The legend of the dragon that broke the world originates from the Age of Legends, the era before the War of Power that eventually led to the Breaking of the World. This mythological dragon is said to have been responsible for causing the hole in the Dark One’s prison, allowing him to touch the world once again and sow chaos. However, the true identity and motivations of this mysterious dragon remain unclear. Let us examine the clues from legend and glean what we can about this impactful figure.
What Do the Legends Say?
According to myth and folklore, the dragon that broke the world was an immensely powerful force for evil. Some accounts claim this dragon was one of the Forsaken, 13 dread lords and ladies who went over to serve the Shadow during the War of Power. Other tales describe the dragon as a separate sinister entity altogether.
Regardless of origins, legend holds that it was this dragon’s insatiable hunger for power that led it to bore into the Dark One’s prison. In doing so, it allowed the Father of Lies to touch the Pattern once more, breaking the seals that kept him safely away from humankind. This act of drilling into Shayol Ghul had unforeseen consequences, causing the prison to weaken and rupture.
The resulting backlash of energy unleashed the One Power in a cataclysmic event, igniting the War of Power as male and female channelers battled for control. This conflict ultimately shattered the world, reshaping landscapes and bringing about the Breaking of the World.
Examining the Myths
Clearly, the dragon that broke the world shoulders much of the blame in Age of Legends lore for enabling the Dark One to escape and unleash chaos. But how much truth resides in these myths and how accurate are the details? Let’s analyze some key questions.
Was the Dragon One of the Forsaken?
Many versions of the tale claim the dragon was one of the 13 Forsaken, powerful channelers seduced by the Shadow. Records indicate that several of the Forsaken could assume dragon form, including Ishamael, Aginor, and Lanfear. Any one of them would possess enough strength to damage the Dark One’s prison.
However, other accounts argue the dragon was a separate Shadow entity altogether, not one of the known Forsaken. Supporters of this theory suggest the Forsaken would have been too wary to take such drastic action releasing the Dark One fully. They propose this unnamed dragon had its own sinister motivations, driven by an insatiable lust for power at any cost.
Did the Dragon Actually Break the Prison?
Another question surrounds whether the dragon single-handedly breached the Dark One’s prison or simply exploited existing weaknesses. Some historians propose the seals confining the Dark One were already degrading due to the drilling of the Bore before the dragon ever took action.
In this alternate view, the dragon detected flaws in the prison and capitalized on them. Rather than directly breaking open the seals, it widened cracks already forming in the patchwork barrier keeping the Shadow at bay. This manipulation then triggered the explosive chain of events leading to the War of Power and Breaking.
What Were the Dragon’s True Intentions?
Assuming the dragon did indeed widen cracks in the Dark One’s prison, what motivated this calamitous act? The legends paint the dragon as a purely destructive force of evil. But some scholars believe the truth may be more complex.
An alternate take suggests the dragon wished to control the Dark One’s power, widening fractures in order to form a direct link. Rather than setting the Shadow loose out of chaos or vengeance, supporters of this theory argue the dragon sought to tap into the Dark One’s essence and gain access to the True Power. This motivation would indicate dangerous overconfidence rather than outright malice.
Theories on the Dragon’s Identity
If we move past folklore and attempt to uncover the dragon’s true name, several prime candidates emerge:
Ishamael
The chief among the Forsaken, Ishamael was known to be able to take dragon form. His position as the Dark One’s right hand could have granted him power and audacity enough to assault the prison. Ishamael was alsoPhilosophically aligned with the Shadow and wished to end the cyclical battle between the Light and Dark. This nihilistic worldview could have motivated a partial breaking of the seals.
Lanfear
One of the only female Forsaken, Lanfear mastered dreamwalking and dimensional shifting. She possibly possessed the skill to detect vulnerabilities in the prison and exploit them without fully shattering the seals. Lanfear’s obsessive thirst for power and status also line up with the legends of the dragon.
M’Hael
This shadowy dragon figure appears in only a handful of texts and is considered semi-mythical. But M’Hael is described as immensely powerful, insane, and consumed by a hunger for power at any cost. If M’Hael did exist, he could have acted alone out of chaotic motives to damage the prison without direction from the Forsaken or Dark One.
The Search Continues
In the end, the true identity and motivations of the dragon that broke the world may never be known. Much knowledge was lost from the Age of Legends, making it impossible to fully separate fact from vivid myth. But the quest to uncover this impactful figure’s identity continues, as scholars parse the surviving tales and artifacts, seeking truths within legends.
Though the Breaking reshaped the very face of the earth, inadvertently paving the way for the Dragon Reborn’s destined victory over the Dark, that does not exonerate the dragon’s choices. Its hubris and hunger enabled incalculable suffering in the War of Power while unleashing forces beyond any one being’s control. The ripples of the dragon’s actions shaped the turning of the Wheel itself, ensuring its legend would live on.
Conclusion
The mythic dragon that broke the world remains one of the most pivotal and controversial figures in Age of Legends lore. While its true name and background may never be fully confirmed, the legends agree this immensely powerful being, whether Forsaken or otherwise, played a critical role in breaching the Dark One’s prison. The dragon’s actions unwittingly unleashed chaos in the form of the War of Power and allowed the Shadow to touch the world once more.
Debate continues regarding the dragon’s identity and its motivations, whether altruistic or selfish. But the consequences speak for themselves. This act of hubris in boring into Shayol Ghul had world-shaping repercussions, causing upheaval and suffering on a global scale. The dragon broke far more than just a prison – its choices fractured the very foundations of civility and peace that had defined the Age of Legends, leading to a harsher new Age.
For good or ill, the nameless dragon secured its own dark legacy – one that thinkers and scholars will continue to decipher as they separate myth from history in theShadow’s Age. The dragon broke the world, but the Wheel keeps turning.