I went into the first episode of GOT fairly blind, I had not read any of the books yet, no spoilers except that a lot of characters die in this show something called the "Red Wedding" would happen at some point and be disturbing. I see this young woman being molested by her brother and then sold as a sex slave to an intimidating war lord, and I was immediately so worried for her, she was the character I thought most about after E1, I thought she was going to be brutally killed since one of the only things I knew to expect was a lot of deaths.

And instead she managed to mentally fight her way into power even before she got those dragons. This made me love Dany, she was literally sold as property and had so much stacked against her and she still was brave enough to adapt to her harsh surroundings and work with what she had. Before the dragons she made one of the fiercest war lords of Essos who is part of a very sexist culture be willing to kill one of his own riders for insulting her. She impressed the dothraki by being able to handle their culture such as unafraidly eating an entire horse heart, so disgusting and yet she kept a strong face and powered through knowing the respect earned would be worth it. She worked herself into a position where she could command Drogo's men not to rape captured women and they had to obey. They don't normally have to listen to a Khaleesi.

Dany unburnt with three newly hatched dragons as the final scene of S1 was so satisfying. I loved her for being strong, smart, being willing to fight for herself without being needlessly cruel to others, and for wanting to prove that she is not her father. I can relate to be a slave to your genetics.

Having her suddenly snap and murder a whole city of civillians out of nowhere because "Tagrs be cray it's genetics" and then have her promtly put down like a savage animal is so insulting to this character.

/spontaneous essay brought on by a gif of Dany in the first episode