Plot synopsis[edit]
The game begins inside a temple, where a large red dragon named Ignitus is watching over an egg; it is the "Year of the Dragon", a time every twelve years when new dragon eggs are brought to the realm. A dragons' prophecy tells that every ten generations, a rare purple dragon will be born, who will direct the fate of that era. Ignitus is looking after such an egg.
The dragons are, however, at war with an enemy known as the "Dark Master" who also knows of the prophecy, and lays siege to the temple, intent on destroying the brood of eggs. Ignitus escapes with the purple dragon's egg, leaving it to drift downriver into a swamp, hoping for the best. The egg is discovered by a family of dragonflies, and upon hatching, Spyro is adopted into the family and raised as one of their own, alongside Sparx, a young dragonfly born the same day.
One day, after coming under attack by strange foes and discovering that he can breathe fire, Spyro is told that he is not a dragonfly himself, but a stranger from a distant land. Spyro decides to leave the swamp in search of his true home, and Sparx, though reluctant at first, decides to follow along. Spyro is pursued by hostile forces, but eventually comes into contact with a distraught Ignitus, who, although pleased that Spyro is alive, fears that with the Dragon Temple under occupation by their enemy, led by a dragon named Cynder, their war is already lost.
Spyro convinces Ignitus to lead him to the Temple, and is able to drive Cynder's forces out, after which Ignitus tells Spyro more about their war against the dark armies, offers Spyro some training in the art of the fire element, and then sends Spyro off to rescue three other dragons from Cynder's forces. One by one, Spyro clashes with Cynder's armies, rescues the three other dragons, and acquires new skills and training along the way. It is learned that Cynder has been draining the dragons' powers into crystals, and also that Cynder herself is merely a pawn serving the Dark Master. It is also revealed that Cynder was originally born from the same brood of eggs as Spyro, though they are not siblings.
Cynder, attacks Spyro shortly after he rescues the final Dragon Guardian, Terrador, and Ignitus intervenes to fight Cynder but is captured. It is revealed that it was the four dragons who originally sealed away the Dark Master, and that Cynder is using the dragons' drained powers to weaken the seal. Ignitus' power is the final key in unsealing the Dark Master, so Spyro is sent on a final, direct assault against Cynder's fortress.
Spyro attempts to fight Cynder, but Cynder succeeds in draining Ignitus' power of fire into a crystal, and escapes to the sealed realm of the Dark Master. Ignitus fears that it is too late to stop her, but Spyro pursues Cynder and forces a showdown, eventually using all of his power in a final attack which defeats her, purging her of the Dark Master's influence and returning her to her true form, a young dragon the same size as Spyro. The realm begins to collapse in on itself and Sparx insists on making a quick exit, but Spyro declares he will not leave Cynder behind with the Dark Master. Spyro is able to grab Cynder and barely escape safely.
Though victorious, the battle cost Spyro much of his own strength and powers, and both Spyro and Cynder suspect that the Dark Master is still alive somewhere; the war is still not over.