Barristan Selmy arrived late to Daenerys Targaryen's cause in Game of Thrones, yet proved himself to be one of her most loyal advisors. After being dismissed by King Joffrey and the Lannisters, the decorated knight travels across the Narrow Sea in search of the last Targaryen. Barristan commit himself to his new queen and served her well until his death in season 5's "Sons Of The Harpy."
Daenerys and Barristan didn't spend a great deal of time together. Despite the old knight's loyalty, their relationship was never the same as Dany's rapport with Jorah or Missandei.
10 Barristan Stayed In Westeros Instead Of Fleeing With The Last Targaryens
Barristan Selmy served the Targaryens loyally before Robert's Rebellion, though his allegiances changed when the dragonlords were cast down from the Iron Throne. The esteemed knight remained in Westeros instead of fleeing with the last Targaryens, spelling more struggles for the young Daenerys and Viserys.
The lives of the Targaryen children could have been different if Barristan had remained by their side, or sought them out sooner. The knight could have defended them from Robert's assassins and provided stellar advice for the exiled siblings.
9 He Served Daenerys' Enemies For Years
Barristan chose to remain in Westeros and accept his royal pardon rather than flee with the Targaryens. The knight remained loyal to Robert Baratheon as a member of his Kingsguard, serving the man who killed Rhaegar and ousted the Targaryens from the Seven Kingdoms.
Barristan acknowledged that Robert was a bad king, though stayed by his side until his death. Despite his explanation to Daenerys, the knight served her family's enemies for many years before joining her cause.
8 He Might Have Stayed Loyal To The Lannisters If Joffrey Hadn't Dismissed Him
Barristan's decision to leave Westeros wasn't wholly his own. Following Ned Stark's arrest, the knight is released from his Kingsguard duties and dismissed from Joffrey's service. Barristan takes offense to the Lannisters' attempt to replace him and quickly smuggles himself out of the city.
The knight takes advantage of the opportunity to pledge his sword to Team Targaryen. If Cersei and Joffrey had never dismissed him, however, Barristan could have remained in King's Landing and fought against the Targaryen queen.
7 Daenerys Was His Queen
Barristan the Bold remained loyal to Daenerys after pledging himself to her service in season 3's "Valar Dohaeris." The two were close until the knight's shocking death in season 5, yet Daenerys was Barristan's queen first and foremost, and his friend second.
An imbalance existed in their relationship due to Daenerys' queenly status. The knight offered her valuable advice, though he was sworn to obey the Targaryen queen instead of befriending her.
6 They're Not As Close As They Are In The Books
Daenerys and Barristan share a significant relationship in George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire novels. The old knight first meets Dany while departing from Qarth, under the guise of Arstan Whitebeard. Barristan eventually reveals his identity to Daenerys and becomes her closest advisor.
In A Dance with Dragons, Barristan leads the defense of Meereen while Daenerys is stranded in the Dothraki Sea with Drogon. Their show counterparts were close but not as close as they are in the source material.
5 She Proved Him Wrong In The End
The Mother of Dragons devolved into the tyrant she fought to overcome during season 8's "The Bells." A grieving Daenerys succumbs to her family's madness following the deaths of Rhaegal and Missandei. Rage-filled and vengeful, the Targaryen queen destroys the city of King's Landing with Drogon's fire.
Barristan chose to follow Daenerys because he believed she was different from other monarchs. Unfortunately, her actions in "The Bells" ultimately show that the knight was wrong about her.
4 They Weren't Together For Very Long
Daenerys and Barristan weren't together for long before his abrupt death in season 5. The two join forces in Astapor when Barristan saves her from the Qartheen warlocks' assassination attempt. He remains a loyal fixture at the young queen's side, though meets a sudden end in the streets of Meereen.
Barristan was only by Dany's side for two seasons, unlike her other advisors, Jorah Mormont and Missandei. In hindsight, Dany and Barristan's friendship may have been too brief to be legitimate.
3 He Died Because Of Her
Admittedly, Barristan knew that fighting for Daenerys' cause was a dangerous mission. Despite their future war in Westeros lingering on the horizon, the Breaker of Chains temporarily settles in Meereen to resolve her conquest against slavery. Dany's residence in Meereen leads to the Sons of the Harpy's rebellion and the death of Barristan the Bold.
Barristan is killed by the pro-slavery insurgence during "Sons of the Harpy," with Daenerys' departing words to sing among the streets, leading to his murder in a Meereenese alley.
2 He Drove A Wedge Between Her And Jorah
Barristan's arrival in Astapor caused friction in Daenerys' relationship with Jorah. The exiled Mormont initially distrusts the other knight, though both are integral to Dany's success during the infiltration of Yunkai. Barristan later learns of Jorah's earlier betrayal in season 4 and reveals Jorah's dishonesty to their queen.
Barristan was upholding his honor as a knight by telling Daenerys the truth. Nevertheless, her battles in Meereen and Westeros might have been more successful if Jorah was by her side.
1 She Was A Replacement For Rhaegar
Barristan was good friends with Daenerys' brother Rhaegar before the fall of House Targaryen. This may have influenced his decision to swear allegiance to the young queen. Barristan regales Daenerys with stories about her brother and comments that she often reminds him of Rhaegar.
It could be said that Dany was merely a replacement for Rhaegar in Barristan's eyes. The old knight could have been trying to recapture his glory days by swearing allegiance to another Targaryen.
Barristan was a brief but brilliant advisor for Daenerys Targaryen, though the two may not have been such great friends after all.
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September 05, 2020 at 05:30AM
