Can you train a Dragon?

Summary

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Who Smarted? – “Can You Train a Dragon?”

Episode Summary – March 13, 2026

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode of Who Smarted? takes listeners on a fantastical and educational journey to explore the legends, myths, and science surrounding dragons. The playful hosts and their friends use roleplay, trivia, and humor to answer the questions: What are dragons? Are there “good” and “bad” dragons? Where did dragon myths come from? Can dragons be trained? And do any “real” dragons exist?

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Dragons & Dragonology

• The adventure begins at Wyvern Castle, home to Dr. Drakos, a self-proclaimed “world-class dragonologist.”
• Quote – Dr. Drakos:

  “Dragonologist isn’t actually a real world profession, but in the fictional world, mostly in fantasy books and mythology. It’s the ideal fake job for anyone who loves dragons.” (01:02)

2. Dragons in Maps and History

• Maps & Warnings: Dragons historically appeared on old maps, symbolizing unexplored or dangerous areas, or simply for decorative flair.
  • Quote – Dr. Drakos:

    “The dragons represented unexplored and dangerous territories. And sometimes dragons were added just to decorate the maps.” (02:50)

• Physical Descriptions: Dragons are typically depicted as giant reptiles, with scales, claws, barbed tails, horns, and sometimes wings.

3. Dragons in Myths and Pop Culture

• Dragons have appeared in nearly every culture’s mythology, from ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and China, to modern movies and games like Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Dungeons & Dragons.
• The show’s playful banter introduces Trienne, a fellow “smartypants” and dragon enthusiast.

4. Are Dragons Good or Evil?

• Dragon stories vary: some dragons are fearsome villains; others are heroic helpers.
  • Quote – Dr. Drakos:

    “The truth is, dragons can be both.” (04:32)

• Listeners are prompted to think of stories with both “good” and “bad” dragons.

5. Magical Journey: Eastern vs. Western Dragons

• Dr. Drakos “shapeshifts” into different types of dragons, physically and culturally transforming to explain their differences.

a. Eastern Dragons (06:35–08:14)

• In East Asian cultures (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam), dragons are positive symbols—wise, powerful, and bringers of luck.
  • Quote – Dr. Drakos:

    “In east asian cultures, Dragons are seen as symbols of strength, wisdom, and good luck. ...And we have another special superpower.” (06:55–07:15)

• Their superpower: controlling the weather, especially rain, helping crops grow. Listeners guess this in a fun trivia segment.
  • Quote – Dr. Drakos:

    “Eastern dragons were believed to have the ability to control the weather and natural elements, especially water, and could make it rain to help crops grow.” (07:30)

• Eastern dragons fly without wings, thanks to their magical abilities.

b. Western Dragons (08:24–12:05)

• Dr. Drakos takes on a Western dragon's form—growing wings, becoming more intimidating.
• In Western/European and Middle Eastern myths, dragons are often villainous, greedy, and dangerous.
  • Quote – “Dragons were often considered evil and the enemy of humans in some Western and European mythology, as well as in some Middle Eastern cultures, such as ancient Persia, which is now Iran.” (11:46)
• Western dragons famously hoard gold and treasure, prompting stories of knights and dragon-slayers.
  • Quote – Dragon (Dr. Drakos):

    “Western dragons were considered greedy and were known to hoard gold and treasure. One of the reasons knights and dragon-slayers battled us was so they could win our bling.” (12:35–12:47)

• They don't just breathe fire—some can also breathe ice or poison.

6. Fun Fact Interlude – “Dragon’s Breath” (13:25–13:50)

• “Dragon’s breath” is one of the world’s hottest chili peppers (not a pizza, not a fruit!).
  • Quote – Dr. Drakos:

    “The answer is A, a spicy chili pepper. In fact, it’s one of the hottest chili peppers in the world. Eating one will make you feel like you’re breathing fire.” (14:35)

7. Dragon Reproduction & Mythical Biology

• Dragons hatch from eggs, called “dragon eggs”—and baby dragons are called “wyrmlings.”
• Some dragons are immortal, others live for centuries or even millennia. The Ouroboros—a dragon eating its own tail—symbolizes eternity.
  • Quote – Dr. Drakos:

    “And the one famous dragon called the Ouroboros is depicted as a serpent eating its own tail and is an ancient symbol for the eternal circle of life.” (15:26)

8. Are Any Dragons Real? (15:52–16:33)

• While dragons are legendary, some real creatures share dragon-like traits:
  • Komodo dragon – the world’s largest lizard, found in Indonesia.
  • Flying dragon – a lizard that glides on “wings” in Southeast Asia.
  • Dragonflies – not dangerous, despite their name!
• Quote – Dr. Drakos:

  “Some prehistoric fossils of dinosaurs have resembled how we’ve imagined dragons. And several types of real life lizards are called dragons. For example, the Komodo dragon … There’s also a flying dragon, a lizard in Southeast Asia … And of course, there’s dragonflies who look a little bit scary but are perfectly harmless.” (15:55–16:33)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Dragonologist isn’t actually a real world profession, but in the fictional world … it’s the ideal fake job for anyone who loves dragons.” — Dr. Drakos (01:02)
• “The dragons represented unexplored and dangerous territories. And sometimes dragons were added just to decorate the maps.” — Dr. Drakos (02:50)
• “The truth is, dragons can be both.” — Dr. Drakos (04:32)
• “In east asian cultures, Dragons are seen as symbols of strength, wisdom, and good luck.” — Dr. Drakos (06:55)
• “Eastern dragons were believed to have the ability to control the weather … and could make it rain to help crops grow.” — Dr. Drakos (07:30)
• “Western dragons were considered greedy and were known to hoard gold and treasure. One of the reasons knights and dragon-slayers battled us was so they could win our bling.” — Dragon / Dr. Drakos (12:35–12:47)
• “The answer is A, a spicy chili pepper. … Eating one will make you feel like you’re breathing fire.” — Dr. Drakos (14:35)
• “And the one famous dragon called the Ouroboros is depicted as a serpent eating its own tail and is an ancient symbol for the eternal circle of life.” — Dr. Drakos (15:26)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–01:23 – Meet Dr. Drakos and intro to dragonology
• 02:30–03:13 – Dragons on maps, historical context
• 03:13–04:32 – Dragons in myth, pop culture, and “good” vs “evil” dragons
• 05:24–07:58 – Magical transformation; Eastern dragons and their positive traits
• 08:24–13:02 – Transformation to Western dragon; dangerous dragons, greed, dragonslayers, and famous legends
• 13:25–14:35 – What is “dragon’s breath”—trivia
• 15:03–15:28 – Dragon eggs, dragon life cycle, the concept of wyrmlings and ancients
• 15:52–16:33 – Are any dragons real? Komodo dragons, flying dragons, dragonflies

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Tone

Lively, humorous, and packed with silly jokes and fun sound effects, the episode treats dragons with a mix of childlike wonder and scientific curiosity. The recurring banter between hosts and characters keeps the tone light and interactive, perfect for young listeners and classrooms.

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Final Thoughts

While dragons are not real, their legacy lives on in stories, art, and in the “real-life dragons” of the animal kingdom. Listeners end the episode imagining dragons and marveling at the line between mythology and science.

“Dragons might not be real, but you can always imagine dragons.” — Adam Tex Davis (16:33)

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Super shoutout to listener Everett in Florida for being a super smarty fan!

Transcript

[Adam Tex Davis]

And now it's time for who's Smarted?

[Dr. Drakos]

Psst.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hey, smartypants. Together we were about to embark on something pretty epic. We're about to enter Wyvern castle to meet Dr. Drakos, a world class dragonologist. Ooh, wait. Do you know what a dragonologist is? Well, when I press this doorbell, you'll get a loud hint. Here I go. Yep. That sound you just heard, smarty pants, was a dragon roar. Which means a dragonolog is someone who studies everything about dragons.

[Dr. Drakos]

Trusty smartypants, welcome to Wyvern Castle. I see you enjoyed my doorbell, which is programmed to ring as the call of a wyvern, which is a particularly quarrelsome type of dragon. See,

[Adam Tex Davis]

I gotta get one too. Also, I gotta say, being a dragonologist seems like a pretty cool job, Dr. Drakos.

[Dr. Drakos]

Than I should clarify, dragonologist isn't actually a real world profession, but in the fictional world, mostly in fantasy books and mythology. It's the ideal fake job for anyone who loves dragons. Like me.

[Adam Tex Davis]

I hear you. Of course, dragons can be a little scary. But I guess if you train them not to eat you or burn your house down, dragons can be pretty cool. Which is why we're here to learn more about dragons. Like, what are dragons? What powers do they possess? Are dragons good or evil? And are there any real dragons? Or are they all just the stuff of legends?

[Dr. Drakos]

Great questions, trustee. Follow me to my laboratory and I'll show you.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Great. It's time for a big whiff of science and history. On who Smarted, who's smarted?

[Dr. Drakos]

Who's smart?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history?

[Dr. Drakos]

Listen up, everyone.

[Adam Tex Davis]

We make smarting lots of fun.

[Dr. Drakos]

On who's smart and.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hey, was that a dragon I just heard?

[Dr. Drakos]

No, I just left the TV on with how to train your dragon playing it.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Gotcha. Hey, is that a map with dragons all over it, I see?

[Dr. Drakos]

Yup. Dragons were often included on historical and maritime maps used by sailors, especially during the Medieval and Renaissance time periods.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Hmm. Smarty pants, any idea what a dragon would indicate on a map? Yeah, me neither. Why were there dragons on the map? Were there actually dragons back then?

[Dr. Drakos]

No. The dragons represented unexplored and dangerous territories. And sometimes dragons were added just to decorate the maps. Don't they look cool?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Sure do. They're like awesome, gigantic reptiles with scaly skin and sharp teeth and long claws and barbed tails. Some even have horns and wings. Dragons are legendary.

[Dr. Drakos]

Legendary indeed. Dragons appeared in legends in almost every culture throughout history, dating back to ancient civilizations. Such as mesopotamia, greece and china up through modern pop culture. Like the dragons in popular books, movies and TV shows Such as game of thrones, lord of the rings, Pete's dragon, Harry potter, and the role playing game dungeons and dragons.

[Trienne]

Ooh, I love dungeons and dragons, but mostly dragons.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, hey, treen. I didn't know you hung out at wyvern castle. Smarty pants. This is my friend trienne. He's a smarty pants too, who, from the looks of his dragon t shirt, loves dragons. But wait, but aren't dragons bad.

[Dr. Drakos]

Sometimes? There's plenty of stories of dragons being evil, scary, and dangerous.

[Trienne]

But some dragons are good.

[Adam Tex Davis]

That's right, trian. Sometimes dragons are good and helpful. Smarty pants, can you think of any stories where the dragons are the hero or help the hero? And can you think of any stories where dragons are the villains?

[Dr. Drakos]

The truth is, dragons can be both.

[Trienne]

I love dragons. Either way.

[Dr. Drakos]

You know, I could just tell you about dragons. Or I could show you.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Show us.

[Dr. Drakos]

Show us.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Is that what you want too, smarty pants? I'm hearing a lot of yeses. Okay, Dr. Drakos, show us.

[Dr. Drakos]

Here goes.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Doctor Drakos. Doctor Drak geckos. Are you okay?

[Dr. Drakos]

Oh, yes, I just need to shapeshift.

[Adam Tex Davis]

A dragon.

[Trienne]

Whoa. Hey, that's my line. Whoa.

[Adam Tex Davis]

But also. Whoa. What's going on here?

[Dr. Drakos]

In some myths, humans could shapeshift into dragons. Plus they don't call me Dr. Drakos for nothing. Drakos is of greek origin from the word drakon, which means dragon. That's right, dragon.

[Trienne]

Yay.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Cool and hot. Very hot. Um, I gotta ask. Are you a good or bad fire breathing dragon?

[Dr. Drakos]

Hop on my back and I'll show you.

[Trienne]

Hmm.

[Adam Tex Davis]

What do you say, trien? Should we give it a shot?

[Trienne]

Yes, let's fly.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Okay, here we go. I gotta admit, this is amazing. Right, treen?

[Dr. Drakos]

Woohoo. Yep.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Woohoo. I just really hope they're a good dragon.

[Dr. Drakos]

Hold on tight. Whoa.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Coming in for a landing. Way to stick the landing, Dr. Drakos. But where are we?

[Dr. Drakos]

East asia.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Wow, that's some trip. Why asia?

[Dr. Drakos]

Because in east asian countries like japan, south korea, Vietnam, and china, where we are now, I am an eastern dragon and am generally considered good.

[Trienne]

Phew.

[Adam Tex Davis]

That's good. Er, I mean, you're good.

[Dr. Drakos]

Indeed. In east asian cultures, Dragons are seen as symbols of strength, wisdom, and good luck. We're often considered protectors who look after gods and emperors, Important places and treasures. Oh, and we have another special superpower.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Ooh, smarty pants. Do you know which Special superpower is associated with eastern dragons. Is it A, X ray vision, B, invisibility, or C, controlling the weather? Whoa. Dr. Drakos, did you just make it rain?

[Dr. Drakos]

Why, yes, I did. Which means the answer is C. Eastern dragons were believed to have the ability to control the weather and natural elements, especially water, and could make it rain to help crops grow. That's why dragons often live near or under water. Oh, and dragons are also believed to swallow the sun and moon and cause eclipses.

[Trienne]

Hey, where'd the sun go?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Plus, you can fly. But I'm not seeing any wings.

[Dr. Drakos]

Nope. Eastern dragons don't need wings to fly. We fly thanks to mystical powers.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Dr. Drakos. Dr. Drakos, are you okay?

[Dr. Drakos]

I'm fine. Just shape shifting again.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Whoa. You're growing wings.

[Trienne]

Wow, you wings look so cool.

[Adam Tex Davis]

But how? Why?

[Dr. Drakos]

It's because I'm turning to a western

[Dragon]

dragon, and western dragons need wings to

[Dr. Drakos]

fly upon Again,

[Dragon]

Things are about to heat.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, boy. I'm sensing a change in Dr. Drakos. Not for the better. I think they might be turning into an evil dragon. What do you think, smarty pants? Should we fly off with them or should we run? What do you think, Treen?

[Trienne]

Fly.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Fly. I was afraid you'd say that. Okay, here we go. Right after this quick break. Spring is here, and if you're a homeschool family trying to finish the year strong, I want to tell you about ixl. It's the award online learning platform that fits seamlessly into your homeschool routine, covering math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. What I love most about IXL is how it adapts to each child's pace. Whether your kid needs to reinforce foundational skills before an assessment or push ahead into new material, IXL meets them exactly where they are. With no pressure and real encouragement built right in, Kids earn rewards, see their own progress, and actually feel good about learning. And for parents, the real time progress tracking is a game changer. You always know exactly where your child stands. Plus, it makes learning fun. And you know, I love that. Over 15 million students use IXL and it's proven to improve achievement in all 50 states. So make an impact on your child's learning. Who smarted? Listeners get an exclusive 20% [e-mail] smarted that's ixl.com smarted for your 20% off. As a trusty narrator, I've taken the smarty pants on countless adventures. I'll do anything for the fans, but off mic, I prefer to keep my Adventures in the safe space of my own backyard. However, even a homebody like me can't avoid the unexpected chaos that comes with family life. Take last week, for example. My niece was staying with me when she came down with a nasty cold in the middle of the night. I couldn't leave her alone to get medicine. And that's when I remembered, Doordash is there for you. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. With a few taps on my phone, I had cough syrup and tissues delivered right to my door. Doordash saved the night, and my niece was back to her energetic self in no time. Oh, and did I order a little ice cream for myself? Yes, I did. And Doordash brought it right to my door. So, while I may not be the biggest fan of real life adventures, I'm grateful that Doordash is always there to help me navigate life's little emergencies. When life happens, get a little order delivered with Doordash order now. Now back to who's smarted. Here we are riding on the back of my friend Dr. Drakos, who is still a dragon. But from the looks of their extra sharp claws, big scary eyes, huge teeth, and villainous laugh, I have a feeling they're an evil dragon now.

[Dragon]

Right you are, Trusty. Dragons were often considered evil and the enemy of humans in some Western and European mythology, as well as in some Middle Eastern cultures, such as ancient Persia, which is now Iran.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Uh, dragons aren't the enemy of the smarty pants, right?

[Dr. Drakos]

Of course, not.

[Dragon]

Everyone loves the smarty pants.

[Dr. Drakos]

Yay.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Looks like we're coming in for another landing. Now, where are we?

[Dragon]

Medieval Europe?

[Adam Tex Davis]

What are we on top of?

[Trienne]

Gold.

[Dr. Drakos]

Whoa.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Did we land on top of a huge pile of gold?

[Dragon]

Why, yes, we did. It's my dragon bling. Western dragons were considered greedy and were

[Dr. Drakos]

known to hoard gold and treasure.

[Dragon]

One of the reasons knights and dragonslayers battled us was so they could win our bling. Plus, it was a good career move. You slay a dragon, you became a hero.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Oh, like the famous legend of St. George from the Middle Ages. George slayed a dragon to protect a village and was named patron saint of England.

[Dragon]

Defend off all those pesky dragon slayers. Dragons not only breathe fire, but ice and poison.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yikes. That's some powerful dragon breath you got there, Dr. Drakos. Oh, and speaking of dragon breath, smarty pants, do you know dragon's breath is also a food? Is it, A, a super hot chili pepper, B, a spicy buffalo chicken pizza, or C, a fruit with spiky skin that Looks like dragon scales. Triangle. Do you know?

[Trienne]

I'm not sure. Is it B?

[Dr. Drakos]

Uh oh.

[Dragon]

Sounds like there's an angry mob of

[Dr. Drakos]

dragon haters gathering outside.

[Dragon]

We could either A, burn down the village or B, go back to Wyvern Castle and learn the answer to the previous question.

[Dr. Drakos]

B.

[Adam Tex Davis]

B, definitely B. Okay, smarty pants, we're back in the laboratory at wyvern castle with Dr. Drakos, who's shape shifted from a dragon back into a human dragonologist.

[Dr. Drakos]

Yep, it's just little old me again.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Much preferable. Anyway, you owe us the answer to the question, what type of food is dragon's breath? Is it a spicy chili pepper, buffalo chicken pizza, or a fruit with spiky skin?

[Dr. Drakos]

The answer is A, a spicy chili pepper. In fact, it's one of the hottest chili peppers in the world. Eating one will make you feel like you're breathing fire.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Yikes. No thanks.

[Trienne]

I'll try.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Don't even think about it, Treen. But you can try dragon fruit, which is a colorful tropical fruit with skin that looks like dragon scales.

[Dr. Drakos]

Don't forget dragon eggs. But they're not for eating, smarty pants.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Do you know what dragon eggs are for?

[Trienne]

Hatching.

[Adam Tex Davis]

That's right. Dragons hatch from eggs. If dragons were real, that is.

[Dr. Drakos]

Ah, but do you know what baby dragons are called?

[Adam Tex Davis]

Uh, they're not called baby dragons.

[Dr. Drakos]

They're called wyrmlings until they grow into adults and eventually ancients.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Do dragons live forever?

[Dr. Drakos]

Well, in some fantasy stories, dragons are immortal and live forever. In others, they live for centuries or even millennia. And the one famous dragon called the Ouroboros is depicted as a serpent eating its own tail and is an ancient symbol for the eternal circle of life.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Dragons truly are legendary. If only they were real.

[Trienne]

Are there any real life dragons?

[Dr. Drakos]

Well, while dragons aren't real, some prehistoric fossils of dinosaurs have resembled how we've imagined dragons. And several types of real life lizards are called dragons. For example, the Komodo dragon, which lives in Indonesia and is the largest living lizard. It can be 10ft long. There's also a flying dragon, a lizard in Southeast Asia that has bat like wings and can glide through the air. And of course, there's dragonflies who look a little bit scary but are perfectly harmless.

[Adam Tex Davis]

Well, there you have it, smarties. And Treen, dragons might not be real, but you can always imagine dragons. A super shout out to super smarty fan Everett in Alujua, Florida. I hear you absolutely love who smart it and listen to multiple episodes every single day. And that you're especially into animals and science and love sharing all the amazing new facts you learn with everyone you know. Keep on spreading the smarting, Everett this episode Dragons was written by Leanne French and voiced by Alan Wyvern Winter. My smarty pal Trienne, Dragon Lover Moodlee Gia, Draco Davis and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh how to train your audio on who Smarted Is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room Studios. Our associate producer is Max Mushu Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Falkor Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Dragon Breath Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production. Who Smarted.