Dragon (Wheel of Time)
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In the fictional Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the Dragon is the champion of the Light and the Creator against the evil Dark One. Although the Dark One was imprisoned by the Creator at the moment of creation, he continually seeks to break free of his prison. In each Age, the Dragon is reborn to fight the Dark One and keep him locked away from the world.
Although the Dragon is considered to be the same person reborn in every age, "Dragon" is more of an honorary title than a name. The Dragon does not retain his old memories when he is reborn, so in each age he may go by a different name, form (though he does have similar characteristics, such as height, from the previous Dragon) and different identity. The Wheel of Time series do not discuss all of the Dragons in all of the Ages; however, in the Age of Legends, the Dragon was a powerful Aes Sedai named Lews Therin Telamon. In the current Age (the Third Age), an entire cycle of prophecies, called the Karaethon Cycle or the Prophecies of the Dragon, is devoted to the Dragon.
While Rand Al'Thor currently uses a banner with a dragon on it, he does not seem to have any awareness of a dragon as a mythological beast.
A man who claims to be a Dragon who is not truly a Dragon is called a False Dragon. False Dragons have included, in chronological order from earliest to most recent claim:
- Raolin Darksbane
- Yurian Stonebow
- Davian
- Guaire Amalasan
- Logain Ablar
- Mazrim Taim
- Gorin Rogad
The Dragon of the Third Age, the current age in which most of the plot of The Wheel of Time series takes place, is Rand al'Thor. Because he is the rebirth of the earlier Dragon, Rand al'Thor is often known as the Dragon Reborn. The title of the third book of the series is The Dragon Reborn.
