io9
Although the flying, fire-breathing, lizard-esque creature known as a dragon usually appears in fantasy stories full of elves and magic, the scaly beasts show up in scifi too. Sometimes they're apocalyptic killing machines, like the "ancient species unearthed by subway digging" in that Christian Bale flick Reign of Fire, and sometimes they're more like a psychic alien version of the horse from Black Beauty. And frankly, they are always freaking awesome. Check out our list of six brilliant dragons from science fiction — all of whom are ready to bite your head.
Although the flying, fire-breathing, lizard-esque creature known as a dragon usually appears in fantasy stories full of elves and magic, the scaly beasts show up in scifi too. Sometimes they're apocalyptic killing machines, like the "ancient species unearthed by subway digging" in that Christian Bale flick Reign of Fire, and sometimes they're more like a psychic alien version of the horse from Black Beauty. And frankly, they are always freaking awesome. Check out our list of six brilliant dragons from science fiction — all of whom are ready to bite your head."Ancient Superbeasts" from Reign of Fire
As you can see in our clip of the trailer from Reign of Fire, above, this movie looked really good in principle. A futuristic world invaded by dragons who squirt really cool fire, Matthew McConaughey is bald, Christian Bale is scruffy and sarcastic, the world is in ruins, and everybody is hiding out in bunkers. There's even a hint that there might be a dragons vs. helicopters moment. Unfortunately, it was about as goofy as Doomsday, but without all the ninjas and race cars and punk rock cannibals from Glasgow. Plus, the helicopters never fought the dragons, the way they did in D-War. Still, you take what you can get. This is the only movie you will ever see that combines dragon-slaying with crumbling, futuristic, post-apocalyptic London. Many points given just for trying.
Ghidorah AKA Monster Zero
Of course, Godzilla is probably the original science fiction dragon. The Big G squirts fire, is seriously spiny, and comes into town to stomp the shit out of everything (a very dragon move). He's also some kind of "ancient creature from beneath the sea" re-awakened by human meddling (in this case, atomic tests). But if you want to go full-on scifi dragon, you have to wait until Ghidorah the three-headed monster enters the popular kaiju franchise. Ghidorah comes from space (even you non-Japanese speakers can recognize the word "UFO" in that headline in the trailer for Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah above). Like most good dragons, Ghidorah has a breath weapon (lightning), golden scales, and giant leathery wings. In case you were still wondering about his scifi bonafides, he later becomes MECHA Ghidorah, complete with cyber head and body armor (kaijugasm!!!).
Of course, Godzilla is probably the original science fiction dragon. The Big G squirts fire, is seriously spiny, and comes into town to stomp the shit out of everything (a very dragon move). He's also some kind of "ancient creature from beneath the sea" re-awakened by human meddling (in this case, atomic tests). But if you want to go full-on scifi dragon, you have to wait until Ghidorah the three-headed monster enters the popular kaiju franchise. Ghidorah comes from space (even you non-Japanese speakers can recognize the word "UFO" in that headline in the trailer for Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah above). Like most good dragons, Ghidorah has a breath weapon (lightning), golden scales, and giant leathery wings. In case you were still wondering about his scifi bonafides, he later becomes MECHA Ghidorah, complete with cyber head and body armor (kaijugasm!!!).
"Psychic Friends" from Dragonriders of Pern series
Anne McCaffrey's classic Dragon Riders of Pern book series is about the civilization created by of a bunch of humans on an alien planet called Pern. It's hinted that long ago, the humans colonized Pern and never left. Dragons, complete with fire-breathing and psychic powers, are their companion species on Pern. In fact, dragons are necessary to its ecosystem, which is invaded every 200 years by killer "thread," spores from space that consume everything in their path. Only the dragons can kill the spore with their firey breath. Human riders of the dragons lead the charge against thread, and also form special psychic bonds with their mounts. The society on Pern is pretty medieval, with dragons serving as the main technology.
"Heroin Bulls" in the Dragon Temple Saga Trilogy
Janine Cross' harrowing, revisionist homage to the Pern series is the Dragon Temple Saga, about an alien planet strongly divided up along racial and nationalist lines. Dragons are the cornerstone of the economy: they provide transportation via flight, and food via their tasty eggs. Their venom is also the source of a powerful drug that many people on the planet are secretly addicted to. Our hero is a woman whose mother comes from the outcast "piebald" race on the planet, and she has to fight poverty and slavery to finally earn the right to be a dragon master. Along the way, she has amazing battles and, um, some sexytime with dragons. Not for the faint of heart, this series will rip your brain out and make you feel strange for weeks afterwards.
Old Lace in Runaways
In the comic book series Runaways, created and mostly written by Brian K. Vaughan, a group of teenagers discover their parents are supervillains and decide to run away to form their own group that seeks great justice. At one point, the purple-haired nerd Runaway named Gertrude discovers that her time-traveling parents have stashed a psychic dinosaur/dragon to take care of her. She names it Old Lace, and it always answers her mental call.
The T-Rex in Jurassic Park
No list of scifi dragons would be complete without a nod to Jurassic Park, whose resurrected dinosaurs are basically dragons for the genetic engineering age. Excellent as a book, fun as a movie, Jurassic Park is about what happens when a wealthy entertainment entrepreneur decides it would be a really awesome idea to recreate dinosaurs from DNA found preserved in amber. They dinos are supposed to be sterile, but unfortunately nature takes its course and soon the fun Jurassic Park island is overrun with deadly creatures, fresh from the petri dish. Some of the dinos are clearly just dinos, but when the T-Rex arrives with his deadly stomping and long teeth, you know you've got a Genomic Age dragon on your hands.
Comments
One of the E.E. Smith Lensmen was dragon-like.
needs more D Wars
I don't think those last two count. They are explicitly dinosaurs. Now, while dinosaurs are their own breed of kick-ass, they are not dragons. I think the prerequisite to be a dragon includes at least flight or fire breathing.
Besides, Old lace is specifically identified as a psychic deinonychus.
Any of the dinosaur-people from Harry Harrison's 'West of Eden' novels would qualify here.
Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah is probably my favorite from that era.
I'd add the dragons from the otherwise execrable "Dragon Storm," which airs frequently on Sci-Fi. Despite the usual trappings of Sci-Fi productions (Eastern European locations, "kingdoms" of about a dozen people, and a hero who's supposed to be a woodsman but holds a bow and arrow like a spoiled rich girl afraid of breaking a nail), the CGI dragons are freakin' first rate. I always suspected the effects animators put a lot of their own time into these, because they're cool way beyond the call of duty.
@Whitworthian: ...and what a movie trilogy that would make eh?
"It's hinted that long ago, the humans crash-landed their spaceships on Pern and never left."
It is a lot more than hinted, it is explicitly said. The novel Dragonsdawn (1988) describes the landing on the planet.
And what about the Dragon Masters series by Jack Vance, where the dragons were sentient and bred humans to be various sub-species of warrior, so the humans returned the favor and bred captured dragons into Termigants, Blue Murderers and (my personal favorite) Juggers?
Run-on sentence aside, this is an early "dragons from genetic manipulation" story that certainly deserves mention.
dragons, head-biting or not, just aren't that scary to me. i only think Falkor and chinese good luck symbols. serpents, OTOH, slimy and creepy, indicating the "state of total sexual doubt"--those are some monsters
Although Dragonslayer was a Fantasy Film, the film score by North featured music he composed (and latter rejected for the Temp tracks) for Kubrick's 2001.
Some SciFi connection.
@SavannahJack: Wow, I didn't know about that one. Want!
@Ryan H: Dinosaurs are like dragons brought to you by evolution.
It wasn't science fiction, but for me, no cinematic dragon can touch the one from "Dragon Slayer."
When I was in the 7th Grade I came up with the "organic napalm" theory for how dragons could breathe fire. Now I'm pissed that some crappy movie ripped off my idea. I'll be checking the credits for names of people in Mr. Kriss' science class circa 1984 so I can get my lawyers on the case.
Old Lace is a dinosaur. Lockheed is a dragon.
I call BS on this list.
@Spoondizzle: No way. See my earlier comment. Dinosaurs are the dragons evolution gave us.
@Annalee Newitz: Lockeed trumps all Marvel dragons. He stopped his girlfriend from eating Tokyo.
Anybody ever read The Iron Dragon's daughter? That was a sci-fi/fantasy story about a cybernetic dragon. And it was really bizarre.
No Fin Fang Foom? Wow... I'm disappointed io9. You include the Runaways character that a handfull of people will recognize but not Fing Fang Foom? HELL, what abotu Lockheed from the X-men? (Shadowcat aka Kitty Pryde's pet/guardian?)
No love for Drangon Heart?
Sean Connery's finest acting work since he showed up on Jeopardy.
"I'll take 'Anal Bum Cover" for a thousand!"
@Project Thanatos: Dude everybody knows the Runaways! What is this X-Men thing you're talking about?
@Project Thanatos: If you haven't checked it out yet, go get NextWave: Agents of Hate for some Fin Fang Foom love
I think Sean Connery from 'Dragonheart' would have been a much better choice than trying to swing dinosaurs. On another note, the McCaffery books were a great read. Kudos.
@Annalee Newitz: That is just...weak. You couldn't find or think of enough examples to support your idea so you fudge it the way I09 always does, like with that "Science Fiction Movies You Didn't Know Were Science Fiction" list the other day.
Lockheed wins "Best Dragon Overbite" and is undeniably badass and compact, but Vermithrax Pejorative from Dragonslayer remains the best screen dragon ever made, whatever genre you want to lump it into.
@Annalee Newitz: Why must you mock me! ;_; Seriously though Anna... repost with at the very least.. LOCKHEED. Shadowcat was my favorite heroine growing up and Lockheed was the billy-badass of the Excalibur series. In fact as the years past it was revealed that Lockheed has an incredible intellect and devotion to Kitty and the X-Men. Even his own planet of Lockheed-esque people. I have the issues at home if you need scans :)
I think the interwebz ate my comments/replies. :(
@Macloserboy: I can't wait til they just drop the pretenses and just say "Hey, Guess Which semi-obscure movies we saw this week!!!"
Weak, weak, weak, dood! Dinos as dragons? That is not just a stretch; it is totally wrong. Dinos are the "dragons that evolution gave us"? That almost makes it sound like you're making reality fit fantasy. (Yes, dragons are pure fantasy, obviously. Unlike dinosaurs. Huh, who knew? Not io9, apparently.) Science fiction is about possible realities -- even remotely possible -- not about a mishmash of fairy tales thrown in just for kicks. Fantasy has its place, sure, but as an example, you can't throw Elves from a fantastic past into the genetic engineering broth of today/the future. That wouldn't be SF. Repeat after me: a T-Rex is a dino is a dino is a dino ...
@MarsFlyer: I can't even understand what your point is. Dragons are possible? Dinosaurs are elves? What?
@Macloserboy: I should do a list of "Macloserboy's top ten complaints" so he can complain about all the stuff I left out.
@Project Thanatos: Scans! Yes! Post 'em and I'll link to them.
@Annalee Newitz: Will do when I get home Anna. Also.. what about Bahamut from the Final Fantasy Series? I'll post pics and scans as well. :D
"Dragons, complete with fire-breathing and psychic powers, are natives of this planet."
Actually they arent, the fire-lizards are an original species and the human settlers created the dragons on that 'design' in order to combat thread
@Annalee Newitz: I wish you would. Unlike most of your lists it would be well supported with facts.
@Project Thanatos: Oh hai, it's actually Annalee. kthxbai.
@Macloserboy:
(tips his hat)
@Macloserboy: Sometimes I post stuff that's deliberately incomplete just because fighting with you cheers me up.
I thought that thread came every 400 years. And humans didn't crash, they settled there.
That's what PERN means, Parallel Earth, Resources Negligible. It's in one of the back story books. They came from an advanced future and all.
Oh, and they're not so medieval in the later books, they find the original landing site with computer and advanced plastics and all. (Sorry, I forget the computers name, but he shut's down when the Master Harper dies anyway.)
@Oasx: Really? Which book/story is that in? If you can give me a cite, I will fix.
@Annalee Newitz: Weren't the dragons in Reign of Fire actual dragons brought to you by evolution?
I really liked Reign of Fire, just bought it on blu-ray recently too.
Oh and hey you should have gave mentioned Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real. Think it was on the discovery channel a few years back. Showed how dragons might actually fly, breath fire, etc if they existed. Also showed their evolution from appearance during the cretaceous age to their extinction in medieval times. Again if they really did exist. Which they don't, but def made you think for a second. Great film.
@braak: Yeah. But the only difference between them and dinosaurs was fire-breathing.
Reign Of Fire - best bald Matthew McConaughy movie EVER!
@Annalee Newitz: That's kind of a substantial difference.
1) Dinosaurs aren't dragons. They just flat out aren't. Crocodiles have scales and nasty, big, pointy teeth, but they aren't dragons either.
2) OASX is correct; the Dragons of Pern were genetically engineered by humans from the fire lizards native to Pern. I believe that was also in Dragonsdawn.
3)Reign of Fire: How do a few guys with a bazooka or two destroy the dragons that destroyed every tank, fighter jet, bomber, infantry troop, marine unit, special forces squadron, nuclear missile, and every other soldier and piece of weaponry in the combined armies of the entire planet?!!?? Hello! Can we at least throw in a plot device like "finds a mystical sword," or "discovered a magical ring," or "humans evolved dragon-killing farts," or something? Anything??!!
@Ryan H: technically speaking, the Jurassic Park dinosaurs weren't dinosaurs, they were frog-dinosaur hybrids. So not specifically dinosaurs, just the closest they could get to them.
As far as what a dragon is, there is so much leeway in the definition it isn't even funny. Flight and fire-breathing? Nope, don't need it to be a technical dragon. In fact, the spitting Dilophosaurus in JP could count as a dragon.
Either way, nice list.
@Nudemanatee: We could argue forever over what a dragon is. But since they don't exist, nobody would ever win.
However, we can definitely agree on a very WTF feeling about the weapons in Reign of Fire.
Reign of Fire was awesome if you accept that Christian Bale and Gerard Butler were madly in love with each other. They'd even adopted a kid! It plays out as a total revenge tragedy that way.
The dragons are fantastic, even if Matthew McConaughey scared me more.
As a courtesy, I am clearing up the little "dinosaurs vs. dragons" brouhaha you people have going here by reposting something from an old blog on my current blog. (I'm actually surprised you "science buffs" haven't run across it previously.) You can thank me later:
[www.scribblescribblescribble.com]
Wow. I got here in just in time.
@Nudemanatee: Well, it's because they figured out that if you hunt dragons at dusk, their eyes have trouble adapting to the amount of available light, and so they don't see as well.
What I really want to know is, where did they get gas for that helicopter?
@Annalee Newitz: That would be another key difference between dragons and dinosaurs which did, historically, exist.
Dragons are too real!
[en.wikipedia.org]
@Nudemanatee: Oh, that's easy: numbers! In the trailer they said that the dragons went from 1-1 million+ in over a year. So, they grew large enough numbers to be a threat, started killing and destroying everything, more were born, etc. etc. Also, the dragons don't all amass in one place like an army, so they would have to be killed off one by one, meaning the military would be strewn out rather thin trying to take them out. Only in cities would they be in large numbers, and in that kind of terrain, they would have the advantage, because A: they kill everyone and destroy everything, the military would try to save people and buildings as