Dragons are among the most influential and fearsome creatures in Tolkien’s universe. Beings that instill terror in anyone who comes across them and that populate the nightmares of all the Free Peoples of Middle-earth.
As a good debtor of Western medieval literature, Tolkien’s dragons are very similar in appearance and characteristics to those that emerged in many legends of medieval Europe.
Thus, they are reptilian-looking beings of enormous size. Their body is covered with impenetrable scales, making them a natural armor that is invincible and only has some weakness in the lower abdomen.
However, the appearance of these beings is limited in the history of Arda, making it difficult to narrow down specific descriptions. In different periods winged dragons appear, others without wings and long-bodied (called Great Worms), and even some dragons that spit ice instead of fire.
Despite the variety of specimens, they all belong to the same family and share many characteristics.
All dragons possess enormous power and physical strength, the most powerful beings beyond Maiar and Valar. They were also beings of vast size that allowed them to raze small villages and buildings quickly.
Within their great size, there were differences among the dragons, which also corresponded to the scales of power. For example, the most giant and mighty dragon was Ancalagon the Black, whose body destroyed the towers of Thangorodrim (in the fortress of Morgoth) when it was brought down in battle.
Another of their common characteristics was their intelligence, which they displayed several times. Combined with their tremendous power, it gave them great danger, making them the beings that could do and undo the most in Middle-earth.
Again, the European medieval heritage makes Tolkien’s dragons greedy beings that feel an irrepressible attraction for treasures, one of the reasons that led them to attack cities and towns.
Above all, they did so in the homes of the Dwarves, searching for the immense quantities of gold they kept in their kingdoms under the mountains. Dragons and Dwarves were bitter enemies throughout the millennia.
Origins
Dragons were created by Morgoth, the fallen Vala and Dark Lord, out of necessity rather than desire.
After millennia of battles, betrayals, and frustrated plans, Morgoth had learned that he needed help to finish with the Noldor (and later with the Edain that came to Beleriand) only with an army formed by Orcs.
He had already created the first Balrogs, but he doubted they would be enough to instill panic in his enemies, who had already shown signs of courage beyond comprehension.
That was how he decided to create the dragons, creatures so powerful that Morgoth knew it would be challenging to keep them under his orders, but that they would be the ultimate secret weapon that would make Elves and Men panic.
Morgoth created Glaurung, the first dragon known as the Father of Dragons, through his gifts for dark magic and immense power. He was the main scourge of the Free Peoples during the events recounted in The Silmarillion, although his first appearance was not exactly a success.
Glaurung appeared before the world around 260 FA when the battle of Dagor Aglareb occurred. Although he was not mature enough to engage in combat, Morgoth had to show his secret weapon in the face of the thrust of the armies of the Free Peoples and who threatened to wipe out the Dark Lord.
Glaurung fought and instilled terror in Elves and Men, who had never seen such an infernal being. However, the Dwarves, displaying their innate courage, managed to subdue the dragon without too much trouble and forced him to return to the fortress of Angband, where his master and creator dwelled.
It was not until two hundred years later, during the Dagor Bragollach, that Glaurung returned. In full maturity, he was one of the commanders of Morgoth’s army, and his terrible fame began to spread throughout Beleriand. His name sent shivers down the spine of those who heard it, and all the kingdoms prayed that they would never cross paths with the dragon.
Glaurung also participated in the Nírnaeth Arnoediad, besides being one of the main culprits of the sack of Nargothrond, a moment in which he showed his evil intelligence causing tremendous tragedies to the Sons of Húrin.
It would not be until years later, around 500 FA, that the dragon would find death at the hand of Túrin Turambar, who thus avenged his entire family and broke the curse of Húrin.
Although the Father of Dragons disappeared, Morgoth had already created many lesser dragons that had accompanied Glaurung in battle. Despite not being endowed with so much power, it was enough to wreak havoc wherever they went.
The Great Defeat
During the War of Wrath, at the end of the First Age, the dragon army reached its most extraordinary splendor. Hundreds participated in combat, most notably Ancalagon the Black, the most giant and mighty dragon created by the Dark Lord.
The dragons spread terror during the war for decades until the Valar army finally defeated Morgoth. The half-Elf Eärendil slew Ancalagon, and most of the dragons were eliminated.
However, some escaped and took refuge in rugged places, hiding from the Eagles and hibernating in search of better times to return.
The Return
What happened to them during the Second Age is unknown, as there are no records of activity, attacks, or sightings. It is believed that they migrated to the east, specifically to Withered Heath, as that was the origin of their subsequent appearance many years later.
It was a long time later, for there is no record of dragons until 2500 TA when the so-called cold dragons began to be sighted in the vicinity of the Grey Mountains and began to kill Dwarves and Northmen.
Among them was Smaug the Golden, who indeed participated in the long battles in the Grey Mountains for centuries (along with Scatha, another of the dragons whose name survived in time) until at some point in the final part of the Third Age he had to flee south because of the final victory of Dwarves and Northmen.
In his flight, he ended up in the Lonely Mountain, a place in the dwarven kingdom of Erebor. Many gold and unimaginable treasures were safely tucked away inside, a lure too tempting for the dragon.
Smaug attacked the kingdom and destroyed it, forcing the surviving Dwarves to flee. The dragon became lord and master of the mountain, hibernating for decades in the Treasure Chamber.
It was not until 200 years later that Smaug returned to the scene. A small group of Dwarves commanded by the heir of Erebor, Thorin Oakenshield, went into the caves to reclaim the kingdom.
After several events recounted in The Hobbit, Smaug was killed by an arrow from Bard the Bowman, a man from Esgaroth (near the Lonely Mountain) who had also suffered the terror of the golden dragon).
Smaug’s fall ended the long line of the great dragons in Middle-earth.
However, it is unknown if some of those creatures were still hidden since the doubt is sown in some passages of The Lord of the Rings.