Dragos and the Dark Dragon
In Mother 3, there are two kinds of dragons: the Dragos and the Dark Dragon. Mother 3 likes its parallels, and the parallel between its dragons is among the most important.
As we learn in chapter 8 from Leder, mankind used to live happily with the Dark Dragon. Over time, the two fell out of sorts, and in order for mankind to survive, it became necessary to put the Dark Dragon to sleep.
Chapter 1 takes on this structure, more or less. At its opening, the citizens of Tazmily live in harmony with the Dragos. However, after the invasion of Porky's army and the death of Hinawa, they no longer trust the Dragos. Flint's battle with the mother Drago is the last time we see Dragos in the game for a while; it mirrors the moment when the Dark Dragon was put to sleep.
While sleeping, the Dark Dragon is absent from human history. Even when humanity destroys most of the planet, the Dark Dragon remains dormant—in fact, that's all humanity has left. Remember, the Nowhere Islands survive the apocalypse because they sit atop the Dark Dragon.
In a similar sense, the Dragos remain absent from the story for all of chapter 2 and most of chapter 3. Duster and company confront the Pigmasks, Salsa struggles under the oppression of Fassad, Fassad introduces the Happiness Boxes, and in general, the characters in Mother 3 are very busy. Even with all of this going on, the Dragos remain unseen, despite their importance in chapter 1.
Just as humanity could only rely on the Dark Dragon after the world's destruction, Lucas only had the company of the Dragos in the wake of his mother's death. Claus disappears, and Flint searches for him endlessly, leaving Lucas all alone. Since Lucas is also absent from the story, we are left to assume that, with no one else to turn to, Lucas befriends the Dragos.
In the end, humanity's troubles can only be solved by the Dark Dragon. First, their corruptibility led to the world's destruction. After this, they decided to erase their memories in an effort to become morally pure, but even this fails eventually; Porky was able to corrupt the citizens of Tazmily into joining his society. They unwittingly help him hunt down the Seven Needles, which would conclusively finish the planet's destruction. Without the Dark Dragon, humanity is stuck in a cycle of destruction.
And the Dragos are necessary to end the conflict at the end of chapter 3. Kumatora and company face off against the Pigmask army; Kumatora's party can overpower the Pigmasks, but the Pigmasks have greater numbers. Neither side backs down. It's a Drago mother that conclusively ends the conflict.
It's through reconciliation with the Dark Dragon that humanity's strife comes to an end. As Flint proposes, “Let’s make the Dark Dragon sealed underground our new friend.” By awakening the Dark Dragon himself, Lucas brings a return to the way things used to be: the Dark Dragon awakens and lives in harmony with humans.
Things look hairy at first, but we hear eventually, “I thought everything was about to be destroyed... but everyone is alive!” One character asks, “Did the Dragon's revival give power to all life?”
In the same way, Dragos end the fight at the close of chapter 3 because Lucas reconciled with them; they attack Fassad and the Pigmasks at his request. This, too, is a return to the way things used to be, with Lucas and the Dragos as trustworthy friends.
In all, these two plotlines speak about the move from innocence to corruption, and that innocence can be regained through a final cataclysmic event.
In Mother 3, there are two kinds of dragons: the Dragos and the Dark Dragon. Mother 3 likes its parallels, and the parallel between its dragons is among the most important.
As we learn in chapter 8 from Leder, mankind used to live happily with the Dark Dragon. Over time, the two fell out of sorts, and in order for mankind to survive, it became necessary to put the Dark Dragon to sleep.
Chapter 1 takes on this structure, more or less. At its opening, the citizens of Tazmily live in harmony with the Dragos. However, after the invasion of Porky's army and the death of Hinawa, they no longer trust the Dragos. Flint's battle with the mother Drago is the last time we see Dragos in the game for a while; it mirrors the moment when the Dark Dragon was put to sleep.
While sleeping, the Dark Dragon is absent from human history. Even when humanity destroys most of the planet, the Dark Dragon remains dormant—in fact, that's all humanity has left. Remember, the Nowhere Islands survive the apocalypse because they sit atop the Dark Dragon.
In a similar sense, the Dragos remain absent from the story for all of chapter 2 and most of chapter 3. Duster and company confront the Pigmasks, Salsa struggles under the oppression of Fassad, Fassad introduces the Happiness Boxes, and in general, the characters in Mother 3 are very busy. Even with all of this going on, the Dragos remain unseen, despite their importance in chapter 1.
Just as humanity could only rely on the Dark Dragon after the world's destruction, Lucas only had the company of the Dragos in the wake of his mother's death. Claus disappears, and Flint searches for him endlessly, leaving Lucas all alone. Since Lucas is also absent from the story, we are left to assume that, with no one else to turn to, Lucas befriends the Dragos.
In the end, humanity's troubles can only be solved by the Dark Dragon. First, their corruptibility led to the world's destruction. After this, they decided to erase their memories in an effort to become morally pure, but even this fails eventually; Porky was able to corrupt the citizens of Tazmily into joining his society. They unwittingly help him hunt down the Seven Needles, which would conclusively finish the planet's destruction. Without the Dark Dragon, humanity is stuck in a cycle of destruction.
And the Dragos are necessary to end the conflict at the end of chapter 3. Kumatora and company face off against the Pigmask army; Kumatora's party can overpower the Pigmasks, but the Pigmasks have greater numbers. Neither side backs down. It's a Drago mother that conclusively ends the conflict.
It's through reconciliation with the Dark Dragon that humanity's strife comes to an end. As Flint proposes, “Let’s make the Dark Dragon sealed underground our new friend.” By awakening the Dark Dragon himself, Lucas brings a return to the way things used to be: the Dark Dragon awakens and lives in harmony with humans.
Things look hairy at first, but we hear eventually, “I thought everything was about to be destroyed... but everyone is alive!” One character asks, “Did the Dragon's revival give power to all life?”
In the same way, Dragos end the fight at the close of chapter 3 because Lucas reconciled with them; they attack Fassad and the Pigmasks at his request. This, too, is a return to the way things used to be, with Lucas and the Dragos as trustworthy friends.
In all, these two plotlines speak about the move from innocence to corruption, and that innocence can be regained through a final cataclysmic event.
