The dragon Viserion is turned into a wight dragon, effectively a White Walker dragon, in Season 7, Episode 7, “The Dragon and the Wolf.” This pivotal moment marks a significant turning point in the war against the living, granting the Night King an unprecedented weapon capable of breaching the Wall.
The Fall of Viserion: A Climactic Tragedy
The episode “The Dragon and the Wolf” delivers a gut-wrenching blow to Daenerys Targaryen and her forces. As Daenerys, Jon Snow, and their companions travel north to demonstrate the existence of wights to Cersei Lannister, they are ambushed by the Night King and his army. In a desperate attempt to save his allies, Daenerys arrives on the back of her dragons, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. The battle is fierce, with the dragons unleashing fiery torrents upon the undead horde.
However, the Night King, armed with an ice spear crafted with supernatural precision, launches a devastating attack. He manages to pierce Viserion with a single, fatal blow, sending the dragon plummeting into the frozen lake. This moment is visually stunning and emotionally devastating, signifying the vulnerability of even the most powerful creatures against the Night King’s might.
The episode concludes with the Night King resurrecting Viserion from the depths of the icy water. The dragon’s eyes snap open, now a chilling blue, signifying its transformation into a wight dragon, an undead servant under the control of the Night King. This resurrection gives the Night King the power to melt the Wall and invade Westeros.
Analyzing the Impact: A Game Changer
Viserion’s transformation into a wight dragon is arguably one of the most impactful events in the later seasons of Game of Thrones. It completely alters the power balance between the living and the dead. The Night King’s acquisition of a dragon allows him to bypass the ancient magic protecting the Wall, a barrier that had stood for millennia.
The Power of a Wight Dragon
A wight dragon possesses all the physical strength and destructive capabilities of a living dragon, but without the weaknesses of flesh and blood. Its fire breath is replaced with ice, capable of instantly freezing anything in its path. This makes it an incredibly formidable weapon, posing a significant threat to even the most well-defended strongholds. Furthermore, Viserion’s control is absolute under the Night King.
Symbolic Significance
Viserion’s death and resurrection also carry significant symbolic weight. The dragon represents hope, power, and the Targaryen dynasty. Its fall into the hands of the Night King symbolizes the encroaching darkness and the potential for even the greatest forces to be corrupted and turned against their own. The fact that it was Daenerys’s beloved dragon adds a personal dimension to the tragedy, highlighting the sacrifices and losses inherent in the fight against the Night King.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Viserion’s Transformation
Here are some frequently asked questions about Viserion’s transformation, designed to provide further insight and understanding.
FAQ 1: What is the difference between a White Walker and a Wight?
While often used interchangeably, there’s a crucial difference. White Walkers (or Others) are ancient, powerful ice creatures with their own intelligence and purpose, led by the Night King. They possess the ability to raise the dead as wights, mindless reanimated corpses that serve their will. Viserion, after being killed and resurrected, became a wight dragon.
FAQ 2: Could Daenerys have saved Viserion after he fell into the lake?
In theory, yes, Daenerys could have attempted to retrieve Viserion’s body. However, the immediate danger from the Night King’s army and the rapidly freezing lake would have made such a rescue incredibly risky and likely fatal. The primary focus was on saving Jon and the others. Furthermore, the speed with which the Night King resurrected Viserion suggests that immediate action may have been futile.
FAQ 3: Why was Viserion targeted by the Night King?
The dragons represented the greatest threat to the Night King’s advance. They were powerful, mobile, and capable of incinerating large numbers of wights. Viserion, positioned slightly further from Daenerys and Drogon, likely presented the easiest target of opportunity. It was a calculated strategic move by the Night King to eliminate the most significant obstacle to his invasion.
FAQ 4: Was Viserion’s ice breath more powerful than his fire breath?
This is debatable. While fire is generally considered a powerful force, ice, especially the supernatural ice wielded by the Night King, possesses its own unique destructive capabilities. Viserion’s ice breath was shown to instantly freeze entire sections of the Wall, a structure imbued with ancient magic. Its freezing power was thus arguably greater and more impactful than typical dragon fire.
FAQ 5: Did Viserion retain any of his memories or personality after becoming a wight dragon?
There’s no evidence to suggest that Viserion retained any of his former memories or personality after being resurrected as a wight dragon. He became a mindless weapon, completely subservient to the Night King’s will. The transformation stripped him of his individual identity, reducing him to a tool of destruction.
FAQ 6: How did the Night King manage to throw the ice spear so accurately?
The Night King’s ability to throw the ice spear with such incredible accuracy is attributed to his supernatural powers and likely years of practice. His connection to the ancient magic of the White Walkers granted him abilities beyond human comprehension. It’s implied he possessed enhanced strength, precision, and an intuitive understanding of trajectory.
FAQ 7: Could dragon glass or Valyrian steel kill the wight dragon?
Given the Night King’s vulnerability to dragonglass and Valyrian steel, it is plausible that those materials would have been effective against the wight dragon as well. However, this was never explicitly confirmed in the series. The wight dragon was ultimately defeated by Arya Stark using a dragonglass dagger to kill the Night King.
FAQ 8: Did the dragons sense Viserion’s transformation?
It’s likely that Drogon and Rhaegal sensed Viserion’s death and subsequent transformation. While they didn’t explicitly react in a way that demonstrated understanding, dragons in Game of Thrones exhibit a strong connection to each other and their riders. It’s plausible they felt a disturbance in the magical bond they shared with Viserion.
FAQ 9: Why didn’t Daenerys react more emotionally to Viserion’s death and resurrection?
Daenerys was undoubtedly devastated by Viserion’s loss, but her immediate priority was the safety of her companions. She was also likely in shock. Furthermore, Daenerys is characterized by a pragmatic and strategic mindset. She understood that dwelling on the loss would hinder her ability to respond to the immediate threat. The focus was on survival and the larger war.
FAQ 10: How does the creation of a wight dragon affect the balance of power in Westeros?
The creation of a wight dragon tips the scales of power dramatically in favor of the Night King. It allows him to bypass the Wall, the last major defense against his army. It also provides him with an incredibly powerful aerial weapon, capable of destroying fortifications and decimating opposing forces. This forces the living to unite and face an existential threat unlike any they have previously encountered.
FAQ 11: Was the chain used to pull Viserion from the lake magical?
While the exact nature of the chain is never explicitly explained, it’s heavily implied that it possessed magical properties or was at least specially crafted. Dragging a massive, frozen dragon from the depths of a lake requires extraordinary strength and resilience. The chain likely had some sort of magical reinforcement to withstand the immense pressure.
FAQ 12: Could the Night King have resurrected other creatures besides Viserion?
The Night King’s power to resurrect the dead likely extended beyond humans. It’s conceivable that he could have resurrected other large animals, such as mammoths or even other dragons, had the opportunity presented itself. However, the circumstances surrounding Viserion’s death – a powerful creature killed and immediately submerged in icy water – likely created the ideal conditions for resurrection, which is why it could happen so quickly.
Conclusion: A Turning Point in the Great War
The transformation of Viserion into a wight dragon is a defining moment in Game of Thrones, fundamentally changing the nature of the war against the Night King. It serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of the conflict and the immense power wielded by the forces of darkness. This event spurred the surviving characters to unite and confront the impending doom, making it a critical catalyst for the events that followed.