A Ranking Of Fantasy Characters Who Have Dragons — From Donkey To Daenerys

Dracarys.

What's a good fantasy story without a dragon? These mystical, medieval creatures are classically seen as villains, though plenty of good-hearted ones have flown the skies of film and television, too. Where there is a dragon, there is always a dragon-tamer who either slays its opponent or bonds with it for life.

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I'm rounding up the best fantasy characters who have dragons and ranking them by their dragon-taming abilities. Off we go!

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11. Atreyu (The NeverEnding Story)

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If you didn't have an obsession with this trippy movie as a kid then what was your childhood? The NeverEnding Story is truly bizarre, but it's kickstarting this list given its memorable dragon-human duo. During his dangerous quest across magical lands, Atreyu is continually rescued by Falkor, the luck dragon. However, it's mostly due to Falkor's good fortune that Atreyu gets anything done so he's low on the ranking.

10. Raya (Raya and the Last Dragon)

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In Raya and the Last Dragon, Raya enlists the help of an ancient water dragon to rid the world of an evil plague that has returned to her land. When she meets Sisu, the dragon isn't what Raya expected; She's good-hearted but exceedingly clumsy and scatterbrained. The pair embark on a mission to save the world and, thanks to Raya and Sisu's bond, peace is restored. This Disney duo is certainly epic, but there are others who are more noteworthy.

9. Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher)

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Geralt, the brooding monster-hunter and titular character in The Witcher, has faced a number of scary beasts in his time. During the Netflix series' first season, he learns of a dragon living in the mountains who is being hunted by the king's soldiers. He's led to its lair by a friend named Borch, only to realize that the dragon is Borch, and he has been lured there to protect a dragon egg from hunters. Because he's the Witcher, he succeeds. Geralt could tame a dragon if he wanted to, given his supernatural strength and his history of slaying — or helping — monsters.

8. Pete (Peter's Dragon)

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After Pete is orphaned, he's found by a dragon hiding in the forest that he names Elliot. This magical giant can turn invisible and basically raises Pete throughout his childhood until locals from a nearby town discover their existence. These two are iconic (both in the original 1977 film and its 2016 remake), but it's truly Elliot who tames Pete and bestows lessons about friendship and loyalty, instead of the other way around.

7. Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit)

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Nestled within the Lonely Mountain, guarding gold he stole from the dwarves, lives Smaug the tyrannical dragon. In the second installment of The Hobbit trilogy, Bilbo Baggins finds himself in a treasure trove trying to identify Smaug's weakness. Instead of combat, the hobbit bides his time and keeps the dragon distracted through riddles until he's able to escape (with knowledge of the weak spot). Bilbo might not know how to tame a dragon altogether, but he does tame Smaug's bad temper for a little while and that counts for something.

6. Harry Potter (Harry Potter)

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As if fighting He Who Must Not Be Named isn't enough, in Harry Potter's fourth year at Hogwarts, he is thrust into the dangerous Triwizard Tournament, where he must obtain an egg guarded by a ferocious Hungarian Horntail. Harry doesn't exactly tame this dragon, but he does manage to narrowly escape being eaten thanks to a spell that summons his broom. Plus, in their seventh year, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, escape Gringott's Bank by climbing onto the back of the dragon guarding a vault, and manage to survive this endeavor.

5. Mulan (Mulan)

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Mulan's guardian is a mini Chinese dragon (not lizard) who has a history of bringing dishonor to the ancestors. When Mushu finally gets his chance to help, he is determined to guide Mulan to greatness. As it turns out, they both help each other, bring honor to the family, and save China in the process. Mulan earns a spot on this list for taming this dragon's sass and teaching him that great strength is found within.

4. Aemond Targaryen (House of the Dragon)

HBO

House of the Dragon is full of dragon-riding Targaryens, but none as skillful as Aemond, who tamed Vhagar, the largest dragon. Aemond's bravery is no doubt fueled by the fact that, unlike others in his family, his dragon egg never hatched as a child which meant he did not have a dragon to bond with in his early life. After Vhagar's rider dies, Aemond climbs onto the dragon's back and takes to the skies. He would probably rank higher on this list if it weren't for the fact that Vhagar can't really be controlled; as seen in that brutal season finale when she goes rogue and kills Lucerys.

3. Hiccup (How To Train Your Dragon)

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One of the best dragon-tamers of all time is Hiccup, an awkward teenager who captures a dragon. While the people of his village view dragons as dangerous and vile, Hiccup befriends this dragon, who he calls Toothless, and the two set aside their differences to learn from one another and eventually help dragons and humans live in harmony.  

2. Donkey (Shrek)

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I wager that Donkey might be one of the greatest dragon-tamers in cinematic history. In the first Shrek movie, Dragon is a menacing villain who is guarding Princess Fiona's tower. Her allegiance quickly shifts when Donkey woos her with flattery, and the rest is history. They help Shrek save the day and go on to have a bunch of donkey-dragon babies.

1. Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones)

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Ranking at number one is the Mother of Dragons herself. When we first meet Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, she is a timid girl living in the shadow of her power-hungry brother. She undergoes a lot of horrible things but then becomes the first person in over one hundred years to acquire dragons. She has three — Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion — and they help empower her to take the iron throne. She cares for her dragons like they are her children, and is also able to command them to wipe out her enemies with one single "dracarys." Whether you loved or hated the show's final season, there is no debate that Dany and her dragons made for some of the most epic television.

Add your favorite characters to this list in the comments below!