Golden Dragon (Orient Expedition)

The Golden Dragon is a dragon figure introduced in 2003 as part of the Adventurers Orient Expedition theme.
==Description==
The Golden Dragon is derived from the original dragon first introduced for the Dragon Masters theme, reusing the same body, wings, and arm pieces. However, the Golden Dragon features unique golden printing on its body, and is further embellished with a new serpentine tail (which continues the golden printing) and oriental headpiece, which uses two rubies for eyes. Most of the figure is black, while the head is metalized gold and the wings and eyes are transparent red.
==Background==
The Golden Dragon was Kublai Khan's gift to Marco Polo while the latter was visiting China. However, the Golden Dragon was too large for Polo to bring back with him to Venice, Italy, so he left it within a secret chamber of the Dragon Fortress and wrote a series of clues and riddles for future explorers to find the treasure, giving them his blessing to bring the Golden Dragon someplace where many people can admire it. After Dr. Giovanni finds the first clue and sends it to Dr. Kilroy, it becomes the adventurers' goal to find the Golden Dragon and bring it to a museum, while Lord Sam Sinister seeks the treasure for his own private collection.
The Golden Dragon's chamber is guarded by the Dragon Fortress Statue and can only be accessed by giving the statue all three of Marco Polo's golden treasures. In Episode 09 of the online comics, the adventurers load the Golden Dragon into their half-track and drive away from the Dragon Fortress while being attacked by Emperor Chang Wu and his Dragon Fortress Guards. Upon reaching the Great Wall of China, Johnny Thunder points out that their adventure is not over yet, since they still need to transport the Golden Dragon home.
In most versions of the story, the Golden Dragon is an inanimate object. However, at the very end of 4215473 Die Suche nach dem Goldenen Drachen, the Golden Dragon's eyes glow, and the narrator speculates that it is alive.
In Dashing Through The Snow!, Pippin Reed and Dr. Kilroy have loaded the Golden Dragon in a sleigh and are hauling it up the Snowboard Boarder Cross Race. Pippin comments that the Golden Dragon is heavy, and Dr. Kilroy responds by attempting to calculate the treasure's weight.
The Orient Expedition board game included in 7419 Dragon Fortress has unique rules compared to 7418 Scorpion Palace and 7417 Temple of Mount Everest, since the game ends immediately once the Golden Dragon is found. To clear the final challenge and reach the Golden Dragon, a player must either have 16+ luck or be driving the half-track. After the Golden Dragon is discovered, the player with most points is declared the winner; although the Golden Dragon has its own game card, it cannot be equipped and does not add any points, unlike Marco Polo's other golden treasures.
==Appearances==
* 7419 Dragon Fortress
===Audio Drama Appearances===
* 4215473 Die Suche nach dem Goldenen Drachen
===Comic Appearances===
* Episode 09
* Episode Five: The Guardian of Kublai Khan!
* Dashing Through The Snow!
===Online Game Appearances===
* The Quest For The Golden Dragon
==Gallery==
Dragon fortress comic 4.jpg|The Golden Dragon in the 7419 Dragon Fortress comic
Category:Orient Expedition minifigures
Category:Minifigures introduced in 2003