The fight for the Iron Throne may have taken a back seat during the Battle of Winterfell, but now that the war is over, it's clear Daenerys has her sights set on the prize. In Sunday's episode of Game of Thrones , Dany named Gendry Lord of Storm's End, an unexpected turn of events that could change the loyalties of the people of Winterfell.
At the beginning of the third episode of season eight, looking back at the moment Jon (Kit Harington) told Dani (Emilia Clarke) who his biological parents are, it was clear that this The reveal will play a major role in the events of the White Walkers' defeat. Indeed, shortly after the battle is over and the bodies are burned, Dany makes the impulsive decision to make Gendry (Jo Dempsey) Lord of Storm's End, which could have major consequences for the War of Steel. throne.
As Gendry points out, he was the bastard son of the late King Robert Baratheon, whose death kicked off the series and the fight for control of the Iron Throne. However, with Robert and his brother - as well as his and Cersei's son - dead, their house has no current ruling lord, but as queen, Daenerys has the power to grant him a title that would make him lord. As she explains in her conversation with Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), by doing this, Dany ensures Gendry is loyal to her because Gendry legitimizes him and ensures he has the money, title and power.
Gendry's new title means he can now marry other people with titles and names - as evidenced by his proposal to Arya, who turned him down because she'd never been a lady. In a way, this is actually a good thing, since Arya marrying Gendry would shift her allegiance from Jon to Dany, out of loyalty to the monarch who made their marriage possible.
However, making Gendry a lord would have long-term consequences. Now that she knows Jon also has a claim to the Iron Throne (and she doesn't trust his ability to keep that claim a secret), it's important to her that there are enough people willing to fight for her right to rule Seven Kingdoms. Gendry has proven herself to be a talented and skilled warrior, and having him lead an army in her name might help her turn the tide of the war. As she often says, Dany's only concern is to restore her family's honor and reclaim the Iron Throne in their name. By getting as many people as possible to fight alongside her, she is fighting the long game to put herself in the best position to take control of the situation.
What's more, giving Gendry a title might weaken the close support the Starks have for each other. While Arya is under no obligation to support Gendry, it's clear that she has a lot of love and affection for him, so fighting him to defend her brother and his claim to the throne might be difficult for her.
While it's unlikely that Dany knew enough about Gendry and Arya's relationship to decide to legitimize him, it's clear that she was willing to do whatever it took to become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
