Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons, captivated audiences with her journey from exiled princess to a powerful queen wielding the only dragons in the known world. But her connection to these magnificent creatures was fraught with peril, and the number of dragons under her command dwindled significantly throughout the series “Game of Thrones”. Let’s delve into the tragic story of Daenerys’ dragons and explore how many were left standing at the end of her reign.
The Birth of a Legend: From Eggs to Fire-Breathing Dragons
Daenerys’ story began with three petrified dragon eggs, a wedding gift that seemed more symbolic than practical. Dragons had been extinct for centuries, and the idea of them returning was relegated to legend. However, through a combination of magic, faith, and fire, Daenerys hatched these eggs, bringing forth three magnificent dragons: Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.
These dragons weren’t merely pets; they were extensions of Daenerys herself. They were her children, fiercely loyal and undeniably powerful. Their birth marked a turning point, not only for Daenerys but for the entire world of Westeros. Dragons represented a raw, untamed power that had been absent for generations, and Daenerys was now its wielder.
The dragons grew rapidly, becoming symbols of Daenerys’ power and a key component of her military strength. Their fiery breath could decimate armies, and their presence alone inspired fear and awe. Daenerys used them strategically, liberating slaves in Essos and solidifying her claim to the Iron Throne.
The First Loss: Viserion Falls to the Night King
The first significant blow to Daenerys’ dragon family came in Season 7. During a daring mission beyond the Wall to capture a wight and prove the existence of the Night King’s army, Daenerys faced a devastating loss. The Night King, wielding an ice spear, struck Viserion down.
Viserion’s death was a pivotal moment. Not only did it significantly weaken Daenerys’ military advantage, but it also represented a personal tragedy for her. The loss of one of her “children” was a deep wound, and it fueled her determination to defeat the Night King and protect the living.
The horror didn’t end there. The Night King, using his power over the dead, resurrected Viserion as a wight dragon, now breathing blue flames and under his control. This twisted version of Viserion became a weapon of the Night King, used to breach the Wall and unleash the Army of the Dead upon Westeros.
This loss underscores the dangers Daenerys faced and the heavy price she paid in her quest for power. The once vibrant Viserion, a symbol of hope and rebirth, was now a tool of destruction, a stark reminder of the Night King’s power and the devastating consequences of the war to come.
The Battle of Winterfell: Rhaegal’s Demise
The Great War against the Night King culminated in the Battle of Winterfell. While the living ultimately prevailed, thanks to Arya Stark’s heroic act, the battle was costly. Daenerys and her dragons played a crucial role, engaging in aerial combat with the undead Viserion.
After the Battle of Winterfell, Daenerys’ forces were significantly weakened. Though victorious, they had suffered heavy losses, and her army was depleted. The threat of Cersei Lannister and her own ambitions for the Iron Throne still loomed large. Daenerys pressed on, driven by her belief that she was the rightful ruler of Westeros.
However, another tragic event was about to unfold. In a surprise attack orchestrated by Euron Greyjoy and his Iron Fleet, Rhaegal was ambushed and killed. The Iron Fleet, equipped with massive scorpion bolts designed to pierce dragon scales, proved to be a deadly threat. Rhaegal, caught off guard, was struck multiple times and fell from the sky.
Rhaegal’s death was another devastating blow to Daenerys, both strategically and emotionally. It further weakened her military strength and left her feeling vulnerable and isolated. The loss of two of her dragon children fueled her rage and contributed to her descent into madness.
Drogon: The Last Dragon
After the deaths of Viserion and Rhaegal, only Drogon remained. Drogon had always been the largest and most powerful of Daenerys’ dragons, named after her late husband, Khal Drogo. He was fiercely loyal to Daenerys and served as her personal mount.
Drogon played a pivotal role in the Battle of King’s Landing. Fueled by rage and grief, Daenerys unleashed Drogon’s fire upon the city, decimating the Golden Company and ultimately destroying King’s Landing.
The destruction of King’s Landing marked a turning point for Daenerys. Her actions solidified her reputation as a tyrant in the eyes of many, and ultimately led to her assassination at the hands of Jon Snow.
Following Daenerys’ death, Drogon mourned his fallen mother. In a display of grief and understanding, he melted the Iron Throne with his fiery breath, symbolically rejecting the corrupting influence of power. He then carried Daenerys’ body away, flying east, disappearing from Westeros.
So, at the end of Daenerys Targaryen’s reign and life, only one dragon remained: Drogon.
The Implications of a Single Dragon
The survival of Drogon, the last dragon, has profound implications for the future of Westeros and the world. Dragons represent a unique and powerful force, capable of shaping history and influencing the balance of power.
With Drogon gone, Westeros enters a new era, one without dragons for the first time in centuries. The power vacuum left by Daenerys’ death and the absence of dragons creates opportunities for new leaders and new alliances to emerge.
The question of where Drogon went and what he will do remains unanswered. Will he find other dragons? Will he return to Westeros one day? These questions linger, leaving the door open for future stories and explorations of the dragon lore in the “Game of Thrones” universe.
Drogon’s survival is a testament to the enduring power of dragons and their connection to the Targaryen bloodline. He carries with him the legacy of his mother and the memory of his fallen siblings, a symbol of hope, destruction, and the enduring mysteries of the world.
The Dragon’s Legacy: Beyond Daenerys
The story of Daenerys’ dragons is not just about their power and destruction; it’s also about their symbolism. Dragons represent rebirth, change, and the untamed forces of nature. They are a reminder that the world is constantly evolving and that even the most powerful institutions can be challenged.
The dragons’ story is intertwined with the history of the Targaryen dynasty, a family known for their connection to dragons and their ability to wield their power. The Targaryens brought dragons to Westeros and used them to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. But their reliance on dragons also led to their downfall, as the dragons eventually died out, and the Targaryen dynasty weakened.
Daenerys’ dragons represented a resurgence of Targaryen power, a chance to reclaim their lost glory. But her story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked power and the importance of compassion and justice.
Drogon’s existence ensures that the memory of the dragons will live on. Whether he becomes a force for good or ill remains to be seen, but his presence guarantees that the age of dragons is not entirely over.
Here is a brief recap in the form of a table:
| Dragon | Status | Cause of Death | Resurrected? |
|————|—————|—————————–|————-|
| Viserion | Deceased | Killed by the Night King’s spear | Yes |
| Rhaegal | Deceased | Killed by Euron Greyjoy | No |
| Drogon | Alive | N/A | N/A |
The impact of Daenerys’ dragons on the world of “Game of Thrones” is undeniable. They shaped the course of history, influenced the balance of power, and ultimately played a crucial role in the events that led to the end of the series. The legacy of these magnificent creatures will continue to be debated and discussed for years to come. The answer is clear, at the end of the main series, Daenerys had only Drogon left. The future of the species, as of the series finale, rests on his shoulders.
How many dragons did Daenerys Targaryen originally have?
Daenerys Targaryen began her dragon-owning journey with three dragon eggs, a wedding gift she received from Illyrio Mopatis. These eggs had seemingly been petrified for centuries, and many believed dragons were extinct. Miraculously, Daenerys hatched these eggs during Khal Drogo’s funeral pyre, birthing three dragons who would become vital to her quest for the Iron Throne.
These dragons were named Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion, each named after someone significant in Daenerys’s life: her deceased husband Khal Drogo, her brother Rhaegar Targaryen, and her other brother Viserys Targaryen. They quickly grew into formidable creatures, becoming both weapons and cherished children for Daenerys.
What happened to Viserion?
Viserion met a tragic end during a rescue mission north of the Wall. Daenerys, along with Jon Snow and a small band of warriors, ventured beyond the Wall to capture a wight to prove the existence of the White Walkers to Cersei Lannister. During this perilous mission, they were ambushed by the Night King and his army of the dead.
In the ensuing battle, the Night King hurled an ice spear that pierced Viserion, causing him to fall into the frozen lake and seemingly die. However, the Night King then resurrected Viserion as a wight dragon, giving him icy blue eyes and turning him into a weapon of the undead. Viserion ultimately destroyed a section of the Wall, allowing the White Walker army to enter Westeros.
What happened to Rhaegal?
Rhaegal’s fate was sealed during Daenerys’s approach to King’s Landing. As Daenerys and Drogon were flying towards Dragonstone to regroup before attacking King’s Landing, Euron Greyjoy and his Iron Fleet ambushed them using massive ballistae known as scorpions. These weapons were designed to pierce dragon scales, and they proved devastatingly effective.
Rhaegal was struck by multiple scorpion bolts, causing him to plummet from the sky and into the sea. This ambush significantly weakened Daenerys’s position and fueled her rage, ultimately contributing to her decision to unleash fire upon King’s Landing. His death was a major blow, both strategically and emotionally, for Daenerys.
Is Drogon the only dragon remaining?
Yes, Drogon is indeed the only dragon remaining from Daenerys Targaryen’s original three. He is the largest and arguably the most powerful of the three, having been Daenerys’s personal mount and closest companion. He witnessed the destruction of King’s Landing and the death of Daenerys herself.
Following Daenerys’s death, Drogon melted the Iron Throne and then carried her body away, flying eastwards across the Narrow Sea. His current whereabouts are unknown, although it is speculated that he returned to Valyria, the ancestral homeland of the Targaryens, or possibly another location suitable for dragons to live.
Where did Drogon take Daenerys’ body?
The series finale doesn’t explicitly state where Drogon took Daenerys’ body after her death. He flew east, presumably towards the ancient lands of Valyria, a place that holds a historical connection to dragons and the Targaryen dynasty.
While the destination remains a mystery, the implication is that he took her to a place where she could be honored or laid to rest in accordance with dragon lore or Targaryen traditions. The Grand Maester Samwell Tarly later mentions that there were rumors of a dragon seen flying east, which supports the belief that Drogon flew to Valyria or some other location in that direction.
Why did Drogon melt the Iron Throne?
Drogon’s decision to melt the Iron Throne was a powerful symbolic moment. He didn’t attack Jon Snow, Daenerys’s killer, but instead directed his fire at the symbol of power that had ultimately consumed his mother. The Iron Throne represented the endless cycle of violence and ambition that led to Daenerys’s demise.
By destroying the throne, Drogon was rejecting the very idea of absolute power and the destructive nature of the quest for it. He seemed to understand, perhaps instinctually, that the throne was the source of much of the conflict and suffering in Westeros, and eliminating it was a way to end the cycle.
Could there be more dragons in the world besides Drogon?
While Drogon is the only confirmed dragon remaining after the events of the series, the possibility of other dragons existing in the world of “Game of Thrones” cannot be entirely ruled out. The world is vast and largely unexplored, particularly beyond the known continents.
Ancient texts and legends hint at the existence of dragons in various parts of the world, and it’s conceivable that some may have survived in remote or hidden locations. Therefore, while unlikely, the potential for the rediscovery of more dragons remains a subtle possibility within the lore of the series.