Guild Wars 2's story started with just one devastating dragon threat, but that number has increased with every new Living World season and expansion. In End of Dragons, players are introduced to the last original Elder Dragon: Soo-Won.
This article reviews everything you need to know about Soo-Won (as well as a refresher on Elder Dragon lore, in case you're a new player, returning player, or just have a bad memory). We'll touch on the basic information introduced during the End of Dragons story (so there will be some spoilers) but not on its ending.
A Brief Refresher On The Elder Dragons
In case you need it, we'll begin with a brief refresher on the Elder Dragons of Guild Wars 2. Elder Dragons are primordial creatures who each control particular domains of magic in the world.
Throughout Tyrian history, there have been cases of an Elder Dragon waking up, causing devastation in Tyria, and eventually going back to sleep. The next time it occurred, it would be a different Elder Dragon. This process is known as the 'Dragon Cycle' - but it was drastically changed for the first time when the Commander (the player) defeated and killed Zhaitan during Guild Wars 2's main story, instead of Zhaitan going back to sleep. The Dragon Cycle is also notably connected to the level of ambient magic present in the world at a given time, because the Elder Dragons consume magic.
The Elder Dragons we know about and/or fought prior to End of Dragons were...
Dragon |
Domain(s) |
Dead? (immediately prior to End of Dragons) |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Zhaitan |
Death and Shadow |
Yes, killed by the Commander at the end of the main Guild Wars 2 story |
- |
Jormag |
Ice and Persuasion |
Yes, killed during the Icebrood Saga |
- |
Primordus |
Fire and Conflagration |
Yes, killed during the Icebrood Saga |
- |
Kralkatorrik |
Crystal and Fury |
Yes, killed during the fourth Living World season |
Father of Glint, Grandfather of Aurene. |
Mordremoth |
Plant and Mind |
Yes, killed at the end of the Heart of Thorns expansion story |
- |
Aurene |
Crystal and Light |
No |
Was not an original Elder Dragon, like all the others on this list. She was born a dragon and became an Elder Dragon later in life. |
Aurene's mother, Glint, was not an Elder Dragon, but she was a dragon. She was the daughter of an Elder Dragon (Kralkatorrik) and his scion. We also know that there was a sixth original Elder Dragon, the water dragon, based on ancient texts, but have no information about them.
The New Dragon: Soo-Won
In Cantha, we are introduced to another Elder Dragon: Soo-Won. Her domain of magic is Water. Long ago, Soo-Won was the only Elder Dragon who guarded over the mortal realm. She was 'the All,' and so she was not even properly Soo-Won, because she had power over all the domains of magic.
Soo-Won And The Creation Of The Elder Dragons
Eventually, Soo-Won created the five other Elder Dragons (Zhaitain, Jormag, Primordus, Krallkatorik, and Mordremoth). Soo-Won created her children so that she would not be so lonely anymore, and she intended that they would bring peace, balance, and harmony to the natural magic of the world. She set each of them over particular domains of magic and took the domain of Water for herself.
Soo-Won Throughout Cantha's History
Soo-Won is known in Cantha as their guardian. That's because, long ago when Cantha was threatened by the Awakening of Zhaitan, it's said that Soo-Won saved Cantha from the resulting tidal wave and the worst of the effects.
In the modern day, Soo-Won is being magically contained underwater, consensually, by Yu Joon and her company, Xunlai Jade. This containment means that Soo-Won cannot become unhinged (like the other Elder Dragons) and attack Tyria. It also allows Joon to build jade technology, since the power the jade tech is using and storing is actually dragon magic, purified through Soo-Won.
Having learned of the horrible effects her children have had on the world, Soo-Won turns to Aurene. Soo-Won wants Aurene to end the Dragon Cycle by becoming the All, like Soo-Won once was, and controlling Tyrian magic alone.