'Game of Thrones' Season 8 Spoilers: Dany’s Pregnancy Could Doom Everyone

Cersei Lannister’s pregnancy is sure to be a major plot point in Game of Thrones Season 8, but she’s not the only queen who could be carrying a child in the HBO show’s final season. Fans have speculated that Daenerys Targaryen might be pregnant, too, after sleeping with Jon Snow (aka her nephew) in the Season 7 finale. This could be good news for her claim to the Iron Throne, but it might also spell doom for Dany and everyone else involved. Here’s why.

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that we still don’t know for sure that Daenerys is pregnant. It definitely hasn’t been confirmed (or even strongly suggested) on the show. Some fans speculated that early footage from Game of Thrones Season 8 could reveal Dany already showing as she arrives in Winterfell, but that’s literally impossible based on how long the trip takes.

That said, Dany and Jon having a baby could be a great way to end Game of Thrones, especially since that child would have two Targaryen parents and therefore boast the strongest claim to the Iron Throne. However, there’s also a possible downside to the rumored pregnancy, for Daenerys and for all of Westeros as well.

As The Ringer points out in an article exploring whether Dany is capable of having children at all, Targaryen childbirth rarely goes well. Jon’s mother, Lyanna Stark, died while giving birth to him, and Dany’s mom, Queen Rhaella, also died in childbirth. The list goes on.

Basically, if Daenerys actually is pregnant, that’s just one more reason we should be worried for her survival in Game of Thrones Season 8.

Even if the pregnancy goes well and everyone survives, however, there’s also the whole issue of incest to reckon with. As Cersei once said of the incestuous dynasty, “Every time a Targaryen is born, the Gods flip a coin.” The implication is that while some Targaryens turn out to be perfectly fine and capable leaders, others suffer from “Targaryen madness” — the most prominent example being Aerys II, the Mad King.

So Jon and Dany’s child would essentially have a 50-50 chance of being either a great ruler or another psychopath like Joffrey. I don’t love those odds.

Assuming that Dany manages to survive childbirth and her kid doesn’t turn out totally evil, we may just see a happy ending for the Targaryen dynasty in Game of Thrones Season 8. But considering the odds, it’s probably better for everyone involved if Daenerys doesn’t have any children — at least until the whole White Walker invasion is taken care of.

Game of Thrones Season 8 debuts April 14 on HBO.