Where Dany's Ex Daario Went & How He Could Return To Game Of Thrones

Now that resident missing Game of Thrones hottie Gendry has been spotted in the trailer for the final season confirming that he’s still alive, it’s time to turn our attention towards our other missing Game of Thrones hottie: Daario Naharis.

First played by Ed Skrein in Season 3 before Michiel Huisman took over for seasons 4-6, the crush-worthy warrior hasn’t been since since the season 6 finale, which frankly is super rude. How dare the Game of Thrones gods (old and new) keep him off our TV screens for so long?! He didn't die and it’s been almost three whole years since we’ve seen Daario on Game of Thrones, so what has he been up to and is there a chance we can see him again in the final season?

We last saw him in the season 6 finale, “The Winds of Winter,” which was a definite low point for the character — he had just been dumped by Daenerys Targaryen. While they never actually were a real couple, they had been hooking up for a bit in Season 5. But thanks to some advice from Tyrion (who actor Peter Dinklage says is "smitten" with Dany himself), Dany decided it wouldn’t be smart for her to arrive in Westeros with a lover by her side. While Daario tried to confess his love to Dany and begged her to let him come with to Westeros, she made him remain in Meereen with the Second Sons to keep the order and the peace that Dany achieved there, not wanting the society to fall back into slavery. Presumably that’s where he still is today, but there’s no way of knowing for sure unless we see him again with our own eyes.

Dany hasn’t forgotten about her hot ex. Daario was name-dropped once during Season 7 in a conversation between the Mother of Dragons and Tyrion. She described Daario as the kind of hero like her late husband Khal Drogo or her new (at the time) acquaintance Jon Snow, who are brave but foolish. However exciting it was to hear Daario’s name, it was clear from Dany’s tone and words that she’s not exactly missing the guy. He’s of better use to her far away in Meereen while she’s attempting to conquer Westeros.

So what does that mean for the final season? If Daario continues to follow Dany’s orders, we probably won’t see him again in Season 8 since it’s most likely going to take place entirely in Westeros now that all the main players are in the same place, preparing to fight their myriad final battles. He’ll be stuck in Meereen, overseeing the transition of power to the people.

But there is some hope: He could very likely end up defying Dany’s orders if or when he hears just how dire things are getting for her. Remember, she’s just lost one of her three dragons to the Night King; the army of the undead have breached The Wall and are invading Westeros; and Cersei still wants Dany’s head despite giving her word that she’d join the fight against the undead. Should Daario hear how things are going in Westeros, he was so head over heels last we saw that it's totally feasible that he'd hop on a ship and attempt to join Dany in The North.

Hopefully Daario decides to go for the latter so we can see him onscreen at least once more before Game of Thrones is over for good. With only a handful of episodes left in the series, we’re running out of time. Get to Westeros, Daario, while you still can!