examples in the series where a character internal conflict impacted the story in such a grand manner. 

Sansa Stark (AGOT): There are things that are universally hated by a fandom, and Sansa chapters in AGOT are one of them. Read a review of the first book, a thread about that book or even ask people who read the books why they don’t like Sansa, and it will become evident that not many people seem to enjoy this part of her journey. Personally, I completely disagree. Not only do I enjoy her character and that book, but I love so much about these chapters. It’s interesting that GRRM used Sansa’s arc in that book as a way to criticize how the medieval society is romanticized, how her upbringings didn’t prepare her for the things she faces in this book, how we see her naivety and innocence slowly crack in this book, how she has a constant internal struggle about how she views life and people and her allegiances, how there’s different layers you can peel off from this part of her story, and how it ends with one of my favorite lines in the story being ‘’Sansa was a good girl and always remembered her courtesies.’’, and while she had made many mistakes because of the way that she was brought up, she uses parts of what she learnt in the past(her courtesies) to survive in the books following this one. 

13. Unpopular opinion about XXX character?

Jon Snow (GOT): I actually adore Jon in the books, whereas in the show, while he doesn’t offend me, I honestly find him a bit boring. For me, he’s like the generic adult high fantasy male protagonist, and doesn’t set himself apart like everyone else. In a story where we see characters who either deconstruct these typical tropes from these stories, challenge them or even come from tropes that aren’t quite explored in them, he just exists as a trope I have seen a thousand other times. They removed everything that made him an actually compelling and complex characters in my opinion. 

14. Unpopular opinion about your fandom?

Jonsa Fans: I feel like people are very quick to degrade that part of the fandom and whatever theory they hold which is I find to be a bother since there’s so many amazing theories and metas that were created by Jonsa’s that people don’t want to take seriously because it comes from them. Plus, Jonsa’s go in detail about why they believe that XXX thing will happen, and I feel like they in general but also their opinions should be given the respect they deserve. 

Rhaegar/Lyanna: They are both terrible people whose action led to so many death yet everyone just casually accepts it and it’s a bit frustrating. Like okay yes he didn’t rape or kidnap her, but that doesn’t erase all the other terrible things that he has done. And yes she is 16 years old, but that’s not an excuse to be that inconsiderate about everyone in your life and pull this kind of bullshit. 

15. Unpopular opinion about the manga/show?

A Feast For Crows: While this is the least popular book in the series, it remains to be my favorite. A Feast For Crows is the thematic high point of the series. Every arc in that book is extremely well-written, and develops it’s core characters to an extent not seen in the series before. Cersei’s arc was the best take on ruling from the books in my perspective. Jaime’s character arc is fantastically put out. The themes of “true knights” and “broken men” are probably some of the best developed ones in Brienne’s Arc. Arya’s and Sansa’s training are not only showcase a clear growth but portrays a streamlined clear version of the development in terms of their capabilities. The Iron Islands and Dorne were also stellar, and have very satisfying peaks (Kingsmoot, Princess In The Tower). It’s definitely a slower book, as it gives a much more introspective outlook into the world, it’s themes and it’s characters.   

A Game Of Thrones: It’s the best book for none of the POVs (besides Ned for obvious reasons). It’s sets up the story rather nicely, but every other book has story lines that are way more interesting. 

Season 3: After Season 5 and 7, this has to be the worst season of the show.  Sansa’s storyline basically consists of ‘’OMG SHE LIKES LORAS THAT IS SO FUNNY BECAUSE HE’S GAY’’ and nonsense that D&D seem to love, for the entirety of the season. Theon getting tortured for an entire season was just ridiculous and overdone if I want to be honest. Arya, Tyrion, Jon and Bran barely do anything as well. The story moves at a ridiculously slow pace, and the only memorable storyline is Jaime’s (and The Red Wedding). You could try to fight me on this but it’s true. 

[medschoolash]

Hello, first let let me introduce myself as an elia martell lover, and second I kinda low key ship jonerys though my two oops with Jon are Samxjon and Robbxjon, but I know you ship jonsa and that's great we should all ship and let ship, but all this fandom drama between opposite side shippers is getting to me so to feel a bit better I'm looking to just avoided tumblr for a while but before leaving I wanna ask what makes you ship jonsa? I genuinely want to know.

Hello, thanks for introducing yourself to me.

I started working on this reply then I loss it so I can’t make any promises that it will be any good.

So why do I like Jonsa?

1. They aren’t meant to be

Now I know this might seem like a weird reason to like a ship but this is one of my favorite things about Jon and Sansa. The world of GOT is gritty and cut throat. It’s a fantasy world but it’s not a fairytale world. That’s why the idea of these two people going through so much individually away from each other, being on seemingly opposite paths in life romantically, but reuniting at this crucial moment and developing genuine feelings is so appealing to me. Their love wouldn’t be fated by the universe. It wouldn’t be something that was always meant to happen, it wouldn’t be something that was inevitable. It would be something that blossoms because of who they are and what they mean to each other. It would mirror how real life love tends to happen. In real life we don’t go on parallel journeys with our great loves and then meet at a universe determined point of convergence and instantly fall in love. We exist in our worlds and sometimes it’s pretty and sometimes it’s ugly and then suddenly you’re at concert and you lock eyes with this guy and he’s handsome and you exchange numbers and you get to know him and he makes you feel respected and valued and wanted and you fall in love with him. When I think about Jon and Sansa and how their love story would be that’s what I think of. Two people who existed in a shared world but never understood each other until one day they lock eyes at castle black and relief washes over them because it’s familiar and they both really need familiar. Then one day Sansa realizes that this guy makes her feel respected and valued and safe and she loves him for it. And for Jon, he looks at her one day and she’s beautiful and she’s smart and she challenges him and she gives him a reason to fight in this brutal world again and he loves her for it. It’s not a fairytale but it’s beautiful in it’s own right because it’s organic and pure

2. They compliment each other

Sansa has been through so much and she’s rightfully hardened. She’s not a hateful Bitch by any means, but Sansa has grown used to being betrayed which is breed feelings of mistrust in her and a low tolerance for bullshit. Jon brings a necessary balance to this in sansa. He’s still very much empathetic to those he even sees as an enemy. He still has a element of idealism to him that I think Sansa will need in her life so that she doesn’t slip into the type of hardness we saw in Cersei. Jon still trusts people, he still trusts in the goodness in people and I don’t think Sansa does but I think she needs to because even tho the songs were lies, even tho she had to have her fairytales ripped away from her in the harshest of ways, there are still good people in the world, there are still trustworthy people out there. She doesn’t have to walk around with a wall of suspicion all the time, doing so will get exhausting eventually. Jon has already brought this to her life because he’s restored her faith in men and he can keep doing this for her. As for Jon, well Jon can be a dumbass sometimes let’s just be honest lol Sansa brings a necessary sense of pragmatism to Jon to balance out his impulsiveness. Sansa is very smart and well versed in this game they will have to keep playing for the rest of their lives. She’s the missing link Jon needs to make sure he doesn’t end up like his predecessors. They make the perfect team and have a mutual respect and understanding that makes them well suited to build a stable and good life together.

I also like that Jon is very passionate. I know we associate Jon with broodiness most of the time but I’ve always seen an innate passion in Jon. He’s passionate about his family, he was passionate about the watch, he was passionate about ygritte, and now he’s passionate about Sansa. Maybe it’s the targ blood or even the wolf in him but he has a fire in him that I think Sansa needs after all of her experiences. She needs a man who will bring something innately passionate to her, spark a fire in her, push her, frustrate her, arouse her. She needs someone who won’t treat her like porcelain glass and I feel like Jon can do that. Jon needs someone who will in a way dominate him and I think Sansa can do that. When I say dominate him I don’t mean someone who makes him their little pet and constantly gets him to bend to their will. I mean someone who will challenge him in a way that makes him stand back in awe. Someone who makes him feel less like a hero or a savior and more like a regular person who doesn’t know everything and doesn’t do the right thing all the time. Sansa does that, she illuminates his flaws in a way that makes him adjust, not feel inadequate, she respects his leadership but she doesn’t worship at his feet. She sees him as a good competent man but he’s not infallible, he’s not just a hero, he’s Jon and sometimes Jon is stupid, sometimes Jon is impulsive, sometimes Jon needs to be checked just like everyone else. Sansa is the best person to do this from him, she already does it. To borrow Kit’s words Sansa twists Jon in a way that no one else does and he needs that in his life after experiencing something like a death and a resurrection because without it he becomes the mythic god that all these people thinks he is, that he doesn’t want to be.

3. They make sense

Even from a nonromantic standpoint Jon and Sansa make sense. I like things that make sense, that aren’t rooted in just my emotions but also logic. I think ships where there is a rational reason why they would fall for each other or end up together in some way and Jon and Sansa have a lot of logic to back up a potential marriage. Sansa is the key to the north, she always has been. Once Jon’s parentage is revealed he will need her if he wants any claim over the north. A marriage with Jon would be politically advantageous for both of them, giving Sansa power that she needs to maintain her autonomy and giving Jon a claim over the north that he will need of if he wants to unite the 7 kingdoms. It’s hard to resist something that makes so much sense which is why once I realized how good of a match they were and that there was a precedent for cousin marriages I couldn’t resist.

I hope this answers your question. I know I rambled a lot and in my original reply my thoughts were organized but better but this is pretty much why I ship the two of them.