A dragon, a dragon, I swear I saw a dragon! Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year, and 2024 is the year of the Dragon. As the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon seems especially regal- although some of them are pretty adorable. Here are some of our favorite fictional dragons at Fandom Spotlite!
Gabby – Malleus Draconia from Disney Twisted Wonderland
Video games very rarely hold my attention, but I’ve been playing the mobile game Disney Twisted Wonderland every day since it came out in early 2022. In this game, seven infamous Disney villains are renowned as heroes called The Great Seven, and an arcane academy called Night Raven College sorts its students into seven dorms inspired by these seven. My favorite character, Malleus Draconia, is the housewarden of Diasomnia: the dorm inspired by Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. Despite his mostly human appearance, Malleus is a magical species called a dragon fae and he hatched from an egg. As the heir to the kingdom of Briar Valley and one of the most powerful mages in the entire world, almost all of his classmates fear him; but really all he wants is to get invited to parties and experience life in the outside world after being isolated for over 100 years.
Joe – Dunkelzahn from The Shadowrun Tabletop RPG
Shadowrun is a game world built on mixing two familiar genres: Cyberpunk and Fantasy. So you have megacorporations ran by dragons, street shamans selling literal curative tonics, and street samurai with magical swords. Much like any Cyberpunk world that mirrors our own, a divergent timeline has a point where magic returned to the world, terrifying and mesmerizing everyone across the globe. Dunkelzahn was one of the early dragons to awaken, emerging from Cherry Creek Lake in Denver, on January 12, 2012. For a few weeks, the world was panicking, as he wasn’t the only dragon to emerge around this time. However, after Dunkelzahn sat down with relatively unknown reporter, Holly Brighton and gave an interview as to what was happening, well, people were still worried, but at least this was supposed to happen? For the next 45 years Dunkelzahn would be a major player in the world, hiring Shadowrunners and hoarding resources for some unknown reason. In 2056 Dunkelzahn was the first Dragon to be elected to the presidency of the United Canadian-American States, and also, on the day of his inauguration, the first dragon to die. He left in his wake a legacy as the only “decent” dragon, a rift in astral space, and a will that would send ripples in the power structure of the the 6th world.
Hailey – Paarthurnax from Skyrim
Released over a decade ago now (ignoring all the remasters and extra content made), Skyrim has a world of dragons to choose from. Although Alduin the World Eater is the main dragon of the video game and has an interesting arc and character design, Paarthurnax is my favorite fictional dragon to date. In Skyrim, dragons are the enemy, and I am willing to slay any that stand in my way. Yet, as the current leader/grandmaster of the Greybeards, Paarthurnax only ever helps the playable character. If anything, his aid is essential to defeating Alduin once and for all. Without Paarthurnax, where would the world of Skyrim even be? After Paarthurnax gives the knowledge to save Skyrim from Alduin, the PC has the opportunity to kill him for the Blades, ancient guards and dragon hunters. It’s true that in his past he’s committed war crimes and atrocities against mankind, but isn’t it true that mankind may have committed the same against dragons? Old and peaceful, I always chose to defend Paarthurnax. Let him live the rest of his eternity on the Throat of the World!
Kyle – Transmetal II Megatron from Beast Wars: Transformers
Yes, he’s a robot in disguise… as a dragon! The Beast Wars breathed new life into the Transformers franchise (and likely without this series, the franchise would have died). In the third season of Beast Wars, the Predacon leader, Megatron, combines his spark, or life force, with that of the original Megatron, transforming him into a huge red dragon. Breathes fire and everything. So, perhaps this is a bit of a cheat, but the Megatron dragon is the most unique and sinister entry to this article. Especially with what he does in Beast Machines… or rather, just prior.
Martin – Mushu from Mulan
When it comes to Eddie Murphy animated performances, it seems as though Donkey from Shrek is the one people remember and talk about the most. But come on, Mushu is amazing. The comic relief from Mulan is not only the best character, he also gets the best lines. “Dishonor on you, dishonor on your cow.” Not only is the character trying to prove that he can do something, he is also incredibly loyal. I also like that this isn’t your traditional take on a dragon. Mushu isn’t big, he doesn’t breathe fire, etc. He is just fun, perfectly cast, and a great addition to a great film.
