Why are there no dragons in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

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As a huge fan of the Game of Thrones universe, I’m so excited about ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘! It takes place about a hundred years before the events of ‘Game of Thrones’, when the Targaryens are still ruling, but here’s the really interesting part: there aren’t any dragons around anymore. It’s going to be fascinating to see how that changes things!

The new Game of Thrones prequel offers a smaller-scale, more intimate story. It centers on the journey of Ser Duncan the Tall and his companion, Prince Aegon Targaryen, who are often referred to as Dunk and Egg.

Okay, so everyone knows Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are packed with dragons, White Walkers, and even that crazy zombie dragon. But the cool thing about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is it’s totally different! It’s a much more grounded game, and that’s why you won’t see any of that fantastical stuff – it’s all about realistic medieval conflict instead. I think it’s a really interesting choice the developers made.

Why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has no dragons or magic

Without giving away too much, the war shown in House of the Dragon dramatically reduced the number of dragons in Westeros.

By the end of the war, almost all the dragons were gone, and those that hatched were weak and unhealthy. The last dragon died in King’s Landing about fifty years before the events of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms begin.

Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Dunk’s mentor, once went to King’s Landing as a child and witnessed the last living dragon and its eggs. He remembered the eggs as being incredibly tough, like stone, yet strikingly beautiful.

With the death of the final dragon, magic appeared to vanish from Westeros – that is, until the events of Game of Thrones began. As Arlan observed, the seasons changed drastically, becoming shorter summers and longer, harsher winters following the dragon’s demise.

If you’d like a detailed breakdown of the events, keep reading, but be aware that major plot points from House of the Dragon will be revealed.

How did the last dragon die?

The final dragon perished during the rule of King Aegon III, who was Rhaenyra and Daemon’s eldest son. He went by several names – Aegon the Younger, the Unlucky, the Unhappy – but he’s best remembered as Aegon the Dragonbane.

Many people think witnessing Aegon II’s dragon, Sunfyre, kill Rhaenyra traumatized him, leading to a lifelong fear and resentment of dragons. Because of this, he ultimately poisoned the last dragon in an attempt to wipe them out completely.

During Samwell Tarly’s time at the Citadel in A Feast for Crows, Archmaester Marwyn strongly suggests that the maesters played a key role in the extinction of dragons.

Marwyn scoffed. ‘Don’t imagine it was knights with swords who defeated all the dragons last time. The kind of world the Citadel wants to create—one that rejects magic, predictions, and anything unusual—simply has no room for dragons.’

If you’re interested in learning more about the world of Game of Thrones, you can find details about the upcoming third season of House of the Dragon and a complete history of the Targaryen family’s reign.

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2026-01-19 00:19