Khaleesi

Khaleesi

Daenerys Targaryen ( də-NAIR-iss tar-GAIR-ee-ən) is a fictional character in the series of epic fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire by American author George R. R. Martin, and the television adaptation Game of Thrones, portrayed by English actress Emilia Clarke. In the novels, she is a prominent point of view character. She is one of the series' most popular characters, and The New York Times cites her as one of the author's finest creations.Introduced in 1996's A Game of Thrones, Daenerys is one of the last surviving members (along with her older brother, Viserys) of House Targaryen which, until 14 years before the events of the first novel, had ruled Westeros from the Iron Throne for nearly 300 years before being ousted. She subsequently appeared in A Clash of Kings (1998) and A Storm of Swords (2000). Daenerys was one of a few prominent characters not included in 2005's A Feast for Crows, but returned in the next novel A Dance with Dragons (2011).In the story, Daenerys is in her early teens living in exile in Essos. She remains dependent on her abusive older brother, Viserys, and is forced to marry Dothraki horselord Khal Drogo in exchange for an army for Viserys, who wishes to return to Westeros and recapture the Iron Throne. Daenerys adapts to life with the Dothraki, and her character emerges as strong, confident and courageous. She becomes the heir of the Targaryen dynasty after her brother's murder and plans to reclaim the Iron Throne herself, seeing it as her birthright. A pregnant Daenerys loses her husband and child, but soon helps to hatch three dragons from their eggs. The dragons provide her with a tactical advantage and prestige. She also acquires an army of former slave soldiers with which she conquers the cities of Yunkai, Astapor and Meereen, determined to end slavery and injustice. Despite her strong moral compass, she can deal ruthlessly with her enemies, particularly slave masters. She establishes herself as a powerful and relentless ruler. Her character arc from heroic to villainous at the end of the HBO series has been a source of controversy with critics and fans. Clarke's portrayal of Daenerys in the series garnered Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013, 2015 and 2016 and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2019. She has also earned many other nominations and accolades for her portrayal.

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