It’s been long discussed among our fandom about the implications of Dany burning food wagons from the Reach out of rage. Today I’d like to briefly summarize this issue during the course of the story, compare how different characters take this issue into account, and speculate events related to this Loot Train Attack incident in season 8. We will see why both Sansa and Arya will loath Dany once they are informed that Dany has done such a foolish and cruel act.

Food is essential for the commonfolk

The smallfolk are those who are most vulnerable when winter comes. They don’t have much in store and can hardly defend themselves from organized bands of raiders or pillagers, as well as their greedy lords.

As season 1 started, summer was coming to an end. There were quite a number of warnings about the upcoming winter to be the longest one in years. In Old Nan’s horror story to Bran about the Long Night, she mentioned starvation.

In his conversation with Dany about coming home, Jorah also explained to his Khaleesi what the common people really care about: “rain, health, and a sumer that never ends”, meaning abundance (including food).

In season 2, we witnessed a terrifying riot in King’s Landing because of food shortage caused by the War of Five Kings. Food supplies from the Riverlands and the Reach stopped arriving, while the city’s population was continuously growing due to large influx of refugees. The angry crowd soon lost all dignity and became starving animals after Joffrey ordered his guards to kill them all. Violence outbreaks. Death, rape, even cannibalism was widespreaded. The most horrific scene was when the crowd torn apart the limbs of the High Septon. Sansa was nearly raped during that event and was only able to escape thanks to the Hound.

Born in a wealthy family, Sansa never experienced hunger, she was so shocked and didn’t understand why the men attacked her, but she held no resentment to them.

Gif: sansastans

After Shae explained her why the hungry crowd acted angrily toward the noblepeople, Sansa understood the nature of the problem. She pointed out that was the king’s fault and hated him for forcing the people into such desperate situation. She didn’t care if anyone could hear what she said and reported to the king.

In season 3, the chaos in King’s Landing was only resolved after the Tyrells joined force with the Lannisters. The city was supplied with the food from the Reach and Margaery Tyrell started winning the hearts of the smallfolk after paying visit to an orphanage where she sweetly talked to the children, distributed bread and toys, and promised the caregivers there with food, clothes and housing for the children. Margaery became Queen of the people ever since.

In season 4, we followed the footsteps of Arya and the Hound across the Riverlands. They were sheltered, fed and treated nicely by a farmer and his daughter Sally. After lamenting the fact that the good days under the rule of House Tully had come to an end after the Red Wedding, the father offered Sandor a fair pay to stay and assist him with farm work and to help him drive off raiders. Sandor agreed but the next day, he broke his promise, beat the farmer down and stole his silver.

The Hound justified his act when Arya questioned him, stating that the farmer and his daughter couldn’t defend themselves, they were weak and would be dead when winter came. “Dead men don’t need silver”, he said. Arya was furious and criticized the Hound harshly for such act, calling him “the worst shit in the Seven Kingdoms.”



Source: pinterest

Fast forward to season 7, on his way to the Wall with the Brotherhood, Sandor stopped at the hut and faced the ghosts of his past crime. He recognized the old place and discovered the skeletons of the father and daughter. They committed suicide to avoid a slow and painful death from starvation in winter. Saddened by their deaths and regretted his sins, Sandor buried them in the snow, saying “I’m sorry you’re dead. You deserved better. Both of you.”

The Hound just stole a silver and indirectly caused the death of two innocents. Dany burned tons of food wagons that could help feed hundred thousands in winter. I wonder what she has to say when she realizes that her impulse has condemned thousands of people to starvation in the harshest winter in history.

Food is essential for military success

In season 5, Ramsay Bolton with “20 good men” caused the downfall of Stannis with an ambush to Stannis’ camp, burning all his food supplies and siege weapons.

A band of 20 men, maybe less. They were in and out before anyone spotted them. Burnt our food stores to the ground. All our siege weapons destroyed. Dozens of tents were… (Davos to Stannis, 5x09)

This was a joking topic for years among Stannis fans, not believing that 20 Bolton men could cause the defeat of an experienced military commander with a force of thousands men. However, in my opinion, this is totally possible, since Stannis’ force was not acquainted with the geographical condition and the weather in the North. They were caught off guard in a firestorm. That was a perfect moment for Ramsay to attack. Ramsay was smart when burning the food supplies. An army could not survive without food, no matter how large and powerful they are. Stannis then had to command his men to butcher the dead horses to survive. He was too stubborn to abandon the Winterfell attack and march back to Castle Black as Davos suggested, fearing that winter would last for years and his chance to take the castle would pass by. We all know what happened after. Stannis eventually suffered defeat by the Boltons in open field and died under the hand of Brienne, despite having sacrificed his own daughter to the Lord of Light.

So, is Dany shooting at her own feet while setting the food wagons on fire? She is going to starve not only the smallfolks, but also her large army of roughly 50.000 soldiers and 2 large dragons. Worse, they are going to face an army of the Dead, who don’t need to eat nor rest, while living men cannot fight with a hungry stomach. And worst, every man falling will be added to the Night King’s army, making it harder and harder for the living to stand any real surviving chance.

Maybe only Joffey could meet Dany’s level of irrationality. But he couldn’t do so much harm as the Mother of Dragons because he didn’t have the fire-breathing beasts.



Dany and her dragons now become the Achilles’ heel of the living.

Even if we cast aside the political discourse regarding Northern independence, this irresponsible act from Dany alone would make Sansa and Arya loath her. Given their past experience, the Stark sisters know how it would severely harm the smallfolks in the long winter. They will find it hard to forgive Dany when knowing that the Dragon Queen directly condemns thousands to starvation, with only a shout from the dragon back.

- to be continued -