Emilia Clarke’s Emmys Appearance Confirms A Harsh Reality For HOTD & The End Of An Era For Daenerys
James Hunt is a writer and editor based in Newcastle, UK. A Sports Journalism graduate from the University of Sunderland, he quickly realized that supporting his local football (or "soccer") team, Sunderland AFC, was painful enough without having to write about it, so decided to write a load of nonsense about movies and TV instead.
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It's been seven years since Emilia Clarke played Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, but her legacy lives on. It's true that the character's death at the hands of Jon Snow (Kit Harington) in the series finale remains a point of contention, to put it mildly, but Game of Thrones' controversial ending aside, Dany is one of the biggest TV characters of the modern era, if not all time.
That's continued into HBO's expansion of its Westeros franchise: the two releases so far, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, have focused, to varying degrees, on House Targaryen. Likewise, the first ever Game of Thrones movie will also be about the family, centering on Aegon's Conquest. A lot of this is, of course, because it's where George R.R. Martin's source material has focused, but it's also due to the popularity of Daenerys.
This was evident again recently with an appearance from Clarke at the 2026 Emmys, where she took to the stage alongside House of the Dragon star Emma D'Arcy (who plays Rhaenyra Targaryen) to present the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series. And as fun as it was to see the two worlds collide, it also highlighted a harsh reality for the prequel.
House Of The Dragon Doesn't Compare To Game Of Thrones
The appearance of Clarke and D'Arcy centered around the former presenting in High Valyrian, giving a long speech that the latter then jokingly translated as simply "Good evening." But what was clear is just how exciting it felt for everyone - both in the room and watching at home - to see Clarke come so close to slipping back into her role after seven years away.
House of the Dragon is at times a great show, and the cast in particular is phenomenal (D'Arcy gives one of the very best Game of Thrones franchise performances, and they deserve to be in Emmys contention next year), but it has not reached the level of Thrones. That isn't just about quality, though I think it's largely true there, but much more so in terms of cultural cache and relevance.
Seven years later, Clarke stepping onstage to speak High Valyrian feels like a true moment, in a way that not only wouldn't work with the House of the Dragon cast now, but most likely wouldn't seven years after it concludes either. A character like Daenerys has a reach and recognition that transcends far beyond the series, in a way the prequel has not managed to achieve.
There are a few reasons for this. While House of the Dragon's viewing figures are huge, it does still exist in a more fragmented TV landscape, where people are divided between different streaming platforms and watching things at different times and paces more than ever before. Similarly, its own production timeline, with two-year gaps between seasons, has also stunted its ability to grow in the same way Thrones did, which came back each spring, year after year.
Of course, Game of Thrones' ending also plays a part in this to a degree. The idea that season 8 killed interest in the show, and online posts about how "no one talks about it anymore," have always been overstated, because the show has remained a success on streaming, as well as several years of piracy charts. But some drop-off because of that negativity is to be expected, and hasn't necessarily helped House of the Dragon in becoming as big, though it's less of a factor than the other reasons.
Clarke's appearance at the Emmys is really just a reminder of how special Game of Thrones was at the time, and perhaps something that was taken for granted. It was true watercooler TV, one of the last pop-culture monoliths that could dominate the conversation week after week, year after year, and even now it has a pull that House of the Dragon cannot match.
Daenerys Shouldn't Return In The Game Of Thrones Franchise
Clarke's appearance alongside D'Arcy was a wonderful collision of the two shows - and two Targaryens separated by over a century in-universe - but it's also the kind of thing that can't happen too often. After all, it's not like they can just repeat this next year or the year after. Indeed, the star's appearances as Dany, or even just in a related context like this, have been few and far between in recent years, and that's only going to continue being the case after this.
That isn't a bad thing. In terms of Daenerys herself, there's no real need to see the character again. Her cameo appearance (for which Clarke did not return) as part of Daemon Targaryen's visions in House of the Dragon's season 2 finale was a fitting endpoint, because it tied together the past and future of House Targaryen in the world of Game of Thrones in a pretty neat way.
The Citadel · Maester’s Examination How Well Do You Know Westeros? “When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.”
🐺StarkWinter is Coming
🦁LannisterHear Me Roar
🐉TargaryenFire and Blood
🦌BaratheonOurs is the Fury
🐙GreyjoyWe Do Not Sow
01
The Lannisters are the wealthiest family in Westeros, ruling from their ancestral seat. What is the name of their castle?
✓ Correct! Casterly Rock sits atop gold mines in the Westerlands and has been the seat of House Lannister for centuries. The gold beneath it is the source of the family’s legendary wealth — though as Tywin once noted, the mines ran dry years ago.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Casterly Rock. Highgarden belongs to the Tyrells, Storm’s End to the Baratheons, and The Eyrie to the Arryns. Casterly Rock has been the Lannister stronghold since Lann the Clever swindled it from House Casterly.
02
Jon Snow rises through the ranks of the Night’s Watch to eventually hold what title — the highest position in the order?
✓ Correct! Jon Snow was elected the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch by his sworn brothers. He was one of the youngest men to ever hold the title, following in the footsteps of legends like Jeor Mormont.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Lord Commander. While Jon started as a steward, he was elected Lord Commander after the death of Jeor Mormont. Warden of the North is a different title entirely — one held by the Stark family.
03
Daenerys Targaryen hatches three dragons from petrified eggs. Which of the following is NOT one of her dragons?
✓ Correct! Balerion “the Black Dread” was Aegon the Conqueror’s dragon, who died of old age over a century before the events of the show. Daenerys’ three dragons are Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion — named after Khal Drogo, Rhaegar, and Viserys.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Balerion. Daenerys’ three dragons are Drogon (black and red), Rhaegal (green and bronze), and Viserion (cream and gold). Balerion the Black Dread was Aegon the Conqueror’s mount, dead long before Daenerys was born.
04
The Red Wedding is one of the most shocking moments in TV history. At whose castle does this massacre take place?
✓ Correct! The Red Wedding took place at The Twins, the castle of House Frey. Lord Walder Frey violated the sacred guest right by slaughtering Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, and their bannermen during the wedding feast of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Twins. Walder Frey’s castle — two towers spanning the Green Fork — was where he broke sacred guest right to massacre the Starks. “The Lannisters send their regards” remains one of the show’s most chilling lines.
05
Jon Snow wields a Valyrian steel bastard sword given to him by Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. What is the sword’s name?
✓ Correct! Longclaw is a Valyrian steel bastard sword that was the ancestral weapon of House Mormont. Jeor gave it to Jon after he saved the Lord Commander from a wight, replacing the bear pommel with a white wolf for House Stark.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Longclaw. Ice was the Stark greatsword (melted down by Tywin Lannister), Heartsbane belonged to House Tarly, and Oathkeeper was one of the two swords forged from Ice. Longclaw is the Mormont blade Jon carries throughout the series.
06
Tyrion Lannister serves as Hand of the King to which ruler, expertly managing the defense of King’s Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater?
✓ Correct! Tywin sent Tyrion to serve as Hand in his place during Joffrey’s reign. Tyrion brilliantly orchestrated the defense against Stannis Baratheon’s fleet using wildfire, though he received no credit and was nearly killed in the battle.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Joffrey Baratheon. Tyrion served as Joffrey’s Hand of the King in Season 2, appointed by his father Tywin. He later served as Hand to Daenerys, but it was under Joffrey that the Battle of the Blackwater took place.
07
Jon Snow’s true parentage is one of the show’s biggest reveals. What is his real Targaryen name, given by his mother Lyanna Stark?
✓ Correct! Lyanna Stark named her son Aegon Targaryen. He is the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna, who were secretly married. This made Jon the true heir to the Iron Throne — a fact that changed the course of the final season.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Aegon Targaryen. Lyanna whispered the name to Ned Stark in the Tower of Joy. Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen (not named after him), making him Aegon — a name carried by many Targaryen kings, including the Conqueror himself.
08
In the series finale, who is chosen by the lords and ladies of Westeros to rule the Six Kingdoms as king?
✓ Correct! Bran Stark — now Bran the Broken — was chosen as king of the Six Kingdoms at the Dragonpit council. Tyrion argued that Bran’s story was the most compelling reason to rule. Sansa became Queen in the North, and Jon was sent back to the Wall.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Bran Stark. Tyrion nominated Bran at the great council, arguing “who has a better story than Bran the Broken?” Sansa was crowned Queen in the independent North, Jon returned to the Wall, and Tyrion served as Bran’s Hand of the King.
The Citadel · Results Sealed Your Westeros Record
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Did you claim the Iron Throne — or lose your head?
There remains talk of various possible Game of Thrones sequels, whether that's an Arya Stark spinoff or a resurrection of the Jon Snow series. And if something does happen, it would inevitably raise the question of Daenerys' involvement, whether as flashbacks or in vision sequences, or even with theories of her being resurrected. But if something does go beyond season 8, it'd be better to leave Dany behind, because her story is absolutely done.
It's great to see Clarke dipping a toe back into the Westerosi waters at the Emmys, but appearances like this should just be the extent of it (perhaps, say, for the 10th anniversary of it ending or 20th anniversary of the show starting). Daenerys' legacy lives on, and she remains iconic, but Khaleesi's direct role in the Game of Thrones franchise is very much over.
Game of Thrones
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- TV Show(s)
- Game Of Thrones, House of the Dragon, A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms
- Cast
- Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Sophie Turner, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Iain Glen, John Bradley, Alfie Allen, Conleth Hill, Liam Cunningham, Gwendoline Christie, Aidan Gillen, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Rory McCann, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jerome Flynn, Rhys Ifans, Matt Smith, Graham McTavish, Fabien Frankel, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Emma D'Arcy, Matthew Needham, Olivia Cooke, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey
- Created by
- George R.R. Martin
- First TV Show
- Game Of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.