No genres, I think, are more accepting of human relationships with nonhumans than sci-fi and fantasy. But even in these genres, there are boundaries—at least for most readers. One way writers often get around one of the more obvious issues with these types of romances is to make one or both parties able to shapeshift into the same species as the other (usually, from nonhuman to human form).
But it seems a shame to ask a majestic mythical creature like a dragon to give up its magical form just to satisfy human social norms (and human physiology). So, against my better judgment, I’m going to try and answer the question that’s been plaguing us all (or at least Reddit): does a human-dragon romance need shapeshifting to work?
Why Most Human-Dragon Romances Include Shapeshifting
First, let’s talk about why most authors and game writers default to the shapeshifting solution when writing human-dragon romance. One reason is obvious; if the couple is to get physically intimate, being of the same species makes it much easier (and more socially acceptable) for them to do so. While children are typically out of the question, a pregnancy plot also tends to hinge on the two being of the same species, at least at the time of conception—though of course, fantasy/sci-fi writers can, and do, find ways around this rule with alarming regularity.
But these are suggestions, not impossibilities. The real reason most authors shy away from the alternative here is the squick factor—they might not want to write, and their audience may not want to read, about humans loving anything other than other humans, or at least humanoids. Even in a PG love story, kissing is often involved, and for mainstream audiences, two humans kissing is much more acceptable (and, let’s face it, less dangerous) than a human making out with a dragon.
Love stories like The Shape of Water balance right on the fence here—the Amphibian Man would never be mistaken for an actual human (nor can he speak verbal human language), but his shape is human enough that it still feels familiar to us. For a lot of people, this resulted in a disturbing uncanny valley effect, but for others, it made the couple more acceptable than if he had been fully bestial in form.
Other reasons for including shapeshifting might involve plot points or symbolism—in The Dragon’s Last Flight, the question of whether dragons can walk secretly among humans has shaped both the history and society of Marius’s world, and impacts both the romantic and non-romantic versions of the story as it plays out. In the end, the real question isn’t whether dragons can shapeshift, but whether humanity is determined by genetics or the actions you take—and whether being human is even something to aspire to.
How Human-Dragon Love Stories Can Work Without Shapeshifting
Bioware fans know full well that a human-nonhuman liaison can work without either party having to change their body for the others’ benefit—the Mass Effect series abounds with popular human-alien romances that don’t involve any shapeshifting at all.
But there’s a difference (albeit a trivial one in the grand scheme of things) between a human romancing a humanoid alien who is at least vaguely the same shape and size and a human romancing a giant lizard-shaped creature who may or may not breathe fire and who could swallow you in a single gulp.
Believe it or not, though, it can work—and work well. Human-dragon romances without shapeshifting work best if one or more of the following is true:
- They can speak the same language, whether spoken or nonverbal—this resolves issues around consent as well as emotional and intellectual intimacy
- The love between them is platonic—either they don’t desire each other physically, or they love each other enough to stay together even though they can’t/won’t pursue physical relations
- They are able to find creative solutions to the question of physical intimacy (in an adult romance) or the question isn’t raised at all (in a G or PG romance)
- Their relationship ends, likely tragically, before issues related to their differences in species ever arise
Some would argue that, in fact, none of these are necessary for a good human-dragon romance. Luckily, there are a wealth of authors out there that would agree—and the beauty of self-publishing being so accessible is that many such stories are available for your reading pleasure, even if most traditional publishers might shy away from them. But if you need something a little closer to home, a story that includes any or all of the above will be a better fit.
And of course, at the end of the day, you can always stick to the safe side of the fence and look for human-dragon romances that do include shapeshifting—just because it isn’t a “necessary” solution doesn’t mean it isn’t a good one. Sometimes, you just can’t beat a classic.
The Dragon’s Last Flight is a fantasy visual novel that centers around a human-dragon romance—and yes, it includes shapeshifting. Play the demo for free today, and be sure to sign up for my newsletter to get exclusive updates regarding the game’s development and eventual release.
