What Really Happened to Drogon After Daenerys’ Death? The Untold Story of the Last Dragon

The Game of Thrones finale left many fans with lingering questions, one of the most pressing being the fate of Drogon, Daenerys Targaryen’s (Emilia Clarke) last surviving dragon. After Daenerys’ tragic death at the hands of Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Drogon melted the Iron Throne with his fiery breath, picked up her lifeless body, and flew off into the unknown. While Jon Snow returned to the Wall, leaving his own story unresolved, Drogon’s journey remained shrouded in mystery, leaving fans to wonder: What happened to him and Daenerys after that fateful moment?

Drogon’s Fate: Taking Daenerys Home?

One of the most popular theories surrounding Drogon’s actions after Daenerys’ death is that he did not, as some speculated, eat her. Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were adamant that Drogon would not devour his deceased rider, a belief that contradicted the theory held by some fans. According to Clarke, in the commentary for the final episode, Benioff firmly told her, “Drogon’s not going to eat you. He’s not a cat. Did you see how gently he was nudging you?”

Instead, it’s likely that Drogon was simply carrying Daenerys’ body back to a place that held significance for both of them. Some fans have speculated that Drogon might be taking her to Essos, perhaps even to Valyria, the legendary home of the Targaryens. The idea that Drogon might be returning her to the ruins of Valyria holds symbolic weight, considering the Targaryen family’s deep ties to dragons and their origins. Others have theorized that Drogon might be taking her to the Red Priestesses of Volantis, a group known for their mystical powers, who could possibly resurrect the fiery Targaryen.

While we’ll never know the exact destination Drogon chose, Benioff did offer a poignant, if simple, explanation for Drogon’s fiery destruction of the Iron Throne. “If [Dany is] not going to sit on it, no one’s going to sit on it,” he said. This logic, as primal as it seems, aligns with the dragon’s intelligence and emotional connection to his rider, something emphasized in House of the Dragon, where dragons exhibit remarkable autonomy and deep bonds with their riders.

Is Drogon the Last Dragon?

When Drogon flew away with Daenerys’ body, he became the last living dragon in Westeros and Essos, but is he truly the final dragon to ever exist? Drogon’s birth was special in its own right—he emerged from an egg gifted to Daenerys by her late husband, Khal Drogo, who had preserved the eggs for hundreds of years. This suggests that dragon eggs can remain viable for centuries before hatching, raising the possibility that other eggs might still exist in the world, even if they haven’t hatched yet.

Although Drogon is the last known dragon to have hatched, the lore of dragons in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon suggests that dragon reproduction is complex and mysterious. It’s possible, though not confirmed, that Drogon may be capable of laying eggs himself, ensuring the survival of dragons beyond his own lifetime. Additionally, dragons are known to bond with new riders, as seen with House of the Dragon, where dragons can choose a new rider if their previous rider dies. This opens up the possibility that Drogon could find a new rider, perhaps somewhere in Essos, though that future is left largely to the imagination of fans.

Drogon’s Peaceful End?

Though Game of Thrones left Drogon’s future ambiguous, it seems fitting for the dragon to live out the rest of his days in peace, far from the chaos of Westeros. Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright), now the King of Westeros, was advised by his council to search for Drogon, but it is unclear whether he ever attempted to track him down. In many ways, letting Drogon remain free to roam the great grass sea of Essos—away from the politics and destruction that marked his life—might be the most fitting end for the dragon.

Ultimately, Drogon’s journey reflects the complex relationship between dragons and their riders in Game of Thrones. These creatures were not merely beasts of burden, but deeply intelligent, emotional beings tied to their riders in ways that few others could understand. Drogon’s loyalty to Daenerys was unmatched, and his departure with her body marks the end of an era for both the Targaryens and their dragons. Whether Drogon finds a new rider, remains a solitary guardian of the Targaryen legacy, or simply lives out his days in peace, his fate is left to the imagination of viewers—a poignant symbol of both the power and tragedy of the Targaryen dynasty.