The phrase denotes a thematic grouping prevalent in sure leisure mediums, encompassing components of archaic draconic entities, gateways or conduits to different realms, and characters tasked with safeguarding towards threats. As an illustration, a story may function a group of people defending their world from incursions by malevolent forces rising from interdimensional passages guarded by highly effective, aged dragon spirits.
These narratives typically leverage the inherent attraction of dragons, imbuing them with symbolic weight referring to knowledge, energy, or historic information. The inclusion of portals creates a way of boundless risk and potential hazard, introducing conflicts arising from unexpected invasions or the lure of exploring new realities. The defenders symbolize a bulwark towards chaos, embodying braveness, resilience, and the willingness to guard the established order, or conversely, to result in constructive change. The fusion of those themes supplies wealthy floor for exploring advanced ethical dilemmas and interesting in compelling world-building. The mix incessantly attracts upon established tropes and may be traced again to mythological archetypes and evolving fantasy fiction traditions.