Game Of Thrones: 5 Winners And 5 Losers In 'The Laws Of Gods And Men'
The Losers:
5. Daenerys
In the last episode, Daenerys learnt that cities she had recently liberated in Slavers Bay had since returned to their old ways. Those she had left in charge to govern the ruins of Astapor and Yunkai have now succumbed to the sins of their predecessors, and the same will likely occur in Meereen once she moves on to her next destination. To prevent this from happening, Daenerys elects to remain in Meereen and rule as its queen, allowing her to secure the long-term freedom of its slaves, and to deal with the neighbouring threats. However, her first taste of what it is like to be a ruler isnt entirely all that she expected.
Daenerys sits upon her new throne and receives supplicants and their requests, and whilst the first request is the simple matter of compensation for a herders ruined property, the second presents a more convoluted ethical case. Hizdahr zo Loraq is the son of one of the masters crucified by Daenerys after the conquest of Meereen. He appears before her in the throne room to request the respect of a proper burial for his father who was actively against the children-crucifying that so riled the mother of dragons in honour of Meereenese tradition. Daenerys is torn between the terrible crimes and just punishment of the father, and the passionate and noble pleas of the son. Daenerys is at first reluctant to allow the request, and argues against the crimes of the old masters, but she eventually concedes to allow Hizdahrs father a traditional burial. The ethical contradiction of her previous actions and her present decision take an emotionally tiring toll on her, and when Missandei announces that there remain two hundred and twelve supplicants waiting to see her, Daenerys exhausted expression betrays the doubt that she may not be prepared for her new role after all. This is why kings have Hands, remember?