History TheDragon / Literature

* In ''Charlie Bone'', Ezekiel Bloor had Manfred Bloor, Dr Bloor, Yolanda and Yorath Yewbeam, Count Harken Badlock, Lord Grimwald, Titania Tilpin and Ashkelan all as Dragons at different points in the series.
* Most ''Redwall'' villains have at least one.

* TerryBrooks also makes use of this trope. In ''TheElfstonesOfShannara'', [[DemonLordsAndArchDevils The Dagda Mor]] has [[TheJuggernaut The Reaper]] and [[ShapeShifter The Changeling]] as his CoDragons. In ''Literature/TheHeritageOfShannara'', several [[TheHeartless Shadowen]] could be seen as [[ManipulativeBastard Rimmer Dall's]] Dragon, but the most archetypical is likely the entirely human PsychoForHire Pe Ell. In TheVoyageOfTheJerleShannara, psychopathic computer system [[DiscOneFinalBoss Antrax]] has [[HollywoodCyborg Ard Patrinell]], and [[BigBad The Morgawr]] has fellow CompleteMonster and [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent Mwellret]] [[SmugSnake Cree Bega]] as his NumberTwo. In ''RunningWithTheDemon'', the titular demon uses the [[SealedEvilInACan maentwrog]] as his Dragon during his confrontation with the heroes, having it incapacitate [[KnightInSourArmour John Ross]] while he targets [[TheHero Nest]].

* By the end of ''LordOfTheFlies'', Roger becomes the dragon to Jack, with shades of DragonInChief and DragonWithAnAgenda.

* Walter o'Dim in StephenKing's ''TheDarkTower'' series serves the enigmatic Crimson King.

* In ''TheWheelOfTime'', the Forsaken serve as Dragons for the Dark One, who is SealedEvilInACan--and compete for the position of ''Nae'blis'', [[ConLang which means]] "TheDragon". Shaidar Haran also fulfills this role for the Dark One, being its physical avatar. Among the [[KnightTemplar Children of the Light]], the tough, skilled blademaster Eamon Valda is blackmailed into serving as a sort-of Dragon to the elderly, frail Rhadam Asunawa. Ironically, Lewis Therin Telamon is called "The Dragon" but is not TheDragon but TheChosenOne, as is his {{Reincarnation}} Rand al'Thor, "The Dragon Reborn".

* If [[{{Discworld}} Lord Vetinari]] is a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] of the EvilOverlord, then Samuel Vimes would be his subversion of TheDragon. Vimes is often said to be Vetinari's enforcer, often unwittingly or unwillingly, but is the protagonist of all the Watch books.

** High House Chains: Formerly [[TheEmperor Ruhlad]] [[ImmortalityHurts Sengar]], The King in Chains, to the series' BigBad, the [[OmnicidalManiac Crippled God]], who due to his SealedEvilInACan status, cannot be King of his own house. With Ruhlad's death, the two most obvious candidates for this position are the [[TheStarscream rebellious]] Knight and HeroicSociopath, [[BarbarianHero Karsa Orlong]] who wants no part in the [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Crippled God]]'s schemes, and The Reaver, BadassGrandpa [[MisanthropeSupreme Kallor]] who actively seeks out the position of King in Chains.

* In DavidEddings' ''TheBelgariad'', Ctuchik and Zedar play Dragon to [[PhysicalGod Torak]], while on a lesser scale [[{{Ninja}} Brill]] is the Dragon to [[StarterVillain Asharak]] (although the full details of that relationship aren't made fully clear). In the sequel, ''TheMalloreon'', Naradas is [[TheBigBad Zandramas]]' NumberTwo, while the [[DragonWithAnAgenda Demon Lord Mordja]] is her last line of physical defence; Mordja's rival, [[DemonLordsAndArchDevils Nahaz]] is DragonWithAnAgenda and DragonInChief to her rival, [[AGodAmI Urvon]]. Urvon's right hand man [[SmugSnake Harakan]]/[[DarkMessiah Mengha]] could be considered another Dragon and is definitely his BastardUnderstudy; like Nahaz Harakan too [[DragonWithAnAgenda has an agenda]].

* TerryBrooks also makes use of this trope. In ''TheElfstonesOfShannara'', [[DemonLordsAndArchDevils The Dagda Mor]] has [[TheJuggernaut The Reaper]] and [[ShapeShifter The Changeling]] as his CoDragons. In ''Literature/TheHeritageOfShannara'', several [[TheHeartless Shadowen]] could be seen as [[ManipulativeBastard Rimmer Dall]]'s Dragon, but the most archetypical is likely the entirely human PsychoForHire Pe Ell. In TheVoyageOfTheJerleShannara, psychopathic computer system [[DiscOneFinalBoss Antrax]] has [[HollywoodCyborg Ard Patrinell]], and [[BigBad The Morgawr]] has fellow CompleteMonster and [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent Mwellret]] [[SmugSnake Cree Bega]] as his NumberTwo. In ''RunningWithTheDemon'', the titular demon uses the [[SealedEvilInACan maentwrog]] as his Dragon during his confrontation with the heroes, having it incapacitate [[KnightInSourArmour John Ross]] while he targets [[TheHero Nest]].

** He's a {{Dragon In Chief}}, really, considering that [[spoiler: the Crimson King is just a frail, crazy old man... albeit one with a lot of bombs at his disposal.]]

** Lucius Malfoy was originally Voldemort's [[TheDragon Dragon]], but after losing the prophecy in ''{{The Order Of The Phoenix}}'' the Dark Lord [[YouHaveFailedMe decided he'd failed one too many times.]] Lucius spends most of ''TheDeathlyHallows'' doing little more than sitting in his chair at Death Eater meetings and quietly whimpering. ([[PragmaticVillainy Then he and his family make a HeelFaceTurn ... sort of.]]))

* In ''{{The Wheel of Time}}'', the Forsaken serve as Dragons for the Dark One, who is SealedEvilInACan--and compete for the position of ''Nae'blis'', [[ConLang which means]] "TheDragon". Shaidar Haran also fulfills this role for the Dark One, being its physical avatar. Among the [[KnightTemplar Children of the Light]], the tough, skilled blademaster Eamon Valda is blackmailed into serving as a sort-of Dragon to the elderly, frail Rhadam Asunawa. Ironically, Lewis Therin Telamon is called "The Dragon" but is not TheDragon but TheChosenOne, as is his {{Reincarnation}} Rand al'Thor, "The Dragon Reborn".
** You could consider "The Dragon" as the Dragon of the creator.
* In ''{{A Song of Ice and Fire}}'', the physically indomitable Gregor Clegane serves as a Dragon for House Lannister, frequently being given the most dangerous, brutal and intimidating missions possible.

* In ''{{The Malazan Book of the Fallen}}'', each of the High Houses has a Knight or Champion who serves in this capacity to the King and Queen that rule the House:

** In the physical world, the Malazan Empress has her Adjunct, who serves as her NumberTwo. And then there's the various minor gods and their Mortal Swords.

* In ''Literature/{{Romance of the Three Kingdoms}}'', Lu Bu is TheDragon of the early story, as his allegiance clears the way for Dong Zhuo's rise to hegemony. However, he demonstrates a capacity for being manipulated that leads to Dong Zhuo's downfall and eventually his own.

* In DavidEddings' ''TheBelgariad'', Ctuchik and Zedar play Dragon to [[PhysicalGod Torak]], while on a lesser scale [[{{Ninja}} Brill]] is the Dragon to [[StarterVillain Asharak]] (although the full details of that relationship aren't made fully clear). In the sequel, ''TheMalloreon'', Naradas is [[TheBigBad Zandramas]]' NumberTwo, while the [[DragonWithAnAgenda Demon Lord Mordja]] is her last line of physical defence; Mordja's rival, [[DemonLordsAndArchDevils Nahaz]] is DragonWithAnAgenda and DragonInChief to her rival, [[AGodAmI Urvon]]. Urvon's right hand man [[SmugSnake Harakan]]/[[DarkMessiah Mengha]] could be considered another Dragon and is definitely his BastardUnderstudy; like Nahaz Harakan too [[DragonWithAnAgenda has an agenda]].

* In RobertEHoward's ''{{Conan}}'' story "A Witch Shall Be Born," Constantius, the Kothic voivode of the Free Companies, is one of these to the title character Salome.

* There are many in ''WarriorCats'' due to almost all the villains being connected in some way.

* In ''TheDresdenFiles'', just about every villain has at least one Dragon that Harry has to deal with before he can tackle the book's real villain.

* In ''{{The Malazan Book of the Fallen}}'', each of the High Houses has a Knight or Champion who serves in this capacity to the King and Queen that rule the House. Noteable examples are as follows:

* Katla is [[BigBad Tengil's]] [[TheDragon dragon]] (literally) in ''Literature/TheBrothersLionheart''. She is as evil as Tengil and his greatest weapon, and the only reason she is under his command is that she obeys whoever in possession the horn that she is afraid of.

* In the ''NewJediOrder'' series, Warmaster Tsavong Lah, leader of the Yuuzhan Vong warrior caste, is TheDragon to Supreme Overlord Shimrra [[spoiler:who is in turn a puppet for Onimi, but the Warmaster doesn't know that]]. Interestingly, he also takes on many aspects of the BigBad in the early part of the series, since he has pretty much total free rein with the invasion until Shimrra finally takes personal command.
* In ''Literature/{{Romance of the Three Kingdoms}}'', Lu Bu is pretty much TheDragon of the early story, as his allegiance clears the way for Dong Zhuo's rise to hegemony. However, he demonstrates a capacity for being manipulated that leads to Dong Zhuo's downfall and eventually his own.

* Dah'mir of ''TheDragonBelow'' {{Eberron}} trilogy is TheDragon to the Master of Silence, a daelkyr. [[spoiler: Not to mention an actual dragon...]]

** By the end of ''LordOfTheFlies'', Roger becomes the dragon to Jack, with shades of DragonInChief and DragonWithAnAgenda.

* ''Literature/DarkFuture'': Elder Roger Duroc is the series' Dragon for [[BigBad Nguyen]] [[TimeAbyss Seth]]. Apparently, his family has served Seth in this capacity for several hundred years.

** In ''Literature/UnfinishedTales'' it's also mentioned that Sauron (still the Necromancer of Dol Guldur at that time) intended to co-opt Smaug (the dragon from ''TheHobbit'') as a Dragon both literal and an example of this trope - but was thwarted when, ultimately thanks to actions by Gandalf, Smaug was killed during the events of that book.

* In ''LastLegionary'', [[TheJuggernaut The One]], an [[PoweredArmour exoskeleton]]-clad EvilCripple, is TheDragon to the Warlord Arachnis, which due to being a HiveMind made up of 24 people, is more or less immobile. The One is Arachnis' top field commander, trains its troops, and is its best and last line of defence, providing TheHero with his toughest challenge ever.

* In [[{{Twilight}} Eclipse]] Victoria uses Riley as her dragon and also has him making all of the moves for her.

* Although Morgoth's minions in ''TheSilmarillion'' include actual dragons such as Glaurung, Sauron most clearly fulfills this role, particularly in the story of Beren and Lúthien.
* However, in ''ChildrenOfHurin'', Glaurung is TheDragon in all senses of the word.
* The Balrogs in TheSilmarillion.
* Sauron's own Dragon in the ''{{The Lord of the Rings}}'' saga is none other than the Witch-king of Angmar. This is more obvious in the film than the book.

** In ''Unfinished Tales'' it's also mentioned that Sauron (still the Necromancer of Dol Guldur at that time) intended to co-opt Smaug (the dragon from ''TheHobbit'') as a Dragon both literal and an example of this trope - but was thwarted when, ultimately thanks to actions by Gandalf, Smaug was killed during the events of that book.

* In the novels set in the "Veteran" universe by Gavin G Smith, the "Grey Lady" Josephine Bran serves as a dragon to main antagonist Major Rolleston.

* Katla is [[BigBad Tengil's]] [[TheDragon dragon]] (literally) in ''TheBrothersLionheart''. She is as evil as Tengil and his greatest weapon, and the only reason she is under his command is that she obeys whoever in possession the horn that she is afraid of.

* Basta, the knife-wielding henchman to Capricorn in ''TheInkworldTrilogy'', who runs all his errands and does most of his dirty work.

* In "Veteran" & (more so) in the follow up "War in Heaven" by Gavin G Smith, the "Grey Lady" Josephine Bran serves as a dragon to main antagonist Major Rolleston.

** In the fifth book of ''[[WarriorCatsOmenOfTheStars Omen of the Stars]]'', Antpelt becomes TheDragon to minor villain Shredtail. [[spoiler: He doesn't last very long.]]

** Merrin Meredith in ''Queste'' and ''Syren''.

* Many examples in ''SeptimusHeap'':

** Shekra, Mowlag and Jiboree to Razzid Wearat in ''The Rogue Crew''.

* The TropeNamer appears to be extremely common in classical folklore where the hero actually has to fight off yes, a [[IncrediblyLamePun ''literal'']] [[OurDragonsareDifferent dragon]] before even fighting the more intelligent (but weaker) BigBad. However, occasionally, actual dragons may be the story's BigBad instead.

* In ''Charlie Bone'', Ezekiel Bloor had Manfred Bloor, Dr Bloor, Yolanda and Yorath Yewbeam, Count Harken Badlock, Lord Grimwald, Titania Tilpin and Ashkelan all as Dragons at different points in the series.

* ''SherlockHolmes'': [[ColonelBadass Colonel]] [[GreatWhiteHunter Sebastian]] [[ColdSniper Moran]] is TheDragon to [[EvilTeacher Professor]] [[DiabolicalMastermind Moriarty]].

* In ''TheDresdenFiles'', Deirdre is TheDragon to Nicodemus, her [[{{Squick}} father and lover]].
** Also, Lara Raith serves as [[TheDragon Dragon]] and BastardUnderstudy to her father (who used rape to establish control of all of his daughters except the youngest). Also she is now actually in charge of the White Court through control of her father.
** Aurora had a Sidhe Lord and a Centaur as her dragons.