The Season 7 premiere of Game of Thrones has a title that's particularly meaningful to Daenerys: "Dragonstone." The name comes from the ancestral home of the Targaryens, and it's to that home the Dragon Queen will return in the season's opener. But was Daenerys born in Dragonstone? The answer to that question is a simple one — yes, it's her birthplace, and perhaps more importantly, she was the last Targaryen to be born in the castle.
As her long title suggests, Daenerys Stormborn is born during a stormy night at Dragonstone. Her mother, Queen Rhaella, dies shortly after giving birth. Then an infant Daenerys and her brother, Viserys, are smuggled across the Narrow Sea to keep them out of Robert Baratheon's reach. Had Rhaella and Viserys not left King's Landing for the safety of Dragonstone, it's likely Daenerys would have died before she had a chance to draw her first breath.
Robert's determination to wipe out all of the Targaryens led to the death of Elia Martell, Rhaegar's wife, and their two children, Rhaenys and Aegon. Years after the rebellion is over, Robert continues to plot Daenerys' demise by sending Ser Jorah across the Narrow Sea to spy on the future mother of dragons and her brother. Because Daenerys spent her entire life running until she began amassing an army of her own, Dragonstone holds a special place in her heart. She may not remember the brief amount of time she spent there, but it's still her home and birthright.
That's why it's so pivotal that Daenerys' first port of call in Westeros is not King's Landing, it's Dragonstone. She's going back to the place where her journey began, and from there she will plot her course to the Iron Throne. The castle is more than a stronghold for the Khaleesi, it's a place where she can draw strength from all the Targaryens who came before her. Since she doesn't know about Jon Snow's true parentage, Daenerys believes herself to be the last Targaryen. She's essentially alone in the world, but her family's home still stands. Through Dragonstone, she can maintain a connection to her roots.
For the first time since she was born, Daenerys is in control of her life, and there's beauty in seeing her come full circle. The moment she officially takes her seat on Dragonstone's throne is sure to not only be magnificent on a character level, but it will also mark a new beginning for House Targaryen in Westeros.
