# The Mad Queen > The Mad Queen is a 2011 Game of Thrones fan theory predicting Daenerys Targaryen would turn violent like her father the Mad King, confirmed in May 2019 and sparking backlash memes. "The Mad Queen" is a nickname and fan theory applied to Daenerys Targaryen from *Game of Thrones*, predicting she would follow in the footsteps of her father Aerys II "The Mad King" and turn violent against her own people. The theory circulated in fan communities from at least 2011 and was confirmed in the show's penultimate episode on May 12, 2019, sparking a massive wave of memes, debates, and backlash over the perceived quality of the character arc. ## Origin The character Daenerys Targaryen was introduced in George R.R. Martin's *A Game of Thrones*, the first book in his *A Song of Ice and Fire* series, published on August 1, 1996[3]. Her father Aerys is established in the backstory as a ruler who went mad and tried to burn his kingdom, leading to his overthrow and execution[4]. This backstory planted the seed for what would become one of the franchise's most debated fan theories. One of the earliest known online discussions of the "Mad Queen" theory appeared on November 29, 2011, when user needamazing posted a thread titled "Dany the Mad Queen" on the fan forum Westeros.org[2]. In the post, they laid out their case for why "Dany is going to end up Mad like her father Aerys"[3]. The theory gained steady traction as more books were published and the HBO television adaptation grew in popularity. - **Platform:** Westeros.org (fan theory), Twitter / Reddit (meme spread) - **Creator:** needamazing (earliest known online theorist), George R.R. Martin (source material author) - **Date:** 2011 (theory), 2019 (meme explosion) ## Overview "The Mad Queen" refers to both a long-running fan theory and the explosion of memes that followed its on-screen confirmation in *Game of Thrones* Season 8. The core concept draws a parallel between Daenerys Targaryen and her father Aerys II Targaryen, known as "The Mad King," who went insane and attempted to burn his own kingdom before being killed in a rebellion[3]. Fans spent years debating whether Daenerys' character arc would mirror her father's descent into madness, and when the show finally depicted her burning King's Landing to the ground, the internet responded with a flood of reaction memes, Twitter arguments, and image macros. The memes took many forms: comparison images, reaction screenshots from the show itself, crossover references to other franchises like *Mean Girls*, and pointed commentary about fans who had named their children "Khaleesi" or gotten Daenerys-themed tattoos[1]. ## How It Spread On July 21, 2016, YouTube channel The Film Theorists published a video titled "Is Daenerys Going MAD?" that pulled together evidence from both the books and the show. The video collected over 3.5 million views in three years[3]. The theory reached its peak on May 12, 2019, when *Game of Thrones* aired its penultimate episode, "The Bells." In it, Daenerys ignores the bells of surrender ringing throughout King's Landing and burns the city to the ground with her dragon[3]. The episode split the fanbase down the middle. Twitter user @targarcyn posted that same day: "daenerys for 7 seasons: has never harmed anyone innocent, stopped cultures of rape and violence against women, her priority was always the people / daenerys season 8: hears bells of surrender and for some fucking obsurd reason starts killing innocents." The tweet pulled in over 20,000 retweets and 80,000 likes within 24 hours[3]. On the other side, Twitter user @Buckay_ responded with a list of moments the show had foreshadowed Daenerys' turn, paired with a Surprised Pikachu meme mocking the shocked fans. That post received over 7,400 retweets and 24,000 likes in the same timeframe[3]. Another user, @youssefberto, shared a clip from Season 1 that hinted at the character's violent tendencies, writing "This who she's always been. If you loved her then, no reason to hate her now," earning 130 retweets and 490 likes[3]. The meme wave expanded beyond debate posts. Fans compared Daenerys' burning of King's Landing to the classic "Disaster Girl" meme, noting the eerie similarity between Emilia Clarke's expression and the little girl smiling in front of a burning house[1]. Others drew parallels to *Mean Girls*, casting Dany as Regina George, Sansa as Cady Heron, and Jon Snow as the naive love interest Aaron Samuels caught between warring factions[1]. Memes about real-world consequences also took off. Parents who had named their daughters Khaleesi or Daenerys and fans with character-themed tattoos became the subject of widespread ridicule, with Tyrion Lannister's horrified facial expression from the episode used as a stand-in for their regret[1]. Jon Snow's blind loyalty to Daenerys generated its own meme category, with fans joking that he would defend her even after she burned thousands of innocent people[1]. ## How to Use The Mad Queen meme takes several common forms: - **Foreshadowing debate format:** Post evidence that Daenerys' turn was (or wasn't) set up properly, typically paired with a reaction image like Surprised Pikachu for the "it was obvious" take. - **Regret memes:** Reference someone who named a child, got a tattoo, or otherwise committed to Daenerys fandom before the twist. Often uses screenshots of characters looking horrified. - **Comparison memes:** Place Daenerys alongside other "villain turn" characters from pop culture, or compare her to the Disaster Girl meme. - **Jon Snow loyalty memes:** Mock Jon's unwavering defense of Daenerys by imagining increasingly absurd things she could do that he would still excuse. The format works best when applied to situations where someone's hero or investment unexpectedly turns sour, or when early warning signs were ignored. ## Cultural Impact The Mad Queen debate dominated social media during May 2019 and became one of the defining moments of *Game of Thrones* Season 8 discourse. The controversy fed into a broader petition on Change.org to remake the final season, which collected over a million signatures. Ramsay Bolton's earlier warning about trusting people in Westeros was ironically reframed as prophetic wisdom, with fans creating memes about how "the Bolton Bastard was right all along"[1]. The meme also intersected with discussions about storytelling and character development in long-running TV series. Critics and fans pointed to The Mad Queen arc as an example of what happens when a show rushes through major character beats, with Varys' prediction of Daenerys' madness being cited as one of the only properly handled moments in the final episodes[1]. ## Fun Facts - The Westeros.org thread from 2011 predated the Mad Queen's on-screen confirmation by nearly eight years[2]. - The Film Theorists' 2016 video essentially laid out what would happen three years before it aired, making it one of the most accurately predictive fan theory videos in YouTube history[3]. - Emilia Clarke reportedly still managed to look "gorgeous" while playing the scene where Daenerys is at her most disheveled, a fact that even meme creators couldn't help acknowledging[1]. - The Mad Queen memes drew from at least three other pre-existing meme formats: Disaster Girl, Surprised Pikachu, and *Mean Girls* templates[1][3]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is The Mad Queen? The Mad Queen is a nickname for Daenerys Targaryen from *Game of Thrones*, based on a fan theory that she would go insane like her father Aerys II "The Mad King" and burn King's Landing[3]. ### Where did The Mad Queen come from? The theory was discussed in book fan circles for years, with one of the earliest known online posts appearing on Westeros.org on November 29, 2011, by user needamazing[2]. ### What does The Mad Queen mean? It refers to Daenerys' transformation from a liberator into a destructive ruler who burns an entire city after its surrender, mirroring her father's insanity[3]. ### How do you use The Mad Queen meme? Common uses include debate posts about whether the twist was foreshadowed, regret memes about Daenerys fans who got tattoos or named children after her, and reaction images from the episode itself[1]. ### Is The Mad Queen still popular? The meme peaked during May 2019 when the episode aired. It's now a classic reference point in discussions about TV character arcs and disappointing endings[3]. ### What episode did Daenerys become The Mad Queen? Season 8, Episode 5, titled "The Bells," which aired on May 12, 2019. In it, Daenerys burns King's Landing to the ground despite the city's surrender[3]. ### Was The Mad Queen twist foreshadowed? This is the central debate. Some fans believe the books and earlier seasons planted clear seeds, while others argue the show rushed the transformation in its final season[1][3]. ### Why did fans make memes about baby names after The Mad Queen twist? Many parents had named their children "Khaleesi" or "Daenerys" during the show's run, only for the character to become a mass murderer in the final episodes, making those names awkward[1]. ### What did The Film Theorists predict about Daenerys? Their July 2016 video "Is Daenerys Going MAD?" argued the character was heading toward madness, collecting over 3.5 million views before the prediction came true in 2019[3]. ### How did Twitter react to The Mad Queen episode? The reaction was sharply divided. A tweet criticizing the twist got 80,000 likes in 24 hours, while a pro-foreshadowing response with a Surprised Pikachu meme got 24,000 likes in the same period[3]. ## References 1. [Game Of Thrones 10 Best Mad Queen Memes | Turtletech]() 2. [(ADwD Spoilers) Dany the Mad Queen - A Dance with Dragons - A Forum of Ice and Fire - A Song of Ice and Fire & Game of Thrones]() 3. [The Mad Queen - Know Your Meme]() 4. [British scientists (meme)]() 5. [List of A Song of Ice and Fire characters]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/the-mad-queen Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library