Emilia Clarke's Idea of Daenerys Ending Makes the Real One Way Worse

The Game of Thrones actress wanted a happy ending for Daenerys and Jon, and so did we.

When speaking out about her opinion of the Game of Thrones epic ending, Clarke stated that not only did she wish Daenerys could have survived alongside Jon Snow, but she imagined them in an alternate universe living and thriving together - an ending much different and much better.

Daenerys and Jon should have been endgame.

In her perspective, Daenerys and Jon could have ironed out their big differences and made for themselves a future together - that is if Jon hadn't decided to plunge a dagger into his lover's heart in the series finale. This alternative ending, she suggests, could have been a much sweeter taste in the mouths of fans, many of which felt the actual ending was both indigestible and disappointing.

It is a popular opinion among Game of Thrones superfans that the eighth season had its fair share of problems, from accusations of hasty storytelling to unimpressive character development. One recurring theme that seemed to irritate fans the most, is the portrayal of Daenerys as a gentle woman who, as the series progressed, spiraled into a ruthless, dangerous queen. This descent into madness was the reason Jon gave to justify killing her, giving him a hopeful ending while robbing Daenerys of her own happiness in the finale.

Was Daenerys really an innocent gentle soul?

Remember when we first met Daenerys in season 1? She began as a timid girl, bending to the will of her brother Viserys and her husband Khal Drogo. By episode 3, however, she had begun her transformation into a confident and willing soon-to-be leader, making moves to progress her own future. She defied the Dothraki by using blood magic, tricked a slave owner into giving her the Unsullied army before roasting him alive, and commanded her new troops to kill all slave owners. In Qarth, she was chained and vulnerable, yet she unleashed her dragons and escaped.

Daenerys was never one to submit and accept defeat

It’s clear when looking at her entire character arc, that Daenerys was not a sweet innocent driven mad by power during her time at King's Landing. She was a queen in the making from the start; not always a saint, sometimes self-centered, but she had the ability to balance her ambition with her strong sense of justice and a clarity of kindness.

So, maybe Emilia Clarke is onto something. Maybe Daenerys didn’t have to meet such a tragic end and could have had an equally promising future as Jon Snow. Maybe, just maybe, things could have been different.

Source: X.