Tyrion Is an Expert on Dragons
The scene were Tyrion stepped into the dragons' lair and somehow got out without a single burn anywhere was a huge revelation about a deeper meaning behind his character. Tyrion knows a lot about dragons. In fact, he said that he used to dream about them as a child. He has always been fascinated by them and studied them his entire life, knowing instinctually that dragons don't like to be held captive. "Dragons do not do well in captivity," he said simply, when he was told that the two dragons, Viserion and Rhaegal, weren't eating. He said that when the Targaryens began chaining up the dragons, that's when they started wasting away to the size of cats. Dragons are more intelligent than many men, Tyrion explained, and they shouldn't be chained. But they're smart enough to know friend from foe. That's why he believed (and hoped) that they would accept him when he entered their lair to set them free. (HBO)