The eyes-in-the-front thing (usually) only applies to mammals. Crocodiles, arguably the inspiration for dragons, have eyes that look to the sides despite being a predator.
hey what up I’m about to be That Asshole
This isn’t a mammalian thing. When people talk about ‘eyes on the front’ or ‘eyes on the side,’ they’re really talking about binocular vision vs monocular vision. Binocular vision is more advantageous for predators because it’s what gives you depth perception; i.e, the distance you need to leap, lunge, or swipe to take out the fast-moving thing in front of you. Any animal that can position its eyes in a way that it has overlapping fields of vision has binocular vision. That includes a lot of predatory reptiles, including komodo dragons, monitor lizards, and chameleons.
(The eyes-in-front = predator / eyes-on-sides = prey thing holds true far more regularly for birds than it does for mammals. Consider owls, hawks, and falcons vs parrots, sparrows, and doves.)
But it’s not like binocular vision is inherently “better” than monocular vision. It’s a trade-off: you get better at leap-strike-kill, but your field of vision is commensurately restricted, meaning you see less stuff. Sometimes, the evolutionary benefit of binocular vision just doesn’t outweigh the benefit of seeing the other guy coming. Very few forms of aquatic life have binocular vision unless they have eye stalks, predator or not, because if you live underwater, the threat could be coming from literally any direction, so you want as wide a field of view as you can get. If you see a predator working monocular vision, it’s a pretty safe assumption that there is something else out there dangerous enough that their survival is aided more by knowing where it is than reliably getting food inside their mouths.
For example, if you are a crocodile, there is a decent chance that a hippo will cruise up your shit and bite you in half. I’d say that makes monocular vision worthwhile.
Which brings us back to OP’s point. Why would dragon evolution favor field of view over depth perception?
A lot of the stories I’ve read painted the biggest threats to dragons (until knights with little shiny sticks came along) as other dragons. Dragons fight each other, dragons have wars. And like fish, a dragon would need to worry about another dragon coming in from any angle. That’s a major point in favor of monocular vision. Moreover, you don’t need depth perception in order to hunt if you can breathe fucking fire. A flamethrower is not a precision weapon. If you can torch everything in front of you, who cares if your prey is 5 feet away or 20? Burn it all and sift among the rubble for meat once everything stops moving.
Really, why would dragons have eyes on the front of their heads? Seems like they’ve got the right idea to me.
this is some good dragon discourse right here, 10/10, and i dont mean to derail the whole thing away from the eyes, but i feel obligated to mention that in many stories and accurate to some reptiles, dragons have an extremely acute sense of smell/taste which would definitely help narrow down the depth perception issue. things smell stronger the closer they are. and i feel like i read somewhere that a blind snake can flick the air with its tongue and track its target mouse with no trouble at all. gotta imagine the “great serpents of the sky” had some pretty advanced biology. enough to make field of view win out against depth perception.
anywho. cool stuff. fear the dragons even if they are the prey cause they still beat us on the food chain.
“A flamethrower is not a precision weapon. If you can torch everything in
front of you, who cares if your prey is 5 feet away or 20? Burn it all
and sift among the rubble for meat once everything stops moving.”
The Hesitant Betrothed by Auguste Toulmouche (1866)
I have always adored this painting. Having the central female figure stare with awareness at her viewer is a very powerful move, and something not often given to women in paintings. It creates an engagement with the viewer, she sees you and she knows you are watching her. She is no longer an object in an image, she is a person.
You know she gon’ kill the man she has to marry
I like how everyone else is totally excited the women are congratulating her, the little girl is so into being a flower girl.
And she’s there in middle going “THIS IS SUCH BULLSHIT.”
“the hesitant betrothed” there is NOTHING HESITANT about that expression
Whoa. This is really dramatic and unexpected :)
The “Fuck This Shit” Betrothed
This is the ‘Isn’t It A Tragedy She Was Widowed So Young’ Betrothed, is what it is.
A dating service where matching is based on people’s search history exists. You’re a serial killer. You go on a date with a writer.
Serial Killer: metaphorically, if you were to kill someone, how would you do it?
Writer: Air shot between the toes, it’ll look like a heart attack.
Serial Killer who is obviously in love already: *sucks in a breath* ok
Writer: how long would it take to die if you were to potentially stab someone in the guts
Serial killer: anywhere from 2 to 30 minutes
Writer, already bringing a ring out: *shaking* thanks
A++ addition
Writer: *shows the serial killer the murder scene they’re writing* babe, i’m not sure if this would actually work?
Serial killer: *kisses writer on the forehead and leaves, comes back later, a suspicious scent of blood coming off them* it works baby, you’re doing great
I LOVE THIS
Oh no, murder comedy is my jam
I love this, I love all of this, but quick question, does the author know? Like are they aware that their significant other is a serial killer or do they just think that they have a morbid sense of humor? It’d be even funnier if the author had no fucking clue, like how Aurthur Conan Doyle was apparently stupidly gullible, and on top of it they’re a horror or crime novelist. Like the serial killer works at a butcher shop or something so it’s completely normal for them to come home smelling like blood, no murders going on here, no sirey. Just my darling coming back home from a long day at work.
Now fast forward a bit and the author has managed to get their first book published, with loving support from the serial killer who helped them fine tune all the murder scenes, and it’s a big hit. Enough so that a detective with the local police department has noticed some disturbing similarities to several active cases, including details that were never released to the press. Obviously he brings this up to his superior and convinces him that there’s something to the theory, but it’s all circumstantial right now. He stakes out the author’s home and is super convinced that the author is the murderer, but they don’t seem to do anything??? Like they literally are at the house all day, that’s it. Most they do is leave for groceries.
So you get this dynamic of the serial killer mining the author for creative murder schemes, the author being lovingly encouraged by the serial killer, and finally the detective who is just so sure that the author is the killer and that if he sticks it out long enough he’ll FINALLY have proof.
Plot twist, The serial killer and detective use to go out so it gets sub what personal.
“You need to stop seeing them. I think they are a serial killer.”
Honestly, my favorite thing at the moment is all the marvel headcanons where Hela wasn’t cray-cray homicidal, and she’s an overprotective bitchy sister.
I hear Athenas war cry in the shouts of protests, fighting a war now closer to home, I see her in the young women with picket signs clenched tightly in their fists
Hera curses the names of the abusers The ones who break families and marriages Her voice heard in the wedding bells of young lovers
Poseidon now resides in a beach home Going out every night to pick of trash left by the day Shooting daggers at the drunk men letting their bottles be swept away
Demeter can be heard cursing the politicians refusing to believe in global warming Names of scientists and studies on the tip of her tongue She is found teaching young children how to grow their food at the community garden
Ares is found on the front lines of a different war, not fighting but protecting the innocent Guiding classrooms of children away from gunfire, His shield protecting the terrified
Apollo can be found at opens mics Reciting his latest works Or walking down the street in docs on his feet and a guitar on his back He knows he’s the coolest
Artemis is seen on the streets Her bow and arrow have long left her Carrying nothing more than a knife and mace She hunts a different kind of monster now
Hephaestus resides in a workshop at all hours of the night Creating custom pieces for the right price and a warm smile The hammer making him feel invincible
Aphrodite’s song is heard in the breathy kisses of teenagers Shes found walking down the street, lips a blood red Punching the men who dare disrespect her
Hermes is seen with a smirk as he walks long well-traveled roads Delivering the messages of those needing to be heard Traveling, telling stories, and wearing out another pair of shoes
Dionysus’s voice heard only over the pounding bass in the bar Keeping watch over young girls drinks Dancing, partying and living as he throws another one back
Hades is seen weeping over the graves of those taken much to soon Looking to his wife for comfort He’s long lost his faith in humanity
Persephone found in the gardens beside her mother in the spring Brushing off girl’s dirty knees and putting flower crowns on their heads She can be seen holding onto hades as he mourns the loss of life
Hecate will be found running metaphysical shops Bringing hope to powerful women wanting more Selling potions, nobody thinks will work And collecting graveyard dirt for a new spell
Zeus is watching over everyone Watches Athena cry Hera curse the men, he being one of them Poseidon’s glares Demeter’s harsh words Ares raising his shield Apollos singing Artemis as she tracks a new beast Watches Hephaestus work Sees Aphrodite punch Hears Hermes words Sees hades weep And Persephone plant and comfort her partner And grins as Hecate keeps magic alive
