Dragons (The Legend of Spyro)

Dragons are one of the native inhabitants of the Dragon Realms in The Legend of Spyro series. Long ago, they were revered before the Dark Master was born and eventually rose to power. After may years of war, the Dragons were driven to near extinction.
==Description==
===Anatomy===
Unlike their original counterparts in the Spyro series, Dragons are completely quadrupedal in the world of The Legend of Spyro. The color tones of their scales and eyes are similar to one another that give indication to the elements they wield.Q/A with Jared Pullen, lead concept artist of TLoS. (Date Posted - Feb 19, 2016). DeviantArt. Although not shown in the final versions of A New Beginning and The Eternal Night, it is stated by lead concept artist Jared Pullen that Dragons have opposable thumbs that they use to hold and grab objects.TLoS StoryScroll Spyro Phrophesy. (Date Posted - Apr 14, 2016). DeviantArt.Comment on "TLoS DragonGuardian Terrador". (Date Posted - Apr 7, 2016). DeviantArt.
===Abilities===
Dragons have different elemental abilities that are based on the color of their scales or eyes: red for Fire, yellow for Electricity, blue for Ice, green for Earth, or purple for Aether.
*The Purple Dragon, including Spyro, is a rare species of dragon that can master more than one element other dragons can't, and can even control time to a certain extent.
*Cynder, having been corrupted by Malefor, is a black dragon who controls abilities that are most uncommon among Dragons: Shadow, Wind, Poison, and Fear.
Dragons are notably the only creature who draw strength from the gems, which also serve as their lifeforce. Ignitus has stated that when a Dragon dies, their spirit becomes a part of nature and with the elements (which may explain where Spirit Gems came from).
=== Culture ===
Although not much is known about dragon culture in The Legend of Spyro series, there have been confirmed roles in their society. The Dragon Guardians are the warrior monks, keepers of elemental dragon magic and wisdoms of their race. They raise and train young dragons in the ancient ways. Dragon Knights are the templar class, the warrior dragons, that participate in wars in times of conflict under the command of the Guardians.If 'passion' were dragon magic.... (Date Posted - Apr 25, 2016). DeviantArt.
==History==
Long ago, the Dragons were proud and just, revered among the inhabitants of the Realms. They had an alliance with the Moles, and the Moles in turn made a city in dedication of their friendship. The Guardian Dragons created the Dragon Temple to raise and train young dragons.
During an unknown time period, Malefor was born; the first purple dragon and the first specimen of dragon to wield more than one element. The Dragons believed Malefor to be the shining hope for their kind and the one who would usher them into a new age for the Realms. The elders encouraged and willingly taught the purple dragon their elemental secrets, but his power was limitless and grew far beyond what was expected, turning Malefor arrogant with a lack of restraint. He was then cast into exile by the Dragons when he wouldn't stop, and in his seclusion, Malefor constructed a fortress and recruited an army of Apes that would combat his former allies. The Spirit Gems, the life force of all Dragons, were harvested and used against them by the Apes under Malefor's teachings.
In response to the threat of Malefor, who was now called the "Dark Master", the Guardians and their dragon knights fought against Malefor's army of Apes, dubbed the Dark Armies, while other Dragons protected the dragon eggs that were their very survival. The war would last for over a thousand years, raging on and on, with inhabitants of the Realms coming to fear the Dragon race due to Malefor's maniacal quest for power. Eventually Malefor was stopped; his soul imprisoned within his mountain fortress, the Mountain of Malefor, and by extension, within the altar in Convexity. Despite this setback, the Dark Master was still able to enforce the Apes from beyond, continuing the war for many years. Many of the Guardian Dragons lost their lives during the struggle, leaving only four to remain.The Dragon's Vault Opened Once More. (Date Posted - Mar. 31, 2011). Blogger. One notable attack on the dragon race was the raid that took place at the Dragon Temple which lead to the destruction of the dragon eggs hidden there; the only eggs that survived the attack were Spyro and Cynder's.
As a result of the war, and a corrupted Cynder devastating the realms under her rule, the dragon race suffered a rapid decline. It is presumed that the survivors had gone into hiding after losing the war. The entire Dragon civilization had greatly diminished; remnants of what was once an ancient race are littered throughout the land, serving as a reminder of what had happened and what once was.
Around the events of The Legend of Spyro: The Eternal Night, Hunter of Avalar informed Spyro via letter that the Ape King Gaul had placed a bounty on all of the surviving Dragons, including Spyro, when the Night of Eternal Darkness drew near. Before and during the start of The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, Dragon soldiers took part in battling against Malefor's Grublin army and the Destroyer, revealing that there are other dragons that survived the isle-wars. 
==Gallery==
DragonBattalion Ignitus Pyra.jpg|Ignitus leading his war dragons "Inferno Battalion", against the Dark Armies with the banner-bearer Pyra by his side
Dragon Constellation.jpg|The constellation of a dragon at the end of The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
==Trivia==
*According to A New Beginning concept artist Jared Pullen, the dragons are capable of holding and manipulating objects with their front paws. However while they have opposable thumbs in some art pieces, they lack them in the final version of the games. The Chronicler is able to scribe in more than one tome at once through the use of spiritual magics, which includes levitation and object manipulation.
**A few artwork of the Guardians by Jared Pullen illustrates Terrador and Cyril having opposable thumbs, and a book illustration of Cynder upon her corruption in The Eternal Night also shows her having opposable thumbs.
*One of Jared Pullen's inspirations for his anatomy of the dragons in The Legend of Spyro came from the physique of the lion characters from Disney's animated classic, The Lion King.A new beginning.... (Date Posted - Apr 12, 2016). DeviantArt.TLoS DragonGuardian Terrdor Elevations. (Date Posted - May 5, 2016). DeviantArt.
*Dragons are long lived in The Legend of Spyro series, with one known specimen (the Chronicler) having lived over a thousand years or more.
*According to the Chronicler, most of dragon history is recorded in the Books of Time that nearly dates back to the beginning of time.
*For female dragons, Jared Pullen states that they are more lengthy than the males, with elongated necks, long whip-like tails, slightly higher hips, and larger and more delicate wings. In Cynder's case, since she was corrupted by Malefor's dark magic, her adult form is more hard-edged.
*In The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon, the dragon spirits that imprison Malefor in the world's crystal core all share the same character model as Ignitus. This was likely done to save time and game budget.
==References==
Category:Characters
Category:The Legend of Spyro
Category:Species (The Legend of Spyro)