Leading to this point in the story, many hints and much foreshadowing have presaged the true nature of the dragon. What is that truth? As I worked through multiple drafts, the Dragon changed some, but the core of who and what he is is still as I had originally imagined him because he is the manifestation of my childhood fantasy: a great and powerful beast who is not a pet, but a friend and an equal.
How does my imagined friend compare with dragons in other stories? Over the years, I have read stories containing dragons, seen a few dragons in movies, heard tails of dragon myths, but few of them satisfied me, seldom corresponding to any degree with my vision. One source of information about various tropes is tvtropes.org. The dragon trope entries contain useful information, although it is not all-inclusive. Based upon that information and my experience, I believe my dragon is distinctive. Not that he is entirely unique, after all, there is nothing new under the sun, but his combination of traits and behaviors make him distinct even if some of those traits and behaviors might be recognized in other incarnations of dragons.
I am reviewing the dragon truths and how I reveal them. My dragon must satisfy me, but I want him to be accepted by my readers as well. How far from traditional dragon tropes can I wander and still achieve that? Or, maybe I’m over thinking this and my readers will be thrilled regardless. I worry that success or failure might hinge on a single word, a single phrase, or a single concept. The only thing I know for sure is that I love my dragon. My hope is that my readers will love him too.