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In the Finale, Drogon saw

Dany dead

and seemed to understand what happened. But still he didn’t even

harm Jon Snow for what he’s done.

Why?

Kevin Workman
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    My understanding was that dragons are intelligent, so Drogon understood that the game of thrones was the problem, not any one person. – Kevin Workman May 20 '19 at 20:14
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    @KevinWorkman - If that's sincerely a belief in the GoT world (that the dragons are that intelligent), then how Rhaegal was killed makes even less sense. The dragons have the wherewithal to understand what a symbol is, and what the literal Game of Thrones has been, but can't visually see a fleet of ships a mile or so away and fly right in to trouble, and make no real attempt to dodge a spear coming directly at him...? – BruceWayne May 21 '19 at 03:15
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    Jon Snow is "family" maybe; and he didn't actually see what happened, just turned up after so possibly assumed the best scenario in Jon (he found her) [Spoiner alert:] rather than the worst (killed her) – ggdx May 21 '19 at 08:19
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    @BruceWayne The dragons were flying low (a significant tactical mistake) and the ships were semi-concealed by the terrain. – TimothyAWiseman May 21 '19 at 13:50
  • No evidence to back up (might be there). IIRC, Dragons only exist when Targarians are alive. – Simon O'Doherty May 23 '19 at 05:49
  • Related: Why didn't Drogon attack this character? – TARS May 23 '19 at 16:16

5 Answers5

76

There's no clear answer. Possible Reasons:

1. "Bond, James Dragon Bond" (Strength: Strong)

Dragons and their riders share a deep bond and Dragons come to share the likes, dislikes, enemies and friends of their riders. For example, Rhaenyra Targaryen's sons could go and sit on her dragon (But couldn't take her to the skies) but whenever Rhaenyra's dragon came anywhere near Aegon II's dragon, they'd both snap and roar at each other and spit flames. Same was the case for all the members of Green and Black parties. So if Daenerys to the last moment thought Jon a friend, Drogon would think likewise.

2. HAHA, It was me all along! (Strength: Medium)

If the bond between Dragons and Dragonriders is similar to the bond between a warg and his beast, it is possible that some part of Daenerys went on to live in Drogon (Since we know from Varamyr Six skins that a warg ends up in their beast once they die - And we know Bran felt dead wargs inside the crows in 3ER's cave) and it was that part which made the decision to spare Jon, melt the throne and leave forever. But that wouldn't hold since Drogon wasn't sure what happened and kept trying to wake her up, surely if Dany was within he'd know. But of course the counter argument is that Dany was not entirely in control of him, she was just getting accustomed to the new body in the beginning. The real control begins with Drogon's shriek which would be similar to Hodor's rage whenever Bran tried to slip into his skin.

3. "You hurt mommy! I am not gonna call you dad" (Strength: Weak)

Drogon realised with Daenerys' death, it was now "Finis 'Pax' Targaryenorum". Jon might be a Targaryen but his hands are tainted with blood of a Queen, the last unapologetic Targaryen which makes him a Queenslayer and a Kinslayer who betrayed his family and his family's words, which in turn makes him unworthy to ever sit the throne that his namesake and ancestor Aegon the Conqueror forged with Fire and Blood. Of course Targaryens have been killing other Targaryens for ages yet the Dragons keep serving so it's not for Drogon to judge and sentence Jon. But he thinks Jon may have done it for the throne. What should he do? Kill the last Dragonlord? Serve the last Dragonlord? Leave but destroy the throne so that kinslayer, traitor could never sit on it? He chooses the middle route, spares Jon, destroys the last visage of Targaryen legacy in Westeros so that people unworthy of it could no longer sit in it and flies away. Verrrrrrry Weak speculation.

4. "Hate the game, not the player" (Strength: Medium)

Drogon blamed the Iron Throne for deaths of his mother and brothers. He didn't blame Jon, he blamed the throne for taking them away from him and he completed his mother's mission by melting it. The Quest for throne after all made Daenerys what she became, killed Rhaegel and Viserion and eventually killed her too. It doesn't matter whose knife it was. Daenerys became the Jenny in the song Jenny of Oldstones. She was dancing alone with her ghosts in the halls of Kings who are gone, The ones she'd lost (Aerys, Rhaella, Rhaegar, Aegon, Rhaenys), the ones she'd found (Viserys, Rhaego, Drogo, that child Drogon ate), the ones that loved her the most (Jorah Mormont, Barristan Selmy, Missandei). Drogon is thankful that Jon sent her to a better place where she can dance free of her pain, Jon has in fact spun away her sorrow and pain with one swift prick.

5. "Thou shalt not kill thy kin" (Strength: Weak)

Drogon felt the affinity that Blood of the Dragon feel for each other when he came across Jon. But that is particularly weak since Dragons can and have killed Valyrians who they perceive as threat to their riders. And if they recently became riderless, they are particularly bad tempered. For example Prince Aemond recalls when he claimed Vhagar on funeral of her last rider Laena Velaryon. He knew his parents would never allow him to try and claim the largest dragon in the world at that time due to grave danger, he sneaked out to the dragon's pen early in the morning. Aemond says he was so afraid of getting caught and scolded by his father that he forgot about being afraid of getting eaten by the Dragon.

6. "All my friends are dead" (Strength: Strong)

Dragons can actually get depressed and go mad with grief, even though they are creatures of Fire and Blood, if they lose a loved one. The Dragon Silverwing is said to have gone mad with grief when her long time mate Vermithor died. She is said to have tried to make Vermithor rise up like Drogon did with Daenerys and after she failed, she took wing, never to return to King's Landing or Dragonstone, staying out of the wars and living out her days peacefully in Redlake. It is quite possible that something like that happened with Drogon, he bore the wounds of losing his siblings but losing his mother finally cracked him. He now seeks peace and tranquility with his own ghosts to keep him court, he's done with violence.

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Aegon
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    Some of these (especially 3, 6, 7) don't really address the question of why he spared Jon rather than the separate question of why he burned the throne. – Rand al'Thor May 20 '19 at 19:19
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  • The dragon realized that revenge won't bring Dany back and is thus pointless?
    • – ventsyv May 20 '19 at 19:38
  • Jon was controlling Drogon. Point against: Jon looks afraid of Drogon, like he thinks Drogon will eat him. Point for: Jon would be able to recognize the throne as a symbol of power leading to Dany's corruption, so it makes sense for Jon to destroy the throne. It also makes sense for Jon to get rid of Dany's body and the dragon simultaneously (although not sure what happens when the dragon gets out of range!).
    • – user3067860 May 20 '19 at 20:31
  • @Randal'Thor 3 focuses on Drogon's dilemma. "This guy deserves to die for killing the Queen. But is it for me to judge him? I serve the Targaryens. And he's the last of the Dragonlords. Should I kill him? Or serve him? Harsh choices either way. I could take the middle route but I'll be damned if I leave mom's throne for him", 6 is actually pretty strong - Drogon is done with violence, he just wants to be free and mourn the ones he's lost like Silverwing, 7 & 8 are jokes. – Aegon May 20 '19 at 20:42
  • @user3067860 Don't think he controlled Drogon, if he did, Drogon wouldn't leave, he'd become a part of Jon like he was a part of Daenerys. – Aegon May 20 '19 at 20:43
  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – Null May 21 '19 at 15:18
  • Is it certain the Drogon could have killed Jon? Perhaps Jon is also inflammable, and Drogon knew that. – studog May 21 '19 at 15:59
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    @studog Mandatory: Targaryens aren't fire retardent – Aegon May 21 '19 at 16:09
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    @studog Drogon's teeth are the size of Jon's arms. Just sayin. – Misha R May 21 '19 at 16:11
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    Why did you delete this answer? It seems good. – Rand al'Thor May 22 '19 at 11:28
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    @Randal'Thor I like to have fun while answering. And If I can't poke light fun at the showrunners without getting hounded with R&A flags, complaining comments - Well then it isn't fun anymore. Don't get me wrong, I get that you and other mods are doing your job to handle the flags. I won't redelete it like a drama-queen or something, but still don't like it. – Aegon May 22 '19 at 11:39
  • "pok[ing] light fun" vs "getting hounded" - one of those irregular verbs? ;-) Surely you can have fun without it being at someone else's expense, and then none of the problems would have arisen. – Rand al'Thor May 22 '19 at 11:45
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    @studog also, inflammable means "easily set on fire". – Paul May 24 '19 at 12:24