Neil deGrasse Tyson answers Game of Thrones’ most burning question (and it spells trouble for Westeros)

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Game of Thrones season 7 left us with a few more questions than solid answers, especially a big, fiery dragon related one. Thankfully, nitpicker-in-chief and all-round brainbox Neil deGrasse Tyson has the answers. Watch out Westeros. Spoilers for Game of Thrones season 7 follow.

Game of Thrones season 7, episode 7 concluded with the resurrected Viserion laying waste to The Wall with a blue flame. Some thought it was super-cool but deGrasse Tyson knows his stuff: it’s super, super hot.

Remember when you were told to stay away from the blue flame in science class? That’s why. Unfortunately, the citizens of Westeros are probably only going to find that out the hard, molten-y way. Sorry, guys: this stuff is three times at hot as normal dragonfire. The Tarlys may have been burnt to a crisp but, trust me, they got off easy.

While deGrasse Tyson cleared the air on all things dragon breath, he had a bone (or should that be a chain?) to pick with how Viserion was lifted from his watery grave. Those chains should have been far straighter, according to the astrophysicist. Remember that for next time, yeah?

The physics of Thrones aren’t all bad though. He’s given a big thumbs-up to the aerodynamics of Dany’s dragons. Their wingspan and gait are all a-ok which is good because, in a show about resurrected Starks and zombified Mountains, I was getting a bit antsy about whether the dragons could realistically fly.

Be sure to check out our full Game of Thrones season 7 review in addition to one of the show’s directors addressing the show’s big timeline complaint.

Image: HBO

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.