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Why do people think Dany getting dragons are a "plot gift' ?

Audrey Arryn

By Audrey Arryn,
in General (ASoIaF)

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Audrey Arryn Noble

Audrey Arryn

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I have seen this mentioned on several threads that she is nothing without her dragons and that she is lucky.

Yes her dragons are what made her who she is, but under no circumstances is it a plot gift.

She lost her husband, and son in order to get them.

And plot wise it would make sense for the last confirmed Targaryen to get a dragon rather than other characters.

And its not like she is going to have all the 3 dragons at the end of the day, how is it a "plot gift'?

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Aderyn the Sly Hedge Knight

Aderyn the Sly

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I think the reason many see it this way is that they cannot comprehend why Illyrio would have them and why he would give them to Dany. He is clearly backing Aegon, real or not, so why not give them to Aegon instead? Many think that GRRM need Dany to have dragons, and Illyrio was just the easiest way to make that happen. There's clearly arguments for and against this, but no real way to know until the next books comes out and we learn more about Illyrio's goals.

For:

Illyrio is backing Aegon first, why not give them to him?

He should have known the Aegon would be competing against Dany at some point

He couldn't have known that Khal Drogo and Viserys would die and Dany could be a bride for Aegon

Against:

He didn't know the eggs would hatch

He needed something to help cement Dany's identity as a Targaryen princess for her marriage to Khal Drogo

He was wealthy and probably was just being generous

He is really backing Dany more than Aegon

Edit: Awkward wording.

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assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar Council Member

assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar

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She had to lose her son to get the dragons, yeah, but the EGGS she received for no other reason than because she was a Targaryen. They literally fell into her lap. So the eggs I consider a plot gift. HOWEVER, plot gifts are so called because they advance the plot, and everyone who is still alive has gotten their share of them. So of the many, many valid criticisms of Dany, it's pretty low on the totem pole.

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Cas Stark Council Member

Cas Stark

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As far as plot gifts go, the dragons were not that objectionable, and hey, dragons!!. They had a HUGE build up throughout almost the entire first book with her and the eggs and the eggs feeling warm, etc. and dragon lore is woven into the entire fabric of the story. And she paid a high price for them.

Now, the unsullied army, THAT was a plot gift.

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PatrickStormborn Council Member

PatrickStormborn

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The "plot gift" argument is weak about ANYTHING, unless it's specifically regarding deus-ex-machina. GRRM made conscious choices when he was writing; the Starks were all gifted with being part of one of the most powerful families in the realm, the Lannisters were gifted with money, the Tyrells were gifted with having the biggest army, the Baratheons were gifted with being the ruling dynasty, etc. etc.

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grand old duke of stark Council Member

grand old duke of stark

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So I guess that direwolves are plot gifts too. But at least most of them have been used. Actually, I think this sort of thing happens in novels and in life. Call it serendipity, luck, fate or whatever. I am glad Dany has them, is training them, and is identified with them. You could not ask for a more potent symbol of who she is and what she represents. The really lucky one, if L+R=J is true, is Jon. He could well end up with a direwolf and a dragon!

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Cyvasse Khal Noble

Cyvasse Khal

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She took a big risk when she walked in the fire. So no, I don't consider her lucky.

That's very true. She may have been lucky in receiving the eggs, but she certainly proved she deserved the dragons by napping in the pyre (she wasn't 100% sure she was fireproof, so big risk) and hatching them.

You could argue the same 'plot gift' was given to the Stark kids with the direwolves. Just happened to luckily come across them on the way back to Winterfell. The kids that still have them have earnt them now though by building up a trusting relationship and becoming one with them through warging.

All these gifts of their sigils and Tommen ends up with domestic cats instead of lions HA!

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assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar Council Member

assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar

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She took a big risk when she walked in the fire. So no, I don't consider her lucky.

Here's a real plot gift: Arya saves a life and wins the service of a faceless man.

Sansa saves a life and wins the service of ser Dontos. :ack:

How's that for unfair?

And of course neither of them earned that service by, you know, saving the lives?

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The Human Abstract Council Member

The Human Abstract

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I think its not fair to use the terms "plot armor" or "plot gift" so widespread and pejoratively on these message boards.

If a character has some natural or given advantage that explains their success, they have a plot gift.

If, on the other hand, a character succeeds despite gifts, they have plot armor.

You cannot really have a character who has neither thing and yet is still significant in an epic and brutal fantasy world. You must either be lucky or you must have some gift that explains your success.

A character who rolls a 1 on his saving throw or is hit by a random arrow in chapter 3 before doing anything cannot be a significant character.

Fantasy stories are inherently about people who have plot gifts or plot armor.

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