Scorpion

{{Item
|image1 = Scorpion-the-spoils-of-war.jpg
|maker = [[Qyburn]] <small>(modified)</small>
|owner = [[Iron Throne]]<br>[[House Lannister]]<br>[[House Greyjoy]]<br>[[House Martell]] <small>(historically)</small>}}{{Dialogue a-b-a|Jaime Lannister|Qyburn's scorpion is over there!|Bronn|Go and get it then!|I can't shoot with one hand!|[[Jaime Lannister]] and [[Bronn]] during the [[battle of the Goldroad]]|The Spoils of War}}'''Scorpions''' are long-range artillery [[Armament|weapons]], resembling mounted large crossbows. A bolt fired from one carries enough velocity to pierce the skull of a [[dragon]]. It is fully pivotal and though it is best operated by a small team, it can be loaded and fired by a single [[Man-at-arms|soldier]]. A scorpion can be considered a smaller, more portable variation of a ballista.

==History==
===Background===
During the [[First Dornish War]], [[Rhaenys Targaryen (sister of Aegon I)|Rhaenys Targaryen]] and her [[dragon]] [[Meraxes]], were killed when a ''very'' lucky shot from a scorpion bolt managed to pierce the dragon's eye and drive into her brain, killing Meraxes instantly in mid-flight and causing Rhaenys to fall to her death. This was a major blow to [[House Targaryen]].<ref>"[[The Last Dragons]]"</ref>

===[[Season 7]]===

To combat [[Daenerys Targaryen]]'s dragons, [[Cersei Lannister]]'s new [[Hand of the Queen]] [[Qyburn]] commissions the construction of a very powerful custom scorpion. Qyburn has Cersei accompany him to the crypts below the [[Red Keep]] where the skulls of dead dragons are housed. Qyburn shows her the scorpion he's had built and invites her to fire the bolt at the skull of [[Balerion]]. The bolt pierces the skull easily. Cersei seems very pleased.<ref>"[[Stormborn]]"</ref>

Though the weapon usually requires a team to operate, [[Bronn]] manages to operate Qyburn's scorpion during the [[battle of the Goldroad]] and fire it against [[Drogon]] while Daenerys is riding him. The bolt misses his eyes, however, and only strikes him in the shoulder - failing to deeply penetrate the dragon's iron scales (which apparently Qyburn nor anyone else considered for penetration), and only inflicting a minor flesh wound. Drogon then destroys the scorpion by blasting it with fire, and Bronn barely escapes. When he lands nearby, Drogon destroys the burning cart with a single swipe of his tail.<ref>"[[The Spoils of War]]"</ref>
[[File:Silence.jpg|thumb|The ''Silence'' and several Greyjoy ships with mounted scorpions.]]
===[[Season 8]]===
[[Euron Greyjoy]] uses several scorpions, installed on his [[ships]], to kill [[Rhaegal]] and destroy the [[Targaryen]] fleet in a [[Battle at Dragonstone|battle]] in the waters off [[Dragonstone (island)|Dragonstone]].<ref>"[[The Last of the Starks]]"</ref>

Later, scorpions are seen mounted on the walls of [[King's Landing]]. Despite the numerous scorpions present in the [[Battle of King's Landing]], they failed to kill [[Drogon]], who successfully evaded getting struck by a bolt and destroyed all the scorpions.<ref>"[[The Bells]]"</ref>

==In the books==

Scorpions are commonly-used siege weapons throughout [[Westeros]] and [[Essos]], along with ballistae, catapults, and trebuchets.

Scorpions have been notably used at the [[Battle of the Blackwater]], [[Battle of Castle Black]] (by the defenders only), and the [[Second Siege of Meereen|second siege of Meereen]] (by the besiegers only).

The difference between a scorpion and a ballista is that a ballista is far larger, and needs to be constructed on-site - it can't be moved with [[horses]] and be assembled reasonably quickly the way a scorpion can.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[ru:Скорпион]]
[[fr:Scorpion (Arme)]]

==See also==
* {{WP|Scorpio (weapon)}}
* {{AWOIAF|Armament}}