Balerion the Black Dread

The full story of the biggest dragon of all time, from a hatchling in Valyria to a skull in the basement. Video available in the Spotify app. (scripted)

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Episode Transcript

(00:46):
The 119 skulls the oldest was more than 3,000 years old, the
youngest a century and a half. The most recent will also the
smallest a matched pair no bigger than Mastiff skulls and
oddly misshapen, all that remained.
The last two hatchlings born on Dragonstone.
They were the last of the Targaryen dragons.

(01:08):
Perhaps the last dragons anywhere and they had not lived
very long from there. The skulls ranged upward in size
to the three great Monsters of song and story the dragons that
aegon Targaryen and his sisters had Unleashed on the Seven
Kingdoms of old. The singers had given them the
names. God's balerion meraxes.

(01:30):
He's Vega Tyrion had stood between there gaping jaws
wordless and old. You could have ridden a horse
down Vegas gullet. Although you would not have
written it out again or axes waseven bigger.
And the greatest of them balerion, the black dread could
have swallowed an oryx whole or even one of the hairy Mammoth

(01:52):
said to roam the cold. Wastes, beyond the port of Eben,
Tyrion stood, in that dank seller for a long time, staring
at bellerians, huge empty. I'd skull until his torch burned
low, trying to grasp the size ofthe living animal to imagine how
it must have looked when it's spread its great black wings and

(02:12):
swept across the sky. Sighs breathing, fire.
Seriously, take a look and imagine what it would be like to
face that the level of intimidation, not to mention the
level of actual Devastation, Unleashed by balerion is an
underrated factor in the successof the conquest, 19, skulls, and

(02:33):
none bigger than balerion. The biggest dragon of all time,
that we know of, even the 3000 year old one mentioned there,
which must be some kind of famous or important Dragon for
them to have kept. For so long, it's not as big
it's certainly possible. Aegon the Conqueror could have
done what he did without the black dread, but with a lesser
Dragon what he have even tried let alone succeeded.

(02:55):
We're going to run through the dragons full history and you can
decide the answer to that for yourself along with a few other
questions. History of Westeros is brought
to you by our fellow West dorian's Via patreon and anchor.
That includes folks like Jeff Neroli The Long Snapper, history
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know. In Winterfell writer of maslach
arthaud, a white dragon with green scales, horns wings, and

(03:19):
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By the time you hear or see this, we may have added more
members only episodes to the list, the dreamer.
And the Doom, we begin in valyria before it ends but Not

(03:44):
long before ain't are, the Exilehas just decided to heed the
prophecy of his daughter day. Nice, the dreamer and Begins the
preparations that will move House Targaryen away from the
heart of power in valyria. Yeah, they're dragonlords
scoring them as cowards, the black and red egg that became
balerion. Had hatched, not long before
that fateful decision was made at the time.

(04:06):
It may have been somewhat unremarkable.
As there were 40 dragonlord families in the Freehold and a
low estimate would be 200 dragons, but it could easily be
600 if not 800 or even more than1,000.
Still balerion was named for Godof valyria.
And weed out. There were enough Valyrian gods
for hundreds of dragons to each be named for one.

(04:26):
So the dragon that would become the black dread, may have been
notable right out of the egg wasthe Valerian God blaring also
black with red highlights. Maybe while we're at it, were
the targaryens already associated with those colors,
prior to coming to Westeros, I don't think they were We've got
no evidence to suggest Valerian houses picked out certain colors

(04:48):
to associate with their house. That's a westerosi thing.
We know, for a certainty that they didn't have a Sigil until
aegon's Invasion. The three-headed dragon was
chosen to represent aegon visenya and rainey's, but
perhaps, the black and red colors were chosen because of
their big as Dragon. The one that represented their
most important Advantage, a natural question is weren't a

(05:09):
lot of the Targaryen dragons name for Valyrian Gods.
Yes vegard. Roxy's and others later on were
also named after Valerian Gods. But crucially, they were hatched
after the Doom when they were the only dragons left balerion
was named for a god at a time when there were hundreds or more
dragons in the Freehold Veigar and marac season, the others

(05:30):
were named when they were among the very few left in the entire
world. So it's not as meaningful.
Perhaps for this or other reasons like being unusually
large or aggressive or both the targaryens noted something
Special about the hatchling froman early age and chose the name
balerion. Accordingly a compelling idea.
We like is that day. Nice!

(05:51):
The dreamer herself saw something in the dragons future
and what a future turned out to be the last Targaryen,
Dragonborn, in valyria hatched, not long before the doom bringer
of doomed Westeros. When we think of Prophecy, we
usually think of big events. There are exceptions.
Of course, prophecy is like that.
But balerion forges the iron throne for example.

(06:14):
Symbolic event. That is there's the Field of
Fire, the black dread burning, the five towers of harrenhal
just after it's built. What about years later?
Burning, the sept of remembranceor killing egg on the younger.
And the dragon Quicksilver. This Is The Stuff prophetic
dreams are made of finally, Danny's wrote down.
So many prophetic dreams and visions that have filled a whole
book, The prolific profit. When we lay it out like that,

(06:38):
it's almost hard to believe Danish.
The dreamer didn't have dreams and visions of the black dread.
Has dreamed of drogon before he hatched to and there's a decent
chance balerion. Was Danny's the dreamers Dragon
directly. Let's get back to things where
more certain of In the year, 114BC House Targaryen executed,
their move to Dragonstone 12 years.

(07:00):
After that, the Doom came and all of a sudden the number of
dragons in the world was reducedto a tiny fraction of what it
had been. This quote tells us the other
for non balerion dragons who came over from valyria died
though. New dragons like Veigar meraxes
he's hatched and in successive Generations even more dragons
would hatch at Dragonstone and elsewhere Larry and alone had
come to the island with anal. The Exile and Dane is the

(07:23):
dreamer The youngest of the fivedragons, they brought with them.
The older dragons had died during the intervening years but
balerion lived on growing ever. Larger fiercer and more willful.
That last line strikes is important going forward.
If you're strong enough, you decide where the Dragon Goes.
If you aren't the dragon decides, the more willful the

(07:46):
dragon, the more strength you need, we see this with Daenerys
and her first flights with drug on a in our himself may never
have been the writer of balerionbut it seems likely that one.
more of the other Lords of Dragonstone prior to aegon, the
Conqueror did in other words, heprobably wasn't the first After
all, why not take the biggest dragon and we know that except
for a little while, early on in his life, blaring was always the

(08:07):
biggest that's the logic behind.What maegor the cruel did later.
Perhaps it is Mother's suggestion but still he didn't
claim a hatchling. He waited for his father to die
then went for the big one. The biggest one by the time
aegon himself chose balerion, the dragon had probably already
acquired the nickname the black dread as the Beast was already
over 100 years old by that time but the name might not have come

(08:29):
until say the It was itself whenbalerion actually showed the
full extent of his dreadfulness,take what Tyrion does in the
opening, quote picture, how intimidating this creature was.
But this time think about it, from aegon's perspective, and
realize that instead of facing it, he controls the giant Beast,
thinking about what balerion would look like from his enemies

(08:49):
perspective. It's no wonder the conquest seem
like a reasonable possibility, but there's more to it.
Consider what we know about dragons, for most of their life,
they just keep getting bigger and their scales.
Keep getting tougher and their fires burn ever hotter.
So while eventually it tapers off we think there's a case to
be made that around the time of the conquest, balerion was in

(09:09):
his prime. So, sticking with aegon's
perspective, you don't have to be overconfident to think.
What could possibly stop me withthis beast on my side, not to
mention your sisters, having dragons to all the same.
While that might be a fair estimation of your chances
writing a god, having to do yourbidding and all my go to your
head a bit. Aegon didn't go straight from
zero to Conquest. However, he had Least one famous

(09:32):
test run on Valerian that we know of during the tail end of
the century of blood egg on joined with several of the free
cities to push back against volunteen.
Hegemony after a meeting in pentos.
He flew to lease where a fleet sent from volantis Was preparing
to invade the city. Instead that volunteen fleet was
burned to Cinders by balerion the black dread, they've gone to

(09:52):
burn quite a few more ships, lots of ironborn, for example,
among other things, and people If egg on lacked sufficient
confidence for his greater plans, he's at which he took out
an entire Armada may have sealedthe deal or perhaps this success
is what got him on track in the first place.
Like oh look how easy this is seeing blaring.
An action may have shown him. Just how much more potential

(10:13):
there was. We're told aegon had visited
several important locations in Westeros prior to beginning the
conquest but it's not known if he went these places on balerion
or if he just you know, took ship or cart.
He probably did ride ballerina. And there's a good chance that
the people who saw it were intimidated.
I mean it's not hard to imagine right?

(10:34):
When time came for the conquest to begin in Earnest though quite
a few Lords and Ladies nights and commoners would have already
seen balerion. Thus they were pre intimidated
before the war even started. So the before it even got going
they could be thinking, he'll know I'm not fighting that or
God's. Please don't make me fight that
depending on the rank of the person in question the Conqueror

(10:55):
and the throne a glimpse of the King in all his power mounted on
balerion. The black dread and attended by
hundreds of nights glittering insilk and steel did much to
instill loyalty in Restless Lords.
Once you see blurry and you think twice about ever wanting
to fight him common sense. If you even entertain the notion

(11:16):
in the first place, which is also Common Sense.
Still quite a few would line up to fight that and fail horribly.
There are a lot of battles during the conquest, but not
once, do we hear blaring Oregon?Taking a wound of note is
entirely possible that a lucky shot, like the one that
eventually took down meraxes. He's was the only hope any army
ever had. And in some cases even that was

(11:37):
beyond remote egg and flew abovethe ranks of his foes upon
Valerian, through a storm of Spears and stones, and are
swooping down repeatedly to bathe his foes and Flame,
mostly, it's just as hopeless asone might expect.
We've talked about how terrifying, the idea of a dragon
is just based on the skull aloneand we've talked about how
terrifying regular battle without dragons, is must be 0.

(11:57):
All the more terrifying. If you judge it to be hopeless
before, the battle even begins. And though, we're looking at it,
after the fact, I'm not sure it's unfair to say even in
hindsight that it was ever anything.
But hopeless and whatever fleeting hope there was would be
diminished with each passing Kingdom, falling to the
targaryens, but it wasn't just Tales of defeat that reach them.
Consider the rumor mill across the land after word began to

(12:19):
spread on wings as black as pitch balerion plunged through
the night. And when the Great towers of
harrenhal appeared beneath, Him the dragon roared, his Fury and
bathed them and black fire shot through with swirls of red.
Stone does not burn Heron had boasted, but his castle was not
made of stone alone, would and wool hemp and straw bread and

(12:44):
salted beef and grain. All took fire nor were herons
ironmen Made of Stone smoking screaming, shrouded in Flames.
They ran across the yard and tumbled from the wall.
Walks to die upon the ground below and even Stone will crack
melt. If a fire is hot enough, the
river Lords outside the castle walls said later that the towers

(13:07):
of harrenhal glowed red against the night like five, great
candles. And like candles, they began to
twist and melt as runnels of Moulton's.
Stone ran down their sides, everyone knows the dragons
breathe fire, but seeing that bellerians flame was actually
hot enough to melt stone. That would be news to many Bad.

(13:28):
A very bad news. This again is an example of
bellerians unique presence in the conquest or doubtful that
Veigar armor acts. He's at this point in history,
had the potency with their dragon flame to burn stone
structures like that, kill armies and win battles.
Sure, definitely lots of examples there but there are
also lots of examples of Veigar and meraxes.
He's burning castles including much much later when Veigar

(13:49):
burned castles in the riverlands, during the dance of
the Dragons, a lot later. So, of course, this is when she
was older and larger but even then we don't hear of this level
of Destruction or Anything like melted Stone yet.
Aymond Rider of agar was aiming for Maximum Destruction.
So if Veigar could burn things like that, you'd think it would
have happened yet. Only the black dread has a

(14:11):
resume that includes melted Stone.
Consider next then the field of fire, all the terror and
confusion that comes with the truly large battle.
And remember that the reach / westerland's Joint, Force was
the largest army ever fielded for a battle in Westeros
combined, with the terror of facing Just bellerians Stone,
melting Flames, but Veigar and marac cease to these beasts

(14:33):
could kill you by accident with a casual flick of the tail.
So when they're actually trying to kill you, it must be truly
Indescribable, okay? You can be brave when you're
afraid but how do you face that with bravery especially with the
very landscape, the field engulfed in fire.
The Starks famously surrendered without a fight though it's
strongly hinted that on the March, Lord Turin, had yet to

(14:55):
decide only for the site of The dragon circling above to clarify
the scope of their danger, that's easy to believe.
And if it's true it would surelybe balerion that inspired the
greatest reservations. Given that harrenhal was still
smoldering in places. When Lord, torrents Scouts came
upon it, keep in mind that afteraegon defeated Heron, he went

(15:17):
South to fight in the field of fire.
Then returned to the Trident to accept torrhen Stark surrender.
So that entire time all the way south and back harrenhal was
still burning Dorn combined to the wisdom of the Starks in not
facing the dragons directly withthe stubbornness of many of the
other Kingdoms, in refusing to bend the knee without a fight.
Well, in their case, they didn'tbend the knee at all or at least

(15:37):
not until much much later. This approach preserved, most of
their people and even Slimmer actually eventually, but they
did pay a high price in propertydamage.
Every Castle in Dawn was burned Thrice over as balerion and
Veigar returned time and time. Again, the Sands around the hell
Holt were fused into glass in places so hot Not was bellerians

(15:59):
fiery. Breath.
That's another mention of bellerians fires, burning hotter
than the other dragons much later when the conquerors
funeral was held the sword. Blackfyre was placed in the beer
with the dead King which was then lit by vague are not
balerion. Black fire was permanently
scorched by vague ours Flames, but since bellerians would be

(16:19):
hotter, I wonder if they were concerned that Valyrian steel
could actually be damaged or misshapen by the black dreads
Flames. Maybe don't take that chance.
That Of course, the idea with all the collected Sorge that
forged the seat of Conquest, those.
They wanted to melt for the IronThrone, The Dread and the cruel
Meg could feel cold steel against his fingers as he leaned

(16:41):
forward between each finger was a blade.
The points of Twisted swords Fanning out like Talons from the
arms of the throne. Even after three centuries.
Some was still sharp enough to cut the Iron.
Throne was full of traps for theunwary.
The It said it had taken a thousand blades to make it
heated, white hot in the furnacebreath of balerion.

(17:03):
The black dread, the hammering had taken 59 days.
The end of it was this hunched black beast made of Razor edges
and Barbs and ribbons of sharp metal.
A chair that could kill a man and had if the stories could be
believed the last line or first,most of all to the possibility

(17:24):
that maegor, the cruel was killed by the throne itself, as
he was found dead on. If no one around to take blame
or credit Meg or was also the second Rider of blaring after
the conquest. And he continued to prove that
you simply can't win a direct confrontation with the black
dread, whether murdered by the throne, or by his own
kingsguard, or by someone else, entirely the way to stop

(17:44):
mangers, deprivations of top balerion, was to kill the rider
because killing the dragon was just not going to happen.
Even when the weather conditionsvery much favored, the dragons,
foes same result a rainstorm dampened, bellerians fires but
Could not quench them entirely and amid smoke and screams King,
maegor descended again and againjust serve his foes with flame

(18:08):
and usually. Maegor's foes were the faithful,
the church's position on dragonsprior to the doctrine of
exceptionalism was the Dragons Were basically demons foul
beasts, worthy of nothing but death.
Many of them got a chance to tryto kill blurry and then again
that might be stretching the definition of the word chance or
try many faithful, I would die to bellerians flames.

(18:29):
Teeth claws and tail with not even a hint of success.
It says a lot about the passion of their beliefs that they would
keep trying despite the seeming lack of Hope.
But the war against the faith came mostly during his Reign and
Meg or claimed blaring. Well before he claimed the Iron,
Throne riding him throughout hishalf-brother a nice is rain.
Helping him put down rebellions as hand of the king, though,

(18:51):
part of the time. He spent in pentos and Exile.
Several years, who did he stay with someone with lots of large?
Animals to spare for Dragon feeding, I presume big food bill
there, Meg or had the sword blackfyre, as well, which would
later become a great symbol of House Targaryen did.
Oh, aegon's Crown, but those symbols meant far, far less in
this era and the era when dragons were about the real

(19:14):
symbol of power in the era of dragons was dragons.
Just as we speculated that aegon, the Conqueror might have
just been egg on the Lord of Dragonstone, if not for
balerion, Meg or may not have won the Iron Throne from his
nephew. If For the black dread and the
largest dragon is the biggest power.
The reasons why our is obvious as you might think they are just

(19:34):
symbols after all, as this example from the brief civil war
between a nice is descendants and Meg, or illustrate,
Quicksilver a quarter. The size of balerion, was no
match for the older, Fierce a dragon and her pale, white
Fireballs were engulfed and washed away in great.
Gouts of black flame, then the black dread fell upon her from

(19:55):
above, his Jaws closing round. And her neck as he ripped One
Wing from her body screaming andsmoking.
The young dragon plunged to Earth and Prince aegon with her.
So size does matter drop that down.
It's a stunning description and must have been terrifying for
the soldiers on the ground. To behold, it's a testament to
the power of balerion in the wrong hands.

(20:16):
Now for all we know Prince aegonwas a scumbag to but we don't
really know much about him. And we know for sure that Meg or
well-earned that moniker the cruel.
I wonder if any Targaryen or other Source dreamed of that
dragon versus dragon battle de Nies or otherwise.
It was the first dragon versus dragon encounter since the days
of the Freehold were told which means it was the first time

(20:38):
Targaryen dragons had clashed atall unless they clashed prior to
the Doom. Speaking of, as we mentioned
earlier, Meg or may have given the dragon dreamers, some
serious fodder with this gruesome event on the 30th day.
Since the trial of seven, the king awoke with the sunrise and
walked out onto the walls. Thousands cheered, though, not

(21:00):
at the sept of remembrance wherehundreds of the Warriors Sons
had gathered for their morning prayers.
Then may God mounted balerion and flew from aegon's high heel
to the hill of rhaenys. And without warning unleashed
the black dreads fire as the sept of remembrance was set
alight. Some tried to flee only to be

(21:21):
cut down by the Arches and spearmen that Meg or had made
ready the screams of the burning.
And Dying. Men was said to echo through the
city and Scholars claim that appall hungover King's Landing for
seven days. Blurry had no way of knowing
that he was not just wiping out maegor's enemies.
He was clearing the way for his new home in place.

(21:43):
A deceptive remembrance, the dragon pit was built but it
wouldn't be finished until 13 years later in 55 AC.
So blurry, would have to wait a while longer to move into his
new domed home. And he would be the first to
live there though. By then Meg or had been dead for
seven years. Megan's death is one of the
reasons the dragon pit took so long.
The Civil conflict was a major distraction, of course the

(22:05):
change in regimes. To shift in priorities.
What happened? Next could have been prevented
if the dragon pit had been finished sooner, though?
However, we hesitate to place blame on anyone in particular,
it just kind of happened. In fact, this event is a major
reason why finishing the dragon pit became a priority again.
Back to the dragon pit in a moment.
But first, thanks to blood Riders kolko.

(22:27):
He called, son, piercer wielder of a dragon bombo kakapo, the
Tamer wielder of the Wildfire Whip, gehenna and screenwriter.
Catherine Van Pelt wielder of a Valyrian steel, coil Slayer, Our
of unoriginal screenplays cells were captains, include Peter.
Blaze of the Emerald Isle captain of The weirwood
Wanderers to Long lives. Quick deaths, cold beer, and
warm women, Day Grand Marshal ofthe axe.
Captain of the red tide resistance is futile.

(22:48):
Chiron calls. BeIN captain of the stone
Shields, the torrent breaks uponthe stone.
Hema helminth, captain of the whispering, children dead men,
tell, no secrets Shep are The Shepherd of essos.
All men are sheep before the shepherd are to the whispering
children, lady Lazar Adagio, theiron Lily Master Archer, and
castellan of the summer Island, Arboreal Point captain of The
all-female Wailing widows Women & Children.

(23:10):
First Lord, Brandon Brewer of Castle.
Black Rune is captain of The Shadow.
Wolves are steel is cold, our Vengeance colder, black, Alex
and is the bastard of Spears leader of the Bermuda.
Vanguard of Orion of house better, Federer is captain of
the golden. Feathers, we Face oppression
with style egg on the underestimated.
Captain of the clanking dragons are Clank, is Clank.

(23:31):
As Clank Lady, Sarah Connolly, the willful says, wit beyond
measure is man, Man's greatest treasure, she's Jenny's Patron,
sir Terrence night of the Cedars, special, shout out for
you, my friend. And from the depths of flea,
bottom Lord Ken of house, Hammerhas declared for Queen carry
fire of the north who recovered dark sister from Beyond the wall
and Allure Of Glory. In the Name of Love, to Bud of
house. Beresford night of token and

(23:53):
arbiter of scotch from Sandy. The Dragon Blood of Queen
Daenerys and Lady of Jameson, The Princess and the return.
Princess area was gone. She had fled Dragonstone as Dawn
broke Eating into the yards and claiming a dragon for her own
and not just any dragon, balerion Rena, exclaimed, she

(24:15):
took balerion the Madchild. No hatchling for her.
No, not her. She had to have the black dread
magos Dragon, the Beast that slew her father, unfortunately,
the Beast would effectively killher too.
They're not directly, probably not on purpose.
How did it happen? Or did she just stroll right up
to blurry and hop on, we need Need video footage and first,

(24:38):
the King was more worried about what she do with the dragon than
anything else. Jerry's who had taken little
note of area. Even during the years that she
had been, his are chided himselfnow, for that neglect, but it
was balerion who most concerned him for.
Well, he understood the dangers of a beast.
So, powerful in the hands of an angry 13 year old girl.

(25:00):
A teenager on a black and red dragon, of course, reminds us of
Daenerys. And on the Dothraki sea, we see
Danny at first struggled, Control drug on but she seems to
learn to master him somewhat given time.
There are huge differences here though, their size, their age
and era, I didn't hatch balerion.
Like Danny hatched drogue on thecentral theme.
That permeates the Song of Ice and Fire is the nature of power.

(25:21):
How it can be abused. How even the exercise of power
changes the wielder of that power, as well as those, who
fall under its way thus Jerry's,his concerns are rational, after
all the prior Rider of balerion was Meg or while area was
nothing like him. Him power can go to one's head
power. Corrupts and Israel was well, a

(25:41):
Targaryen and a person, even good.
People can be corrupted by powerat times, if not often, it gives
people ideas. I mean, we suggested that aegon
the Conqueror. Got part of the idea from the
conquest, by seeing blaring in action.
So what would I rather be inspired to do or conquer or
destroy or whatever? While also writing balerion
still while that's a relevant concerned, it turned out to be

(26:02):
misplaced even if she'd wanted to array.
I wasn't able to control the dragon enough to Is anyone harm
other than herself? It seems simple enough in a
sense that balerion was just toomuch Beast for such a young
person, at least if we go by septon, barthes takes on the
matter and we probably should given his track record on Dragon
knowledge. If we discount the tales of
certain Sorcerers and mountebanks as we should, he is

(26:24):
mayhaps, the only living creature in the world.
That knew valyria before the doom, and that is where he took
the poor doomed. Child clinging to his back.
If she went willingly, I would be Most surprised but she had
neither knowledge, nor force of will to turn him.
Is that the only example of a dragon returning to the place of
its birth that we have on record.

(26:45):
The most famous case is, perhapsthat of Sunfire returning to
Dragonstone, after what seemed like a wound that would render
the dragon, unable to fly did balerion return to the location,
he hatched precisely in valyria.It would be a ruin now or ever
it is, but perhaps there are some portions of the structure
stole their meaning, something other than magma and a blasted

(27:06):
Perhaps we will get more clues as to what's really over there
in valyria as the series moves forward.
It's compelling to consider thatbalerion, thanks to flight went
much deeper, Inland on the haunted Peninsula than any of
the possible human Explorations by ship have gone or may not
have gone. While we have examples of
children flying younger dragons.There's no example of a young

(27:26):
person controlling malaria though area returned in terrible
shape, it was the place they went and whatever was there that
caused her harm. Meaning that if balerion had
truly wanted her gone, I'm sure he would have shaken her off
like Cyrax did to Joffrey or something like that.
So while she couldn't rule balerion, the black dread,

(27:46):
clearly wasn't annoyed at her Presence, at least, not over
much. He did bring her back after all,
it'll only watch tower, overlooking, the Waters of
Blackwater Bay, a guard, had glimpsed dark wings and the
distance and sounded the alarm. He sounded the horn again, as
the wings grew larger and a third Time, when he saw the

(28:06):
dragon plain black against the clouds balerion had returned to
King's Landing. It had been long years since the
black dread had last been seen in the skies above the city, and
the site filled many a king's end up with Dread wondering if
somehow maegor the cruel had returned from Beyond the Grave

(28:28):
to mount him. Once again, alas the rider
clinging to his neck was not a dead King but a dying child,
bellerians Shadow swept across the yards and Halls of the red.
Keep, as he came down, his huge Wings, buffeting the air to land
and the inner World by Migos hold fast.
The great Shadow mention of maegor and the Three Horn

(28:50):
blasts, that's a chilling moment.
My fellow was dorian's. And yet another example, of
George RR Martin's, fantastic writing, George is penchant for
an ability to describe scenes ingreat detail is an assault on
the senses when it comes to the descriptions of what happened to
array of, though, the discovery of those things inside.
Her begs, the question of What the Hell and Hell.

(29:12):
Feels like the right word to use.
Happened over there in the smoking ruins of valyria.
Understandably, the recounting of areas or deal takes center
stage, and is one of the most memorable parts of Fire and
Blood, but this is bellerians episode.
So, let's focus on what happenedto the black dread.
And while it's nowhere near as disgusting, it's just as

(29:32):
mysterious and probably related,what caused this?
That enormous Beast, the black dread the most fearsome dragon
ever to soar through the Skies of Westeros return to King's
Landing with half-healed scars. That no man Cooled ever having
seen before and a jagged rent, down his left side, almost 9

(29:54):
feet long, a gaping red wound, from which his blood still
dripped hot and smoking. What how just wow, we've spent
much of this episode describing how effectively unbeatable
blurry and was how the black dread was monstrous even
compared to other dragons. We spoke on how impervious the

(30:16):
dragon seem to be how there are no accounts of notable woundings
until this one, which is as mysterious as it is
unfathomable, what could possibly rip a hole in balerion
Scales, which had been growing thicker and tougher for over 150
years. Like that did, whatever lay eggs
are worms and array. I do this to balerion.

(30:40):
Still, let's not forget who weredealing with.
If balerion could talk he might say something.
Like, you think my wound is nasty.
You should she what I did to them by being whatever?
Did that if it was a living thing, probably didn't get away
without a fight. In our money is on balerion if
anyone want it all, but what is it?
A huge fireworm some other things creature wound from

(31:01):
volcanic activity, doesn't seem super likely given dragons, love
volcanoes and anything balerion couldn't handle heat wise
probably had to kill Derek. A out, right?
So it's kind of hard to Fathom. Either way, with that in mind,
it's curious that she died of the infection or whatever, we
should call it. Some Tales of valyria indicate,
humans would die immediately from the toxic conditions, but

(31:22):
wherever balerion took her, it was the worms with faces that
got her. Not the inhalation of fumes or
heat or even starvation though. Technically she didn't die until
a little after her return home. She's the only one we know of to
die riding the black dread but also the only one to be a drag.
Passenger instead of a dragon rider.
A real would clearly rather not have earned that distinction

(31:44):
though. We're missing a few names.
After all, we don't know who wrote balerion before aegon the
Conqueror. But while we're surely someone,
we know they didn't die. And dragon verse Dragon combat
because there was apparently no dragon versus dragon combat in
that era egg. On the first died of old age /,
natural causes Meg or died on the throne, not in the saddle
and bellerians, final. Rider will outlive him the last

(32:05):
ride and the rebirth that final Rider is viserys the First
though, he was Prince viserys atthe time.
Balerion, was the first residentof the Dragon pit after was
completed with a few others moving in to live there as well.
While others stayed at the red. Keep, now concern was to prevent
a repeat of what happened with are area and four-time access to
balerion was restricted even to the younger targaryens by the

(32:27):
New Order of dragon Keepers. But by this time they needn't
have worried about someone stealing blurring and causing
problems anymore. In 93 a see Prince Baal on.
Year old son verse are. He's entered the dragon pit and
claimed balerion. The old Dragon had stopped
growing at last, but he was sluggish and heavy and hard to

(32:48):
Rouse, and he struggled when versary is urged him up into the
air. The Young Prince flew Thrice
around the city before landing again.
He had intended to fly to Dragonstone.
He told his father afterward buthe did not think the.
Black dread had the strength forit less than a year.
Later balerion was gone. The last living.

(33:09):
Teacher in all the world who sawvalyria in its Glory Road septon
Bath. We know that old saying, the
dragon must have three laps around the city, the combination
of the great wounding plus agingseem to finally take a toll.
And maybe other things did to unseen things that are Rhea was
the only witness to the black dread was weakened body, but

(33:31):
still a powerful symbol. When Prince of Asturias made the
choice, he was not next in line to be king though.
His father was and that was a recent development.
Because Prince, balon's, elder brother.
Prince Haman had just died the year before.
So viserys may have been thinking that blaring was fit
for him because he had. So recently found himself in the
direct line of succession to theiron throne even without the

(33:52):
dragons might bellerians Legacy.A legacy that included forging
the iron throne with his own breath was a potent thing to
have in his corner. We're looking mostly through the
lens of A Song of Ice and Fire of characters, living over 200
years after blurriness death. So it might seem odd that a week
old. Dragon was such a big deal to a
Targaryen Prince at a time when House Targaryen had, lots of
princes princesses and Dragons of all sizes, healthier ones

(34:16):
that, but none of them. Not even Veigar had even a shred
of bellerians Legacy. We didn't even learn her colors
until 2021 and meraxes. He's is weren't revealed until
2014, but bellerians coloring has been part of Georgia's
initial plan since prior to the First books release early in
Clash of Kings. We get this from Daenerys and

(34:36):
balerion. His fire was as black as his
scales, his wings. So vast, that whole towns were
swallowed up in their Shadow when he passed overhead, the
Dothraki looked at her hatchlings and easily the
largest of her three was shiny black.
His scales slashed with streaks of vivid Scarlet to match his
wings and horns. Khaleesi, I'll go murmured

(34:58):
there, sits below you come again.
The Pearl, the ship, the cat in the skull, the dragon must have
three things named after it. Also first, we have a descendant
of the Black Pearl of braavos, one of her children.
Apparently with aegon the fourth.
You unworthy was named balerion but we don't know what became of
that child, probably wisely, just stayed away from Westeros.

(35:22):
It is a silly Place, second A3 within three.
Danny takes the three ships, illyrio sensor, and renamed them
bellerian rack season Veigar. The one renamed blurry and had
been the largest of the three, of course third, finally, the
black kitten owned by Princess rhaenys whom she named balerion
is widely, believed to be the same.

(35:42):
Cat are a chases down into the cellars where she finds herself
surrounded by skulls. Here's what happens when
bellerian leads Aria to balerion.
It's Had she said aloud, it's just skull.
It can't hurt me yet somehow themonster seem to know she was
there. She could feel its empty eyes

(36:04):
watching her through the gloom and there was something in that
dim. Cavernous room that did not love
her. She edged away from the skull
and backed into a second larger than the first.
For an instant, she could feel its teeth digging into her
shoulder as if it wanted a bite of her flesh.
Aria World felt leather, catch and tear as a huge Fang,

(36:26):
nettutor jerking. And then she was running another
skull loomed ahead of the biggest monster of all, but You
did not even slow. She leaped over a ridge of black
teeth as tall as swords, dashed through hungry, jaws, and threw
herself against the door. Valerian was in his many things.
The key to the conquest, a portal to understanding the

(36:48):
mysteries of valyria before. And after the Doom, a parallel
to drogon and undoubtedly both asymbol of power and an
Unstoppable force of Destruction, even in death
balerion, skull carries these Echoes.
Prominently displayed in the throne room of the red keep
until the time of Robert. Baratheon.
Now, Robert is gone. His line is in Peril, but that
skull still down there. Are you didn't even know which

(37:09):
goal was which, but it's easy for us to tell that it was that
last one because she deems it the biggest monster of all and
that gives it away. And that's exactly right
balerion. The black dread was the biggest
dragon of all time recording andediting by Asha quotes by McCall
shik, at ink as rain on Twitter and co-host with me of the

(37:30):
podcast of surprise a Witcher. Book club podcast headers by
Zach, Louis of the game of owns podcast.
Thanks to our patrons Lord, Stephen Stark titles titles,
hand of queen of Shea who is known as the best Lord Jim.
The fortuitous of wars and politics of Ice and Fire blog
and Warden of the West Lord, George storms, will the cunning

(37:50):
lord of the Chiliad and Warden of the East.
Quebec, the unfrozen, lord of the bricks and Castle Crimson,
light defender of the old gods and Warden of the north Lord,
Brendan Lannister. The bloodline ruler of castle
ever Roar. Warden of the South Jenny, the
just captain of the ghost ship Liberty, which vanished in the
Shivering sea over a century ago.
But has recently been sighted near volantis if the Tails can

(38:12):
be believed king-beyond-the-wallSydney.
Jesse is the fall born Lord of Blue Spring and the haunted
forest, wields a dagger of dragonglass in the Valyrian
steel blade. Red Frost sealord, Sean
Gallagher is the Titans Binger owner of 9 Valyrian steel.
Ears are white walker. Patrons include array of Flint
of the mountain Flint's captured, by the way.
Only to be raised in the Valley of the milk, water blue eyes,

(38:35):
and Golden Memories, Alexander gray blood.
First of the first men. Now, crowned, a nice called
Silent Springer would Blinder and the snow of night wielder of
the ice forged Greatsword. Pale Frost are small Council
includes lord, benjin of House, hornwood master of laws, Lord,
Taylor of house line, Barry strength of stone will of iron
master of coin. Bloody Ben Blackwood master of

(38:56):
Whisperers Grand. Maester Liam, Mullen and
drowned, an lord of House, Windsor master of karate
friendship for Everyone and ships Lords and Ladies in their
castles include lady, dial is ofCastle.
Naki the alpha Patron Lord an ofthe red mountains and Castle?
Great Bell breaker of the secondStone Gregor, the toasty.
Lord of the Dreadfort Ashland winter, the Hawks I Lady of

(39:17):
Castle Skyfall, the lord of the halls of Castle Hill.
Crest is wielder of the Valyriansteel machete ever glazed.
Lord bemy, snuggle bunny is Guardian.
Ranger of the Hidden Hundred Acre Wood dual wielder of the
Valyrian short swords. Glorious morning and little
light wise, Sharpshooter of the where wood and iron wood
laminate. Longboat odd Von Oben when you
fair things cannot get worse, snuggle bunny enters The Fray.

(39:37):
The bastard of the wolfswood. First Forrester of the old gods
warned a house ironware, would listen for the silence Casey
Stark of house, Acres, Peter Rivers, the pale dragon and
aired bloodraven. Lady.
More of how Stark is Arch Mistress of apothecaries in
woods which her castle features where wood doors with painted
moons lanús. Know the Twilight star bastard.
Daughter of Dane wife of the trickster and Lady of Castle.

(39:59):
Rivia Jason Stark his second sonof the North weald.
Owner of the Valyrian steel sword.
Jason Stark. His second son of the north
wielder of the Valyrian, steel sword.
Bloodbath Lord of Castle Whitewood.
The chill is real. Suck-ass gamer is master of soap
and Clay am into pink. Wolf is Lady and ruler of Castle
White fast the ice in Bolton's our King's Justice.

(40:21):
Is Sir Troy, the steady wielder of the Valyrian steel blade.
Fate our Queens High Council includes Rebecca Starr eyes,
Lady of waves, and Mistress of ship's captain of the iron
Shadow Cat In the Shadows, we bear our claws, Grande arche.
Mr. Rennie, who's rod and ring and masks are quartz crystal
wielder of the Valyrian. Steel pain, fire and ink.
The purple Lord. Leo Anansi is master of
Whisperers lady wolf bird is Mistress of the Eastern Rivers,

(40:43):
gatekeeper of the northern Skiesdaughter of the silver sea.
And master of coin, lady Carlin carry of Castle.
Stone sharp whose horse is shod in Valyrian.
Steel is prime writer of the rising Hills master of laws.
The King's Guard is led by Lord Commander Namie and of house
darkling the night Slayer, Valyrian sword, Onyx Abyss
sardine. The white is Night of the Black

(41:03):
Star, Gregor snow called snow Bears.
A bastard of Winterfell Vaughn of house firster.
Sigil is a mailed fist with extended for finger and Pinky on
light blue field visenya. Let us hold dark sister once
sir, Bateman The Dark Knight sir, Rowland, de Stark,
Gunslinger night of the winter Kings back from a 20 year
ranging, to the lands of always winter to protect my Kings.
He's Queen's guards led by Lord Captain Commander, Hema Hellman

(41:25):
the sellsword. All backed by Sir Rambo night of
house Gannon First Blood Amber, the adamant the night of mist
and mother of squids the wintry,Wolverine we finish what you
begin? Nor an echo archmaester Vena,
whose ring and Rod and masks aremade of steel, not putting Laura
boros, the lady of infinity. Our beard guard is led by Lord
Commander George. The golden backed by Lady Grita

(41:46):
of the copper main the Unbound dance, the fervor and Sir Jeff
Warden of the AC wielder of Triad the multi-faceted beard of
platinum, red and brown stay frosty, last but not least.
Lord Commander Richard, the liger heart wielder of berries.
Ankle breaker, a flail with blueand silver Valyrian steel,
spikes motto. Go Blue leader of the history of
Westeros Nights. Watch first Builder Meg or snow

(42:07):
is Meg or the cool the fire in the snow.
First Ranger Liam AKA sir waiting on a nickname and first
Steward sir Zach of house wild Lord Shredder of the Spiral
wielder of the Valyrian steel axe, Grail get a cool title like
this plus access to scripts bonus episodes and many more
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History of Westeros.com, or you can sign up directly at patreon

(42:30):
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