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.
Yet one major point of dragonlore is their reliance on bloodmagic.
Image by Jefferson Chacon
But as they maintained their tenuous tie to the legendary beasts, dragons became more mysterious to the world.
And the Targaryens' fervent protection of their secrets accelerates the misinformation.
But it isn’t all lost.
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.
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.
Other legends have been relayed to characters in either the show, the novels, or both.
Barth hypothesizes that Valyrian bloodmages created dragons using their magic.
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.
Image via HBO
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.
But it resulted in a fire that killed many members of the royal family.
Only Daenerys and her blood sacrifice in the fire worked.
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 inHouse of the DragonSeason 2 as the story reaches theSowing of the Seeds.
Whilethe presence of Nettles complicates this explanation inFire & 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.
This would explain the Targaryen custom of incest.
Certainly, there are no non-magical explanations for the bond, leaving bloodmagic as the sensible answer.
This could also answer the manyTargaryen stillbirths born partially formed or with scales.
If dragons and Targaryens are connected through bloodmagic, perhaps that is the reason.
Though a lot about dragons in the world ofGame of Thronesis unknown, this seems to be the key.
After all, the Targaryen words “Fire and Blood” are not exactly subtle.
Game of Thronesis available for streaming exclusively on Max in the U.S.
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