VICTORIA NG
Wyvern (Terraria)
Curation
With the game currently in the stage of being remastered, how could I not include this spunky purple dragon? Spyro was one of the first dragons I had the pleasure of encountering in my childhood, having stayed at a family friend's place countless times and passing the controller along everytime one of us died. Instead of presenting a character that was evil and had to be defeated, you could play a hero - and the hero was a DRAGON. Come on, how cool did I think that was a child? And now, with news of the dragon's rerelease, I'm excited to again sit down with people I care about, reach back to those days of communal fun, and explore mechanics that I now am intelligent enough to comprehend consciously.
But more than that, Spyro was a wonderful, brave, and fierce friend, and I like to think he inspired me a little not only in my fictional writing, but my real life too.
Dragonite
Dragonite (Pokemon)
You cannot talk about dragons without going past Pokemon. The original 151 had 3 dragons (Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite), which were obtained by patiently finishing for Dratini in a particular pond in the Safari Zone (at least, that's how I remember doing it in Pokemon Yellow). I loved the idea that dragons got into this very popular franchise. When I look at it now, it seems to have some striking differences from the traditional Western beast I imagined (often I'd hear them described as green or red, and standing on all fours compared with Dragonite's two). Of course, being Pokemon, you could therefore acquire a Dragonite and train it. Forget fighting against one, how about fighting with one? Very cool, and I'm also very glad that dragon representation has expanded heavily since then. (I'll be covering another Pokemon further down).
Myrrh (Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones)
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones was a game I encountered in early high school. It quite possibly reintroduced me to my love for strategy games (before then my experience had been limited to Age of Mythology). Late in the game the player will meet with a young girl looking for her Dragonstone. She is Myrrh, a Manakete - a race of beings that also transforms into dragons. Myrrh bears the title of Great Dragon in Caer Pelyn, the village nearest to where she lives (Darkling Woods). If you build up conversations and supports correctly (a mechanic that I won't cover), you find she is 1200 years old - yet despite this, she still seems childish and lonely, even requesting to call Ephraim (one of the main characters) 'Brother' at one stage.
I found this interpretation of dragons to be quite interesting. (I also had the added dilemna of whether this was a true dragon or a human masquerading as one, but honestly I decided that, considering her demeanour and almost otherwordly behaviour/interactions, yes she's definitely a dragon). After all, some think that, having lived for thousands of years, a dragon must be quite wise, right? But through this character, you realise that a thousand years may be a lot for humans, but for dragons it may be a drop in the ocean of time. It was a revelation I'd never thought of before - and to have a dragon be so quiet and shy and vulnerable was a very different outlook from previous games.
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones was a game I encountered in early high school. It quite possibly reintroduced me to my love for strategy games (before then my experience had been limited to Age of Mythology). Late in the game the player will meet with a young girl looking for her Dragonstone. She is Myrrh, a Manakete - a race of beings that also transforms into dragons. Myrrh bears the title of Great Dragon in Caer Pelyn, the village nearest to where she lives (Darkling Woods). If you build up conversations and supports correctly (a mechanic that I won't cover), you find she is 1200 years old - yet despite this, she still seems childish and lonely, even requesting to call Ephraim (one of the main characters) 'Brother' at one stage.
I found this interpretation of dragons to be quite interesting. (I also had the added dilemna of whether this was a true dragon or a human masquerading as one, but honestly I decided that, considering her demeanour and almost otherwordly behaviour/interactions, yes she's definitely a dragon). After all, some think that, having lived for thousands of years, a dragon must be quite wise, right? But through this character, you realise that a thousand years may be a lot for humans, but for dragons it may be a drop in the ocean of time. It was a revelation I'd never thought of before - and to have a dragon be so quiet and shy and vulnerable was a very different outlook from previous games.
Rayquaza
Rayquaza (Pokemon)
Later in high school I rediscovered my love for Pokemon with Pokemon Emerald and the legendary Dragon/Flying Pokemon Rayquaza. While one of my favourite dragon Pokemon also appears in this game (Salamence, appearing to me like a more traditional Western dragon hat I was familiar with from fairytales and the like), I chose Rayquaza instead because, upon meeting it for the first time, I was instantly reminded of Chinese dragons. Rayquaza is long and serpentine, with two arms and no wings, and I was very excited because suddenly I was seeing a different sort of dragon! Until then I'd been aware that there were others, but to see one in mainstream media made me very happy. After all, I finally had a dragon that spoke to a part of my heritage which was often drowned out with living in a Western society. Its Pokedex entry is "A Pokémon that flies endlessly in the ozone layer. It is said it would descend to the ground if Kyogre and Groudon were to fight." (the two mentioned are the other legendary Pokemon of the trio). It reminded me of how I thought the Eastern cultures portrayed their dragons as mythical beings, who only interfere or show themselves in times of great stress (I believe, on a sidenote, that four great dragons imprisoned in mountains in China are the folklore basis for the four major rivers flowing - they turned themselves into water for the people). Since Rayquaza, I believe that Pokemon has become more creative with its dragon Pokemon, and am excited to see more.
Spyro (Spyro the Dragon)
In perhaps my first few years at university a friend introduced me to Terraria, a cute pixel-style game reminiscent of Minecraft, except 2D and side-on (both of which captured me immensely, as my 3D gameplay in Minecraft was atrocious at the time). While we played together I learned a great many things just by watching said friend, and Googling helped me as well. I eventually would find myself with the capacity for travelling into the sky, and building what is known as a sky-bridge - essentially a line of blocks from one side of the world to the other, across the sky. Why? To find 'sky islands', essentially clouds, which inexplicably would have houses with treasure (game logic, just accept it) or lakes for fishing. It is also where a wyvern may sometimes spawn.
A wyvern, like most Terraria creatures, is a monster that, once spawned, will follow you, and does damage by running into you. A traditional boss creature, but I speak of it because when I first saw it I thought 'Haku', and yes, it resembles the character's dragon form from the famous film Spirited Away. (Interestingly, a wyvern is depicted as a dragon with wings and legs but no arms, whereas Terraria's version is more an Asian-style dragon with a serpentine body and no limbs). I was delighted to see another representation of relateable culture in Western media, even if it was a boss. I also like to think that Terraria's style of animation made the dragon itself move very beautifully.
Ender Dragon (Minecraft)
I will confess now that I have never seen or fought the Ender Dragon, and I doubt I ever will - Minecraft was a very small period of my time and I was only a casual player. I visit it occasionally to build small houses and get lost in the mines. That being said, I learned of the Ender Dragon through a flatmate, who was a much more avid Minecraft player than I ever was. The Ender Dragon is one of the 'boss mobs' types that I will talking about. It's there almost solely for endgame purposes, including the dropping of a dragon egg (which, from my understanding, is a purely decorative trophy that I guess can be displayed for bragging rights). The tradition of having dragons as bosses will probably continue on for a long time, no doubt - after all, they are often depicted as powerful and mythical beings, so what better title to have than one of a dragonslayer?
That being said, I myself am too much of a casual player to ever visit The End (where it spawns), much less fight the dragon there. Leave me to my grass and my lava catastrophes!
Aurelion Sol (League of Legends)
Aurelion Sol (League of Legends)
Before you start, you're right, I could've gone with the half-dragon that is Shyvana. I didn't want to. After all, Aurelion Sol is, by character, a far larger entity. His current lore places him as a dragon unhindered by space (well technically, he is a dragon of space and the cosmos), and he travels freely between worlds, creating stars and galaxies because he can, and because he marvels at their beauty. Beyond that, he is also arrogant in his powers, and is eventually tricked and brought to heel by the Targonians, and currently awaits the day of his escape where he can show them his true feelings - because for each time he disobeys them, they extinguish a star he created, and he knows every star he created and this causes him great anguish.
In game, his voice serves to remind us of his celestial origins (if he had any. Who knows, space is a strange thing). His mechanics attempt to remind people of his majesty. He is orbited by stars which are not hidden when you hide in a brush and people can see them, thus figuring out that there is definitely a giant space dragon trying to sneak up on you. No, Aurelion Sol is not one for sneaking. If he wants to do that, he'll fly at you from very far away (another in game ability of his) with a giant star ready to explode in your face. This dragon is one known for his dramatic entrances - and even more dramatic death scenes. I included him because he had very a different design to other dragons, of which most of the common are known for fire. This one is known for space and stardust, which is both ambitious and beautiful. I've always liked the night sky, and now I can play as a creator of it.
Hraesvalgr (Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward)
I was recommended Final Fantasy XIV last year and began playing it mid-2017. While I found the first story (A Realm Reborn aka ARR) quite slow, I became quite taken by the storyline of Heavensward, including the politics and fantasy surrounding Ishgard and her citizens' war with the Dravanians. Ishgard had a long-standing hatred with dragonkind and their supporters, and along the way you meet with several dragons, one of which is named Hraesvalgr. Hraesvalgr is of the First Brood, one of seven dragons brought as eggs with Midgardsormr, the first dragon to arrive to Hydaelyn (the world in which this game is based. Confusingly you are also guided by an entity, Hydaelyn, who is known as the Mothercrystal and is a goddess of the world). Hraesvalgr falls in love with an Ishagardian, Shiva, but because he is immortal and she is not, she convinces him to consume her so her soul may combine with his. This results in a peace between Dravanians and Ishgardians spanning two hundred years, until a betrayal and the death of another of the First Brood sends the parties into war (which is ongoing in the story, called the Dragonsong War). Due to the calming nature of Shiva's soul, Hraesvalgr does not join the war, and instead retreats to Dravania to remain in solitude. He is kept company by his brood, most (if not all) of which chooses his path of solidarity and quiet.
Hraeslvalgr is an instrumental part of the story, and an active character as opposed to a stereotypical 'boss you have to kill'. He remains set in his ways yet his thousands of years give him a wisdom and bearing that demands respect. While he spends much of his part in HW refusing to join the Dragonsong War, he is persuaded to join by his father Midgardsormr, and provides the player with a trial to pass of ascending through an area to battle him in Dravania. His history and Shiva's influence grants him a quiet dignity that I would've imagined all the dragons to have, had they not been drawn into the war. The love story with Shiva brings him down to a relateable level, as opposed to if he'd been so far detached from me as a player that I would not invest into this game. Ultimately, the dragons (including Hraesvalgr) were one of the best 'races' of HW in terms of making them so complex and varied (while Dravanians is the blanket term for the race, there are so many different types and forms they may take), while HW itself remains one of my favourite parts of FFXIV storywise. It probably helps that I very much love fantasy.
Nidhogg (Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward)
Unlike Hraesvalgr, Nidhogg is the primary antagonist of Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward. He is also of the First Brood, and was driven to revenge and hatred after one of the others of the First Brood (and therefore his sister), Ratototskr, was murdered by Ishgard's king, Thordan, for power (the Ishgardians had learned that a dragon's power lay in their eyes, so they killed Ratototskr and ate her eyes for her power). Thousands of years later, Nidhogg continues to call Dravanians to his cause for revenge and prepare to destroy Ishgard.
Whereas Hraesvalgr has more complex character development and provides an active presence with which to discuss and challenge the player, Nidhogg is a more traditional boss character. While painted as 'evil', however, he also is used as an example of the drive of revenge, and the price of grief and betrayal. After all, Nidhogg may be considered evil by Ishgardians, but was it not the Ishgardians who broke the treaty first with their murder of his kin? His is a traditionally written character so driven by one goal that it's consumed him, turning him to a shade of his former self. A climax of the story has the player face him down as he attempts to destroy Ishgard (and the music during this fight remains some of my favourite in the whole game).
I felt it necessary to include a dragon that fitted the 'boss to kill in a dungeon' identity, to try to get more variation in my curation. As I look Nidhogg over, I find that I can't feel sorry for him. He's so consumed by his loss that he'll stop at nothing to destroy Ishgard - but then, what then? Every being on Eorzea? Because honestly, I think he would, because death and revenge is all he's focused on for thousands of years - and that in itself is terrifying.
Paarthurnax (Skyrim)
Disclaimer: I've never played Skyrim, and frankly I don't think I would have the time or interest to do it justice. I'm also under the impression that it's a solo-player game, and right now I favour games with social interaction. (I also know that I struggle to retain interest in solo-player games with large worlds and extensive stories - I have yet to look at Mass Effect again after playing it for a few weeks after purchase, and have little interest in attempting another costly risk.) However, I thought that omitting Skyrim was a disservice to the curation, as the game itself is critically-acclaimed and so wellknown.
Paarthurnax is one of the main dragons in Skyrim (one of the others being Alduin, the main antagonist). While you as the player spend a majority of your time fighting against dragons, you will eventually meet a dragon that, surprisingly, doesn't want to kill you. Paarthurnax will become a mentor, teaching you skills necessary to defeating Alduin.
Because of Parthuurnax's actions long ago in the war (he once served as Alduin's lieutenant), he is wanted dead (it also doesn't help that the attitude towards dragons is and has been hostile for a long time now). This serves for some very interesting choices in the game - you can choose to follow through a questline involving killing him and bringing justice, thus furthering a relationship with what I'm interpreting to be the 'police' of Skyrim. Conversely, you can choose to protect Paarthurnax, but this (for one thing) leaves the previously-mentioned questline incomplete - and this is a feature I know would frustrate me immensely, as I am a person that needs to complete everything in the storyline.
Despite that, the friends I speak to regard Paarthurnax with respect, and even awe. When a character inspires so much common sentiment between people, I know that he is something special.
(In hindsight, I realise that Paarthurnax and Alduin have points in common with Hraeslvagr and Nidhogg. In both Heavensward and Skyrim, one dragon - as I described to a friend - is an evil guy that wants to destroy everything, while the other is a loner that wants to live far away on their mountain. I wonder if that's a thing in video games?)