Daenerys Targaryen’s Key Romantic Storylines
Daenerys Targaryen’s romantic life is best understood as a narrative tool that reflects her political evolution and the cultures she enters. Across the books and the television show, her notable relationships include Illyrio Mopatis, Khal Drogo, Jon Snow, and Hizdahr zo Loraq. Each connection serves distinct purposes: initial vulnerability, strategic alliance, uneasy partnership, and contested sovereignty. Below, we clarify boyfriends and partners with factual distinctions between canon material and speculation. This evergreen breakdown separates show events from book plotlines to provide durable context for how her relationships shaped her arc.
Canon Boyfriends and Partners: Books vs Show
It is important to distinguish whom Daenerys actually had romantic relationships with in the source material versus fan interpretation. In both George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO’s Game of Thrones adaptation, her central partners are limited in number but high-stakes in consequence. Here is a comparison of the most frequently referenced names, using available evidence and clarifying status.
Illyrio Mopatis
Illyrio Mopatis is an Astapori magister who facilitates Daenerys’s early escape from Pentos. In the books, their relationship is pragmatic and briefly intimate; he provides shelter, information, and seed money, while she leverages his networks. In the show, their interactions are condensed, and Illyrio’s motivations appear more overtly strategic. There is no ongoing romantic arc beyond this initial period in either medium; he is a facilitator rather than a long-term boyfriend. Fans sometimes overestimate the continuity of this connection, but it remains confined to the earliest chapters and episodes.
Khal Drogo
Khal Drogo is a Dothraki khal who marries Daenerys in a civil ceremony across both the books and the show. Their relationship begins as a contractual obligation and evolves into mutual respect and genuine affection. Drogo’s death reshapes Daenerys’s identity from bride to claimant. In neither version does she move on to a new romantic partner immediately; instead, her political agency hardens. Some interpretations treat their union as the baseline from which all other dynamics are measured, but it is not a "boyfriend" relationship in the casual modern sense. It is a foundational marriage that informs her later boundaries around intimacy and power.
Jon Snow (Aegon Targaryen)
Jon Snow, revealed in the show to be Aegon Targaryen, shares a layered romantic history with Daenerys. Their attraction grows amid shared trauma, language, and fire imagery, culminating in a single sexual encounter in the Season 7 finale and a brief romantic tension in Season 8 before tragedy. In the books, Jon’s identity as Aegon is not yet public, and his interactions with Daenerys remain politically tense but not explicitly romantic. The show compresses and dramatizes what could have been a slow-burn political marriage into a short, consequential arc. Theirs is the most narratively significant relationship in terms of emotional stakes, though it concludes in betrayal and death rather than partnership.
Hizdahr zo Loraq
Hizdahr appears primarily in the TV series as a suitor and eventual husband after Drogo’s death. Daenerys agrees to reopen the fighting pits and takes Hizdahr as a political consort, but she releases him from co-rule and has him executed when he oversteps. In the books, a version of Hizdahr exists and petitions for her hand after Drogo’s death, but she refuses him, emphasizing her autonomy. Their dynamic is one of control and resistance rather than romance; he is not a boyfriend but a symbol of the compromises she rejects. This contrast highlights how the show altered her agency by giving her a visible romantic option that she ultimately breaks free from.
Non-Canon and Fan Theories
Because Daenerys is a globally famous character, many fan theories propose boyfriends or pairings unsupported by text or show evidence. These include speculations about connections with Barristan Selmy, Jorah Mormont as romantic rather than loyal advisor, or entirely original characters from fan fiction. While such theories can be culturally interesting, they are not grounded in canon material. Below is a quick guide to distinguish fan fiction tropes from what actually appears in the books and series.
- Jorah Mormont: unwavering political ally and spy, no canonical romantic arc with Daenerys.
- Barristan Selmy: respected advisor in both books and show, no evidence of romantic involvement.
- Rakharo, Aggo, or other khalasar members: allies or background figures, not romantic interests.
- Original television additions: characters created for the show who do not appear in the books.
- Internet crossover ships: speculative pairings common in fandom spaces but not canon.
How Her Relationship Arc Reflects Power Shifts
Daenerys’s romantic history is inseparable from her political trajectory. Early relationships emphasize survival and negotiation; middle arcs explore partnership and compromise; later dynamics pivot around sovereignty and control. Her decision to release Hizdahr, reject further suitors, and rely on family and council instead of romantic counsel marks a deliberate shift toward solitary authority. This evolution is clearer when you separate actual events from wishful interpretations. Understanding these transitions helps explain why her choices harden over time and why certain relationships remain brief or transactional.
Quick Comparison: Book vs Show Relationship Highlights
| Name | Books | Show | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illyrio Mopatis | Brief alliance; pragmatic, no romance | Brief alliance; slightly more active interest | Non-romantic, early facilitator |
| Khal Drogo | Marriage; respect grows, Drogo dies | Marriage; similar arc, condensed | Fatal injury; transformative loss |
| Jon Snow / Aegon | Tense political contact; no confirmed romance | Romantic tension; single encounter; tragedy | Show-only divergence; fatal ending |
| Hizdahr zo Loraq | Refused; political symbol only | Accepted then executed; symbolic release | Show deviation; demonstrates agency |
Evergreen Takeaways
Daenerys Targaryen’s romantic life is limited to a handful of meaningful connections, most of which serve her political education rather than personal fulfillment. Illyrio enables her escape; Drogo transforms her into a leader; Jon challenges her ideology; Hizdahr tests her boundaries. Outside these canonical figures, much of the speculation exists primarily in fan discourse and does not reflect textual evidence. For long-term understanding of her character, focus on how each relationship shifts her sense of identity, authority, and isolation. This perspective remains useful regardless of future adaptations or retellings, making it an enduring framework for analyzing her story.