The Dragon Lord (Dragon Emperor in Japanese) is one of the three primary villains in the RPG video game Trials of Mana, who serves as one the three available final bosses. He is an incredibly powerful demonic dragon who attempts to release the Benevodons and use their might to overthrow the Mana Goddess and spread chaos and destruction all over the world of Fa'Diel, but ends up destroyed.
He is a counterpart of sort to Drakonis, who has similar looks, powers, personality, apocalyptic ambitions and knack for brainwashing people into becoming his servants.
Characteristics[]
The Dragon Lord is one of the last remaining great dragons, while the regular dragons (or wyrms) are much smaller and little more than feral beasts.
Although great dragons are wise and noble servants of the Mana Goddess (though they can be terrifyingly dangerous, as with the Mana Beast), he has incredible Dark Powers and influence over evil, more befitting of a demon from Mavolia, and is in direct conflict with the Archdemon. Yet, the reason behind his demonic nature is never explained, perhaps excessive greed or evil influence.
The Dragon Lord is arguably the most malevolent of the main villains, as he lacks the tragic past of the other two and his main agents are brainwashed souls instead of loyal followers.
He is extremely greedy and power-hungry, trying to make everything his own, including people's power and skills by making them his servants willingly or not. He is also cruel, ruthless, relentless, haughty, hateful, wrathful, violent and vindictive.
While he most often presents himself as collected, regal and rather sarcastic, he flies in violent rages when the situation does not go the way he wants. And while he praises his foes’ accomplishments, he is far too arrogant to regard them as a threat until it is too late, even after having experienced defeat before.
Despite this, he is a very good manipulator, skilled in offering Faustian bargains to distressed people and to make people further his goals without knowing.
Background[]
The Dragon Lord serves as a minor villain in Heroes of Mana, set nineteen years before Trials of Mana. He lent his mighty dragon units to the Ancient Kingdom of Pedda in their bid to take over Fa'Diel, even attacking in person the royal castle of the Grassland Kingdom of Valsena in a bonus mission. The Dragon Lord likely expected Pedda to weaken the world he covets, to make his own attack easier…
Yet, not even him could know that the boy king Inath was corrupted by Anise, who was using Pedda in a bid to destroy the multiverse. The heroes stated at the end that they would one day have to deal with him after Anise is slain, unfortunately taking Pedda down with her.
Around four years later, the Dragon Lord led his tribes against the coalition that fought Pedda, invading Fa'Diel in turn. The Mana Goddess deemed him enough of a threat to send faeries assist his foes. Prince Richard, heir to the throne of Valsena and his closest friend and right-hand-man Loki the Golden Knight, who had fought against Pedda, led the war against him.
What remained of Pedda was destroyed in this war. Loki eventually fought the evil dragon and they both fell to their death in a bottomless pit. However, the Dragon Lord's spirit barely survived and retained some of his powers.
Sometime later, he met the Crimson Wizard, who had ran away from the Magic Kingdom of Altena due to his lack of magic. The Dragon Lord tempted the distraught wizard wannabe by offering him access to his incredible magical might in exchange of half of his life-force, corrupting him in the process. This partially revived him and gained him a powerful slave who could act in his stead. With this, he was in position to plot again but this time from behind the scenes, planning to be fully reborn and become impossibly mightier than before.
The Dragon Lord who remembered all too well Loki's immense skills, enslaved his dead soul and sealed it in a dark suit of armour, making his former enemy into one of his most dangerous and most devoted followers, the Darkshine Knight, general of the armies of monsters from Mavolia he was rising.
The Dragon Lord and the other two Great Evils: his Dark Majesty and the Masked Mage, plan to release the eight mighty Benevodons from the Mana Stones and become the new god of Fa'Diel. They are in open conflict and they all try to fulfill this sinister scheme first; and to get rid of their rivals at the first occasion.
Trials of Mana[]
| “ | I remember a faerie that met a similar fate. She was with that silly Prince of Valsena and his useless knight. I was caught unaware by the Golden Knight's foolish attack and we both fell. It took me so long to regain my strength but now! I am the strongest of the gods! | „ |
| ~ The Dragon Lord |
The Crimson Wizard manipulates Altena for the Dragon Lord and wages war against the country of Valsena, while the Darkshine Knight remains by his lord's side. The Crimson Wizard leads attacks on the castle of Valsena and plans to sacrifice the Altenian princess Angela to unseal the Mana Stone of Water. Meanwhile, the Dragon Lord remains in his lair of Dragonsmaw, located in the Glass Desert, feeding on the depleting power of Mana to heal himself.
When the heroes reach the Mana Sanctuary: the location of the Mana Tree (the earthly avatar of the Mana Goddess), the Dragon Lord and his servants kill the other villains. (Or get killed by the final boss' faction if he is not the main villain.)
The Dragon Lord's vassals hold the heroes' Faerie guide ransom for the fabled Sword of Mana, which they just obtained. The Crimson Wizard uses it to release the Benevodons, and to swarm the world with the Dragon Lord's monsters.
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The Dragon Lord's human aspect in the original.
The heroes slay the Benevodons and go to the Glass Desert, where they destroy the Darkshine Knight, freeing Loki's soul. They confront the fully revived Dragon Lord, who welcomes them as witnesses for "the dawn of a new age".
He reveals that the Benevodons’ might now rests in the Sword of Mana which he absorbs to surpass the Goddess of Mana. Hopefully, the exhausted deity can restrain his power boost. Irked, he teleports to the Sanctuary to destroy the Mana Tree. The heroes defeat the Crimson Wizard and rush to the Sanctuary but alas too late, the Mana Tree is wrecked, the Goddess is dead the Dragon Lord gloats that he is the new god of Fa'Diel, which he will make a world of chaos and destruction.
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The Dragon Lord's human form in the remake.
He kills the Faerie and reveals his true form: the Mondoragon (a dragon too big to even fit onscreen). He blasts the heroes and gloats that the Sword of Mana is lost, only for the Faerie’s spirit to restore them, stating that the Sword and Mana subsists through them, giving them a fighting chance.
After a long and gruelling battle, the Mondoragon is slain physically and psychically, and the Faerie's spirit merges with the remnants of the Mana Tree to become the new Goddess. However, the power of Mana and the magic it provides will need a thousand years to bloom again, leading to a new and completely different era.
Boss Battle[]
| “ | Silence! I will destroy any sword you wield! You must understand how powerless you are against a supreme god! Now... kneel! | „ |
| ~ An angry Dragon Lord. |
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Boss battle against the Dragon Lord.
The Mondoragon is the medium hardest final boss. At level 50 and with 55551 life-points, he is enormously powerful and resilient, so the battle can be very hard. The mightier the heroes are the better.
He bites his foes or casts level 2 and 3 spells and special attacks of the Wind/Thunder, Earth, Water/Ice, Fire, Light and Moon elements, and Ancient Curse (the most devastating normal spell). He can cast spells on every hero (increasing their might) and his special attacks heavily damage them all, and can shrink them or turn them to stone, snowmen, or Moogles, which must be cured, or divide their life-bars.
His element and weakness is determined by his color. Reddish orange means Fire and weak to Water; blue means Water and weak to Fire; light orange means Light and weak to Dark; green means Wind and weak to Earth; yellow means Moon with no proper weakness.
Attacking with spells of and weapons infused with the corresponding element is the best option, but attacks of his current element will heal him. Beware, for he casts the spells Strengthen and Protection on himself so his stats must be decreased as much as possible.
the battle change sides.
When reduced to half-health, the Mondoragon starts changing position, a good opportunity to heal. Beware his attacks Fury Fang and Dragon Roar (lowering stats) and Flare: his deadliest attack crippling all heroes.
The heroes need enough life-points to withstand Flare when he appears on one side of the screen and heal right after. They should boost themselves to the max and unleash everything they have. If well prepared, they should be able to get rid of him without major trouble.
In the remake, the Mondoragon is at level 65 and is quite smaller but much more mobile and fast. His attacks can be dodged, and even telegraphed by red zones signalling their area of effect, but the heroes must be cautious. He can be struck anywhere but his head is more vulnerable if harder to reach.
The Mondoragon in the Remake.
He strikes with his claws and tail, stomps the ground, unleashes Fury Fang right from the start, and flies away to use Charge and dash at them, Dive Bomb to drop and crush them, or Flare to sweep the arena with three fiery breathes.
His attacks no longer depend on his colour but his special attacks can be prevented. When wounded enough, the Mondoragon becomes red and crackling with electricity, and he becomes much faster, fiercer, and angrier. He now uses Flameblast: a fireball on all targets and Raging Tempest: multiple cyclones. Attacking repeatedly can knock him out.
Circle of Mana[]
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The Dragon Lord's human form in Circle of Mana.
Like nearly every character of the Mana series, the Dragon Lord is playable in the card-based role-playing game Circle of Mana, under his human aspect. The characters are played as cards to save the Mana Tree from monsters, and can gain power, equipment and Class Changes. Several cards featuring him are available, each evolving following a distinct path.
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 Villains
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Final Fantasy Adventure / Sword of Mana Secret of Mana Trials of Mana Legend of Mana Dawn of Mana Heroes of Mana Echoes of Mana Visions of Mana | ||