Unleashing the Fury: Decoding the Lethal Dragonsbane Scorpions
The Dragon-Killing Scorpions of House Of The Dragon return to the spotlight as ancient weapons of mass destruction resurface, reigniting memories of the First Dornish War Dive into the epic world of Game of Thrones and witness the deadly power of these formidable weapons once again
Highlights
In HBO's House of the Dragon, dragon warfare will be the central conflict as two factions, the Greens and the Blacks, take their dragons to war.
Dragon-Killing Scorpions, similar to those depicted in Game of Thrones, will play a vital role in both eliminating rival dragons and shaping the upcoming season. In the Game of Thrones universe, Scorpions have a rich history, contributing to the First Dornish War and Cersei's triumphant feat of bringing down a dragon with a precisely aimed Scorpion bolt.
In the beginning of HBO's House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra Targaryen recounts the tremendous advancements that her House has achieved over the past century, starting from the era of the Conquest. During their peak, the Targaryens possessed ten fully-grown dragons. The Old King Jaehaerys, followed by his grandson and Rhaenyra's father, Viserys, took the Iron Throne. However, Viserys' second marriage to Alicent Hightower resulted in a division within House Targaryen and sparked the infamous civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons. This conflict serves as the central storyline of HBO's House of the Dragon, where dragon warfare takes center stage. The Greens' Prince Aemond Targaryen rides the largest living dragon in the Seven Kingdoms, while King Aegon II rides Sunfyre and Helaena commands Dreamfyre. On the other side, the Blacks possess dragons named Syrax, Caraxes, Meleys, Vermax, Tyraxes, and Moondancer.
With both the Greens and the Blacks engaging in dragon warfare, the urgent task of eliminating their adversary's beasts becomes an absolute priority. This brings forth the resurgence of the Dragon-Killing Scorpions, which were previously featured in Game of Thrones. Euron Greyjoy, Cersei's ally, successfully shoots a Scorpion bolt at Daenerys' Rhaegal, causing the dragon to plummet into the sea. These long-range artillery weapons, resembling mounted crossbows, are capable of launching bolts with immense velocity, capable of penetrating dragon skulls and scales. The Scorpions are portable and can be operated either by a small group of soldiers or by a single individual.
The First Dornish War
Aegon successfully united six kingdoms to form a realm, but the Principality of Dorne remained independent. In an attempt to bring Dorne under their control, Rhaenys rode on a dragon to confront Princess Meria Martell. However, the Dornish remained loyal to their House Words - "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken." Rhaenys warned Princess Meria that she would return with "Fire and Blood" before leaving. The story takes a significant turn with the introduction of the Scorpion. During the First Dornish War, the Dornish used a Scorpion bolt to kill Queen Rhaenys and her dragon, Meraxes, eliminating the threat they posed. Meraxes fell from the sky, similar to the fate of Daenerys' dragon, Rhaegal, in the Game of Thrones series. The details surrounding Rhaenys' death remain unclear, with conflicting reports suggesting that she either perished under her dragon's weight or was slowly killed after being captured by the Ullers. Against this backdrop, the astute Lord Tywin Lannister sought to utilize the Dornish in his fight against Daenerys and her three dragons. Recognizing their historical resistance against Aegon Targaryen and his dragons, Tywin knew their assistance would be crucial in the future.
Scorpions In Game of Thrones
In Game of Thrones season 7, episode 2 "Stormborn," Daenerys finds herself at Dragonstone, poised to attack Cersei and the Lannister army. While Cersei relies on propaganda and fear tactics, her trusted advisor, Qyburn, escorts her to the deep underground chambers of the Red Keep, where the ancient dragon skulls are stored. Qyburn presents the skull of Balerion the Black Dread, describing the deceased creature as "formidable but not invincible." He reveals that one of Daenerys Targaryen's dragons was wounded by spears during a battle in the fighting pits of Meereen, which served as the inspiration for his creation of the Scorpion weapon.
"The most skilled artillery experts and blacksmiths in King's Landing have been toiling day and night for this, Your Grace. If you would kindly pull that lever."
Cersei complies with the request and uses the Scorpion to shoot a bolt through Balerion's skull. The Lannisters later utilize this Scorpion in the Battle of the Goldroad, where Daenerys and her Dothraki unexpectedly attack the combined Lannister-Tarly forces returning from the Sack of Highgarden. In "The Spoils of War," the fourth episode of Game of Thrones season 7, Daenerys and Drogon unleash an assault on the Lannister-Tarly army, while Jaime Lannister orders Bronn to load Qyburn's dragon-killing Scorpion. Bronn's first shot narrowly misses Daenerys, but the second bolt pierces Drogon's right shoulder, causing him to land. Though wounded, the enraged dragon destroys the Scorpion, and Daenerys removes the bolt from her dragon's neck. Later on, in Thrones, Euron Greyjoy easily brings down Rhaegal using Scorpion bolts. Consequently, the ballistae will undoubtedly play a significant role in the upcoming season of HBO's House of the Dragon.
The finale of House of the Dragon season 1, episode 10 titled "The Black Queen," concludes with the deaths of Prince Lucerys Velaryon and his dragon, Arrax. Midair, they are pursued by Aemond Targaryen during a violent storm over Shipbreaker Bay. In a fit of rage, Aemond loses control of Vhagar and fails to restrain her, resulting in the she-dragon killing Lucerys and Arrax and sending their bodies into the depths of the Bay. Given the destructive nature of these serpentine creatures, the warring factions will attempt to eliminate them in order to gain the upper hand. The upcoming season of House of the Dragon will showcase dragons engaging in warfare.
