Fantasy books and movies are filled with magical creatures, from the tiniest faeries to the mightiest giants.
But for us, nothing comes close to the majestic power of the dragon.
Dragons have appeared in stories for thousands of years, but we’re particularly fond of the ones we grew up hearing about — the ones that have cemented their place in modern pop culture.
Smaug (The Hobbit)
Created by author J.R.R. Tolkien for his 1937 novel, Smaug’s pop culture profile grew even greater after the release of Peter Jackson’s 2010s movie series.
This devious, greedy, fire-breathing villain is described in the book as "the greatest of the dragons of his day."
Believing Smaug to pose a grave threat to the world, the wizard Gandalf sends a party to defeat him. The nearly indestructible drake proves a formidable enemy, but in the end his boastfulness and overconfidence is his downfall and he is slain by a well-aimed arrow.
Toothless (How to Train Your Dragon)
In the 2013 film, loosely based on the 2003 children’s book by Cressida Cowell, a young Viking named Hiccup strikes up an unlikely friendship with an injured black dragon he names Toothless .
Hiccup learns from Toothless about the ways of dragons, and it’s through this mutual understanding that they are able to help forge a truce between two historic enemies.
Drogon (Game of Thrones)
HBO’s epic television series, based on George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels, introduced many powerful dragons into pop culture, but the greatest of all was Daenerys Targaryen’s “child,” Drogon.
Daenerys raises Drogon from egg to adulthood, and in return receives unfailing loyalty and love from the mighty dragon. She rides him into many battles, including the devastating Battle of King’s Landing.
Mushu (Mulan)
If you thought all dragons were fierce and destructive, Disney would beg to differ. Serving as comic sidekick to the young girl-turned-warrior, Mulan, Mushu was playful and mischievous.
While Mushu was loosely based on the wise, helpful dragons in ancient Chinese stories, many modern-day Chinese people felt Mushu wasn’t a very accurate depiction of that archetype — which may be why his character was left out of the 2020 live-action remake of the 1998 animated classic.
Shenron (Dragon Ball)
Known as the Eternal Dragon, Shenron was part of the immensely popular Japanese media franchise, Dragon Ball, that included several manga comics, television series, and films.
Modeled after the dragons of traditional Chinese mythology, Shenron is wise and powerful, rather than vicious and devious. When summoned, he grants wishes to whoever has called him — regardless of the good or evil intentions of those making the wish.
Did we leave out your favorite pop culture dragon? Let us know in the comments!
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