Smaug is undoubtedly the most infamous dragon in Middle Earth during the Third Age. As the dragon who conquered the Dwarf kingdom of Erebor and plundered its treasures, his story is well known. But was he truly the last living dragon during that time period? Let’s examine the evidence.
Some key questions we need to answer are:
– When did Smaug live and terrorize Middle Earth? He first appeared in the year 2770 of the Third Age when he attacked Erebor.
– Were there any other named dragons alive at the same time as Smaug? The only other named dragon we know of is Scatha the Worm who was slain by Fram son of Frumgar in the year 2000 of the Third Age, so he did not live concurrently with Smaug.
– Could there have been unnamed dragons alive elsewhere in Middle Earth while Smaug occupied Erebor? It’s possible, but we have no definitive evidence.
To determine if Smaug was the last great dragon, we’ll need to examine the histories of dragons in Middle Earth and the timeline of Smaug’s activities.
The History of Dragons in Middle Earth
Dragons first appeared in Middle Earth during the First Age, when Morgoth bred them deep under the earth. Some of the first named dragons included Glaurung, called the Father of Dragons, along with Ancalagon the Black and Scatha the Worm.
Throughout the First Age and into the Second Age, dragons were deployed as shock troops by Morgoth and later Sauron to terrorize the peoples of Middle Earth. But after Sauron’s defeat in the War of the Last Alliance at the end of the Second Age, the number of dragons began to dwindle. Let’s look at a timeline of when the major named dragons were alive:
| Dragon | Age |
|---|---|
| Glaurung | First Age |
| Ancalagon the Black | First Age |
| Scatha the Worm | Third Age |
| Smaug | Third Age |
This table shows that aside from Scatha and Smaug, there were no other major named dragons during the Third Age. Scatha lived earlier in the Third Age but was slain long before Smaug’s time.
The Decline of Dragons
So what led to the decline of dragons in Middle Earth? A few key factors:
– Many dragons were killed in the War of Wrath that ended the First Age, including Ancalagon the Black. This greatly reduced their numbers.
– With the defeat of Sauron in the Second Age, there was no dark power left to continue breeding dragons. Their numbers gradually declined over time.
– The surviving dragons hid themselves away rather than launch open war against the peoples of Middle Earth, due to their reduced numbers.
So by the late Third Age, very few dragons remained in Middle Earth. But could some unnamed ones have endured?
Examining the Potential for Other Surviving Dragons
While no named dragons other than Scatha and Smaug lived in the Third Age, could there have been lesser, unnamed dragons existing undetected? Let’s logically think through the possibility:
– Dragon populations were severely depleted after the War of Wrath. It’s unlikely significant unnamed populations survived into the Third Age.
– Dragons are large, terrifying creatures that require a tremendous amount of food. It’s highly unlikely a dragon could escape notice while hunting enough food to survive for thousands of years.
– People would likely report sightings and attacks if other dragons were at large. But there were no such reports during Smaug’s occupation of Erebor.
– Lesser dragons would likely have been dominated or killed by Smaug, who was possessive of his dominion and treasures.
Lack of Evidence for Other Dragons
Given the above points, there is a distinct lack of evidence that other dragons could have plausibly survived unknown to history while Smaug dominated Erebor. Certainly no major dragon could have escaped Smaug’s notice. While a handful of lesser dragons conceivably could have endured undetected, it is highly improbable.
No definitive written records, artifacts, or oral histories reference encounters with other dragons during Smaug’s time in the late Third Age. This strongly suggests Smaug was indeed the last living dragon of any significance in Middle Earth following the death of Scatha centuries before Smaug’s first appearance.
Smaug’s Timeline
To further confirm that no other major dragons lived concurrently with him, let’s examine Smaug’s movements and activities:
– **2770 TA** – Smaug first appears and attacks Erebor, ending the line of kings under the mountain. This is assumed to be Smaug’s first recorded activity. He likely would have been noticed earlier if he existed long before attacking Erebor.
– **2770-2941 TA** – Smaug rules Erebor unchecked for 171 years, gathering and hoarding treasure. No other dragons challenge or displace him.
– **2941 TA** – Smaug finally dies when Bard the Bowman kills him with the Black Arrow. Upon Smaug’s death, no new dragon emerges to take Erebor.
This timeline supports the idea that no rival dragons existed when Smaug appeared, nor emerged after he died. Middle Earth remained dragon-free after Smaug’s demise.
Smaug’s Solitary Existence
Smaug’s solitary rule of Erebor aligns with the premise that he was the only remaining dragon of power in Middle Earth following Scatha’s earlier death. No evidence contradicts the idea that Smaug lived alone as the last surviving named dragon of the Third Age.
Conclusion
After thorough analysis of the evidence – the history of dragons, Smaug’s solitary activities, and the lack of contemporaneous records of other dragons – we can definitively conclude that Smaug was indeed the last living dragon of any significance in Middle Earth during his time.
While a handful of lesser Wyrms could have eluded notice, no mighty dragons as powerful as Smaug himself are documented or even rumored to have existed in the late Third Age while Smaug laid waste to Erebor. His death marked the end of the age of dragons.
So in answer to the key question “Is Smaug the last living dragon?”, logic and available evidence overwhelmingly support that conclusion. Smaug’s attack on Erebor and his subsequent death represent the end of an era stretching back thousands of years to when dragons first terrorized Middle Earth during the First Age. For all intents and purposes, Smaug was the last of his feared kind.