‘Game of Thrones’ Most Interesting Dragon Lore Involves Blood Magic

The Big Picture

• Dragons in the Game of Thrones universe are shrouded in mystery, but their connection to bloodmagic is clear as it plays a crucial role in their existence.
• The origin of dragons is a topic of debate, with theories ranging from their emergence in Valyria to being tamed by an unknown ancient civilization, but one likely answer is that they were created by bloodmages, explaining this connection.
• The bond between dragons and their Targaryen riders is likely connected to bloodmagic, which would explain the requirement of Valyrian blood for dragonriding and the Targaryens’ practice of incest to preserve their connection to dragons.

Game of Thrones features an extensive fantasy world with different kinds of magic and supernatural beings, but each is governed by strict rules, and dragons are no different. Though largely gone by the beginning of Game of Thrones, dragons play an important role in the series, and so does dragonlore, which is expanded in the prequel series House of the Dragon. Yet there is much unknown about dragons in the Game of Thrones universe, especially after the Doom of Valyria. Once a flourishing population, dragons, along with their Valyrian riders, were decimated in this tragedy. Though the species survived the cataclysmic event with the Targaryens, the population was diminished. The Targaryens became the only remaining dragonlords, and much about the imposing creatures became a closely guarded secret to preserve the air of mystery around the family. Yet one major point of dragonlore is their reliance on bloodmagic.

After Aegon the Conqueror and his sister-wives used their dragons to gain power, it benefited the Targaryen empire to let dragons and their connection to the royal family remain mysterious as it dissuaded even the bravest lords from questioning their authority. But as they maintained their tenuous tie to the legendary beasts, dragons became more mysterious to the world. In the destruction of Valyria, many records were lost, leaving only the Targaryens and legend to continue the legacy. And the Targaryens’ fervent protection of their secrets accelerates the misinformation. But it isn’t all lost. The Targaryen words, “Fire and Blood,” are more than just ominous as they hide the secret of dragons in plain sight. From birth to their choice of riders, the dragons’ existence relies on bloodmagic. Even with the uncertainty around them, it’s an important piece of the puzzle. Dragons are undeniably tied to bloodmagic and have been since the story first introduced them. The only remaining question is how deep the connection runs.

Bloodmagic Is the Most Likely Origins of Dragons in ‘Game of Thrones’

Bloodmagic is not something most of the characters understand or even consider, but it is a magic older than dragons. There are many legends about how dragons came to be, from being born in the destruction of a second moon to coming from an unknown land. With George R. R. Martin‘s dedication to lore, these legends are documented in the companion novel The World of Ice & Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones, which includes much of the same information as Fire & Blood. Other legends have been relayed to characters in either the show, the novels, or both. The only thing that is entirely clear is that not every story is accurate, but some are more likely than others. While Valyrian histories claim the dragons emerged from a ring of volcanoes in Valyria, other histories suggest they originated in the Shadow Lands beyond Asshai and the islands of the Jade Sea. Similarly, Asshai legends have an unknown people taming the dragons before bringing them to Valyria and teaching the inhabitants their secrets before disappearing entirely. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) learns of a story told in Quarth about dragons hatching from a moon that got too close to the sun and resulted in millions of dragons.

Each of these theories is interesting, but the most logical is put forth by Westeros’ famed historian Septon Barth, who suggested that the first dragons were related to wyverns (flying reptiles without the ability to breathe fire) or firewyrms (firebreathing reptiles who cannot fly). Barth hypothesizes that Valyrian bloodmages created dragons using their magic. Certainly, it seems odd with so many magic beasts in existence that only dragons would need a supernatural origin, but this would explain their connection to bloodmagic. Whether dragons came from Valyria or another land, Barth’s reasoning is the only story that establishes a connection between the creatures and the specific magic that they rely on, making it a likely explanation. Though this is only a theoretical connection between dragons and bloodmagic, everything else known about them seems to point to this as the answer.

In ‘Game of Thrones’ Dragons Must Be Born Through Bloodmagic

Dragons are supernatural creatures but incredibly intelligent and unpredictable. Their exact lifespan is uncertain as the only known dragon to die of old age is Balerion the Black Dread, but no one is sure when he was born. But, having been born before the Targaryens left Old Valyria, Balerion was over 200 years old, proving they could live for centuries, which is hardly normal for living creatures, even in the fantasy universe. Dragons also grow throughout their lives, which explains Vhagar’s immense size. But none of these things connect dragons exclusively to bloodmagic. However, one detail from their first introduction does. When Daenerys Targaryen is given dragon eggs, everyone believes they are ornamental, yet she hatches three dragons in a fire. After Mirri Maz Duur (Mia Soteriou) uses bloodmagic to save Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa) by killing Daenerys’ unborn son, Daenerys takes the witch’s words “only a life can pay for a life” to heart, having Mirri Maz Duur burned along with the body of her husband. And in that fire, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion are born, making them the first dragons in over a century.

Daenerys is not the first Targaryen since the dragons’ extension to have dragon eggs or even to try and hatch them. Aegon III supposedly had mages attempt to hatch the eggs as the dragon population died but had no success, even with magic. Later, King Baelor prayed over his egg but got no answer. The attempts to reintroduce dragons were hindered by the infamous Targaryen madness. One member of the family, Prince Aerion Targaryen, drank wildfire to transform himself into a dragon. Of course, this decision killed him, but not the Targaryen search to recover their lost power. In the tragedy of Summerhall, King Aegon V tried to hatch dragon eggs based on thorough research into Valyrian culture and information gathered from around the world. But it resulted in a fire that killed many members of the royal family. Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) even claims sorcery was involved, but something must have been wrong because no dragons hatched. Even Aers II, Daenerys’ father, attempted to revive dragons but never succeeded. Only Daenerys and her blood sacrifice in the fire worked. Though it’s not clear that this has to be a human sacrifice, it is interesting that the information was lost after so many years of Targaryens managing to hatch dragons in Westeros. But the death of dragons is shortly after the family’s civil war killed many Targaryens, so perhaps the young survivors were not old enough to learn the truth.

Dragonriding Provides Another Example of Dragons’ Connection to Bloodmagic in ‘Game of Thrones’

The most supernatural thing about dragons in the Game of Thrones universe is their connection to their riders. The House of the Dragon explores this through Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) bonding with Vhagar as well as connections that both Daemon (Matt Smith) and Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) share with their dragons Caraxes and Syrax, respectively, in Season 1. The Targaryens and their descendants are the only people allowed to ride dragons. So much so that it seems Valyrian blood is a requirement for the bond. This will likely be expanded upon in House of the Dragon Season 2 as the story reaches the Sowing of the Seeds. While the presence of Nettles complicates this explanation in Fire & Blood, the show may not include her. Yet the bond between dragon and rider is largely mysterious. Powerful enough to impact the mating relationships of the dragons, the bond is difficult to understand.

Some in-universe scholars in the universe speculate that the first dragonriders used magic to create their bond with the creatures. This would explain the Targaryen custom of incest. As one of the few remaining Valyrian families, they must keep their bloodline pure to protect their connection to dragons. Certainly, there are no non-magical explanations for the bond, leaving bloodmagic as the sensible answer. This could also answer the many Targaryen stillbirths born partially formed or with scales. Rhaenyra has one such child in House of the Dragon Season 1, and this is a common occurrence in the family. If dragons and Targaryens are connected through bloodmagic, perhaps that is the reason. The hatching of Daenerys’ eggs proves that dragons rely on bloodmagic to an extent, and there is evidence that there is more to it than simply hatching. Though a lot about dragons in the world of Game of Thrones is unknown, this seems to be the key. After all, the Targaryen words “Fire and Blood” are not exactly subtle.

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