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July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
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Screen & Stage • Mythology

Dragon

A dragon is a legendary or mythological reptilian creature that appears in many cultures, as well as in modern entertainment franchises.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

A dragon is a legendary or mythological reptilian creature that appears in many cultures, as well as in modern entertainment franchises. Notable modern depictions include *Game of Thrones*, *How to Train Your Dragon*, and Disney's *Mulan*.

What it is

Across mythologies, dragons are often portrayed as powerful, magical beings. Their exact appearance and meaning vary widely by culture, from benevolent guardians to destructive monsters.

Key details: *Game of Thrones*

The HBO series revived dragons in Westeros through Daenerys Targaryen’s three hatchlings: Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. Related stories such as *House of the Dragon* depict many earlier Targaryen dragons, including Vhagar, Caraxes, Syrax, and others.

Key details: Animation

The *How to Train Your Dragon* franchise centres on humans and dragons living together, featuring many named species and individual dragons. In Disney’s *Mulan*, the small guardian dragon Mushu serves as comic relief and a companion to Mulan.

In short

  • Dragons are large, scaled, winged, fire-breathing reptiles in myth and fiction.
  • In *Game of Thrones*, Daenerys's dragons are Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.
  • *How to Train Your Dragon* features many dragon species across its franchise.
  • Mushu is the dragon in Disney's *Mulan*.
Canadian angle

The topic is broadly relevant to Canadian audiences through globally distributed films and television series, including Disney animation, HBO programming, and DreamWorks children’s entertainment.

Quick questions

What are the dragons in *Game of Thrones*?
The main dragons associated with Daenerys Targaryen are Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.
How many dragons are there in *How to Train Your Dragon*?
There is no single fixed count across the entire franchise — it includes many dragon species and individual dragons across films, series, and specials.
What is the dragon in *Mulan* called?
The dragon in Disney’s *Mulan* is called Mushu.

Sources

  1. A Wiki of Ice and Fire — https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Dragon
    Supports: General description of dragons in the A Song of Ice and Fire universe.
  2. GamesRadar+ — https://www.gamesradar.com/game-of-thrones-dragons/
    Supports: Names and descriptions of Game of Thrones dragons Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.
  3. The Popverse — https://www.thepopverse.com/tv-game-of-thrones-dragons-house-of-the-dragon-max-hbo
    Supports: Overview of major dragons in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
  4. ABC News — https://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/history-fire-breathing-crazy-cool-dragons-game-thrones/story?id=61982803
    Supports: Daenerys’s dragons and their names in Game of Thrones.
  5. IGN — https://www.ign.com/articles/house-of-the-dragon-dragons-names-list-explained-game-of-thrones
    Supports: House of the Dragon as a prequel set in the Targaryen era with many dragons.
  6. Wiki of Westeros — https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Dragon
    Supports: Dragon characteristics in the Game of Thrones setting.
  7. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD4k4U_Q9ww
    Supports: Lists additional dragons appearing in the Game of Thrones universe.
  8. YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzvcWs0Vhqw
    Supports: General description of dragons in George R.R. Martin's universe.