A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin and its HBO adaptation owe a great deal to the fire-breathing beasts. Initially seen in the season one finale of Game of Thrones, Daenerys Targaryen and her three young dragons develop a close bond as they grow older together.
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Dany’s Dragons, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion reach their full size in the latter seasons of Game of Thrones. They become crucial players in the battle against the Night King and the Dragon Queen’s raging destruction of King’s Landing.
Although many have argued that mythological creatures are anatomically incapable of flying because their wingspans are too short in comparison to their enormous bodies, viewers have long questioned the likelihood of these fabled beings taking flight. Despite the long-running argument, we have got answers now.
Could Game of Thrones dragons actually fly?
According to an article published by The Conversation (via Scientific American), the answer is indeed true in terms of math and science. An aeronautical engineer, Guy Gratton, made all the necessary calculations regarding a dragon’s wingspan, body size, and stalling speed.
Bratton used Daenerys as a visual comparison, who appears to be about 1.6 meters or 5 feet 3 inches tall, to estimate the size of a dragon. Bratton also believed that the gravitational pull into the world of Game of Thrones was equivalent to that of Earth. Bratton’s calculations led him to the conclusion that the atmosphere in the fantasy world must be much denser than that on Earth.
Given that characters in Game of Thrones can throw weapons with ease, which is consistent with a denser atmosphere, there is even empirical evidence to support this. Bratton wanted to use science to explain everything, despite the fact that magic could be used as an easy defense.
The prequel series House of the Dragon has larger dragons and more of them. It has recently reignited the debate over whether the dragons from Game of Thrones are too big to fly, which has been raging for several years. Even though the fire-breathing monsters are pure fantasy, it’s funny to consider what the world would be like if they existed.
Given that the supposed fantasy of it all only goes so far, it gives the series a surprisingly realistic touch. And one such topic of recent debates has been the smell of dragons. As House of the Dragon continues this Sunday with a brand-new episode, viewers will be able to enjoy the spectacle with a deeper understanding of aerodynamics the next time a dragon soars through the sky.
