Hot Chocolate Confessions
asked
Christopher Paolini:
This has bothered me for a long time: when Galbatorix steals his second dragon and kills it's original rider, why doesn't the dragon die? Isn't it supposed to die when the rider dies? And was Shruiken's natural color black, or did it change when he was twisted to serve the evil king?
Christopher Paolini
Thanks for your questions! When a dragon and Rider bond, their souls meld. If one of them dies, part of the living partner's soul is extinguished, causing unbearable grief and a very real danger of madness. Consequently, the survivor often chooses to commit suicide—but not always, as readers see with Glaedr.
Shruikan did go mad with the death of his original partner, but Galbatorix used dark magic to force the dragon into a crippled imitation of a Rider bond. In terms of Shruikan's color, he was born with black scales. Hope that helps!
Shruikan did go mad with the death of his original partner, but Galbatorix used dark magic to force the dragon into a crippled imitation of a Rider bond. In terms of Shruikan's color, he was born with black scales. Hope that helps!
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