‘Game of Thrones’ season 7, episode 2 is titled “Dragonstone” and we have everything you need to know about what that means.

Emilia Clarke.photo: Helen Sloan/courtesy of HBO. Acquired via HBO Media Relations.

Game of Thrones has always chosen its episode titles with extreme care. Sometimes episodes are named after book titles, like season six’s finale “The Winds of Winter,” sometimes they’re named after songs we’ve heard, such as season three’s “The Bear and the Maiden Fair,” and sometimes they’re named after places and people, like in season five’s “Hardhome” or the season seven premiere “Dragonstone.” In almost every instance, the episode title has a sort of double meaning.

Last week, considering how little Daenery’s (Emilia Clarke) ancestral home featured in the episode, it was still to honor her arrival in Westeros. However, the real discovery was dragonstone’s use in killing White Walkers and the caves Stannis mentioned to Sam (John Bradley-West) that are full of it. So useful that Sam went to notify Jon (Kit Harington) immediately, which likely leads to the alliance we see him trying to make in episode two.

In preparation for the premiere, I gave a brief history of Dragonstone. And I even mentioned its known use against White Walkers so how’s that for spot-on speculation? Still, the episode was definitely focused on Khaleesi. Which is what makes the title of the next episode of Game of Thrones even more interesting because this one once again invokes Dany.

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Gemma Whelan as Yara Greyjoy, and Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand – Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO via HBO Media Relations.

It’s not really a surprise that the second to last season of the show would use the precious hours left to focus on Dany and her takeover of the Seven Kingdoms. She is a fan-favorite and she’s got some decent backup from other Westeros Houses as well as Tyrion’s (Peter Dinklage) as her hand (not that she truly ever listens to others much). Plots and character narratives are wrapping up, so the focus on Dany is both good and bad and should be watched with a keen eye for any potential missteps.

While I tend to err on the side of caution with the-Targaryen-most-closely-related-to-the-Mad-King, I do think she and her dragons will have a major role to play in the Great War that Jon ominously told us was here all the way back in the first trailer. Still, I think she might take after her father, considering her propensity for irrationality – yes more so than someone like Cersei (Lena Headey). Given her bloodthirsty past, her status as a conquerer and the egomania that surrounds her, it’s not unwarranted to be vigilant of Dany as her motives further develop.

Varys (Conleth Hill) once said that Littlefinger “would see this country burn if he could be King of the ashes” – a statement that has proven to be more fact each and every time Lord Baelish makes any kind of move. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Dany is like him. But I think she would just as soon see the world burn if she can’t be queen. And let’s not forget The Mother of Dragon’s first line upon reaching a home she barely remembers living in was “Shall we begin?” which has a pretty decent history of being used by Big Bads (i:e characters like Kahn and Loki).

Speaking of Dany’s many titles, there are a number of ways to unpack the true meaning behind Game of Thrones‘ season 7, episode 2 title “Stormborn”. The official episode synopsis states:

“Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) receives an unexpected visitor. Jon (Kit Harington) faces a revolt. Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) plans the conquest of Westeros.” Written for television by Bryan Cogman; directed by Mark Mylod.

Tonight.

“Stormborn” premieres tonight at 9PM on @HBO. pic.twitter.com/y6GciPfprb — Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) July 23, 2017

Most obviously, it is Dany’s second name in an ever-expanding list. Though, of all her names, it’s one of two that aren’t actually titles; the other being that she is from House Targaryen. It operates as more of a nickname, which was a common thing for Targaryen’s to do to differentiate from other family members with the same name. There is also a sort of history to the name. In GRRM’s third book – A Storm of Swords – in the A Song of Ice and Fire series we learn:

No squall could frighten Dany, though. Daenerys Stormborn, she was called, for she had come howling into the world on distant Dragonstone as the greatest storm in the memory of Westeros howled outside, a storm so fierce that it ripped gargoyles from the castle walls and smashed her father’s fleet to kindling.

It’s especially confusing given the significance of names throughout the series. Especially in the case of bastards who do not get the name of the House they essentially belong to for obvious reasons. Legitimate children are entitled to lands and titles. Bastards instead get the last name from the region they live in, marking them for what they are and where they come from. Unless you’re Jon, who lived the better part of his life being called “Ned Stark’s bastard.”

Jon is actually a great example. His last name Snow is indicative of a bastard from the North. You’ll remember Ramsay shared the name before he was properly legitimized by his father. This holds true for names all over Westeros. Dorne uses Sand (hence Ellaria (Indira Varma) and the Sand Snakes). King’s Landing and Dragonstone use the name Waters for their bastards, something that Gendry (Joe Dempsie) has intentionally lived up to rowing as long as he’s been. And places in the Stormlands like the Baratheon Castle in Storm’s End use the name Storm, which is where some of the confusion regarding Dany’s nickname comes in.

Though as I mentioned earlier, these Game of Thrones episode titles often have multiple meanings and I couldn’t help but notice that the way this week’s trailer is cut one of the Northern bannermen declares, “A Targaryen cannot be trusted!” (and I put on captions just to make sure!). The camera lingers on Jon in a winkwink nudgenudge sort of meta moment. As if to say, “if only this character knew who he was really speaking to.” Could the episode be hinting at more than just Dany?

Jon’s parentage is known to us but has yet to be revealed to him. Which is what makes this whole name game more intriguing than usual. Jon is no doubt not his real name but more curiously does he have a Targayen nickname as well?

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