It feels like a whirlwind gone by in the whoosh of a dragon’s wings: Season one of HBO’s House of the Dragon has now aired, leaving us to wonder when season two will be released.
With no developments on the immediate horizon when it comes to the fate of the Iron Throne under Targaryen rule, I expect that fans will be forced to go back to the familiar pastime of bashing A Song of Ice and Fire predecessor series Game of Thrones season 8.
Game of Thrones gets better the sooner you stop watching it.
Everyone, ever
That’s what certain corners of The Interwebs say, anyway, and I hear that.
The iconic show started out amazing, then it got good, and then, well, then came season eight.
But despite its many failings, #GOT season eight did great when it comes to dragons. And as you may already know, I’m a modern dragon, so I’m willing to accept a lot if it means getting some great dragon content.
So sit back, grab some riding tufts, and hang on tight. Here come some of this modern dragon‘s favorite #GOT S8 dragon moments.
But, warning! Spoilers ahead!
And warning! DRAGONS AHEAD!
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Spoiler Warning! Last Chance to Turn Back!
Let me first acknowledge how much I hate spoilers.
Hate, hate, hate.
But it’s impossible to comment on popular culture and/or documentary research pieces (take your pick!) without some amount of spoilage. A cost of doing business, I sigh.
Uh, so, I hope this isn’t surprising, but in order to recount some great GOT S8 dragon moments, I’m gonna have to reveal some incidental plot points. Some small, some big! So, be warned: there be spoilers ahead!
1. Daenerys rides Drogon to the parley
Have you ever had a really big meeting coming up and you wanted to arrive in style?
Well, allow me to offer the following for inspiration.
Talk about an entrance. This was easily the entrance to end all entrances.
2. Dragons arrive at Winterfell
Another impressive entrance was the dragons’ first arrival at Winterfell.
Not only was there some excellent swooping, but how nice to see two dragons flying together.
And, Danaerys’s pleased, smug expressions were a fun additional touch. She’s proud of her children and pleased by her accomplishments!
3. Jon Snow rides Rhaegal
And speaking of accomplishments. How about Jon’s first dragon ride?
What compares with riding a dragon? Nothing, I’d have to reckon.
(Not that I could really tell you without bias, seeing as that I am a dragon. A modern one.)
Also! Did you notice how Rhaegal gives Jon little wing bump to help him climb up? Delightful!
Fans of the show and books will hasten to observe that Rhaegal’s acceptance of Jon as a rider is a major nod to Jon’s Targaryen birth.
4. Daenerys burns Kings Landing
And now, dear reader, we have come to the part of this post where we must transition from happy memories to sad.
I don’t know how to avoid featuring this crazy, iconic scene here, so I’m not even going to try to avoid it.
There are just so many times throughout the Game of Thrones Run that hint at the eventual destruction of Kings Landing. (E.g., Anyone remember the destruction of Harrenhall?)
Still, even with all the foreshadowing, it came as a deep shock, to me at least, how Daenerys descended to such depths as to destroy that which she has fought for so long to rule.
I’m sure there is a lesson there, or ten.
5. Drogon tries to wake Daenerys
There’s so much great dragon content in season eight, and I can’t feature all of it. But I can cover one more; and this final example of mega-impressive dragon content from #GOT S8 is a real tearjerker. So I had to save it for the end.
For context, let’s just say that things do not end up so great for Daenerys. I’ll just leave it at that.
And when Drogon discovers what happened to Daenerys, the way he nudges his mother is absolutely heartbreaking.
I’m so, so sorry it came out this way, creatures.
It shouldn’t surprise us, and yet it does: Drogon approaches Daenerys’s downfall with abundant poignance and intelligence. Initially, it looks like Drogon, in the depths of mourning and rage, is about to finish off Jon Snow.
But if we thought this, we are the ones who know nothing: Drogon spares Jon and instead trains his fiery fury on the Iron Throne itself, destroying the physical manifestation of the thing truly responsible for his mother’s death.
And then there’s the fact that this scene is, apparently, Drogon’s and Danaerys’s final appearance.
And I don’t know which is more of a tearjerker moment for me: when Drogon tries to nudge Daenerys awake, or when he scoops her up so very gently and flies away.
Godspeed, Drogon. I hope you can find some solace, somewhere out there, wherever you are.
Which dragon scene from #GOT season 8 impacted you the most? Contact me privately to let me know, or post in the comments.
Very truly yours,
-A MODERN DRAGON
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