Not many Game of Thrones fans would have predicted it but there is a new alliance on the rise. As of “Battle of the Bastards,” Daenerys Targaryen and Yara Greyjoy have met, forged a bond/political agreement and even engaged in some sly flirting. Winter might be coming down from the North on Game of Thrones, but power in shifting in the East. Move over Tyrion and Varys, there is a new power couple on the show and it’s Daenerys and Yara.
Bonding Over Evil Daddies
It is amusing that through 6 seasons on Game of Thrones, Daenerys has been collecting friends and followers who are united by a common factor, a terrible father. Tyrion, Jorah, presumably Daario, Grey Worm and even Missandei all have come from less than spectacular parents. Yara, however, takes the bad dad cake. Tywin Lannister was awful to Tyrion but there was enough in Charles Dances’ amazing performance to enjoy Tywin as an audience member. Balon Greyjoy was just a dour, dull, and awful old man.
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We’ve never really seen Dany’s daddy, except for the brief glimpses in Bran’s visions, but it’s safe to say that he would have gotten along with Papa Greyjoy. At the least they would have been able to trade tips on how they kept their hair so stringy, long and gross. Their daughters, though, are already getting along swimmingly right off the bat. It’s because of the dreadful dads too that Yara and Dany are so in sync. Both women have direct examples in their past about how to go wrong as leaders and they are determined not to make the same mistakes.
By Air and By Sea
Game of Thrones has not done as good a job as the books in making Theon’s sister seem like a real military threat. Yara doesn’t raid, pillage and fight too much on screen. While we haven’t seen it, it’s clear that Yara does have some reason to throw her weight around. She did, after all, get to Essos in half a season when it took Bran nearly 3 years to get from Winterfell to the Three Eyed Raven beyond the wall.
We also know that Yara is accomplished fighter because everyone, including herself, has told us she is really good at killing dudes. We need no reminder at how accomplished Daenerys is in that particular area. She might have the highest kill count of any Game of Thrones character, even if she’s often helped out by her winged, scaly friends.
If Westeros shouldn’t have been scared already of Dany and her army, Yara’s forces will certainly change that. Daenerys not only has air forces in her dragons. She doesn’t just have land covered with Daario and her Dothraki. She can now rule the seas with Yara and her fleet, even if it is kind of small. King’s Landing won’t know what hit them.
Chemistry at First Flirt
Perhaps the biggest and most important reason everyone on Game of Thrones should be scared of Dany and Yara has nothing to do with anything mentioned above. It is not the fire within them caused by their will to do the right thing that makes them dangerous. It is not the fire that they can cause with their dragons and ships that makes them a bonafide power couple. It is that saucy, intense, flirtatious, and fiery connection they have with each other that makes them a real threat.
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This is not just fan conjecture and wishful thinking. Daenerys’ actress Emilia Clarke confirmed in an interview that is definitely “something” between Yara and Dany. The actresses were purposely playing their first meeting flirtatious in “Battle of the Bastards.” Whether this will develop into anything more actual or intimate remains to be seen. It’s likely it won’t. It doesn’t really matter, though, because whether Dany and Yara’s relationship turns romantic or not, there is clearly a connection. They recognize each other as two kindred spirits and that causes an immediate bond.
The alliance between Yara and Dany isn’t purely political. Of course that is a huge, sizable chunk of the reason they are now together. If Yara couldn’t give Daenerys’ ships to Westeros and Dany couldn’t offer Yara her homeland back, they wouldn’t be talking to one another. Despite what they have to gain from hooking up Yara and Dany obviously like each other on a personal level.
If Yara didn’t immediately like or trust Daenyrs there was no way she would promise to give up her way of life to appease the Queen-to-Be. Alliances for political gain are all fine and good but it is the connections between people and personalities that stick around the longest on Game of Thrones. If you need proof, some of the strongest relationships on the show are those that started as friendships. Just look at Brienne and Jaime, Tyrion and Varys and countless others.
But what do you think? Are Dany and Yara about to rule the Seven Kingdoms together? Are they the biggest threat on the show? How do you think their alliance will fare in Westeros?
Game of Thrones season 6 airs Sundays at 9pm on HBO.
(Image courtesy of HBO)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.
