| Dragon | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Naming | |||
| Binomen | N/A | ||
| Morphology | |||
| Body type | Draconic | ||
| Intelligence | |||
| Sentience | Sentient | ||
| Sapience | Unknown (likely semi-sapient) | ||
| Ecology | |||
| Place of origin | Fire Nation | ||
| Locomotion | Flight | ||
| Status | CE | ||
| Behind the Scenes | |||
| Universe | Avatar: The Last Airbender | ||
Dragons are a critically-endangered species of large, fire-breathing, winged reptiles, and the original animal firebenders believed to have taught their art to humans, similarly to how Sky Bisons taught airbending and Badgermoles taught earthbending.
Biology[]
Dragons are large, elongated quadrupeds with six limbs consisting of two pairs of proportionally short legs and a pair of large membranous wings. They can be either red or blue in color. A row of ridges runs down their backs, and a large feathery tuft decorates the tips of their tails. Their heads sport a mammalian snout, long barbels, beards, and a pair of horns above the eyes. Some individuals also have membranous fins that adorn the sides of their heads like ears, but these are not present in all Dragons.
Cultural significance[]
In the past, Dragons were commonly employed as companion animals and mounts by firebending masters. That practice later died out after Sozin started the tradition of hunting Dragons to prove one's skills and achieve glory. Those who could successfully kill a Dragon were given the title of Dragon. Eventually, the species was hunted to near extinction and widely believed to be extinct after General Iroh became the last man to earn the Dragon title. In reality, Iroh had lied about killing the last Dragon and kept the secret in order to prevent their extinction.
Notes[]
- These Dragons seem to be a combination of Eastern and Western influences. Their elongated bodies, short legs and the design of their faces closely resembles Chinese dragons, while their large wings and association with fire are typical European traits. Historically, Chinese-type dragons have been far more associated with the water element. However, the world of Avatar seems to lack a waterbending animal species, as waterbending was taught to humans by the moon instead.