The Definitive Ranking of Dragons (2024)

Season 2 of HBO’s House of the Dragon begins this weekend, and after two years away from Westeros, we’re itching to see more battles, more [ahem] interesting relationship dynamics, and, yes, per the title of the show, more dragons. Last season left off with a dragon battle that pitted the ancient and gigantic Vhagar against the youthful and scrawny Arrax—and it wasn’t much of a fight at all.

This season should provide an even closer glimpse into the Dance of the Dragons—and perhaps some evenly matched dogfights between creatures of the same size. So, to celebrate the occasion, my colleague Miles Surrey and I decided to rank the best dragons in pop culture history. Before we get into it, a couple of ground rules: First, we included only one dragon per book or TV or film series (or in some cases, we grouped the dragons together). And, with apologies to the many Matt Damon–esque dragons we didn’t have time for, we capped the list at 30 entries. This ranking is for the Hall of Famers only.

Now, without further ado, please make way for the biggest, baddest, and, in some cases, nicest (?) monsters in pop culture. I hope you’ve got fire insurance. —Megan Schuster

30. Imagine Dragons

Schuster: It is my profound displeasure to admit this, but for the sake of transparency, I must say it: “Thunder” slaps. It does! I’m sorry! The beat, the one-word pre-chorus, the random electro-pop influences: It just works. But while we acknowledge that, we must also acknowledge that Imagine Dragons became the hate du jour of the music world in the 2010s—to the point that NME published this headline in 2019: “Are Imagine Dragons Really More Hated Than Nickelback? We Suss It Out.”

Never great when you’re getting Nickelback comparisons! If we’re being charitable, the biggest problem with Imagine Dragons is probably just overexposure. There are countless not-great bands out there; you just never hear their music because they don’t become mainstream. Imagine Dragons, though, have had their music used in numerous commercials, piped in at sports games all over the world, and played over and over and over again on top 100 stations. They’re inescapable. And unfortunately for their haters (including me and Miles, since we ranked them 30th on this list), they’ve got a new album coming out later this month. Prepare your ears now.

Miles Surrey: One might say their presence in the mainstream is … radioactive.

29. The Dragons From Reign of Fire

Schuster: Reign of Fire is an incredibly batsh*t movie that features Christian Bale as Quinn Abercromby, the leader of a postapocalyptic community in England; Matthew McConaughey as Denton Van Zan, a brash American military commander with a … unique skill set; and dragons that have taken over the globe and left humanity nearly extinct. How did these dragons come to be, you may ask? Well, it’s a tale as old as time: dragon lives in hibernation deep within the earth; dragon’s cave is uncovered by construction workers doing maintenance on the London Underground; dragon kills construction workers, escapes, and prompts the world’s militaries to nuke the planet to stop the spread of a bunch of other dragons that popped up out of nowhere. (The explanation of dragon procreation in this film is certainly not at Nat Geo levels.)

The CGI in this movie is actually pretty good for a 2002 release, but these dragons are low on our list because they have one glaring weakness: They apparently can’t see during twilight? As far as movie monsters go, that’s a pretty lame fatal flaw.

28. Dragon’s Back Hiking Trail, Hong Kong

Surrey: I don’t often get to bring up my birth country—or, uh, my birth special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China—but let’s take a moment to celebrate what CNN considers to be the eighth-best hiking trail in the world. A lot of people might associate Hong Kong with its dense urban areas, but this cluster of islands is also home to some gorgeous natural landscapes, and if you’re up for a hike, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better view than from Dragon’s Back. The trail, which somewhat resembles a dragon’s spine, offers stunning vistas of the coastline for much of the 5-plus-mile route before depositing hikers at the evocatively named Big Wave Bay beach. (Hint: It’s got some big-ass waves.) For anyone willing to get some cardio in, Dragon’s Back is a can’t-miss destination—and one more reason that I’m starting to feel homesick. Megan, I’ll be reaching out to Spotify HQ about starting up The Ringer’s Hong Kong branch; you’re welcome to join.

Schuster: Where do I sign?

27. Singe, Dragon’s Lair

Schuster: Singe hits all the beats you’d expect from a dragon: He breathes fire, kidnaps princesses, and possesses a lair. Other than that, he’s … fairly one-dimensional. In later adaptations of Dragon’s Lair—like a brief-running ’80s TV show—Singe is smart and capable of speech, but that’s not the case in the original video game, and that’s what we’re ranking here. He does have some modern notoriety from Dragon’s Lair’s inclusion in Stranger Things, which earns him a few points. But that’s probably his greatest accomplishment.

26. Goran Dragic

Surrey: Whatever nicknames are listed on a player’s Basketball Reference page are about as sacred as a birth certificate, which brings us to Goran Dragic. The retired point guard, who played 15 seasons in the NBA, became known as “the Dragon” simply because his teammates on the Phoenix Suns … couldn’t pronounce his last name. (NBA players, step up your game: On a scale of Doncic to Valanciunas, “Dragic” falls much closer to the former.) To Dragic’s credit, he’s fully committed to the bit: His Instagram handle is @the_1_dragon, which makes it sound like he’s fulfilling some ancient hoops prophecy. No wonder Dragan Bender flamed out of the NBA: Dragic stole his thunder.

25. Reluctant Dragon, The Reluctant Dragon

Schuster: The Reluctant Dragon is an old, old Disney movie (we’re talking 1940s) that’s based on an even older children’s story (from the 19th century). In it, rather than being a villain or something to fear like so many of the other entries on this list, the Reluctant Dragon is shy and sweet. He writes poetry for fun and even considers himself something of a pacifist. (Truly ahead of his time.)

The Reluctant Dragon isn’t a widely remembered Disney character, and this isn’t an all-timer of a Disney film—probably because its opening scenes aren’t actually about the Reluctant Dragon at all, but rather Robert Benchley’s attempts to convince Walt Disney to create the animated short that follows. But the film is still important in the Disney canon: The Reluctant Dragon was the fourth Disney movie ever made—behind Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and Fantasia, and ahead of Dumbo and Bambi. And it presents one of the earliest tales of a dragon as a friend rather than a foe.

24. The Dragons From Dragon Tales

Schuster: Continuing our tradition of friendly dragons is Dragon Tales, the late-’90s/early-2000s kids show that featured dragons who befriended two siblings and creators who likely dropped acid during the storyboarding process. (OK, maybe that’s a little extreme, but tell me who else “naturally” dreams up conjoined twin dragons who wear music note necklaces that light up whenever they accomplish something?)

I truly can’t believe this show aired on PBS—or that it lasted three seasons! Think of the nightmares those late millennials must still be dealing with.

23. Draco, DragonHeart

Surrey: DragonHeart probably takes the crown for Weirdest Movie to Leave Me in a Puddle of Tears. It’s about a blossoming bromance between a knight, Sir Bowen (Dennis Quaid, who absolutely does not look like he lived through the Middle Ages), and Draco (voiced by Sean Connery), the last living dragon who gave half of his heart to save a young prince. Unfortunately, that prince grew up to be a tyrannical asshole, and he can be killed only if Draco himself is slain. You can see where this is going: Despite his affection for Draco, Sir Bowen is left with no choice but to kill his friend. The CGI that brought Draco to life hasn’t exactly aged well, but the dragon’s final moments—and the soulful timbre of Connery’s instantly recognizable voice—will always stand the test of time.

Oops, I’m crying.

22. The Three-Headed Dragon Meme

Schuster: We love a versatile meme, and this one—which stems from Godzilla: King of the Monsters fan art—is about as adaptable as they come.

It can be used to hate on doing chores, to describe the days around a holiday, or even just to rip on the Atlanta Falcons. It’s stupid, but that’s why we love it. Plus, the dragon on the far right reminds me of Ed, the dopey hyena from The Lion King, who will always hold a special place in my heart.

Surrey: Sorry, I couldn’t help myself:

21. “Puff, the Magic Dragon,” Peter, Paul and Mary

Schuster: There’s a good chance that by merely reading this subhead, you already have the music rolling through your mind. “Puff the magic dragon lived by the sea …” The refrain is ubiquitous and has been sung to and by children since the song’s creation in the early 1960s. It’s also got a lot of references to smoking pot. Seriously, its Wikipedia page has an entire section on “speculation about drug references.” (The dragon’s name is Puff, and also the dragon is magic? It’s not exactly a stretch.)

But did you also know how devastating the song gets at the end? If you, like me, were previously familiar only with the early verses, allow me to share the last couple with you:

A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant’s rings make way for other toys
One gray night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff, that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane
Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave
So Puff, that mighty dragon, sadly slipped into his cave

My childhood is ruined. This is like when Andy grew up in Toy Story 3 and gave away all his toys. I wasn’t prepared to handle these feelings when writing about “Puff, the Magic Dragon”! I’m in a glass case of emotion!

20. The Fat Dragon From Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Surrey: As a society, we failed Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, an absolute romp of a blockbuster that should’ve lit up the box office. This movie gave us Bridgerton heartthrob Regé-Jean Page as an annoyingly virtuous paladin, Chris “Best Hollywood Chris” Pine in glitch-melting form, and corpses that are revived to answer really dumb questions. Of course, Honor Among Thieves also delivered on the Dungeons & Dragons front—with a twist. While retrieving a magical helmet, our heroes inadvertently stumble upon the lair of a mighty dragon who is—and this is an official D&D term—an absolute chonker.

I can’t decide whether I should fear the dragon or give it a snuggle, but it makes a memorable impression all the same. And for my fellow pet owners, the sight of a creature who clearly doesn’t know when to stop eating is a reminder of why portion control is so important.

Schuster: Miles, that dragon had to Kool-Aid Man his way out of his cave! Does that mean he … entered the cave and then ate so much that he didn’t fit back out? Is there a separate entrance? I’m thoroughly invested in our large chonky boy.

19. Tairn, Fourth Wing

Schuster: If you love romantasy books like me, then boy, do I have some recommendations. The Empyrean series, which so far features Fourth Wing and Iron Flame (with more books to come), centers on a war college (yes, you read that right) in a fictional land where corrupted Venin steal power from the ground, humans ride dragons, and a very hot man wields shadows as a weapon and makes book readers fall in love with him. (Judge me!)

Tairn is one of the series’ dragons—the second largest in existence and born of the smartest, most cunning dragon breed in the Navarre kingdom. He (spoiler, I guess?) bonds with our heroine, Violet, and gives her unimaginable power. He also says snarky things like, “At least I didn’t let you fall to your death,” and “Next time you fly, and I’ll ride,” and “I could torch him if you like. But you do seem attached.” Tairn’s a giant, sassy king.

18. Saphira, Eragon

Surrey: Is the big-screen adaptation of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon a good movie? As one can surmise from its [checks notes] 16 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, it most certainly is not. Do I remain charmed by Rachel Weisz, possibly the hottest person to ever grace this earth, who lends her voice to the elegant dragon Saphira? Most certainly, yes.

17. The Dragon From Beowulf

Surrey: I recently wrote about the motion-capture career of Andy Serkis, who is basically Daniel Day-Lewis when it comes to this ever-evolving technology. While the state of mo-cap is undeniably impressive right now, we really had to suffer through some tough times. Case in point: Robert Zemeckis’s 2007 adaptation of the epic poem Beowulf, which is, respectfully, the cinematic equivalent of a PS2 cutscene. But despite Beowulf’s dated special effects, the dragon endures as a frightening foe. The dragon goes on a rampage when a golden drinking horn is stolen from its lair before facing off against Beowulf (Ray Winstone), who also happens to be its father. (The moral of the story: Don’t let CGI Angelina Jolie seduce you.) The climactic battle against the dragon is by turns thrilling and brutal as Beowulf sacrifices himself to save his queen … and concubine. To answer everyone’s most pressing question: Yes, this Beowulf adaptation was very, very horny—all the way down to the dragon’s appearance.

16. Elliott, Pete’s Dragon

Schuster: Look at this pink-haired, apple-hoarding, absolute goober:

He’s basically a giant dog who can breathe fire. Would not recommend as an inside pet, but, hey, to each their own!

15. Sisu, Raya and the Last Dragon

Surrey: In the larger Disney canon, Raya and the Last Dragon isn’t a top-tier movie, but it does feature one of the most gorgeously rendered dragons in this ranking. The last living dragon in the land of Kumandra, Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina), goes on a quest with the warrior princess Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) to save the realm from evil spirits. Like Mushu in Mulan, Sisu is the film’s main source of comic relief—someone who, compared to her dragon peers, describes herself as the one in the group project who did the least amount of work but received the same grade. (We can all relate, Sisu.) The jokes can be hit or miss, but Sisu, who was inspired by the Naga from Southeast Asian folklore, remains a stunning feat of character design: adorable and graceful in equal measure.

I don’t know about you, Megan, but if I was a little kid when Raya and the Last Dragon came out, I would absolutely be hounding my parents about a Sisu plushie.

Schuster: That would be the most hotly sought-after toy of the holiday season. I mean, imagine if they could re-create that color! Stunning!

14. Vhagar, House of the Dragon

Schuster: We don’t see a ton of Vhagar in House of the Dragon’s first season, but she has a significant impact despite her limited screen time. Her highlight (or lowlight) reel consists of burning Laena Targaryen to death after Laena experiences a birthing complication, being claimed by Aemond Targaryen—and setting off a chain of events that leads to his loss of an eye—and fighting with, and eventually eating, Lucerys Velaryon and his dragon, Arrax. In his piece on the Dragon Math between Team Black and Team Green, my colleague Riley McAtee notes that Vhagar is at least 180 years old, is an experienced fighter, and “is definitely the most intimidating force in all of Westeros” at this point in the show’s history.

Vhagar’s a certified badass—and a dragon that seems to have control over her human bond, not the other way around. Her role could be huge (pun intended) in House of the Dragon’s forthcoming civil war.

Surrey: I’m more than a little worried for everyone—human and dragon alike—who crosses paths with Vhagar this season. Some dragons just want to watch the world burn.

13. Falkor, The NeverEnding Story

Surrey: What do you get when a bunch of German dudes make a fantasy blockbuster for children? The physical manifestation of nihilism as the primary villain, an absolutely traumatic animal death, the greatest theme song of all time, and a wholesome dragon companion. In The NeverEnding Story, Falkor (voiced by Alan Oppenheimer) is a luck dragon, which is as handy as it sounds, as he helps our young hero, Atreyu (Noah Hathaway), through many predicaments in the mythical realm of Fantasia. But what I really love about Falkor is how he gives off serious golden retriever energy, especially when Atreyu finds the sweet spot behind his ear:

Falkor is a big reason The NeverEnding Story played on a never-ending loop in the Surrey household. I’m sure the loss of the VHS during a move was just a coincidence.

12. The Hungarian Horntail, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Schuster: When I was a kid, and an avid Harry Potter reader, I thought the Hungarian Horntail was the stuff of legend. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the dragon is described as having “evil, yellow eyes,” a “spiked tail,” and monstrous black scales. The fact that she’s a dragon is intimidating enough to a 14-year-old Harry Potter, who isn’t even supposed to be in the Triwizard Tournament, but this dragon is also notably the most aggressive in the group—she’s got a 50-foot-long flame, a piercing, loud roar, and a taste for human flesh. Even Hagrid, lover of animals and a brief owner of a dragon himself, calls her a “right nasty piece of work.”

Of course, the Horntail puts up an incredible fight: The midair battle with Harry in the movie is breathtaking. But as this is a series named after the guy she’s fighting, the poor dragon ultimately didn’t stand a chance. We still salute you and your psychotic egg-guarding ways, girl.

11. Dragon, Shrek

Schuster: Dragon knows what she wants, and she gets it. From the moment she’s introduced in Shrek—guarding Princess Fiona, who lives in the highest room of the tallest tower of a castle that’s surrounded by lava—she has a single-minded focus. Initially, that focus is on killing Shrek and Donkey. But later, she turns her attention to love—and as much as Donkey resists, he eventually falls for her batting eyelashes, lipstick-laced smile, and heart-shaped smoke rings. A femme fatale in giant, scaly form—and mother to some truly haunting donkey-dragon hybrid children. Yes, it is Shrek canon that Donkey and Dragon f*ck! Sorry to bring it to your attention!

Surrey: I hate to turn this into Shrek After Dark, but considering the absurd size disparity between Donkey and Dragon, I just can’t comprehend … how it happened.

Schuster: A conundrum that I genuinely, wholeheartedly hope to never learn the answer to.

10. Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Yu-Gi-Oh!

Surrey: I have leapt at every opportunity to bring up Yu-Gi-Oh! in our pop culture rankings, and the tradition continues for dragons. After all, one of the most iconic cards in the game is one such creature, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The go-to monster for Seto Kaiba—one of anime’s finest antiheroes, and a guy who would seamlessly fit into the Succession universe—the Blue-Eyes White Dragon boasts 3,000 attack points, making it a formidable addition to any deck. It also looks f*cking awesome, towering over just about every monster before obliterating them with its patented white lightning attack. At the same time, it’s evident that Kaiba is a little too obsessed with his favorite card—as in, I think he’s got a full-blown dragon fetish. Even his private jet is dragon themed:

Find someone who loves you the way Seto Kaiba loves dragons.

9. Shenron, the Dragon Ball universe

Surrey: Imagine what the Dragon Ball universe is like from the perspective of Shenron, the wish-granting dragon who can be summoned only by collecting all seven Dragon Balls scattered across the Earth. It’s the sort of undertaking that should take someone a lifetime, yet the characters in Dragon Ball summon Shenron all the damn time, whether it’s bringing people back to life, restoring a villain’s youth before said villain murders him, or conjuring the world’s comfiest pair of underwear for a talking pig. There was even an entire story line in the now-decanonized Dragon Ball GT about the consequences of the characters using wishes to solve every problem. All of which is to say: Shenron is the unsung hero of Dragon Ball, without whom nothing would ever be accomplished. And the poor guy could really use a vacation.

8. Toothless, How to Train Your Dragon

Surrey: The front-runner for cutest dragon, How to Train Your Dragon’s Toothless (voiced by Randy Thom) is the last of the Night Furies, a species renowned (and feared) for its speed and intelligence. (By the way, what’s up with all the “last dragons” in pop culture? We really need to step up our dragon conservation efforts.) Other than being flat-out adorable, I think the key to Toothless’s appeal is how he offers the best of both worlds: He’s as chaotic and goofy as a cat, yet as loyal and loving as a dog. In other words, it’s easy to see our pets’ best qualities reflected in Toothless, whose intimate bond with his human companion, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), will move anyone with a beating heart. When Hiccup and Toothless reunite at the end of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World … that’s cinema, baby.

Oops, I’m crying again.

Schuster: Can we take a brief moment to appreciate how perfectly darling the names Toothless and Hiccup are? Cressida Cowell deserves all her success.

7. Maleficent, Sleeping Beauty

Schuster: Wicked witches have been getting some image rehabilitation in recent decades, from the Angelina Jolie–starring Maleficent movie 10 years ago to Wicked—both the original Broadway production and the musical movie coming out later this year. But in Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent is just bad—and as she attempts to kill Prince Phillip, she turns into a dragon just to really hammer that point home. Maleficent doesn’t succeed—Phillip and the three good witches band together to stab her in the heart and break the spell on Aurora. But Dragon Maleficent is still one of the top villains in the original Disney princess movies.

6. Charizard, Pokémon

Surrey: Megan, I’m already anticipating a bit of backlash here from the Pokémon community. You see, even though Charizard is a large, winged reptilian creature who shoots fireballs and has a flaming tail, he is not classified as a dragon. We could’ve gone with Dragonite in his place—Dragon is literally in its name—but we’re not going to let a lame technicality get in the way of what’s right. With the exception of Pikachu, Charizard is arguably the most iconic Pokémon of all time; the rarest trading cards featuring the character have sold for tens of thousands of dollars. Charizard is Pokémon royalty with all the characteristics of a dragon, and if anyone has a problem with his inclusion, you’ll have to take it up with the big guy. Be warned: he’s got a fiery temper.

Schuster: Listen: If it looks like a dragon, gets angry like a dragon, and breathes fire like a dragon … I think we deserve a pass.

5. Haku, Spirited Away

Surrey: When Haku (voiced by Miyu Irino) first appears in Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece Spirited Away, it’s as a tween boy who warns Chihiro Ogino (Rumi Hiiragi) that she’s crossed into the spirit realm. Like Haku, Chihiro soon finds herself in the employ of the witch Yubaba (Mari Natsuki), who enslaves people by taking away their names. (I find this movie deeply unsettling as an adult, so I can’t imagine how kids react to it.) While Haku’s real form is that of a majestic dragon, he can’t remember his real purpose—only an inkling that there’s some deeper connection between himself and Chihiro. By the end of the film, Haku learns that he was once the guardian spirit of the Kohaku River, which was destroyed to make way for an apartment complex. In that respect, Haku represents not just the awe-inspiring power of nature, but the devastating toll that comes when humanity so carelessly harms it.

On a much lighter note, would snuggle:

Schuster: Cannot stress to you enough how much this movie f*cked me up as a child! I haven’t been able to rewatch it since!

4. King Ghidorah, Godzilla franchise

Surrey: If Godzilla is Magic Johnson, King Ghidorah is his Larry Bird. A three-headed dragon who, depending on the origin story, hails from outer space, the future, or another dimension, Ghidorah is one of the few kaiju capable of squaring up against everyone’s favorite radioactive lizard. He’s also just a next-level asshole, reveling in destruction and racking up a body count: In Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Ghidorah goes so far as to eat Paddington’s adoptive mother, Sally Hawkins. Ghidorah will never be my King of the Monsters, but I think we can all agree he’s a worthy contender for the throne.

3. Drogon, Game of Thrones

Schuster: Drogon was the ultimate weapon in Game of Thrones. In a world that otherwise featured absolutely zero air superiority (c’mon, George, you really couldn’t create any other heavy flying machinery?), Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons were three of a kind, and Drogon was chief among them in size, viciousness, and possession of his mother’s love. (It’s no wonder Rhaegal and Viserion were hard to control—Dany kept them locked in the catacombs in Meereen and barely visited! Some mother of dragons she was.)

Drogon was instrumental in recruiting Daenerys’s armies, intimidating her foes, taking down the Night King, and conquering (read: burning down) King’s Landing. If only he could have saved Dany from herself and her mass murder-y tendencies. But at least he ended the cycle of Westerosi war by melting down the Iron Throne once and for all.

Surrey: The real question is: Did Drogon burn the Iron Throne because he believed a pointy chair killed his mom, or did he understand that it symbolized the desire for power that became Dany’s undoing? I’ll give the guy some credit and say it’s the latter.

2. Mushu, Mulan

Schuster: I’m just gonna say it: Mulan may get the credit for saving China in this movie, but Mushu is the real hero. The evidence: Mushu feeds Mulan, looks out for her, and helps her stay hidden as a woman in the Chinese army’s ranks; he and the lucky cricket also forge the battle orders that send Mulan’s group of soldiers to the front lines—something that turns out to be desperately necessary because the primary unit has been massacred by the Huns, putting the emperor in danger. Let’s not forget that Mushu barbecues the hawk that belongs to the Hun’s leader, Shan Yu, as it tries to give away their position; and in the end, Mushu is actually the one who kills Shan Yu when he attaches a rocket to his back, lights it on fire, and sends Yu sailing into a collection of fireworks.

Sure, Mushu has his share of failures along the way: accidentally setting off a flare and initiating the film’s first battle; turning the Stone Dragon—the guardian who was supposed to go after Mulan—to glorified rubble; having to bite the butt of Mulan’s squad mate to get Mulan out of a lake without the guys noticing she’s a woman. But he does it all with his trademark bravado—and in the end, he deserves his own medallion from the emperor.

1. Smaug, The Hobbit

Surrey: If we’re being honest, Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy proved that, when it comes to Middle Earth, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. But there’s one stretch where these movies are absolutely electric: the appearance of the fearsome dragon Smaug (voiced and portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch via motion capture). Hoarding a vast treasure in the Lonely Mountain, Smaug checks all the boxes of a worthy antagonist: physically imposing, mean-spirited, and deviously cunning. When he catches Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) trying to steal the Arkenstone, Smaug could easily kill him, but instead toys with the Hobbit like a cat batting around a mouse.

Of course, Smaug is just as terrifying in J.R.R. Tolkien’s original text. “I kill where I wish and none dare resist,” he tells Bilbo. “I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong, strong.” Smaug holds a very high opinion of himself, but he more than backs it up: a mighty beast whose capacity for destruction is matched only by his clever wordplay. Now, Smaug can add being crowned the greatest pop culture dragon to his impressive collection of treasures.