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If I remember correctly, the book does not say anything about why Saphira as an egg chose Eragon as her Rider. Or did I miss out something? Can anyone help me understand why Saphira chose Eragon?

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    Erm, I would edit it myself but I'm unfamiliar with Inheritance Cycle: Did you mean "If I remember correctly..." or "If I don't remember incorrectly..."? It is... unusual to assume that a question only arises if you remember incorrectly.
    – Einer
    Jul 23, 2014 at 12:09
  • Oh thanks for the reminder, I will edit it!
    – Kim Minseo
    Jul 23, 2014 at 12:47
  • @Einer - both of those actually mean the same thing.
    – The Fallen
    Jul 24, 2014 at 0:20
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    @SSumner The both I proposed, you mean? Yes they do. But the one in the op meant the opposite. All I wanted to say is: Wouldn't you want to change it to A or !!A instead of !A (A being bool).
    – Einer
    Jul 24, 2014 at 17:04
  • @Einer - ah, okay. I understand what you were saying now. Good call
    – The Fallen
    Jul 24, 2014 at 23:53

2 Answers 2

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Saphira chose Eragon because eggs choose Riders that they feel will suit them the best. That is why Galbatorix (when his dragon Shruikan was killed) had to link another dragon to him by black magic. Dragons pick one person and a person can only be picked once.

From here:

The Riders then cast a spell on the egg, causing it to hatch only when the dragon inside chose a human or elf who had touched it that they deemed worthy of becoming partner of their heart and mind. If the dragon accepted the person as his or her Rider, the egg would then hatch. Afterward, the person who first made contact with the dragon hatchling (ideally, the one the baby dragon chose as his/her Rider) would be connected to the dragon forever, linked in both the mind and the body. The person had no choice; the dragon and human were connected until the death of one in the partnership.

This special connection was symbolized in two ways: through telepathy and a Gedwëy Ignasia, a shiny silver mark on the palm of the Rider where the magic originates from.

From here:

After the dragon Saphira hatched for him, Eragon became the first Dragon Rider to be born in a hundred years and was subsequently trained by Brom and later Oromis.

From the fact that Galbatorix had to search everywhere for a dragon rider means that riders have to be picked by the dragon, but it would seem random to humans as they don't see that the dragon is thinking and judging.

or

My theory: maybe they have to have a parent or a relative that was a Rider. I believe in the first canon theory, but genetics may play a part.

Galbatorix tried desperately to find a Rider for whom the eggs would hatch but was unsuccessful. None of the dragons responded to the touch of anyone in the Empire.

Yet another theory:

You could say that he was chosen due to this person being his namesake. And that it was influenced that he would be named Eragon after the first Eragon who did a similar task and lived a similar life. But then someone could also that that does not count as that would have been influenced by someone else and not Saphira, possibly Angela.

I think that all these theories mixed into one are the reasons why Saphira chose Eragon.

Summary:

1. The dragon chooses.

2. Genetics.

3. Destiny.

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  • So those who has a relative who is a Dragon Rider will have a higher chance of being a Rider himself/herself? Just like Murtagh?
    – Kim Minseo
    Jul 23, 2014 at 13:21
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    @KimMinseo yes that is my theory most of the people that are dragon riders have a relative that is also a dragon rider. Eragon, Murtagh. Arya and galbortrix might have. I don't have my books out, though.
    – Pobrecita
    Jul 23, 2014 at 13:23
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    I think that is true, but it seems to me to be a correlation/causation thing. I dont think they are chosen because they have relatives that are riders, I think they have rider relatives because they have similar characteristics and dragons picked both because of those characteristics.
    – The Fallen
    Jul 23, 2014 at 13:52
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    @SSumer it was just a theory I included it into the answer because I thought about it and it appeared to make sense. I tried to make it clear that I had no real proof to back it up and I also tried to have a canon answer as well. I thought a better answer would be logical theories and canon answer.
    – Pobrecita
    Jul 23, 2014 at 13:56
  • There is also a section in the first book telling that the Varden are killing all candidates for dragon riders, that's why it's so hard for Garbatorix to find one.
    – Sulthan
    Jul 23, 2014 at 14:48
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Saphira chose Eragon because of his heart. Dragons will wait millions of years to find someone they want to hatch for. When people touch a dragon egg, the dragon looks mainly into the person's heart, so Saphira chose Eragon because he has a good heart.

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  • It's a nice idea, but do you have any quotes from the book or the author to back this up?
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Sep 11, 2015 at 10:40
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    @Randal'Thor - Just completed watching the movie again. Saphira says exactly this ("good heart") when he asks her why she picked him. Not sure about the book though.
    – iMerchant
    Aug 16, 2017 at 8:52
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    @iMerchant Movie? What movie? There was no Eragon movie.
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Aug 16, 2017 at 11:10

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