A Live-Action Dungeons & Dragons Show Needs This Legendary Creature As Its Final Boss

If a live-action Dungeons & Dragons show gets green-lit, one legendary yet never-before-seen creature from the tabletop needs to act as the final boss. Several projects involving Dungeons & Dragons, including an Honor Among Thieves sequel or a live-action series, have been suggested by audiences ever since Paramount canceled their plans to create adaptations surrounding the system. Though many of these ideas have been fascinating, they do all seem to lean on specific aspects of the tabletop, giving a potential series few unique features from other, similar shows.

Despite there being various Dungeons & Dragons settings and characters a live action show could use, the suggestions seem to stick to the classic monsters from the tabletop that have already been seen in shows like The Legend Of Vox Machina. The tabletop’s world-building, however, has a variety of other creatures that could be showcased, especially as many of them have unconventional designs that other fantasy series have not used. One legendary creature is not only a great example of this, but would also be an amazing final antagonist for a party in a Dungeons & Dragons show: the Tarrasque.

A Dungeons & Dragons Adaptation Should Use The Tarrasque As A BBEG

The Tarrasque’s Abilities Make It A Powerful Foe

A live-action adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons needs to use the Tarrasque as its Big Bad Evil Guy, or BBEG, as it has yet to be featured in any adaptation despite having a great design. The Tarrasque is a powerful creature, with its brutal Legendary Actions, three Legendary Resistances, ability to do five attacks in a turn, and its reflective carapace making it near unbeatable for players. Yet despite being one of Dungeons & Dragons’ best villains, the Tarrasque is not used very often in other mediums that feature aspects of the tabletop, as not many have bested it.

Honor Among Thieves 2 Should Feature This Dungeons & Dragons Monster Again (But Properly This Time)

One classic Dungeons & Dragons monster should be featured again in Honor Among Thieves 2 properly despite its funny debut in the first film.

Even so, a live action Dungeons & Dragons series should utilize it, as its abilities would make for a dynamic fight on screen. The creature’s design is also a strong factor since few others in the lore mirror its dinosaur-like appearance, adding more excitement to its debut. This could help the series draw in new audiences, as those who love kaiju monsters would be thrilled to witness it in action. Using this creature would also put a new twist on a well-established narrative in Dungeons & Dragons, giving it an edge over other possible routes the show could go.

How Using The Tarrasque Would Refresh A Classic Dungeons & Dragons Storyline

Other Stories Have Used Legendary Creatures Like Tiamat And Vecna Already

An image of official D&D Dragonlance art.

By having the Tarrasque be the final boss, the Dungeons & Dragons live-action show’s story can revitalize the classic narrative of the party beating a big creature while keeping the same stakes as other legendary monsters. Many stories in the tabletop have utilized creatures like dragons as a final boss, as they are varied in ability and difficulty. However, since so many stories have used them before, the idea of a party building up to fight a dragon has become somewhat tired.

Finally, using a Tarrasque in a Dungeons & Dragons TV show would let it stand out from other fantasy content, which have relied on draconic creatures for so long, giving the series a chance to expand the genre.

Having them fight a Tarrasque gives those same stakes but with a new twist, as they have to prepare to counter abilities audiences have not really seen. It would also allow the series to have the same level of tension as featuring something like Tiamat or Vecna, since the Tarrasque is on their level power-wise. Finally, using a Tarrasque in a Dungeons & Dragons TV show would let it stand out from other fantasy content, which have relied on draconic creatures for so long, giving the series a chance to expand the genre.

Dungeons & Dragons

The Dungeons & Dragons franchise is a fantasy adventure series based on the iconic tabletop role-playing game. The franchise includes both live-action and animated adaptations, with the most notable being the recent film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), which brought the fantasy world of D&D to a broader audience with its blend of humor, action, and classic D&D elements. The franchise explores themes of heroism, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of adventuring in a magical world filled with dragons, wizards, and mythical creatures.