Ranking all the dragon scenes on Game of Thrones
By Erin Qualey
No. 39 – RIP Rhaegal
When: Season 8, Episode 4
What Went Down: Picked out of the sky by Euron Greyjoy and the Iron Fleet, Rhaegal was shot through with massive arrows and fell to a tragic and untimely death in Blackwater Bay. This scene was heartbreaking not only in how abrupt and unexpected it was – no living soul had killed a dragon to this point! – but also because Rhaegal was so much more than a living weapon. Watching his majestic body fall from the sky was one of the true tragedies in the history of Game of Thrones.
No. 38 – Burn Them All (Aka – The Battle of King’s Landing: Part Two)
When: Season 8, Episode 5
What Went Down: Even before her dragon children hatched, Daenerys Targaryen had one goal: to retake the Iron Throne in King’s Landing. However, when we finally get to see her use her mighty power to finally achieve her goals, it wasn’t what viewers wanted. After the city rings the bells in surrender, Daenerys decides it’s not enough. She must rule with fear. Since this twist hadn’t been given time to breathe, it felt wholly unearned and inorganic. On a technical level this scene was fantastically executed – shoutout to the GoT CGI team! – but on an emotional level, we weren’t prepared to witness Drogon perpetuate the slaughter of tens of thousands of innocents. To borrow a phrase from Arya Stark – it’s just not him.
No. 37 – Baby Dragon Snacks
When: Season 2, Episode 1
What Went Down: In our first look at the dragons after their spectacular birth in the Season 1 finale, Daenerys works on nourishing her newly born babes. As she and her small khalasar wander the Red Waste looking for a safe haven, the Khaleesi is basking in the glow of new motherhood. It’s a sweet moment with an adorable baby dragon. What do you call a baby dragon? A fire pup? A dracaryite? Either way, these little guys were too cute and we definitely wanted to take one home to snuggle on the couch with… but that’s before we knew how big they would eventually grow.
No. 36 – The Birth of Dracarys
When: Season 2, Episode 5
What Went Down: It’s Drogon’s very first Dracarys, y’all! So cuteeee! As Daenerys settles into her new digs in Qaarth, she spends some down time teaching her children the basics. She sets a piece of meat down in front of her favorite child and prompts him with a gentle “dracarys.” She repeats the powerful word a few more times when – poof! – little Drogon turns into a tiny blowtorch, cooking up his meal medium rare and then chomping it down like a pro.