As the Mother of Dragons prepares to say goodbye to her seminal character, the actress hints at an emotional last hurrah with Dany.

Emilia Clarke isn’t saying much — nearly eight seasons at work on one of television’s most tightly-guarded shows ever will do that to anyone, and that’s to say nothing of her recent foray into the similarly close-lipped “Star Wars” universe with her role in the upcoming “Solo: A Star Wars Story” — but in a new cover story with Vanity Fair, the actress does let slip her thoughts on her final scenes on “Game of Thrones.” The HBO series is rapidly approaching its final season, and while the show itself has not totally wrapped production, Clarke has filmed her final scenes as Daenerys Targaryen.

Asked about concluding her time on the seminal series and lensing those last scenes, Clarke said, “It fucked me up…Knowing that is going to be a lasting flavor in someone’s mouth of what Daenerys is…” Sure, it’s understandable that saying goodbye to a beloved character would sting emotionally, but it’s that second sentence that sticks: just what “lasting flavor” is her Mother of Dragons going to leave behind? And why does she sound so wistful about it?

Clarke also shared that the final season will include scenes of her alongside some of the show’s other female powerhouses, including Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams as the Stark sisters. For fans of the show, that alone is something to look forward to, as Clarke and the on-screen sisters have never previously worked together on the series.

Still, most of her reflections on the role that made her a household name remain rooted in emotion over tantalizing plot details. She also told Vanity Fair that she kept a daily journal while filming the last season, a smart way to document her last days on a show that prohibits cell phones, even from its cast members. Clarke penned her thoughts, and set photographer Helen Sloan provided her with a few behind-the-scenes photos to accompany them. That final document may even be available for fan consumption one day, Clarke said.

Still, saying goodbye to Dany? “This is going to be a Band-Aid that I’m going to rip off,” she said.

“Game of Thrones” will return for its final season sometime in 2019.

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