Daenerys walks the tightrope
EMILIA Clarke is not recognized in the streets, without her silver hair.
LONDON—It’s been said that a Targaryen is destined for either greatness or madness, and that every time a new one is born, the gods flip a coin as the rest of the world waits with bated breath.
From what we’ve seen so far in the hit TV series “Game of Thrones,” it does seem that the coin’s better side landed face up for Daenerys Targaryen, who is the last surviving member of her exiled and once-royal house that ruled the Seven Kingdoms for three centuries.
But as she continues to gain political clout in her ongoing crusade to seize the Iron Throne, the self-proclaimed queen finds herself in a balancing act that requires her to be as unwavering as possible, without compromising the levelheadedness that slipped from the grasp of some of her ancestors—most notably her infamous father, the “Mad King” Aerys II.
“I think this time she’s walking that tightrope closer than you’ve ever seen her before,” British actress Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys, said in a group interview with journalists from around the world.
Asked by the Inquirer if she thinks that Daenerys is starting to develop similarities with her late brother Viserys, who seemed to have inherited a touch of their father’s lunacy, Clarke said that she believed her character has an innate sensitivity that has allowed her to steer clear from the traps that led to her sibling’s demise.
“I think that, as a kid, she paid attention to her brother’s strengths, but also took note of his shortcomings,” Clarke said of Daenerys’ ties with Viserys, who physically and mentally abused the former, and then sold her to marriage to the Dothraki leader Khal Drogo, for his selfish gains.
And despite having committed some questionable decisions along the way, Clarke said she considers Daenerys a hero, “who is destined” to do things “for the greater good.”
Clear-sighted
“She’s resolute in what she wants and I think she has the least selfish wants of any character in the show. And this enables her to be continually clear-sighted and not too wrapped up in her own vanity,” she said.
While other contenders for the Iron Throne slugged it out in Westeros, Daenerys stayed on the other side of the Narrow Sea—in the eastern continent Essos—honing a massive army of Unsullied, liberating slaves in cities around Slaver’s Bay; her list of titles growing longer and longer with every successful campaign.
It’s still unclear when exactly Daenerys intends to set sail for Westeros, and fans are already starting to grow a little impatient.
Well, so is Clarke. “Each time the scripts come in, I’m like, ‘How much ground am I covering? How quickly can I get to Westeros?’” quipped the 28-year-old drama school graduate, who worked as a waitress and caterer before trying out for the HBO fantasy-drama series.
Clarke has come to realize, however, that when it comes to Daenerys, “more haste means less speed.” “She can’t just rush things because she’s inevitably going to fail. She can have grand, if innocent, ideas on what it means to be a leader. She has to tackle the day-to-day problems; freeing slaves isn’t enough,” she said.
“You’ll have to be able to rule a kingdom, which includes every social class. Maintaining peace is what’s going to make her the best ruler to sit on the Iron Throne,” she added. “But first she has to figure out how to do that outside Westeros.”
More volatile
This season is likewise a critical test of the Mother of Dragon’s parenting skills, Clarke pointed out. Daenerys’ fire-breathing babies have become more volatile as they become bigger and stronger: Rhaegal and Viserion are chained in the Great Pyramid’s catacombs; Drogon is at large and last seen flying over Valyria.
Still, Clarke said that “Daenerys has a connection with her dragons unlike any other connection she’ll have with any character in the show.”
Having portrayed the well-loved, silver-haired character for quite some time now, Clarke has been able to draw a parallel between her and Daenerys: Both possess a steely resolve, for starters. “I’ve always wanted to be an actress, and I feel strongly that if you set your mind on something and don’t give up, you should get there,” she said.
Clarke is also set to star in the coming action movie “Terminator Genisys.” And from the roles she has landed in her blossoming career, one may be inclined to describe her as “bada**.” She was reluctant to agree, but relented that she might be, in her own way.
“I don’t have dragons or fight robots in real life… But I think the most bada** thing you can do, is to just accept who you are and be happy,” she said, adding that she sees Daenerys as a role model. “I would love to say that. She’s a strong, young woman. And if she gives girls that little bit more confidence then that would be incredible.”
Her name has become practically synonymous with the character she plays, but she doesn’t feel that Daenerys is taking over her life at all. If anything, the Emmy-nominated actress feels nothing but love and gratitude for the character: “She’s the catalyst, the reason for the many great things happening to me.”
Real brunette
And now, Clarke—who doesn’t get recognized in the streets too often, because she is a brunette in real life—has finally been able to wrap her head around the magnitude of the show .
“I feel more relaxed now and more aware of what it is I’m a part of. It’s taken me a few years to see it for what it really is. But looking at it from where I am now, I can say that it’s a wonderful feeling,” she said.
“Game of Thrones” Season 5 airs Mondays at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on HBO (with replays on Wednesdays, 11 p.m; and Thursdays, 1 p.m.) and HBO HD.
([email protected])It’s been said that a Targaryen is destined for either greatness or madness, and that every time a new one is born, the gods flip a coin as the rest of the world waits with bated breath.
