【2023 Archives】

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 7023 Archives episode 6, titled "Beyond the Wall."

So tonight I learned that my worst nightmare was watching a dragon spiral to his death while spewing fire (and a boatload of blood) like a falling star before sinking down into his icy grave.

Oh, only to then have his carcass dragged out and touched inappropriately by a White Walker.

To those still in shock and horror at the death from Game of Thrones' "Beyond the Wall," we're here to help. Because we suffered much more than just the death of a CGI reptile. In the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, we lost a (literal) beacon of hope in the otherwise hopeless war to come.

But all is not lost.

The night might look darker and more full of terrors than ever before. But there are definitely more surprises to come in terms of dragons. And, in all likelihood, they won't be nearly as devastating.

SEE ALSO: All your favorites are meeting in the 'Game of Thrones' finale and there's gonna be a rumble

First, let's dig into the logistics of what took down a legend. Dragons are literally "fire made flesh."

So that's probably what we all witnessed burst from Viserion after being hit by a javelin of dragon kryptonite — the extinguishing of the flammable chemicals known to fuel dragonfire.

For what it's worth, too, Viserion was the dragon with the worstnamesake. The episode went out of its way to remind us of Daenerys' vile, abusive brother Viserys. So Viserion might've always been destined to fall and turn to the dark side, much like Dany's big bro.

But, listen, your horror at the sight of that gigantic, reptilian blue eye is not unwarranted.

We're not sure what the capabilities of the reanimated wight dragon will be. But creatures known as Ice Dragons (who may or may not be different from zombie wight dragons) are not unprecedented in the Game of Thronesuniverse.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

For now, we can only turn to legend for answers. In the companion book A World of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin describes the Ice Dragons as coming from the Shivering Sea (the ocean between The North of Westeros and Essos):

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These colossal beasts, many times larger than the dragons of Valyria, are said to be made of living ice, with eyes of pale blue crystal and vast translucent wings ... [I]ce dragons supposedly breathe cold, a chill so terrible that it can freeze a man solid in half a heartbeat. ... As ice dragons supposedly melt when slain, no actual proof of their existence has ever been found.

Another not so fun fact: Martin wrote a separate children's story decades before (and not officially connected to) his Song of Ice and Fireseries entitled The Ice Dragon. In it, an Ice Dragon defeats three fire dragons.

But fear not. For there is canonical evidence to support theories that either Dany or Jon (or both) will raise more little baby dragons to fight alongside them.

Dragons are Daenerys' only children, as she pointed out in episode 6. And, judging from that scene on the boat, it looks like Jon's ready to have all of Dany's babies.

SEE ALSO: Did you catch Daenerys' 'Terminator' moment in 'Game of Thrones' episode 6?

Interestingly, almost every mention of ice dragons in the books comes from Jon. Often, he uses ice dragons as a metaphor to describe Castle Black. At one point he says being on The Wall feels like "walking down the gullet of an ice dragon," and describes "wind gusting, cold as the breath of the ice dragon."

As the child of a Stark and Targaryen, Jon is himself an "ice dragon." And that could prove extremely useful for birthing more dragons to fight for the living of Westeros.

For many years, fans have been speculating about certain prophecies that claim more dragons will be summoned. One comes from none other than Melisandre herself. She often talked about summoning the legendary dormant stone dragons of Dragonstone (hint hint: it's in the name) for Stannis.

She claimed that:

When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone.

For those who need a refresher on Azor Ahai (AKA the Prince that was Promised, and AKA notStannis), check this out. Based on her recent matchmaking between Dany and Jon, though, it looks like Mel thinks that the two need to join forces -- perhaps in order to awaken those stone dragons.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

How could that be done? Glad you asked.

For one, Melisandre emphasizes that "only a king's blood can wake the stone dragon." We've already seen the power of king's blood back in Season 3, when Gendry's leeched blood seemingly helped destroy Stannis' rivals, Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and Joffrey Lannister.

And luckily, Daenerys has the blood of an indebted Ice Dragon King in the North right there, currently making sex eyes at her.

There are many other theories regarding potential stone dragon locations. This redditor also believes they could be raised from the ruins of Old Valyria (which Tyrion rowed past in Season 4) by the dormant volcanoes that hatched the original dragons -- and were believed to cause the Doom of Valyria.

SEE ALSO: 'Game of Thrones' fan has an epic theory about Daenerys and Azor Ahai

Some even speculate Jon might raise the true Ice Dragons of lore from The Wall itself. So watch out, Night King.

Regardless, my fellow Watchers on the Wall, the most important takeaway is: there is a lot to hope for in the future. So let us not wallow in the cries of a dragon mourning the death of his brother.

Let us rally. Because this song of ice and fire dragons isn't over just yet.

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Topics Game Of Thrones