Meghan McCain Invoking Daenerys Targaryen Didn’t Go the Way She Expected

Now, usually, I try to save some of the more political news for our own Vivian Kane, since she’s excellent at it, but this tweet from The View co-host Meghan McCain, invoking Game of Thrones’ dead dragon queen, Daenerys Targaryen, was just too good to pass up.

On yesterday’s episode of The View, there was a small clash between McCain and co-host Whoopi Goldberg, in which Golberg said to McCain, who kept talking over her, “Girl, please stop talking! Please stop talking right now!” This happened as they were discussing the ongoing impeachment process, with McCain taking a “both sides” perspective on the argument. During today’s episode, the two women addressed the clash, saying they are passionate and fight like family. McCain also said that there is an element of sexism when it comes to the coverage of The View, especially when fights happen.

I will say that there is a label of “cattiness” that is often leveled at The View, regardless of whether you think they have earned it or not. That does have a lot to do with sexism, although it is interesting hearing McCain say that when she is so against identity and gender politics. Still, Meghan McCain is very political, and I think the best and most constructive way to criticize her focuses on the policies she prefers. And it is because of politics and history that her use of this gif so painfully ironic: she uses a symbol of a powerful white woman, while erasing all the complicated issues surrounding that character.

While I may have a huge issue with how the series ended Dany’s story—mostly because of their failure to execute the more complex aspects of her nature until it was narratively convenient—taking the finale aside, Dany is an imperialist who gains power by taking over brown populations through her manifest destiny sense of entitlement. She destabilizes nations by trying to spread “freedom,” and her actions lead to almost wiping out the Dothraki (until they retcon it the following episode). Most importantly, Dany is a character who, in the books and in the show, ignores the advice of the brown people around her to her own detriment. Her entire reign is built on their backs, and they get nothing out of it.

Also, even considering the fact that her actions are highly racially problematic, in what world would Dany be a conservative? Even at her worst, she was someone who wanted to break the existing norms of society. I doubt Dany would be running around stopping other women from having abortions, and I think the woman who put her dragon away after it harmed a child wouldn’t exactly be pro-gun rights without any checks. I’m just saying it doesn’t add up.

(via Disney)

And I’m not the only one who thought so, as people online have been pointing out that comparing yourself to someone who leveled an entire city because of *checks script* bells is not a great way to prove your point—especially when “Speechless” from Aladdin is right there waiting to be a shallow girl power invocation. But maybe she went a different way because there’s a brown person in that.

Emilia Clarke, I’m so sorry your image had to be used in this way. Please go see Last Christmas and witness our actual queen being a social justice Christmas Elf.

(image: HBO)

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Princess Weekes

Princess (she/her-bisexual) is a Brooklyn born Megan Fox truther, who loves Sailor Moon, mythology, and diversity within sci-fi/fantasy. Still lives in Brooklyn with her over 500 Pokémon that she has Eevee trained into a mighty army. Team Zutara forever.

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