Daenerys Targaryen's Hair Should Rule The Seven Kingdoms
With the Battle of Winterfell officially won, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) has made it out of the Long Night relatively unscathed. No one really anticipated that she would meet an untimely death in the North, but Game of Thrones fans also didn't expect what's coming next to happen so soon: Daenerys setting sail to reclaim the Iron Throne.
Regardless of where your house loyalty currently lies, you can't deny that Daenerys' character arc is one of the best in and out of Westeros, and her evolving look proves it. After all, some of the most telling clues in Game of Thrones hide in the characters' signature styles: While Jon Snow's man bun and Arya Stark's (Maisie Williams) half-up style pay homage to their late father, Daenerys' growing braids tell of her incredible victories and equally formative losses.
So, before the Dragon Queen journeys to King's Landing with what's left of her army, and presumably Jon Snow Aegon Targaryen (Kit Harington) by her side, we should revisit exactly how far Daenerys has come — because, wow, it's been a long road. Ahead, the epic evolution of Daenerys Targaryen.
Season 1
When we first meet Daenerys, she's essentially a pawn in her brother Viserys' game to take back the Iron Throne. That plot didn't go far, but the Targaryens' signature icy-white hair did leave a lasting impression — even after Viserys' chic lob was covered in molten gold (along with the rest of his head).
Courtesy of Helen Sloan/HBO.Season 2
Daenerys undergoes a major transformation after traveling to Qarth and birthing three baby dragons, but it's not just her confidence that grows — it's also her inclination toward crimped hair. How she found a hot tool in the House of the Undying remains one of the show's greatest mysteries.
Courtesy of Paul Schiraldi/HBO.Season 3
In the process of obtaining the Unsullied army, meeting and hiring her future lover Daario, and picking up another nickname ("Mhysa," the Ghiscari's word for mother), Daenerys adopts several braided twists. One Reddit user pointed out that were eerily similar to her late husband Khal Drogo's. Considering the body count growing underneath her rule, it makes sense.
Courtesy of HBO.Season 4
Daenerys goes through it in season four. As she comes to terms with the fact that being queen isn't as easy as she thought, her braids grow longer and thicker.
Courtesy of HBO.Season 5
In summary, the fifth season of Game of Thrones features Daenerys refusing Jorah's affection and loyalty (again) before taking on Tyrion Lannister as a — sober! — advisor. Her cool-blonde braids get more and more intricate as she soldiers through on the path to the Iron Throne.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO.Season 6
Daenerys is almost killed at the end of season five; by the time season six picks up, she's a prisoner of the Dothraki khalasar — a fate possibly worse than death. Her unkempt hair and tattered clothing show just how vulnerable and alone the queen has become since the show began.
Photo: Courtesy of HBO.Season 7
Luckily, Daenerys escapes, sails her fleet of ships to Dragonstone, and forms an alliance with Jon Snow. Whether she considers that a victory at the time or not, her long hair, now pulled into a tighter ponytail adorned with several braids, suggests that it might be.
Courtesy of Helen Sloan/HBO.Season 8
It's not until Daenerys travels to Winterfell with her army and Snow that her hair suddenly changes — again. She's seemingly abandoned the war ponytail for a half-up plait that, dare we say, looks a lot like Cersei's former signature style circa season five (when she hit her peak ruthlessness). Time will tell whether that likeness foreshadows political moves to come, but for now, let's just hope they make it out of the Last War alive.
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