In Game of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen names one of her dragons Viserion, after her abusive older brother Viserys. This decision has sparked much discussion among fans, as Viserys was cruel to Daenerys and tried to use her as a pawn in his quest for power. So why would Dany choose to honor him with a dragon’s name?
Quick Answers
Here are some quick answers to why Dany may have named a dragon after Viserys:
- Family loyalty – Despite his flaws, Viserys was still her brother and last living relative for much of her life
- Pity – She may have felt some pity for Viserys’ wasted potential
- Political strategy – Honoring her brother could have helped shore up her claim to the Targaryen dynasty
- Her own abuse – Victims of abuse sometimes still love their abusers
Viserys’ Cruelty Towards Daenerys
For much of Daenerys’ young life, her brother Viserys was cruel and abusive towards her. After their family was ousted from rule in Westeros, Viserys became obsessed with regaining the Iron Throne. He believed that as the last Targaryens, it was their right to rule over the Seven Kingdoms once more. However, without an army or resources, Viserys hatched a plan to marry Daenerys off to the powerful Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo in exchange for Drogo’s military support.
Viserys treated Daenerys as a pawn to trade for power. He callously referred to her as “the dragon’s whore” and showed no concern for her feelings or well-being. All he cared about was regaining his perceived birthright. Leading up to her wedding to Drogo, Viserys was cruel and controlling towards his sister. He abused her verbally and physically, at one point even threatening to cut out her unborn baby if she defied him. Understandably, Daenerys grew to fear and despise her brother for how he treated her.
Daenerys’ Soft Spot for Family
However, after Viserys’ death, it seems Daenerys still held some affection for him. Despite all he had done, Viserys was her only remaining family for much of her life. He had protected her during their years wandering Essos and kept her identity alive as the last Targaryens. This shared difficult past seems to have forged a bond between them that proved hard for even cruelty to break.
Additionally, Daenerys sees herself as the rightful heir to the Targaryen dynasty. By naming a dragon after Viserys, she is honoring their house and its ancestry. The Targaryen sigil is a three-headed dragon, representing Aegon the Conqueror and his two sister-wives. Daenerys naming her three dragons after her brothers Rhaegal, Viserion, and herself continues this tradition. It ties her to the storied history of her family, upholding her birthright as the “blood of the dragon.”
Pity for Viserys’ Downfall
Daenerys may also have felt some pity for Viserys and how far he had fallen from their family’s glory. In his youth, he was the rightful Targaryen heir, destined to one day sit on the Iron Throne. But after years of exile, he became a bitter, grasping shadow of his former self. Daenerys recognizes that Viserys could have been a great king had their circumstances been different. Naming a dragon after him shows her honoring what he could have been but tragically failed to become.
There are hints of Daenerys’ lingering affection and pity for Viserys. After Drogo gives Viserys his “golden crown,” she tearfully says “He was no dragon. Fire cannot kill a dragon.” She seems to mourn the brother she once knew and his unrealized potential. Naming a dragon Viserion allows that symbolic power and nobility to live on through her child.
A Political Chess Move
Another potential motive is that Daenerys named a dragon after Viserys for political strategy. As she builds her forces and prepares to invade Westeros, she wants to broadcast her legitimacy as the rightful Targaryen heir. Reminding everyone that she is the sister of the man who would have been king helps shore up her claim, even if Viserys himself was unpopular and unfit to rule.
It also shows Daenerys honoring her ancestors and their symbols of power. Dragons were the calling card of House Targaryen at the peak of their reign. By naming her dragons after the last Targaryen leaders, she is invoking her dynastic heritage and birthright. It signals that House Targaryen – and its powerful flying weapons – have returned to recapture their stolen throne.
Common in Abuse Victims
Finally, Daenerys’ feelings for Viserys may draw from a tragically common psychological phenomenon. Abuse victims often become trauma bonded to their abusers, feeling attachment and loyalty even after suffering cruelty. The fact that Viserys was her only family likely strengthened this trauma bonding for Daenerys during her vulnerable youth.
Even after the abuse ends, victims will often suppress negative feelings about their abusers. They may even rationalize and excuse abusive behaviors. Daenerys naming a dragon after Viserys could reflect residual trauma bonding and her attempt to justify his actions. It allows her to remember the good and repress the bad. Framing him as a tragic fallen king may have been a psychological coping mechanism for the trauma she endured.
Conclusion
Daenerys naming a dragon after her abusive brother Viserys stems from a complex mix of family loyalty, political savvy, and tragic psychological factors common to abuse victims. Despite his cruelty towards her, she retains some affection and pity for her last living relative. The name also invokes the Targaryen dynasty, helping broadcast her birthright. And it likely reflects Daenerys unconsciously rationalizing Viserys’ behaviors as a coping mechanism. The dragon Viserion allows her to memorialize the positives she clung to after suffering years of abuse at Viserys’ hands.
| Potential Motivations | Description |
|---|---|
| Family Loyalty | Viserys was her last living relative for years. She feels lingering affection for her bloodline. |
| Pity | She pities Viserys’ wasted potential and failure to become a worthy king. |
| Political Strategy | Honoring her brother reinforces Daenerys’ Targaryen name and claim. |
| Trauma Bonding | As an abuse victim, she subconsciously rationalizes Viserys’ cruelty. |
Family Loyalty Analysis
Despite his later cruelty, Viserys was Daenerys’ only family for much of her childhood. He protected her during their years in exile and helped uphold their Targaryen identity. This shared difficult history likely forged a bond not easily broken by even his abusive behaviors later in life.
Daenerys also seems to feel a strong sense of loyalty and connection to the Targaryen dynasty itself. By naming a dragon after Viserys, she ties herself to the storied history of her powerful ancestors. It helps cement her place as the rightful Targaryen heir.
Pity for Viserys’ Downfall
Viserys was once the Targaryen heir, destined to rule the Seven Kingdoms. But after years without an army or resources, he became bitter and cruel. Daenerys seems to mourn the man Viserys could have been had their circumstances stayed favorable. She pities his downfall from a noble prince to a rage-filled abuser.
Naming the dragon after him could be an act of memorializing Viserys’ potential in his youth. It allows that sense of power and nobility to live on through her dragon, even if Viserys himself failed to harness it properly.
Political Strategy Analysis
Naming the dragon Viserion was likely a shrewd political move by Daenerys. As she builds her forces to retake Westeros, emphasizing her Targaryen heritage lends legitimacy to her claim. Reminding everyone she is the sister of the man who would have been king helps position her as the rightful ruler.
The dragon’s name also invokes symbolic power and ferocity. Dragons helped the Targaryens conquer Westeros originally. By reviving their namesake creatures, Daenerys signals the return of the Targaryen dynasty and its fiery supremacy.
Trauma Bonding Analysis
Daenerys’ lingering affection for Viserys despite his abuses reflects her trauma bonding to him as the only family she had growing up. Abuse victims often rationalize and suppress the negative actions of their abusers as a coping mechanism.
By naming a noble dragon after Viserys, Daenerys frames him in a positive light. It allows her to focus on any good qualities she associated with him and downplay the trauma of his physical and emotional cruelty. Her dragon Viserion enables her to transform Viserys into a more heroic figure.
Other Potential Factors
In addition to the main motivations already analyzed, some other potential influences on Daenerys’ decision include:
- Gratitude for originally saving her life – Viserys did protect Daenerys when the Targaryens initially fell from power
- Showing strength over her abuser – Honoring him now that she has power could be a statement of overcoming his cruelty
- Preserving only remaining family history – With her parents gone, his memory connects her to her roots
However, these seem to be relatively minor considerations compared to the bigger factors of family loyalty, pity, political strategy, and trauma bonding already covered. But they may have played an incremental role in Daenerys ultimately choosing the name Viserion for one of her dragons.
The Power of Symbols
Ultimately, the name Daenerys selected for her dragon holds symbolic weight on many levels. It reflects the complex psychological push and pull often evident in abuse victims. It shows Daenerys both acknowledging strengths she associated with Viserys, while also asserting her newfound power and agency separate from his toxicity.
On a narrative level, the name Viserion connects Daenerys back to the Targaryen dynasty that shaped her early life. It invokes the privilege and power she believes is her birthright. And it signals the resurgence of the Targaryen sigil – dragons – as a force to be reckoned with once more. The name serves as a powerful emblem of Daenerys’ reclaiming of her family legacy on her own terms.
Conclusion
Daenerys Targaryen’s decision to name one of her dragons after her abusive brother Viserys stems from a variety of complex motivations. While she endured much cruelty from him, family loyalty ran deep. She also pitied his wasted potential and invoking his name played into her political strategy. Elements of trauma bonding likely also unconsciously factored into memorializing him in dragon form. The name serves as a resonant symbol of Daenerys both honoring her past and authoring her own empowered future as the last Targaryen heir.