Why did Robert Baratheon want to kill Daenerys?
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From the very beginning of the wildly popular HBO series "Game of Thrones", Robert Baratheon is portrayed as a king who is both jovial and brooding, a man deeply troubled by the ghosts of his past. A haunting specter among these apparitions is his relentless pursuit of the annihilation of House Targaryen. But why? Why does he insist on wanting to kill the remaining Targaryens? To understand the roots of this vendetta, we'll need to delve into Robert's past, the history of Westeros, and the series' narrative nuances.
The Ghost of Lyanna Stark
In answering this question, we must first consider one of the most impactful events in Robert's life - the alleged kidnapping of Lyanna Stark, his betrothed, by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. This incident ignited a rebellion that led to the downfall of the Targaryen dynasty. Robert, who was deeply in love with Lyanna, was unable to save her and never forgave the Targaryens for what he perceived as a grave injustice.
However, let's challenge this assumption: Was Lyanna truly kidnapped, or did she choose to elope with Rhaegar? The later seasons of the series reveal the latter, indicating a profound misinterpretation of events that propelled Robert's animosity. Nevertheless, the truth of Lyanna's circumstances never reached Robert's ears, and he continued to believe in the narrative that fueled his hatred.
The Threat to His Throne
Secondly, Robert perceived the Targaryens as a direct threat to his throne. He had seized the Iron Throne from the Targaryens during Robert's Rebellion, and he understood that the surviving Targaryens had legitimate claims that could rally support against him. From Daenerys Targaryen's marriage to Khal Drogo to her pregnancy that might result in a male heir, these were viewed as potential threats to the stability of his reign.
Here again, we find room to question Robert's fears: Were they warranted, or were they a product of his paranoia? On the one hand, history is littered with examples of deposed rulers regaining power with the help of foreign alliances, validating Robert's concerns. However, on the other hand, the Targaryens were exiled and seemingly powerless. Hence, Robert's unwavering determination to extinguish their line might indicate an irrational fear that was more a reflection of his insecurities than a strategic political move.
The Trauma of Rebellion
Robert's Rebellion was a bloody affair, and the trauma of this war left indelible scars on Robert's psyche. His need to eliminate all Targaryens could be interpreted as a desperate attempt to erase the painful memories associated with his violent rise to power.
Yet, one could also argue that Robert's trauma is not a valid justification for his murderous intent. Was his insistence on pursuing the last Targaryens a symptom of post-traumatic stress, or was it rather an attempt to deny the moral ambiguity of his rebellion? After all, Robert's Rebellion was predicated on the pretext of a lie about Lyanna's "kidnapping", and murdering every last Targaryen would conveniently eliminate any possibility of this truth emerging.
In conclusion, understanding Robert Baratheon's animosity towards the Targaryens is a complex task that involves analyzing his personal history, his perception of political threat, and his psychological trauma. His desire to kill the last Targaryens is a multifaceted issue that reflects his character's profound complexity and the overarching narrative's intricate design. It is, in essence, an encapsulation of the moral and political complexities that make "Game of Thrones" a captivating saga. The exploration of this topic, like the show itself, provokes us to continually question, probe, and challenge our assumptions, thus providing an intellectual adventure as compelling as the quest for the Iron Throne itself.
