For years, Game Of Thrones fans have speculated over the identity of the Prince That Was Promised, Azor Ahai reborn, the warrior who will defeat the Night King and save all of Westeros. Opinions have been strongly divided — but now, the clues that Daenerys is The Prince That Was Promised are almost too irrefutable to ignore. With one simple line of dialogue, Game Of Thrones Season 7 seemed to throw its weight behind the theory that the Mother of Dragons is the second coming of Azor Ahai… and it actually makes a lot of sense when you examine the evidence.
The theory hinges on a seemingly insignificant detail — a minor mistranslation of the prophecy's original High Valyrian — so it makes sense that Dany's translator Missandei is the one to clear this up on the show (although the revelation actually came courtesy of a dying Maester Aemon in the books). Apparently the Valyrian pronoun for "prince" is gender-neutral; so while the heavily patriarchal society of Westeros and Essos have natural interpreted the world's savior as being a man, there's actually nothing in the prophecy itself that disqualifies a woman from candidacy.
But there's plenty more proof that Dany could very well be Azor Ahai if you look at what the prophecy says.
1. "There Will Come A Day After A Long Summer…"
The Starks will never let you forget that, as they've been warning everyone for years, winter is finally here — and the new cold season comes at the end of the longest summer in recorded history. Maybe it's not a coincidence that winter is here as Dany's quest for the throne is really picking up.
2. "…When The Stars Bleed…"
Dany's metaphorical rebirth, when she emerged from the ashes of that fiery pyre at the end of Season 1, coincided with the appearance of a blood red comet in the sky.
3. "…And The Cold Breath Of Darkness Falls Heavy On The World."
Obviously, the "cold breath of darkness" is talking about the impending invasion of the White Walkers. But while these first three bits of the prophecy could be referencing pretty much anyone still alive on the show — since the comet could be seen anywhere on the continent as well as in Essos — the following clues pertain more specifically to Daenerys.
4. "Azor Ahai Shall Be Born Again Amidst Salt And Smoke…"
Interestingly, this applies to both Dany's literal birth and her metaphorical rebirth. Dany was born on Dragonstone, a volcanic island (smoke) surrounded by the sea (salt); and she was reborn from the funeral pyre (smoke) belonging to her beloved husband, whom she had shed many tears over (salt).
5. "…To Wake Dragons Out Of Stone."
Dany was able to magically hatch three dragons from eggs that were supposedly so old they were completely fossilized. I'm not sure how this bit could get any clearer.
6. "Lightbringer Was His Sword…"
While the "stone dragons" bit is pretty literal when it comes to Dany, the bit about Lightbringer — Azor Ahai's legendary flaming sword — is more metaphorical. Some fans theorize that the fiery blade in question belongs to Beric Dondarrion, or that it could even refer to any Valyrian steel sword, all of which can kill White Walkers. But couldn't a "flaming sword" just be a metaphor for dragonfire?
7. "…Tempered With His Wife's Blood."
According to myth, Azor Ahai tried three times to craft his legendary weapon… but it shattered the first two times he tried to temper the molten steel. Realizing that a sacrifice was required to complete his destiny, the third time, Azor Ahai tempered Lightbringer by driving the sword through the heart of his beloved (and willing) wife, Nissa Nissa. If a great sacrifice is required to bring Lightbringer into the world, then Dany already paid it: Both her husband and her unborn baby had to die so her dragons could be born.
8. "He Will Be Born Of The Line Of Aerys & Rhaella Targaryen."
In the books, Barristan Selmy tells Daenerys that a woods witch known as the Ghost Of High Heart (whom Arya also encountered on her journeys through the Riverlands) once prophesied that the Prince That Was Promised would be born of the line of Aerys Targaryen — aka the Mad King — and his sister, Rhaella. In response, their father forced the siblings to wed against their will, and Rhaella gave birth to three children: Rhaegar (who many assumed would be Azor Ahai before he was killed by Robert Baratheon during the latter's rebellion), Viserys, and Daenerys.
Of course, as Rhaegar's secret son, Jon Snow is also born of the line of Aerys and Rhaella, so…
9. "The Dragon Must Have Three Heads."
It is said many times throughout the books that "the dragon must have three heads." While this is a pretty clear reference to Dany's three dragons, it could also mean that whoever turns out to be the Prince That Was Promised will have to pick two companions to ride those dragons with him/her… or it could even mean that the prophesy will be fulfilled by more than one person.
This seems to be the interpretation that Melisandre is currently leaning towards, given her assertion that Daenerys has "a role to play… as does another."
10. "His Is The Song Of Ice And Fire."
Dany's sojourn into the House of the Undying was very different on the show than it was in the books, with one part on the page that didn't make the cut being a vision she received of her dead brother, Rhaegar. "His is the song of ice and fire," Rhaeger told his sister of the Prince That Was Promised. If the prophecy refers to more than one person, it's pretty clear that Dany will be bringing the "fire" to the equation.
11. "Daenerys Is The One."
If you still need more proof, several times throughout the books, several characters come right out and say that Daenerys is Azor Ahai, both followers of R'hllor and non-believers alike — including Maester Aemon himself, who uses his final breaths to alert Sam to Dany's importance. And was Maester Aemon ever wrong about anything?
While many fans are probably still expecting some sort of huge twist when it comes to the identity of The Prince That Was Promised, the evidence certainly seems to indicate that this is George R.R. Martin's one traditional fantasy narrative that plays out exactly as expected.
