Why Daenerys Targaryen Is Game of Thrones' Prince That Was Promised

Daenerys Targaryen has had one of the most interesting storylines in Game of Thrones so far, but her role on the series might be even more important than previously thought. There are signs scattered throughout both the books and the TV show that the prince in the prophecy of "The Prince That Was Promised" — which many fans assume is Jon Snow — could actually end up being a princess, instead (i.e. Daenerys). After the sixth season's most fiery episode yet, we're more convinced than ever that Dany is the chosen one. Keep reading to see what's potentially in store for everybody's favorite dragon-riding khaleesi, and then see if your Game of Thrones obsession has gone too far.

Spoilers below!

01
Who Is This Azor Ahai Character?
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Who Is This Azor Ahai Character?

In A Song of Ice and Fire, the series of books that inspired the TV version of Game of Thrones, there is a popular myth surrounding a hero figure named Azor Ahai. According to a legend whose origins are rooted in the religion that Melisandre practices, the White Walkers swept across the world long, long ago, leaving death and destruction in their wake. Azor Ahai allegedly rose up to save the world from eternal night by forging a legendary sword — Lightbringer — that helped him push the Others far, far into the North, where they were all but forgotten about.

In A Dance With Dragons, the prophecy about Azor Ahai is stated as follows: "When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone." Seeing as the White Walkers are back and more terrifying than ever, it stands to reason that Azor Ahai's reincarnation is, too.

02
How Is Dany Connected to the Prophecy?
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How Is Dany Connected to the Prophecy?

In the aforementioned passage, there are a few key terms that have undeniable connections to Dany. The red comet appears when her dragons hatch from their fossilized rock eggs in the funeral pyre for Khal Drogo, which refers to "the red star bleeds" and "wake dragons out of stone" parts of the prophecy. Furthermore, Daenerys is born on Dragonstone, a volcanic island, in the middle of a raging storm. So, the "salt" could describe the sea surrounding the island, and the "smoke" part of the prophecy might refer to the volcano, or how Dany was "reborn" after emerging from the fire of Drogo's pyre unscathed.

03
Does Her Being Fireproof Mean Anything?
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Does Her Being Fireproof Mean Anything?

In the sixth season's fourth episode, we're treated to a scene where Dany is completely and totally immune to fire. She burns a hut in Vaes Dothrak to the ground and is able to walk out of the flames without getting hurt. This could connect to the prophecy in two ways. First, part of the story of Azor Ahai states that he was able to pull Lightbringer from the fire and not be burned. Second, Azor Ahai is the chosen of R'hllor, and R'hllor is the god of light and fire. After seeing Dany resist the effects of fire for the second time, it's starting to seem more and more likely that she's been blessed directly by the "fire god" that Melisandre is so fond of.

04
How Can She Be the PRINCE Who Was Promised If She's a Woman?
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How Can She Be the PRINCE Who Was Promised If She's a Woman?

In the books, an interesting revelation about the prophecy comes courtesy of Maester Aemon, the elderly, blind maester of the Night's Watch. Aemon, Sam, and Gilly are on their way to Oldtown, and during a stop in Braavos, Sam hears rumors about Dany's dragons. He tells Aemon about it, who then fills Sam in on the Azor Ahai prophecy. It turns out that, technically, the word "prince" in Old Valyrian — the language in which the prophecy was originally written — is derived from the word "dragon," for which there is no gendered term. This means that even though the prophecy is later translated to "prince," it could just as easily mean "princess."

The Maester then becomes totally convinced that Daenerys is the prophesied leader, saying, "Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke. The dragons prove it." Aemon's theory is further supported by the woods witch, or the Ghost of High Heart, who once said that the prince that was promised would be born from the bloodline of Prince Aerys and Princess Rhaella Targaryen, who just happen to be Dany's parents.

Convinced yet?