Official Court of Law v 8, Daenerys Targaryen

[Lady of Long Lake]

Kudos to GRRM for building it up so Dany thinks she has a way to keep Drogo alive without any price but the horse. Kudos to GRRM for showing that when people are desperate for the lives of their loved ones they aren't as clear-minded, as rational or as suspicious of tricks and traps as you or I.

As a fourteen year old girl, when the witch answered that Dany's life was not the cost, there was no reason for Dany to think that it had to be a human one. Obviously, if a human life was needed she would offer her own. Thus the misunderstanding that the Horse's life would suffice for the blood magic.

It was explicitly said. Mirri says," only death can pay for a life". Dany replies," My life?" Mirri says," No, not your life, Khaleesi".

"Your" is referring to a human life- the same species as Dany. She most certainly did not think it was an animal life that Mirri would take. She knew another human would be killed and instantly said," Do it" and trembled in relief that it wasn't HER own life that was required.

Three paragraphs later, Mirri does ask for the horse but unless Dany has ESP, she did NOT know that was coming when she made the dark magic deal. Dany's deal was a human life for a human life. There's no other way to read it.

[the trees have eyes]

God, that is getting ridiculous.

When Dany ordered MMD to go ahead, NOONE HAD SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE HORSE, that only came later.

Dany did not believe it was the horse at the moment she ordered MMD to "do it then", because the horse had not even been mentioned.

You know, cause before effect and all that.

And what do you think that actually proves?

[The Dornishman's Wife]

And what do you think that actually proves?

Hm? You are the one giving me shit (in the post I was answering to, i.e. #339) for claiming that Dany didn't believe the horse was the price when she ordered MMD to go ahead. If the horse only comes in later, it stands to reason that it would have been quite quixotic of Dany to believe that it was the sacrifice at a point in time where the horse wasn't even mentioned.

[GallowsKnight]

Where the neglect that lead to Drogon eating a small child?

[the trees have eyes]

Three paragraphs later, Mirri does ask for the horse but unless Dany has ESP, she did NOT know that was coming when she made the dark magic deal. Dany's deal was a human life for a human life. There's no other way to read it.

That is contradicted by Dany's own words to MMD after Rhaego's death "You warned me that only death could pay for life. I thought you meant the horse".

If you mean want to limit the focus to the scene where Dany asks if the price is her life then the only thing she is told is that no, it won't require her life. It is not a deal that is couched as a human life for a human life, that simply isn't there.

Which is why interpretations and opinions can differ.

[the trees have eyes]

Hm? You are the one giving me shit (in the post I was answering to, i.e. #339) for claiming that Dany didn't believe the horse was the price when she ordered MMD to go ahead. If the horse only comes in later, it stands to reason that it would have been quite quixotic of Dany to believe that it was the sacrifice at a point in time where the horse wasn't even mentioned.

We aren't going to agree here. I don't think there is much point going over this again and again but GRRM can't allow us to see what is happening until it lands. Much like his most powerful scenes - The Red Wedding, Ned Stark's betrayal and execution and many, many others - it relies on misdirection and surprise for its power. He doesn't want Dany or us to know or even suspect the true price in advance.

It's for the same reason people lampoon Ned or Robb or rip Catelyn to shreds for their decisions and reasoning and it's the wisdom of hindsight.

We know what happens, therefore the character is stupid, irresponsible or uncaring for not knowing or realizing what is going to happen. Personally I think the luxury of hindsight isn't something we should use so readily to bash characters. It's way too easy and doesn't do justice to the situations they find themselves in.

[the_one_who_was_promised]

1. Four Counts of Murder:-

1.1 The Defendant intentionally and unlawfully killed a godswife, Mirri Maz Duur, by ordering her to be tied to her husband’s funeral pyre, and then burning her alive.

I find the defendant guilty of voluntary manslaughter in this instance (second degree murder) but NOT GUILTY of murder.

I accept the defendant's defence of provocation in respect to information provided by the victim which led to the deaths of defendant's own unborn child and husband.

The court also accepts a defence of diminished responsibility - at finding the defendant's husband in a comatose state and her child having died at birth, may have produced an imbalance of the mind and diminished defendant's capacity to comprehend what she was doing.

Certainly, the court accepts defence's argument that walking into live fire and being witnessed apparently hatching live dragons from petrified eggs - as ample evidence that defendant had experienced an imbalance of the mind capable of rendering her capacity for comprehension at that specific moment in time.

1.2 The Defendant intentionally and unlawfully killed Kraznys mo Nakloz, a citizen of Astapor by instructing her dragon, Drogon, to burn him to death, which instruction was carried out.

Guilty - There is no evidence that the defendant was suffering from an "imbalance of the mind" at the time of the offence, nor does the court accept that the act amounted to a provocation needed to protect others at the time of the offence, as we believe that the defendant could have used other means to punish or incapcitate the victim which would not have required such extreme force.

We hold that less extreme methods were available to the defendant at the time of the commission of this offence.

However, the court accepts defendant's mitigating evidence, which will be reflected in the sentencing phase of this trial.

1.3 The Defendant intentionally and unlawfully ordered her soldiers to kill a citizen of Astapor, Grazdan mo Ullor, and to massacre the adult free male inhabitants of Astapor, which order was carried out.

Not Guilty - The court accepts that the defendant did not have less violent means available at her disposal to incapacitate the victim(s) and thus, end the slave trade.

Thus, the court finds her not guilty of murder but guilty of voluntary manslaughter (second degree murder) as we accept that it was defendant's purpose to free citizens of Astapor from torture and slavery.

1.4 The Defendant intentionally and unlawfully crucified 163 of the Great Masters of Mereen.

Guilty - However, I accept defendant's mitigating evidence, which will be reflected in the sentencing phase of this trial.

2. One Count of Genocide.

The massacre of the adult free males of Astapor, detailed in charge 1.3, amounted to the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group

Not guilty - This court does not accept that there is any evidence to suggest that such act was undertaken with the sole intention of committing the "deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group".

3. Four Counts of Torture

3.1 The burning of Mirri Maz Duur, detailed in charge 1.1, amounted to torture.

Guilty

3.2 The crucifixion of the Great Masters, detailed in charge 1.4, amounted to torture.

Guilty

3.3 The Defendant intentionally and unlawfully ordered two wineseller’s daughters to be tortured in front of her father, in order to procure information relating to the Sons of the Harpy.

Guilty

3.4 The Defendant, intentionally and unlawfully ordered numerous unnamed inhabitants of Mereen to be tortured, on suspicion that they were Sons of the Harpy.

Guilty

4. Two Counts of Criminal Damage to Property.

4.1 The Defendant unlawfully and intentionally set fire to the House of the Undying in Qarth, resulting in its destruction.

Not Guilty - the court accepts that such act was undertaken for the defense of life, and not to intentionally destroy property

4.2 The Defendant unlawfully and intentionally sacked the City of Mereen, resulting in millions of Dragons’ worth of destruction to property.

Guilty - monetary contribution to be made by defendant to the authorities of the City of Mereen.

5. Two counts of Waging Wars of Aggression

5.1 The Defendant intentionally and unlawfully waged a war of aggression against Yunkai

Not guilty - court accepts that such act was undertaken with the intention of ending the slave trade within that vicinity.

5.2 The Defendant intentionally and unlawfully waged a war of aggression against Mereen

Not guilty - court accepts that such act was undertaken with the intention of ending the slave trade within that vicinity.

Sentence passed - The maximum sentence that can be imposed in this court is a whole-life term of life imprisonment (life imprisonment without parole - sorry, this court doesn't do the death penalty!).

I sentence Daenerys Targeryan to serve a period of 15 years imprisonment.

(Thought about the other sentencing options - can't imagine her as a "silent sister" as she will probably spend time plotting what to do next and I don't trust her not to make some dangerous alliances abroad if I send her into exile for a few years, so this seemed like the most fitting punishment!).