George R. R. Martin Almost Cut Dragons from Game of Thrones — Here’s Why

If you say Game of Thrones, most people picture dragons first. Wild thing is, George R.R. Martin almost left them out. Like, no Drogon, no Viserion, no Rhaegal. Just castles, scheming, and a lot of winter.

The moment dragons almost didn't happen

Martin told Rolling Stone he originally flirted with writing a straight historical novel inspired by the Wars of the Roses. Then he decided that would be a little too by-the-numbers, so he started layering in fantasy. The big sticking point: should the house sigils be literal animals?

"Do I include dragons? ... Should the Targaryens actually have dragons?"

That dilemma went to his friend and fellow writer Phyllis Eisenstein. She pushed him to go full dragon, and Martin eventually realized that was the right move. If you like the way Targaryen history hits different in this world, you kind of have Eisenstein to thank.

Why he hesitated in the first place

Martin has said more than once that magic can steamroll the gritty, grounded tone he wanted. Dragons = magic, and too much magic turns the whole thing into a different kind of book. So he set rules (as he has explained, including in a Meduza interview): no talking dragons, no shapeshifting nonsense, no miracle healing. In his lore, dragons are still animals — reptilian, dangerous, and absolutely killable.

The wild alternate version you probably haven't heard

At one point, he imagined there being zero literal dragons. Instead, the Targaryens would have a kind of psionic ability — think mental flamethrowers — which is why people associated them with dragons in the first place. He mentioned this while chatting with Kevin Smith at Smodcastle Cinemas. That direction would have completely changed the tone and plot of A Song of Ice and Fire. No dragon riders. No dragon eggs. No 'dracarys' set pieces. Just psychic fireballs. Different show entirely.

Why dragons were the right call

Beyond being great TV spectacle, dragons are the spine of Targaryen power. They are the reason that family seized and held the Iron Throne, the reason their legacy looms so large over Westeros. And because Martin kept the magic throttled — dragons that bleed, die, and behave like apex predators rather than wish-granting pets — they fit cleanly into the world's gritty logic. On screen, they also became the franchise's unmistakable hook. Try to imagine Thrones without Drogon circling above King's Landing. Exactly.

Quick series snapshot

• Show: Game of Thrones
• Showrunners: David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
• Original run: April 17, 2011 – May 19, 2019
• Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
• Where to watch now: Max

Would you have watched Thrones if the Targaryens were just psychic flamethrowers and the skies stayed empty? Same.