#i can't enjoy wickedcriminal's half-brother's AU due to all the books I have yet to read but can i slowly form my own

[howtodrawyourdragon]

This is another difference between Hiccup and Horrendous, I believe.

Here in the book, Horrendous (aged 10 still) believes the warning at the front and that's why he doesn't want the coffin to be opened. He believes in the curse to the point of panicking when his father opens a supposedly cursed coffin.

In the movies and shows, Hiccup is a firm sceptic. He's familiar with their rituals and their deities, but doesn't seem to believe in them. Certainly not as much as, say, Fishlegs who was ready to blame disappearing islands on the wrath of Odinn or Thor. Astrid, too, seems to believe when she recalls the tale of her aunt who had to sail off the edge of the world to satisfy Odinn or something.

The only moment we've seen Hiccup believe in any way is when he and his friends made that tribute for Thorr, hoping it would stop the thunderstorms above Berk, thereby keeping scrutiny off Toothless' back.

Even when bones rain down from the sky, he calls it "weird" and still doesn't believe in this Fog Monster that supposedly took Johann's boat in the Breakneck Bog episode in Riders of Berk. He needs hard proof before he believes in anything supernatural or paranormal. (That or Toothless needs to be at risk)

Even so, I still don't think he would've just opened a coffin. Not because he actually believes in curses, but rather out of respect for the person inside.

Maybe it's the difference in age- one is 10, the other 15- maybe it's because the books do hint at magic and the mystic being real. (Apparently, Httyd and TWOO take place in the same universe?) Either way, an interesting difference between the two, for sure.