Slash Dragon
| Synonyms: | Great Slash Dragon, Slash!Dragon |
| See also: | Great Dragon, Dragons |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Slash Dragon is the fannish name for the Great Dragon, Kilgharrah, in Merlin. The name doesn't have a single point of origin, but rather appears to have been independently invented by just about every slash fan who's ever seen the Great Dragon talk about Merlin and Arthur, their shared destinies, how they are two sides of the same coin, and how they should spend more time together.
A parodist on livejournal (slash_dragon, who also happens to be a kinkme_merlin mod) sums up the attitude on their profile very well:
King Uther tried to destroy all magic in the land and locked me in a cave in the deepest pits below the castle of Camelot. Here I have remained, waiting for the Once and Future King to have hot sex with Merlin.
Many fans consider the Slash Dragon to be the greatest Merthur shipper, or consider him to be the voice of the fandom. The actor John Hurt, who voices Kilgharrah, is also affectionately known as the "Slash Dragon" thanks to this association.
Examples of Use
2008
OMG, was that a few seconds of different Slash Dragon footage? Must've found some spare cash behind the couch in the CGI department or something. Hee, sneaking up on Merlin was cute. An imprisoned dragon has to get his kicks where he can - even cryptically convincing Merlin it's his destiny to bonk Arthur can get old on the odd occasion. [1]
.and i am alive
[merlin. merlin/arthur. gwen/morgana. adult. band!au. (5746 words) :D]
Speculation is ripe about hot new band Slash Dragon, after sharp-eyed fans spotted the two lead singers, Merlin Emrys and Arthur Pendragon sharing significant looks at a concert last night[2]
2009
Every time Merlin goes to speak with him, The Slash Dragon always talks about how Merlin and Arthur are destined to be by each others sides. He has given very happy fangirls phrases such as, "The half cannot truly hate that which makes it whole" and "You are but one side of the coin; Arthur is other."[...]
Even Merlin's mother ships them! At the end of The Moment of Truth, Hunith tells Merlin that they're like two sides of the same coin (she's in league with Slash Dragon, I swear). Then she tells him to go back to Camelot because he belongs at Arthur's side. And THEN she goes on to say, "I've seen how much he needs you, and how much you need him." She loves her dead gay son![3]
Having a summary, unless you do a plot analysis in three sentences, does not destroy your story. They can improve readership. They give the reader a taste. They get excited if you mention the Slash Dragon or Arthur's Quest for a Goddamn Special Flower While Merlin Moans (aka seriously, this is canon? Thank you, BBC) if you are in Merlin and like that sort of thing. [4]
SLASH DRAGON WANTS TO BE FREE TO SPREAD THE GAY LOVIN’, AND DOESN’T TRUST MERLIN’S PROMISES OF A HOMOPHOBIC-FREE WORLD. SO MERLIN DOES SOME QUICK THINKING AND SWEARS TO FREE THE DRAGON – ON HIS MOTHER’S LIFE. \O/[5]
2010
Merlin, desperate, pays a visit to the Slash Dragon, who laughs at him long and hard. Dude, this episode is hilarious. The Slash Dragon explains that Uther will only be free of the enchantment if he cries tears of true remorse. [6]
So Merlin, the TV show, opens like this:
IN A LAND OF MYTH AND A TIME OF MAGIC,
THE DESTINY OF A GREAT KINGDOM
RESTS ON THE SHOULDERS OF A YOUNG BOY.
HIS NAME...IS MERLIN.
It's spoken aloud very dramatically by John Hurt, who is the voice of the Slash Dragon who's always telling Merlin he and Arthur are destined to be together and other stuff. No, for real. [7]
2012
Sometimes I feel like my tumblr dash is the Slash Dragon from Merlin, offering me up gay gems of wisdom and humor just when I need it most[8]
the dragon is practically merthur’s relationship counselor in the first episodes
he’s all like
trust your boyfriend merlin
don’t keep secrets from your boyfriend merlin
take your boyfriend on a fun trip hunting afancs merlin
#he's practically the fandom #merlin #slash dragon #merthur[9]
When all of a sudden John Hurt appears in a film
Me: Oh my God, the Slash Dragon![10]
2013
The Slash Dragon Liiiives
Its Episode 2
This fucker already ships it
so hard
like wow
#Merlin #I see where the name comes from now #i will go down with this ship #ships and feels #In which Amanda watches things #and then makes very obvious comments[11]
Fans affectionately call good old Kilgharrah the “Slash Dragon,” and for good reason—no one ships Merlin and Arthur and their epic destiny the way he does. He’s also John Hurt, so that’s an added layer of fabulous. [12]
2014
People on #Merlin who ship #Merthur- Slash Dragon
- why am I making this list who DOESN'T ship Merthur?[13]
- Hunith
- All the knights
- Gwen
Slash Dragon is BY FAR the best character on #Merlin. Everything he says I'm "samesamesamesame".[14]
2017
John Hurt died in January of 2017, leading many fans to express their sadness.
Oh no. A pleasant and final good night to HP's Ollivander, Merlin's the Great Slash Dragon, & the hidden Doctor of Doctor Who. 😢[15]
RIP John Hurt. Thank you for all your great roles & bringing me endless fun as Slash Dragon on Merlin ❤[16]
Loving all the RIP's to slash dragon! I was on about slash dragon a few months ago as well ❤ Good old Merlin and its fandom.[17]
2018
[@wlodarczak[18]]
Database of Western genre heroes cross-referenced by horse(s) ridden & distinctive characteristics there of.
[@maniraptor[18]]
[inhales deeply] ONE OF THE FUN THINGS ABOUT THE TV SHOW MERLIN IS HOW THEY RECYCLE HORSES USUALLY MERLIN RIDES A BAY ARABIAN BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT HORSE IN OTHER SCENES WITH OTHER RIDERS LIKE IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT HORSE IN ANY GIVEN EPISODE WHICH IS FUNNY BECA
[@maniraptor[18]]
[continues for thirty minutes touching on palfreys and non-gaited horses and Eastern vs native breeds and how the choice of horses supports The Great Slash Dragon’s homoromantic interpretation of Arthur and Merlin’s relationship]
Example Fanworks
- Alone - very special Merlin/Arthur vid with singing Slash Dragon moments, Merlin by Sisabet (2010)
- Slash Dragon (filk) by codenamepancake (A rollicking tune about fate, first impressions, and what happens when your main confidant is a giant talking lizard who just might have an agenda of his own.) (September 7, 2009)
- The Great Slash Dragon has Spoken by Fuzzy Wolf. "You want me to do WHAT with Arthur?" In which Merlin is confused, Arthur is oblivious, the Dragon is amused, and destiny really is a-you-know-what. T for language and implications. Suggested Merthur Slash (August 30, 2011)
- How To Train Your Slash Dragon by blackbirdrose. How To Train Your Dragon/Merlin crossover fanart
- The Slash Dragons Hobby by Mrs-Moriarty. Oneshot set in series 1. The Great Dragon likes to do many things, but he only has one favourite
- Action Figures! (Series) by Solarcat. A ficlet series in which the Dragon ships Merlin/Arthur and acts out elaborate romantic scenarios in his spare time using little figurines. (2008)
- Writer's Block by puella nerdii. Between plots to undermine Uther and getting Merlin out of his usual scrapes, the Great Dragon passes his time hopefully predicting the Great Destiny of his charge. By which I mean, he writes slash. (January 2010)
Other Links
- Slash Dragon Tumblr page
- posts tagged Slash Dragon on Tumblr
- slashdragonmeme.tumblr.com, aka Advice From Kilgarrah
- The Slash Dragon (Kilgarrah) Facebook Page
- slash_dragon (LiveJournal)
References
- ^ merlin - the beginning of the end dingogrrl by (November 9, 2008)
- ^ band!au, archived by thisissirius
- ^ Epic Merlin pimping post by bigmamag, Feb, 12 2009
- ^ warnings, spoilers, and everything; archive page one, comments expanded; archive page two, comments expanded by seperis (July 26, 2009)
- ^ Merlin 2x12 Spazcap Rewrite - I Reject Your Canon and Make it Gay! by foxie_trot, Dec. 14th 2009
- ^ Merlin – Recap & Review – Beauty And The Beast II by Andi (May 9, 2010)
- ^ untitled, archived by Copperbadge (November 17, 2010)
- ^ Tumblr post by simplydalektable, published May 8, 2012 (Accessed November 16, 2019).
- ^ Tumblr post by den of thieves, published April 7, 2012 (Accessed November 16, 2019).
- ^ When all of a sudden John Hurt appears in a film by a-study-in-green via Tumblr. Published October 28, 2012 (Accessed November 16, 2019).
- ^ The Slash Dragon Liiiives [Dead link] by speakinginquotes via Tumblr. Posted January 17, 2013 (Accessed November 16, 2019).
- ^ Here Be Dragons! Some of Our Favorite Fantastical Fire-Breathers by Stubby the Rocket for Tor.com (December 9, 2013)
- ^ Tweet from @bravenclawesome. Posted 21 April 2014. Accessed 23 Oct 2019.
- ^ Tweet from @BMase/. Posted 29 May 2014. Accessed 23 Oct 2019.
- ^ Tweet by @NMCannon. Posted 27 Jan 2017. Accessed 23 Oct 2019.
- ^ Tweet by @Jemzamia. Posted 27 Jan 2017. Accessed 23 Oct 2019.
- ^ Tweet from @cheesy_badgers [Dead link]. Posted 28 Jan 2017. Accessed 23 Oct 2019.
- ^ a b c Tweet by @wlodarczak. Posted 20 May 2018. Accessed 23 Oct 2019.