History Main / TheDragonSlayer

* Myth/SaintGeorge (c. 275-303 AD) is famous for slaying a dragon since the 11th century (there's no mention of George's dragon-fight prior to that). The real George was a Syrian-born Roman legionnaire who was executed for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods. The legend is possibly inspired by Eastern icons of George fighting a dragon in which the dragon was (in reference to the dragon of Literature/{{Revelation}}, who is in fact {{Satan}}) merely a symbol of Rome and/or paganism, but eventually the scene came to be understood as literal.

** [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition The Inquisitor]] and their party (which can include Cassandra) can slay a total of [[BonusBoss ten dragons]], plus [[spoiler:Corypheus's red lyrium dragon]].

** Prior to the Fairy type (and even afterwards), Ice-type Pokémon and moves were the go-to strong choice against dragons (especially if they were part Flying). Beyond that, the only way to cause super-effective damage to a dragon is with [[TakesOneToKillOne another dragon]].

*** The Alolan variant of Ninetails is both an Ice- ''and'' Fairy-type. This makes it immune to and ridiculously strong against Dragon types.

* The eponymous ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter''s not only slay average monsters, but also [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Elder Dragons]], some of which are regarded in-universe as ''[[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu gods]]'', all while fashioning their remains into their own equipment just for good measure. The icing on the cake? [[BadassNormal These guys have absolutely no fancy superpowers whatsoever]] and rely only on natural skills with weapons and good health.

* The lore of ''LetsPlay/TwitchPlaysPokemon'' granted this title to AATTVVV (a.k.a. All-Terrain Venomoth) after it unexpectedly managed to take out Lance's Dragonite while 30 levels weaker than it. Most of this can be chalked up to ArtificialStupidity in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Generation I]] (Venomoth is weak to Psychic attacks, Agility is a Psychic but non-damaging move, so the Dragonite spent the fight trying to Agility him to death), but [[BadassBoast dragonskin is still terrain]].

** The lair of [[ShapedLikeItself Dragon the dragon]] is filled with countless knights who attempted to slay the dragon in order to rescue the princess. When Fiona confronts Shrek (who just grabs the princess and runs) about not killing the dragon, he makes fun of what an ineffective strategy dragon killing would be.

* ''Manga/FairyTail''
** Dragon Slayer magic, which gives humans the physiology and powers of dragons, and is consequently the only technique capable of harming dragons. Ironically, the ones who taught mankind this technique in the first place [[TakesOneToKillOne were the dragons themselves]], devised as a way to end a civil war [[DefendsAgainstTheirOwnKind against those who rejected peaceful coexistence with mankind]]. However, using this magic comes with the downside of [[spoiler:turning the user into a dragon themselves, as was the case with Acnologia, the most bloodthirsty Dragon Slayer of all time, and the one who hunted dragons to near extinction]]. There are multiple "generations" of Dragon Slayers:
** 1st Generation: These were the original Dragon Slayers who were taught their magic directly by the Dragons. As Dragons are all but extinct now, very few of this Generation of Slayers can be created.
** 2nd Generation: These are Dragon Slayers who gained their magic not through being taught by Dragons, but instead having [[PowerCrystal Dragon Lacrima]] [[BadassTransplant implanted]] into their bodies to give them access to the lacrima's element. These tend to be referred to as "fake" Dragon Slayers, and are still quite rare as these lacrima themselves are rare and thus very valuable. [[Manga/FairyTail100YearsQuest The sequel]] would reveal these specific lacrima are actually [[GemHeart "processed" Dragon hearts]]. [[spoiler:It's also possible, though rare, to implant multiple lacrima to gain multiple elements, as is the case with "Eight Dragons" God Serena, the [[TheArchmage top Wizard Saint]] of Ishgal.]]
** 3rd Generation: These are Dragon Slayers who have not only been taught by Dragons, but also have the Dragon Lacrima implants. Some refer to this generation as the best of both worlds.
** 4th Generation: Debuting in ''Anime/FairyTailDragonCry'', these are {{Artificial Human}}s ''grown'' from Dragon Lacrima, and thus are TheNeedless who can fight as long as they are empowered by a source of magic.
** 5th Generation: Debuting in ''Manga/FairyTail100YearsQuest'', these Dragon Slayers gained their magic [[CannibalismSuperpower from devouring the flesh of Dragons (and implied also other Dragon Slayers)]], hence their other name "Dragon Eaters".

** [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Buster_Blader Buster Blader]] and [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Paladin Dark Paladin]] gain ATK boosts for each opposing dragon. Buster Blader can also be searched with the spell [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Emblem_of_Dragon_Destroyer Emblem of Dragon Destroyer]]. [[UpToEleven Taken up to eleven]] with [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Buster_Blader,_the_Dragon_Destroyer_Swordsman Buster Blader, the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman]] which gains an even bigger ATK boost for every dragon in your opponent's field and graveyard, as well as switching those dragon monsters to defense position and preventing them from activating their effects, [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration which represents the dragons' fear]] of Buster Blader's new form.

* ''Manga/FairyTail'' has Dragon Slayer magic, which gives humans the physiology and powers of dragons, and is consequently the only technique capable of harming dragons. Ironically, the ones who taught mankind this technique in the first place [[TakesOneToKillOne were the dragons themselves]], devised as a way to end a civil war [[DefendsAgainstTheirOwnKind against those who rejected peaceful coexistence with mankind]]. However, using this magic comes with the downside of [[spoiler:turning the user into a dragon themselves, as was the case with Acnologia, the most bloodthirsty Dragon Slayer of all time, and the one who hunted dragons to near extinction]].

*** Sylveon was the first Fairy-type Pokémon revealed and the face of the type when it was introduced. In fanart, it's often depicted as having a fierce and violent disposition against Dragon-types, at odds with its pink, frilly, TastesLikeDiabetes appearance.

** ''GURPS Dragons'' naturally has some material on creating dragon-slaying characters.

* The lore of ''LetsPlay/TwitchPlaysPokemon'' granted this title to AATTVVV (a.k.a. [[FanNickname All-Terrain Venomoth]]) after it unexpectedly managed to take out Lance's Dragonite while 30 levels weaker than it. Most of this can be chalked up to ArtificialStupidity in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Generation I]] (Venomoth is weak to Psychic attacks, Agility is a Psychic but non-damaging move, so the Dragonite spent the fight trying to Agility him to death), but [[BadassBoast dragonskin is still terrain]].

->''"I don't know about you guys, but... I kinda want to slay the dragon."''

* ''VideoGame/OdinSphere'': Anyone who wields a [[EvolvingWeapon Psypher]] has the potential to be this, as a Psypher is one of the few weapons that can reliably pierce dragon scales. By the time the story takes place, almost all dragons have indeed been slain by Psypher wielders, and all five main heroes fight at least one of the remaining dragons during the course of the story while three end up slaying them. Specifically, [[BlackKnight Oswald]] kills [[{{Seer}} Hindel]] and [[MacGuffinGuardian Wagner]], [[KnightInShiningArmor Cornelius]] [[MercyKill fatally injures]] [[TragicMonster Belial]], and [[{{Valkyrie}} Gwendolyn]] tops everyone else by [[spoiler:being the destined slayer of [[BeastOfTheApocalypse Leventhan]], who by that point of the endgame grows so large his body could encircle the whole continent ''at least''.]]

*** And then it's played much straighter with Bard the Bowman; when a riled and ''angry'' Smaug attacks Esgaroth, he slays him by loosing an arrow into the one vulnerable part on Smaug's entire body. As Bard's kill takes place during a battle though, he doesn't really become known ''for dragonslaying''as such.

*** The human poet Felix Jaeger, companion to the world's most infamous Slayer, possesses a sword that was [[WeaponOfXSlaying enchanted for dragon slaying]]. The effect is that Felix, who usually approaches CowardlySidekick compared to Gotrek, will turn into TheBerserker any time they have to face off against a dragon. Fortunately, the sword gives Felix a few buffs to help him survive.

* The lore of ''LetsPlay/TwitchPlaysPokemon'' granted this title to AATTVVV (a.k.a. [[FanNickname All-Terrain Venomoth]]) after it unexpectedly managed to take out Lance's Dragonite while 30 levels weaker than it. Most of this can be chalked up to ArtificialStupidity in [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Generation I]], but [[BadassBoast dragonskin is still terrain]].

* Cadderly from ''Literature/TheClericQuintet'' qualifies, even though he's a spellcaster. He managed to kill one with a explosive bandolier, and he managed to brainwash another into doing his bidding.

** When a dragon shows up, Noah proudly proclaims, "I will slay the dragon." It's clear that he would have easily been able to defeat it, except it's actually a summoned monster receiving an immense amount of power from an outside source, allowing it to heal from any injury.

* ''Literature/MemorySorrowAndThorn'': The backstory of King Prester John is that he was a poor fisherman's son until he ventured beneath the Hayholt and slew the dragon that had taken up residence in the catacombs. That act set him on a course that eventually had him uniting all of Osten Ard, [[spoiler:except that in reality, he found the dragon already dead by the hand of the old King (who was mortally wounded in that battle). Prester John always felt the guilt of claiming credit for that kill.]]

* ''Franchise/DragonAge: Anime/DawnOfTheSeeker'' reveals that the family of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' character Cassandra Pentaghast has quite a reputation as dragonslayers. Over the course of the film, Cassandra takes out a grand total of ''six'', five of them in the same scene.

* In ''Videogame/{{Destiny}}'', there was an event known as the Great Ahamkara Hunt, in which the Guradians hunted down a species of dragons known as the Ahamkara. In this case, these "dragons" are [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons in a very loose sense]], being RealityWarper {{Eldritch Abomination}}s that resemble large wingless serpents with dozens of eyes, who grant wishes and desires in exchange for knowledge and violent slaughter. In one case, this became a literal case of dragon-slaying, as Lord Saladin wished to fight a real dragon and the Ahamkara granted that wish, turning into one. In ''Videogame/Destiny2'', [[spoiler:the player ends up slaying Riven, an Ahamkara, at the end of the "Last Wish" raid.]]

** Hawke in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' faces the entire gamut, ranging from Drakelings to a High Dragon. In the ''Mark of the Assassin DLC'', they're invited to take part in Duke Prosper's annual Wyvern hunt, winning a prize for being the first to slay an Alpha Wyvern. [[spoiler: Near the end, Hawke gets into a fight with Duke Prosper who in addition to using a crossbow, [[HorseOfADifferentColor rides]] into battle with his trained Wyvern, [[FluffyTheTerrible Leopold]].]]
** [[VideoGame/DragonAgeII Cassandra]] [[VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition Pentaghast]], in addition to being a member of the current [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething royal family]] of Nevarra, descends from legendary Dragonslayers responsible for the near extinction of the entire species during the Steel Age. Pentaghast herself is no slouch, as seen in the ''Anime/DawnOfTheSeeker'' film.

* The arcade game ''VideoGame/DragonBuster'' and it's long distance sequel ''VideoGame/DragonValor'' for the original Playstation. The eponymous characters in ''VideoGame/DragonValor'' are individuals who wield magic swords which are the only thing that can kill dragons.
* In ''VideoGame/DragonsDogma'', the Arisens, whose their hearts are ripped by dragons (both [[OurDragonsAreDifferent literal]] and [[TheDragon technical]]), are tasked to slay the dragon who stole their hearts. [[spoiler: This is a SecretTest arranged by the [[{{God}} Seneschal]] to seek for people who can succeed them, the dragons were those who failed on killing the Seneschal.]]

* In ''VideoGame/DragonsWake'' the player is a young dragon and the villain is a BlackKnight that has already killed several dragons and intends to add the player to that list.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Drakensang}}'' Dragonslaying is a proud tradition among the dwarves, who have developed lots of special weapons (axes, hammers and large crossbows) specifically meant to kill dragons. To really drive the point home, Dwarves are said to [[LanguageEqualsThought have 18 words for "killing a dragon"]].
* In both ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsChroniclesOfMystara'' games, there is an optional boss fight against a massive red dragon. Slaying it causes a dragon icon to appear over your name in the top score list declaring you a dragonslayer.
* The Dragonborn in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' is the only one who can kill dragons permanently by consuming their souls. Others can kill them, too (in fact the Empire's SecretPolice the Blades started out as dragonslayers), but this only kills their ''body'', with their Aedric soul remaining intact. Their return from (near) extinction is revealed to have not been due to repopulating their numbers, but because [[BigBad Alduin's]] return allowed him to resurrect them from the burial mounds their remains were entombed in by the Ancient Nords.

* ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic VIII'' has a faction of dragonslayers (who also dabble in dragon enslaving -- they call it taming, but these dragons are sapient) in it partly for the glory and partly for the profit, whose elite fighters, like Jeric Whistlebone, are an individual match for at least the weaker dragons. [[spoiler: They'd still have been stomped by a full-scale dragon assault if not for that one of their first moves was stealing the dragon leader's egg and threatening it if anything like that happened. If you return the egg to the dragon leader...]]
* The eponymous ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter''s not only slay average monsters, but also [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Elder Dragons]], some of which are regarded in-universe as [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu GODS]], all while fashioning their remains into their own equipment just for good measure. The icing on the cake? [[BadassNormal These guys have absolutely no fancy superpowers whatsoever]] and rely only on natural skills with weapons and good health.

** In ''Storm of Zehir'' a completionist player can slay up to four dragons, and your first dragon kill grants "Dragon Slayer". This time, though, the feat adds +2 to attack and damage rolls versus dragons.

*** Oddly, before the existence of the Fairy type, ''[[LivingPolyhedron Porygon2]]'' of all Pokémon was the main go-to for dealing with dragons, possessing the ability to [[PowerCopying copy their abilities]] as well as [[GlacierWaif withstand the amount of damage they deal]], leaving surreal images of a two-foot tall toy duck taking down a seven meter tall serpent.

** Adrian Vauclair is a renown dragonslayer, having created a superweapon the Luftwaffe used to shoot down and kill the dragon Feuerschwinge during the event known as Dragonfall. Much of the game's story involves finding the dragonslayer, as the dragon he supposedly 'slew' looks to be making a return. [[spoiler:The truth is somewhat more complex and Vauclair, as it turns out, is planning to up his game from one-time almost-slayer to 'guy who single-handedly genocided the dragon race off the face of the Earth', a plan you're expected to try to prevent]].
** Dieter is a Dragonslayer shaman and a punk rocker, who has spent his life fighting racism and people who try to keep down Berlin's anarchists. He can occasionally be seen communing with his mentor about who he should be picking a fight with next. [[spoiler:His personal quest involves taking him to defeat a Berlin chapter of Humanis, a human supremacist group, who is attempting to douse Berlin in nerve toxins to kill off its non-human population]].
** The end of the game [[spoiler:can see the Berlin crew enter the dragonslaying club themselves by putting down Feuerschwinge for good, though at that point it is practically a MercyKill considering what Vauclair had done to her. It says something that both Dieter and the Dragonslayer will support talking her out of suicide and letting her go instead, since both of them consider her the victimized party.]]

* The ''Franchise/{{Nasuverse}}'' has multiple instances of Heroic Spirits whose legends are defined by having killed dragons, such as Siegfried, Sigurd, Beowulf, Saint Georgios, and Saint Martha. Several of them are so renowned for it they've gained abilities that allow them to better kill or subjugate dragons or those with DragonAncestry.
* Neron the paladin in ''VisualNovel/SwordDaughter'' became a legend by slaying the blue dragon Slag, and a temple was built in his honor. [[spoiler:Turns out Slag's less dead than legend would have you believe, but Tyrna and Gavin can finish the job.]]

** Dragonslayers are an actual species. They are humanoids with random unusual features similar to dragons and have natural magical abilities. They are the only species innately strong enough stand up to dragons. In truth, [[spoiler:they ''are'' dragons, who decided to secretly shapeshift into human-like forms, befriend humans, integrate into human civilization, and use humans as easy meal tickets by protecting them from their kin.]]
** There is also a human named Steen Dragonsbane who has made it his life's mission to wipe them out. Defeating a dragon is believed to be a near impossible feat for a human, but thanks to his SuperStrength, years of experience in their weaknesses, and the weapons he has made from their corpses, he has killed quite afew.

** When a dragon shows up, Noah proudly proclaims "I will slay the dragon." It's clear that he would have easily been able to defeat it, except it was actually a summoned monster receiving an immense amount of power from an outside source, allowing it to heal from any injury.

* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' plays with it. The official protector of the Court is called the Dragon Slayer, but James Eglamore -- the current Dragon Slayer -- admits that it’s [[ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything a rather misleading title]]. Dragons are rare enough -- if not outright extinct -- that they don't require much slaying these days. Nevertheless, there's little doubt that Eglamore could take on a dragon if necessary: he defeats a Rogat Orjak ([[OurDragonsAreDifferent technically not a dragon, but very dragon-ish all the same]]) in an early chapter.

* The lore of ''LetsPlay/TwitchPlaysPokemon'' has granted this title to AATTVVV (a.k.a. [[FanNickname All-Terrain Venomoth]]) after it unexpectedly managed to take out Lance's Dragonite while 30 levels weaker than it. Most of this can be chalked up to ArtificialStupidity in Generation I, but [[BadassBoast dragonskin is still terrain]].

* Iroh from ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' is famed in story for slaying the last dragon left in the world, earning the title Dragon of the West. [[spoiler:Really, however, he lied and left the last of the dragons alive and only claimed to have killed them so they could live in peace]].
* The TV show ''WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk'', a SequelSeries of ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' introduces the Dragon Hunters who capture and often kill dragons for profit and sport.

-->-- '''Angel''', ''Series/{{Angel}}'', "[[GrandFinale Not Fade Away]]"

In modern fantasy fiction, killing a dragon is usually a job for an entire party of adventurers, or completely beyond most warriors' ability to harm. So how can the Dragonslayer do this themselves? Having a dragon-specific WeaponOfXSlaying and the strength to lift and wield it helps, but, beyond incredible strength and skill, they must have knowledge. Dragons traditionally have a brace of classic weak spots -- a missing scale, the eyes and the mouth are particularly common -- and knowing just where to hit the beast can be crucial. Dragons, especially in games, often have specific elemental alignments, and knowing how to properly exploit the ElementalRockPaperScissors can also go a long way.

[[Administrivia/TheSameButMoreSpecific So this is just a variant]] of the HunterOfMonsters right? Well, no. The Hunter normally suffers the AchillesHeel of CripplingOverspecialization, while the Dragonslayer still has a giant sword, which unlike a stake or silver daggers [[OneHeroHoldTheWeaksauce is very effective in battle]]. The Dragonslayer is often TheHero with a few dead dragons tacked on.

But that's assuming the truth. Dragon slayers have a reputation for being MilesGloriosus, to the point where even the real deal is viewed with skepticism. Perhaps the one rumored to be a dragon slayer isn't, and you instead need to look for his brother, or maybe [[DistaffCounterpart sister]]. Or maybe their great-grandfather was one, but nobody in the family knows how to do it anymore.

It is important to note that having killed ''one'' dragon does not necessarily make one a dragonslayer, just as having saved one person makes them a hero but not TheHero. This is basically part of their job description, meaning they generally hunt dragons, plural. The other qualification, of course, is surviving the encounter. Not the person who gets rid of TheDragon, unless we're being literal here. Compare and contrast the DragonTamer, who works with dragons instead, though there's nothing stopping someone from being both.

* ''{{Manga/Berserk}}'': Guts' iconic giant sword, the Dragonslayer, is a seven-foot-tall slab of sharpened iron, created by the UltimateBlacksmith who was asked to make a sword that could kill a dragon (back when fantasy creatures ''weren't'' a common sight across Midland), and pretty much can only be wielded by someone who's been training with seven-foot-long swords since birth. While it's yet to live up to its name in a literal sense (the one fight against a dragonlike Apostle by the name of Grunbeld was a draw), it's certainly killed a vast number of slightly lesser foes, and if there ever was a man capable of killing a dragon, it's Guts.
* In ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'', Namari mentions killing dragons in the past. [[spoiler: Later on, Team Touden slay a very powerful Red Dragon.]]
* ''{{Franchise/Digimon}}'': [=WarGreymon's=] armor is equipped with WolverineClaws called 'Dramon Cutters', which function as a OneHitKill against any Digimon [[OurDragonsAreDifferent with the -dramon ("dragon monster") suffix.]]
* ''Franchise/DragonAge: Anime/DawnOfTheSeeker'' reveals that the family of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'' character Cassandra Pentaghast has quite a reputation as dragonslayers. In the course of the film, Cassandra takes out a grand total of ''six'', five of them in the same scene.
* ''Manga/FairyTail'' has Dragon Slayer magic, which gives humans the physiology and powers of dragons, and is consequently the only technique capable of harming dragons. Ironically, the ones who taught mankind this technique in the first place [[TakesOneToKillOne were the dragons themselves]], devised as a way to end a civil war [[DefendsAgainstTheirOwnKind against those who rejected peaceful coexistence with mankind]]. However, using this magic comes with the downside of [[spoiler:turning the user into a dragon themselves, as was the case with Acnologia, the most bloodthirsty Dragon Slayer of all time, and the one who hunted dragons to near extinction.]]
* [[MeaningfulName Georgia]] of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''[='s=] ''Black and White'' seasons is a self-proclaimed "Dragon Buster", a trainer dedicated to taking down Dragon-[[ElementalRockPaperScissors type]] Pokemon. To this end, her team is mostly made up of Ice-types, which were at the time the Dragon-type's only weakness aside from itself. Naturally, she's TheRival to Iris, a Dragon-type trainer.
* In the manga ''{{Manga/Rain}}'', the main character Rain gained the title of "dragon slayer" after he supposedly single-handedly fought and killed a dragon in one-on-one combat and absorbed the dragon's lifeforce and power.
* Parn from ''Roleplay/RecordOfLodossWar'' has, over the course of the show, killed at least two dragons. One in the first episode and the other was an ancient dragon.
* Lina Inverse from ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}'' does not qualify, even though she's killed hundreds of dragons, because her technique is seen as overkill and not involving real skill. She does however meet an actual dragon hunter, on her quest for gourmet cuisine (he's less a {{BFS}} variety, and more a specialist that uses knife skills).

* In ''Monsters'' of ''Manga/Wanted1998'', Ryuuma's greatest and best known feat was killing a huge dragon in a single hit. [[spoiler:During the Punk Hazard arc of ''Manga/OnePiece'', Zoro mirrors Ryuuma by beheading a large dragon in a similar manner.]]

* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Discussion.aspx?multiverseid=3510 Rashida Scalebane]]. Also, the [[GameBreaker infamous]] [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=205077 Baneslayer Angel]].
* ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'' has [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Buster_Blader Buster Blader]] and [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Paladin Dark Paladin]], who gain ATK boosts for each opposing dragon, and [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Seeker Dragon Seeker]], who automatically destroys a dragon. Buster Blader can also be searched with the spell [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Emblem_of_Dragon_Destroyer Emblem of Dragon Destroyer]]. [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dragon_Horn_Hunter Dragon Horn Hunter]] hunts dragons according to her flavor text. All of these (as well as the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman below) combine ''very'' well with [[https://yugioh.fandom.com/wiki/DNA_Surgery DNA Surgery]], which turns every monster on the field into a given type - so even if your opponent wasn't using dragons ''before'', they sure as hell are ''now''.
** [[UpToEleven Taken up to eleven]] with [[http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Buster_Blader,_the_Dragon_Destroyer_Swordsman Buster Blader, the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman]] which gains an even bigger ATK boost for every dragon in your opponent's field and graveyard, as well as switching those dragon monsters to defense position and preventing them from activating their effects [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration which represents the dragons fear]] of Buster Blader's new form.

* Marvel comics' ''Comicbook/TheMightyThor'' related books have Sigurd (the Ever-Glorious) as also mentioned under mythology and, despite all the flaws this incarnation of the guy has (like being huge JerkAss), he killed a dragon and got even more immortal thanks to it.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Smax}}'' (the spin-off from ''ComicBook/TopTen''), Smax is revealed to have started out as a professional dragonslayer before moving across worlds to become a policeman in Neopolis.

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has Harry become this in the ''Of Dungeons and Dragons'' arc. While he is assisted by his father and a number of others, he does the bulk of the fighting against the Elder Wyrm, being sardonically referred to as "the KnightInShiningArmour" by Wisdom. Funnily enough, it's also quite literal, as Harry has at this point been knighted, thanks to the Battle of London, and is a member of the [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever Order of the Garter]].

* The film ''WesternAnimation/FireAndIce'' had a man named Galador who slew a dragon. Too bad he died years ago, and his son had to do the job. His son, while not directly killing them, manages to take care of one by pitting it against another, and the second, an ice dragon by [[spoiler: bringing down salt mines on it]].
* ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'' has a entire race of people who do this, as a necessity because the dragons raid them for their sheep. Hiccup proves unable to do it however, and befriends one of them. [[spoiler: This changes everything.]] In the [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragonTheHiddenWorld third film]], we are introduced to Grimmel the Grisly, a famous dragonslayer, who has hunted every Night Fury to extinction. Only Toothless has somehow managed to slip through his grasp.

** If Shrek had not rescued Fiona, it's likely the only person who would have been able to kill the dragon and then rescue her would have been Prince Charming. This would have been a subversion too, because Prince Charming -- who looks and sounds exactly like the stereotypical dragonslayer -- would likely have only been able to win the battle because his mother was a powerful sorceress, responsible for Fiona being locked up in the castle in the first place.

** The villain's mother, the Queen Dowager, also hires dragonslayers to kill the last dragon,[[spoiler: so her son will die with him]].
* The aptly named ''Film/{{Dragonslayer}}''. The magician's apprentice Galen takes on the mantle to defeat the last known dragon during the dying Age of Magic. Thoroughly deconstructed as Galen may have the weapons - magical spear, dragonhide shield, and his mentor's powerful Amulet - but not the training to take on a monster. He himself cannot defeat the dread Vermithrax, but he does summon his mentor Ulrich BackFromTheDead who does [[HeroicSacrifice fight the dragon]] in an epic duel. However, even the wizard can't kill the dragon himself; destroying his SoulJar makes him explode while in the dragon's clutches, [[HeroicSacrifice which was his plan from the start]].
** Subverted further at film's end, when [[spoiler:the corrupt King shows up, shoves a sword into the dragon's cooked corpse, and has himself declared "Dragon Slayer".]]
** Another subversion: [[spoiler:The spear ''itself'' is actually the titular Dragonslayer, as it's named by its maker ''[[ICallItVera Sicarius Draconum]]'']].[[note]]Latin for "Dragon Slayer"[[/note]]

[[folder: Literature]]

* ''Literature/{{Dragonsbane}}'' by Creator/BarbaraHambly has a prince go in search of a dragonslayer who the legends describe as a KnightInShiningArmor who killed the dragon with his sword. He turns out to be [[ExpectingSomeoneTaller a rather bookish man]] who [[CombatPragmatist disabled the dragon with poisoned harpoons]] and finished it with a battleaxe.

* Creator/FredSaberhagen's ''The First Literature/BookOfSwords''. Nestor was already in the dragon-hunting trade when the god Hermes gave him Dragonslicer. With that Sword he found he could kill dragons easily.
* The main characters of the ''TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms'' novel trilogy ''Literature/TheYearOfRogueDragons'' are an adventuring party who specialize in taking down dragons, slaying several evil dragons per book. ItsPersonal for the leader, [[ArtificialLimbs half-golem]] Dorn Graybrook, who lost his family and two limbs to a dragon attack as a child. Over the course of the trilogy, though, he not only allies with several good-aligned dragons, but even falls in love with a female song dragon.
* In the Creator/LordDunsany story ''The Fortress Unvanquishable Save For Sacnoth'', the warrior prince Leothric sets out to kill the NighInvulnerable dragon Tharagavverug as it has the magical sword Sacnoth, the only weapon capable of killing the wizard Gaznak. Once slain and Sacnoth recovered, Leothric carves his way through the fortress. Inside there are several dragons, including Gaznak's pet Wong Bongerok, but with the aid of Sacnoth Leothric easily slays the dragons.
* Deconstructed in ''[[Literature/MediochreQSethSeries The Good, the Bad and the Mediochre]]''. Maelstrom is a dragon slayer - described as such in-universe, in fact - but since the setting is one where dragons are rarely evil and often sapient, this just makes him a massive, [[FantasticRacism speciesist]], douchebag PsychoForHire.

* In ''Literature/TheKharkanasTrilogy'', the {{Prequel}} to the ''Literature/MalazanBookOfTheFallen'', one of the early Tiste creation myths tells of Tiste heroes who slew a many-headed dragon, drank her blood and became gods. This is exactly the story we are presented with in the main series regarding how [[MagicKnight Anomander Rake]] and Silchas Ruin came to be [[VoluntaryShapeshifting draconic shapeshifters]], namely by slaying Tiamat, the many-headed ur-dragon, and drinking her blood. This is yet another instance of this trilogy calling into question what had previously been established as fact in the main series, following the theme of Creator/StevenErikson questioning how much we can truly trust what we know about history.

* Dragons and dragonslaying (even discussed in those words in ''Literature/TheHobbit'') Comes up several times throughout Tolkien's Legendarium:

*** [[IronWoobie Túrin Turambar]] slew the dragon Glaurung, father of dragons. Much as was the case of Sigurd and Fafnir, (from whom Tolkien drew inspiration) Túrin killed Glaurung by finding a place he knew the dragon would cross the River Taeglin, and stabbing him from below. Other characters have killed dragons, but Túrin is actually given the epithet "Glaurung's Bane" (''dagnir glaurunga'' in an inscription on his tombstone): making him the prime example of this trope in the Legendarium.
*** Eärendil slew Ancalagon the Black, greatest of all the dragons of Middle-earth, during the War of Wrath to end the First Age. Unlike many other examples, this was an aerial battle which Eärendil fought from his flying ship ''Vingilot'', and Ancalagon's fall shattered the peaks of Thangorodrim. Additionally, [[GiantFlyer Thorondor and his other Eagles]] supported the Hosts of the Valar by battling Morgoth's fleet of dragons in the air. However, Eärendil is better known for other feats: like sailing to Valinor and being the father of Elrond (and his twin, Aragorn's ancestor, Elros).
** Discussed, as noted above, in the ''Literature/TheHobbit''. As Gandalf and the Dwarves muse on what to do about Smaug to reclaim their treasure, it's discussed there are no more heroes left capable of slaying such a beast, and that is what led Gandalf to direct them to Bilbo, and to reclaim their treasure by thievery instead. And then it's played much straighter with Bard the Bowman; when a riled and ''angry'' Smaug attacks Esgaroth, he slays him by loosing an arrow into the one vulnerable part on Smaug's entire body. As Bard's kill takes place during a battle though, he doesn't really become known ''for dragonslaying''as such.
** Other cases of dragon-slaying are mentioned, as well, including that of a "long-worm" named Scatha, who was slain by Fram of the Éothéod. From his hoard came the Horn of Rohan, which was presented as a gift to Merry by Éowyn at the conclusion of ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. Again however, Fram is never actually given this as a title or epithet.

* Invoked in the final book of ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'', when [[HeroKiller Demandred]] proclaims himself to be the dragonslayer and a DarkMessiah. However, in his case the dragon he's come to slay is the local ChosenOne, who goes by that title, not a scaly fire-breathing best.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' had an episode where [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Humanoid Dragons]] were trying to resurrect Eve, the mother of all monsters. Dragons are so rare most hunters don't believe they exist. In their research, Sam and Dean meet a doctor who has one of the few swords capable of slaying dragons, the Sword of Bruncvik, wielded by an ancient dragon slayer. Sam kills a dragon with it.

* Myth/SaintGeorge (c. 275-303 AD) is famous for slaying a dragon since the 11th century (there was no mention of George's dragon-fight prior to that). The real George was a Syrian-born Roman legionnaire who was executed for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods. The legend is possibly inspired by Eastern icons of George fighting a dragon in which the dragon was (in reference to the dragon of Literature/{{Revelation}}, who is in fact {{Satan}}) merely a symbol of Rome and/or paganism, but eventually the scene came to be understood as literal.
* Aided by his one faithful retainer Wiglaf, Literature/{{Beowulf}} battled and killed a dragon that had devastated his kingdom of Geatland, but died of his wounds afterwards.
* Myth/ClassicalMythology: Bellerophon was famous for killing the Chimera, a fire-breathing monster that was part lion, part goat, and part snake.

* In Myth/NorseMythology, the hero Sigurd a.k.a. Siegfried was chiefly famous for killing a huge dragon called Fafnir somewhere near the Rhine.
* In one version of Literature/TristanAndIseult, Tristan killed a dragon, but was so wounded in the process he fell asleep, allowing someone else to walk by and take out the dragon's eye to claim the kill (and the princess and half the kingdom). Fortunately, Tristan awakes to set things right, unfortunately, Iseult sees Tristan and falls in love with him (he has to escort her to his uncle, who she's betrothed to).

* The player must do this as one of his duties in the "Dragon's Keep" table of ''VideoGame/FullTiltPinball''

* Sir Tristan has this task in ''VideoGame/GoldenLogres''

* El Cazador De Dragones Eragon in IWRG and Wrestling/{{N|ationalWrestlingAlliance}}WA Mexico. Although he wrestlers there, the dragon slaying is an example of WrestlingDoesntPay.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''
** The ''Council of Wyrms'' campaign setting introduces the Dragon Slayer kit. Dragon Slayers are human beings specially trained to kill dragons. They are immune to dragon-caused fear, gain bonuses when attacking dragons, and have armor and weapons that are more effective against dragons. They are dedicated to the goal of eradicating dragonkind.
** Then there are rangers who choose Dragon as their favored enemies. Of course, said rangers are encouraged to be very, ''very'' careful when working.
** The ''Draconomicon'' suggested that many of the dragons who [[DragonKnight become paladins]] end up as this -- being [[ThePaladin paladins]] they are driven to confront evil, and being dragons they tend think more of dragons, including how much of an evil evil ones can be. They are also, of course, intimately familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of dragons...
** The ''Draconomicon'' includes also two {{Prestige Class}}es specialized for hunting dragons, the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Dragonslayer]] and the Dragonstalker. The difference between the two is that Dragonslayers fight their prey in pitched combat, while Dragonstalkers track their targets for extended periods before killing them from ambush before the dragon even knows they're there.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}''.

** The Dragonslayer archetype is a totem for Shaman characters (or a mentor spirit in later editions). Dragonslayer shamans tend to be {{Boisterous Bruiser}}s or {{Blood Knight}}s on the lookout for a suitable 'dragon' to slay, though the 'dragon' can be metaphorical as long as it represents ''some'' kind of evil entity that threatens innocents. Above all, the Dragonslayer totem despises oath-breakers and liars (alongside giving up on your goal), and forces adherents to be true to their word once given.
* ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'':
** Depending on the edition, the GodEmperor of Mankind ''was'' Myth/SaintGeorge, though instead of killing the dragon he imprisoned it on Mars. That dragon might very well be the Void Dragon, a C'tan (the C'tan are among the most powerful entities in existence, its brother the Nightbringer having imposed its image into nearly all races as death incarnate, aka the GrimReaper). However, this may have bitten him in the ass, as the Void Dragon has power over machines, and it is more or less implied the Adeptus Mechanicus' worship of the Omnissiah is strengthening the Void Dragon.
** The Primarch Ferrus Manus once wrestled a strange silver dragon and plunged it into magma. The dragon's living metal skin fused itself onto his arms, granting him the ability to forge things without tools. The similarities between the Emperor's and Ferrus' encounters implies that the dragon Ferrus defeated was a shard of the Void Dragon, and that the metal fused to his arms is Necron Necrodermis.
* ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasy'':
** Dwarf Slayers are dwarves who, to make up for some failure, become mohawked {{Death Seeker}}s who look for the toughest monsters around so they can die a glorious death. Being dwarves, however, they're naturally quite good at killing the things, and so their failure becomes greater the more monsters they kill. They typically start as Troll Slayers, from there moving on to becoming Giant Slayers and eventually Dragon Slayers. Those who prove too tough for even dragons to kill then head into the Chaos Wastes as Daemon Slayers, and are never heard from again.
** The human poet Felix Jaeger, companion to the world's most infamous Slayer, possesses a sword that was [[WeaponOfXSlaying enchanted for dragon slaying]]. The effect is that Felix, who usually approaches CowardlySidekick compared to Gotrek, will turn into TheBerserker any time they have to face off against a dragon. Fortunately, the sword gives Felix a few buffs to help him survive.
** The Bretonnian Dukedom of Bastonne has produce more than its share of dragonslayers over its history. Gilles le Breton, Bretonnia's first king and himself a Duke of Bastonne, first rose to fame when he fought and killed the legendary dragon Smearghus, who had been ravaging the Bastonnian countryside. His descendant and current Duke, Bohemond Beastslayer, himself slew a dragon in his younger years and crafted his mace's shaft from its thighbone. The knight Jasperre le Beau, also called Jasperre the Dragonslayer, is particularly skilled at this; he killed the dragon Malgrimace while rescuing the king's daughter, and has since then killed many other dragons in addition to other monsters such as hydras, griffons and hippogriffs.
** The vampire Abhorash, founder of the [[MonsterKnight Blood Dragon]] order, encountered a dragon and fought it in single combat. After a full night of battle, he grappled it and drained it of its blood. Not only had he slain a dragon, but by consuming its blood Abhorash permanently quenched his blood thirst, freeing him eternally from ever needing to consume blood again.

* In ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'', Dragon Slayer Ornstein ''earned'' the first part of his title, fighting alongside Lord Gwyn against the Everlasting Dragons in the climactic battle that allowed humanity to rise and flourish. There's a collection of dragon heads mounted in the castle in Anor Londo that provides proof of his kills. The Chosen Undead also gets the chance to slay up to five different dragons over the course of the game, and six with the DLC installed. Eight, if the hydras are included. It should be noted, two of those dragons were rotting zombies, two were deformed and maddened over the centuries, and one was a much lesser (though still powerful) drake. The only true dragon you face is in the DLC, and it [[spoiler:needs to be crippled by a giant's arrow]] before it can even be touched. The ''Age of Fire'' prequel comics has as its protagonist the Silver Knight Akron who was given the title "The Dragon-killer" by Gwyn. However, the title is a lie: it was actually Knight Artorias who slew the dragon next to Akron -- Gwyn merely misinterpreted the scene and thought Akron did it. Artorias never bothered to take credit, and Akron was too ashamed to correct Gwyn and accepted the title as a constant reminder of his own failings.
* In ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'', there exists a boss called the [[MeaningfulName Old Dragonslayer]] who is ''heavily'' implied to be the very same Ornstein from the first game [[TimeAbyss several hundred years later]] [[spoiler:[[FallenHero having fallen prey to the same fate as his old comrade Artorias]]]]. Once again, the Bearer of the Curse continues the proud tradition of dragonslaying by going up against two different boss dragons over the course of the game, three with the DLC installed. Four, if you count [[OurDemonsAreDifferent the Old Iron King]].
** Of these dragons though, one and its [[DegradedBoss weaker brethern]] are actually wyverns rather than true dragons while the other [[spoiler:was actually artificially created]]. Like the first game, the only true dragon you face is in the DLC, and it has been [[spoiler:[[HandicappedBadass pierced through the chest with a spear and had part of its soul sucked away by an]] EldritchAbomination [[HandicappedBadass for centuries]]]] and still manages to be one of the most powerful opponents in the game.
* In ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'', the Dragonslayer Armour is a heavy armor resembling Dragnslayer Ornstein, equipped with a melted iron greataxe tailored for slaying archdragons and a greatshield resistant to lightning. [[spoiler:It is in fact an AnimatedArmor controlled by the Pilgrim Butterflies like a puppet. The real Ornstein wasn't even in Lothric Castle, he's finding the Nameless King, Gwyn's first born son in Archdragon's Peak.]]
** The Ashen One just like their predecessors also gets to slay their share. Wyverns show up occasionally throughout the game. One of the bosses is a human king whose obsession with [[spoiler:Seath the Scaleless' knowledge]] mutated him into a grotesque dragon-like monster. The DLC once again has a true dragon to fight. And while this dragon may be the closest to a true dragon at its full strength unlike its predecessors, it's also implied that the centuries fighting against the Abyss have corrupted and eaten away at it. It's still one of, if not ''the'' most difficult boss in the franchise.

* Myth/SaintGeorge (c. 275-303 AD) is famous for slaying a dragon since the 11th century (there was no mention of George's dragon-fight prior to that). The real George was a Syrian-born Roman legionnaire who was executed for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods. The legend is possibly inspired by Eastern icons of George fighting a dragon in which the dragon was (in reference to the dragon of Literature/{{Revelation}}) merely a symbol of Rome and/or paganism, but eventually the scene came to be understood as literal.