Unveiling the Jaw-dropping Secrets: The Mysterious Fate of Game of Thrones' Dragons!

When Daenerys Targaryen emerges from her husband's funeral pyre accompanied by three dragons, it turns the tides of the War of the Five Kings. This is particularly remarkable because dragons were long thought to be extinct. About 400 years prior to the events in Game of Thrones, the Targaryens had ownership of several majestic dragons.

In an interview, George R. R. Martin revealed that dragons were once abundant, but now their existence is uncertain. "There are no more dragons known to exist," he claimed. All that remains of these creatures are petrified eggs, used solely for decorative purposes, and their bones, which are repurposed for weapon-making. The sudden disappearance of dragons has never been fully explained, leaving fans to ponder what truly became of them.

Why Are All the Dragons Dead in Game of Thrones?

Dragons first appeared in the Fourteen Fires, a chain of volcanoes near the Valyrian peninsula, in the Game of Thrones lore. Over time, the Valyrians managed to tame the dragons and develop deep connections with these powerful fire-drakes. They utilized the dragons in wars, which ultimately led to the Valyrians replacing the dominant Ghiscari Empire in Essos and establishing the Valyrian Freehold. The Targaryens, who were a part of this civilization, also brought multiple dragons to Westeros, using them to invade six out of the Seven Kingdoms alongside Aegon I Targaryen and his sister-wives.

However, the Doom of Valyria occurred, resulting in a catastrophic volcanic eruption that devastated Valyria and killed all the dragons in Essos. This left the Targaryens as the sole surviving Dragonlords. Meanwhile, the dragons in Westeros thrived for the next 150 years until a civil war erupted in 129 AC, known as the Dance of the Dragons. This two-year conflict occurred between the Blacks, who supported Rhaenyra Targaryen's rightful claim to rule the Seven Kingdoms, and the Greens, who favored Aegon II Targaryen as their king. Heavy losses were suffered by both factions, including the majority of the dragons. Consequently, dragons came to be widely believed as extinct or nearly so.

The last known dragon laid five eggs, but unfortunately, none of them hatched and instead turned to stone. The remaining Targaryens made efforts to revive dragons in the years that followed, but these attempts were unsuccessful. The Tragedy of Summerhall in 259 AC serves as a notable example. Speculation surrounds this matter, with many believing that the Targaryens' practice of confining the dragons in the Dragonpit at King's Landing hindered their growth. Instead of allowing them to roam freely, the dragons were only summoned when needed, a practice that went against their natural inclination to be free. This restriction led to smaller and weaker dragons compared to their predecessors, making their survival unlikely. The last recorded dragon was also deformed and ill, with shriveled wings. As Tyrion Lannister states, "the last dragons were no larger than cats."

Additionally, it is widely believed that the fall of the dragons can be attributed to the Maesters of the Citadel. Dragons are inherently tied to magic, as evidenced by Daenerys' eggs hatching when the Night King and White Walkers reemerged from their long slumber. Since the Maesters despise anything considered "unnatural," it is speculated that they covertly poisoned the last dragon hatchlings, leading to the extinction of the dragons. As Archmaester Marwyn suggests, "Who do you think killed all the dragons the last time around? Brave dragon slayers wielding swords? The world the Citadel seeks to construct has no place for sorcery, prophecy, glass candles, or dragons."

How Many Dragons Did the Targaryens Have?

The Targaryens, rulers of Westeros, bred and raised dragons for approximately 150 years. Contrary to popular belief, they did not only possess 19 dragons, as evidenced by the 19 preserved dragon skulls in the Red Keep. In fact, according to Martin’s writings, they owned at least 24 dragons throughout their history, some of which came from Essos.

During the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryens possessed around 20 dragons. These included the oldest and largest dragons such as Caraxes, Dreamfyre, Meleys, Silverwing, Syrax, Vermithor, and Vhagar. They also had relatively young dragons that were large enough to ride into battle, namely Arrax, Moondancer, Seasmoke, Sunfyre, Tessarion, Tyraxes, and Vermax. Additionally, there were young dragons who were not yet big enough to be ridden, namely Morghul, Shrykos, and Stormcloud. Dragonstone was home to three wild dragons: Sheepstealer, Grey Ghost, and the Cannibal.

Unfortunately, only four dragons survived the civil war: the Cannibal, Sheepstealer, Silverwing, and Morning. Their ultimate fates remain a mystery, but it is believed that they died of old age since they were never seen in Westeros or Essos again.

The Targaryens' power weakened due to the extinction of dragons and the failed hatching of their eggs. Consequently, Robert Baratheon seized the throne after leading a rebellion against the 'Mad King' Aerys II Targaryen. Only when Daenerys' petrified eggs unexpectedly hatched after 148 years, did a Targaryen regain control of dragons once more.