Culture March 29, 2019

A history of the fire-breathing, crazy cool dragons on 'Game of Thrones'

WATCH: A history of the fire-breathing, crazy cool dragons on 'Game of Thrones'

Every time we hear Daenerys Targaryen say "Dracarys" in "Game of Thrones" we know the dragons are about to do their thing: spew fire upon her enemies.

The three dragons are major characters alongside Daenerys throughout the show, from their birth in season one to Viserion's death in season seven.

(MORE: 'Game of Thrones' releases new character images as final season gets closer)

The Three Dragons

The dragon eggs are given to Daenerys by Magister Illyrio Mopatis at her wedding to Dothraki leader, Khal Drogo.

"The ages have turned them to stone, but they will always be beautiful," Mopatis tells her when she opens the gift.

The dragons are born at the end of season one, when Daenerys walks into the funeral pyre she has built Drogo, who has died.

When morning comes and the fire has stopped burning, Daenerys is still alive and the dragons have hatched from their eggs.

Daenerys names them Drogon, after Khal Drogo, and Rhaegal and Viserion, after her brothers. She calls them her children throughout the rest of the series.


(MORE: Everything we know about the final season of 'Game of Thrones')

HBO
A scene from "Game of Thrones."

Teenage Rebellion

As the dragons get older, Daenerys struggles to maintain order.

Her largest and most powerful dragon, Drogon, leaves her to do as he pleases, eventually murdering a small child. She locks the other two dragons away to ensure they cannot hurt more innocent people.


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Drogon returns to save Daenerys when she is under attack by the Sons of the Harpy in Meereen. He lands beside her in the fighting pits, saving her from what most likely would be death.

The other two dragons are eventually released by Tyrion.

(MORE: Emilia Clarke said she was 'an emotional wreck' filming final scenes for 'Game of Thrones')
HBO
A scene from "Game of Thrones."

Fighting Alongside Daenerys

The three dragons all fly together again and begin to fight alongside Daenerys, including against the Lannister-Tarly field army at the Battle of the Goldroad as well as alongside Daenerys and Jon Snow in the last season seven battle against the White Walkers and the army of the dead.

One of the three dragons, Viserion, is murdered by the Night King at this battle. The Night King then turns Viserion into an undead dragon to join the army of the dead.

The season seven finale shows the Night King riding Viserion to the wall. The dragon tears it apart with blue flames, and with the wall's protection broken, the army of the dead is finally able to enter Westeros.

Che dothras che drivos!