#justice for snotlout

[blindhummingbird]

My hottest take is Snotlout has a stronger bond with Hookfang than any other rider and their dragon

[wickedcriminal]

HELLO AGAIN I'm glad to see you got my ask (it was important to me that you knew how much I ADORE this au) but now I've just gone back through the tag, I have some questions, if you don't mind! There's a good chance you've answered some of them before but I wanted to ask anyway:

First of all: with both Snotlout's being one character, and in Elder's age group, how does that work with some of the book specific scenes where Snotlout is being cruel to Hiccup during training (as the older ones have already gone through pirate training)?

Also slightly related: are either Adelaide or Gustav in Younger's pirate training programme or is it just the book people we hear about?

Also also slightly related (and you can tell I have a bit of a theme to my questions): what is Adelaide and Snotlout's relationship like? And what is Adelaide like full stop since she's barely mentioned in the books after all, so if you do have anything characterisation wise, that would be quite cool?

AHHH THANK YOU 😭😭 ALSO I LOVE THESE QUESTIONS SO MUCH BECAUSE I GET TO DRAW ADELAIDEEE WHOO

So Snotlout basically did all the book bullying to Elder back when they were both in the Pirate Training Program, (including the sabatoge and attempted parricide,) and he continued to do it through the Dragon Training Program and up until Elder saved everyone from the Red Death. Ever since starting the Dragon Academy, Elder has been receiving much more respect from his peers, and Snotlout has been having to draw back on the bullying to save face. Elder and he still have that chief-heir rivalry, of course, and it becomes a gag that Snotlout casually tries to kill him and Elder rolls his eyes like "oh, you" and then everyone laughs it off. Through RTTE he'll mellow out, and by the time of HTTYD 2, the murder theme will pretty much be gone with Snotlout having begrudgingly become real friends with Elder.

As for Adelaide!! I made a post about her a few years ago, but I decided I wanted to give her a bit of an update since I found a better slot for her in the larger story! (And also because I wanted to redesign her agahagah)

Adelaide is indeed in the Pirate Training Program! She pretty much becomes Younger's book!Snotlout, sans the murderous tendencies. Unlike Snotlout, Adelaide has nothing to gain from killing her Hiccup, but she has seen Snotlout heckle Elder enough times for her to mirror that onto Younger. Taking book!Snotlout's place also gives her all of his book lackies, like Dogsbreath! (Gustav is also a Pirate and one of her lackies, though he's less of a bully to Minicup and Fish and moreso just a mild annoyance 😂)

Adelaide and her friends' usual up-tos around Berk include sailboat racing, hunting rats and fish with their hunting dragons, basheyball, and other mischievous preteen activities (though never quite as destructive as what the Thorston twins get up to.)

Adelaide's relationship with Snotlout is amicable enough, though they probably bicker thrice as much as the Hiccups normally would. Snotlout likes to embarass Adelaide around the other Pirates and it annoys her to no end, but despite this (and she'd never say it to his face) she's often heard praising Snotlout up and down for being the coolest person ever. She likes to taunt Younger about how her cool and awesome big brother is gonna clobber his wimpy crybaby big brother. Even after Elder defeats the Red Death, she still has a habit of talking him down in favor of Snotlout, and continues to do so even through Race to the Edge and HTTYD 2.

She'd get some skull tattoos in RTTE, and her riding dragon would be the Devilish Dervish that Snot had in the books! I also wanted to give her a unique weapon, so she uses a flail mace!

Her role gets bigger from book 9 onward, as she and Snotlout's relationship with each other as well as their differing thoughts about who deserves to be King become extremely relevant.

Let's just say she's got a good throwing arm.

[memoriamp4]

I can't stop thinking about how Astrid says to Hiccup "Figure out which side you're on", and a short while later, after bonding with Toothless, he goes to the cove with the full intent of running away with Toothless. He chose his side and it wasn't Berk or his father, it was Toothless, a dragon that he was taught to fear his entire life. It's really sad to think about the fact that Hiccup had been treated so terribly his whole life that he was going to run away with a dragon that he had known for maybe a month. And it didn't even seem like Hiccup had any difficulty choosing Toothless over Berk/Stoick

[artinandwritin]

Woop woop finished version of the wip i posted yesterday!! They're so silly to me

[spacenintendogs]

for the rqs if ur doing ocs could you draw my creature pepper.. if not that's totally fine!! or snotstrid pretty please

he is so cool!!!

& a dragons off the coast snotstrid scribble 4 u

[squeeb100]

Dreamworks dragons is an objectively goofy show but i prefer its version of literally every dragon rider except hiccup (sometimes) to what the movies manage

Thinking abt it because the third movie did them all so dirty but in particular ruffnut who is my queen and snotlout who deserved better and astrid who deserves to be a bitch and and and

[violet-moonstone]

highlights from "searching for oswald...and chicken"

wow I loved this episode...I feel like I say that every time but I REALLY REALLY enjoyed this one

first of all its a Dagur episode, which automatically makes it great...most of the screenshots I took are of him. Honestly all of his dialogue is very quotable, especially since so many of the jokes they give him are thinly veiled adult humour

also the B plot with chicken was certainly something (and makes me think the writers were thinking about the end of the hidden world while writing it?)

ok so the beginning of the episode was already tugging at my heartstrings. I love seeing Dagur and Heather's sibling relationship, whether hey're arguing or getting along.

Well that's deeply upsetting! and the fact that he said "most of his life" makes me wonder how much of the confidence Dagur displayed as a teenager was a cover for whatever he was dealing with internally.

The part where Dagur hugs Heather and she looks happy but almost surprised was very bittersweet. It seems like she's still getting used to having a family, and affection catches her off guard.

Excuse me while I go cry

Call me deranged but I think Dagur slamming Snotlout against a cage was hot

As always, Hiccup is adorable. Literally looks like a cat

This is funny but also very upsetting! Snotlout and Dagur really make a habit of using humourous line delivery to cope with being deeply unwell:

*clears throat* uh yeah Dagur, I'm sure you do love a good "fruit bath," from time to time if you know what I mean...

Come on, the writers, animators and voice actor HAVE to have known that line came across as suggestive. Like the way he sounds? His facial expression? They may not have intended it to specifically imply he was talking about getting in a sauna with some twinks, but it certainly sounded like something sensual was going on.

Also I didn't get a shot of this but when Dagur starts listing adjectives to describe Heather's reckless behaviour, Hiccup says "Sentinel" while looking at Oswald's journal. Dagur says something like "that's not quite the word I'd use," which makes me think Dagur was going to call her a not so PG word...

Snotlout staring directly at the camera while narrating Tuffnut's emotional breakdown in the style of a pun-loving mystery novelist:

What an asshole (I love him). there's something really funny about Tuff leaning against the tree with a hand on his hip. Poor guy. Astrid and Stormfly were clearly less amused than I was.

Ok let's talk about Hiccup motivating Dagur to open the door to Oswald's shelter. My little Dagcup heart was really soaring here. And look at the lighting!

LOOK AT HIM! LOOK AT HIS FACE!

Oooohh man, Dagur expressing guilt about his past and Hiccup trying to help him through it also really got to me.

Dagur: I was a villain!

Hiccup: No, you were a kid

Me: *crying*

Because yeah, Dagur in Riders of Berk/Defenders of Berk did horrible things, but he was also enabled by all the adults in his life who could have stepped up after Oswald left. I've already written (both in posts and in one of my Dagcup fics) about how being thrown into a dungeon as a kid only made Dagur a worse person (no one in the show talks about the scars on his face that weren't there before...). And There is clearly an opportunity for restorative justice when it comes to characters like Alvin and Eret that wasn't extended to Dagur despite the fact that they had already overpowered him and could have at least given him a choice between punishment and trying to make up for his actions. Anyway...let me not rant about that anymore.

Ok what's next...oh yeah! Astrid doing this:

Hilarious.

Um...ok so...I needed to screenshot this for uh...reasons. It's the um...the composition and the...the lighting and...yeah. All that stuff.

THE DRAWING OSWALD DID OF DAGUR AND HEATHER AS KIDS

oooooohhh my heart!

Look. At. My. Boy. He looks so happy and at peace after reading his father's letter.

Ok so again...the writers making very interesting decisions for Dagur's lines.

Dagur being funny and a little concerning again

I liked the colour scheme for this Gronckle

More Dagur appreciation.

Before the episode where Fishlegs helps Dagur fly Shattermaster, I would have assumed Dagur would make fun of Fishlegs for being a nerd -- but instead he appreciates it. I think their friendship is super adorable, and I wish we got to see more of it.

Fishie! He calls him Fishie! (I ship them a little sometimes tbh) I can see Dagur having a thing for nerds.

hehehe

and uh, let's close off with hiccup being hot and windswept

[jaybird3756]

Httyd Demigod AU headcanons

From a practicing Norse pagan. My experience with the Gods may be different from others' because gods appear differently to different people.

Hiccup: Odin or Njord. Odinn's domain includes knowledge, curiosity, wisdom, and creativity. Hiccup's bravery in being willing to befriend a dragon and then challenge the belief that dragons are monsters reminds me of Odin. In Riders of Berk (When Lightning Strikes), Hiccup gets struck by lightning purposefully to prove that Thor isn't angry with Toothless but that lightning is attracted to metal. That's a pretty hardcore approach to solving problems with science. I also mention Njord because his character is similar to Hiccup. Njord's domain includes fishing, travel, and peaceful seas. Hiccup is a wanderer, and adventurer at heart, a trait which matches both Odin and Njord. Hiccup is also very diplomatic, and his connection to dragons which are used as travel and also a means to provide for people (the way dragons are used for fishing, plowing fields, etc) brings Hiccup very close to the symbolic domain of Njord.

Astrid: Tyr or Skadi. Tyr's domain includes war, justice, and the skies. Astrid is a ferocious warrior who stops at nothing to protect her loved ones and in the later movies she becomes very level-headed and practical, qualities I associate with Tyr. However I think being a child of Skadi is a better fit for her. Skadi's domain is winter but her story also contains aspects of vengeance and strength. Astrid has also had trouble with being quick to anger and eager for revenge (Fright of Passage and A-Team are great examples). Skadi is also the wife of Njord, although Astrid and Hiccup are far more compatible. (Skadi picked Njord for his beautiful feet)

Fishlegs: Eir or Freyr. Eir is a handmaiden of Frigg and her domain is healing; like Frigg, she is one of the common hearth-gods who would have a prominent place of honor in the home. Fishlegs has always seemed more domestic than the others due to his gentle nature and enjoyment of life's little pleasures like his meditation garden. Freyr's domain includes summer, peace and prosperity, sunshine and fair weather, (also Big D I'm not kidding). Fishlegs thrives in times of peace and has a warm demeanor. He also is great at coming through for his friends when he's needed. Freyr is the owner of many magical artifacts, much like Fishlegs and his gadgets and dragon knowlege.

Snotlout: Bragi. I have very strong feelings about this choice, and it's an unusual one. Bragi's domain is art, music, poetry, and eloquence. Snotlout is very performative in everything that he does in a way that feels more like a theater kid than just bragging and bravado. Snotlout is charismatic and very skilled in more than just battle. He's great at stitching (Night of the Hunters), singing (Crash course, Imperfect harmony, Tone Death), acting (last auction heroes), and even writing (family matters). In my experience with Bragi, he is a proud, confident, and boastful poet warrior who is well learned in both swordplay and wordplay. I feel that Snotlout would try to bluff that he's a child of one of the famous warrior gods like Thorr, but his friends would eventually figure out who his real godly parent is.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut: Loki, obviously. Loki's domain is mischief, deception, tricks, playfulness, and quick-wittedness. The twins canonically revere Loki and dedicate their lives to pranks and mischief. There is also a certain amount of deception in their characters, especially with Ruffnut. The twins are both smarter and more eloquent than they seem. They know multiple languages, come up with ideas sometimes even before Hiccup does, and are both skilled infiltrators. It seems they do the things they do for shits and giggles, flying by the seat of their pants, but really they are much more capable than anyone realizes (A View to a Skrill and Twintuition). I feel like they rarely let anyone see how capable they are so that no one expects them to really do anything.

Stoick: Thor or Tyr. Thor's domain is lightning, storms, battle, and farming (I will come back to that last one). Stoick even looks a lot like Thor with his red hair, amazing beard, and large belt. Stoick is quite a fearsome warrior and leader but is also compassionate and protective of his people. Thor's domain being storms is linked to farming because rain gives life to the crops and is a necessary part of growth. Because of that, Thor is also seen as a provider much in the way Stoick is as a chief. Stoick is also very fair and able to change his mindset and admit when he is wrong, as seen after the first movie. I feel like Thor gets a lot of shit in media, often being portrayed as fat, stupid, a giant jerk like Zeus, and cruel. In my personal experience, Thor is much more like Stoick in character. (#StopThorSlander)

Heather: Freyja or Skadi. Freyja's domain includes love, battle, cats, and magic. Freyja is the one who brought seidr to the Aesir, a powerful and mysterious type of magical practice. Freyja is seen as gentler than the other gods, but she has a darker side that modern interpretations tend to forget. Freyja represents female power, but also can be deceptive and secretive. Freyja is a powerful battle goddess who takes half of the souls slain in battle. Heather reminds me of Freyja in the way that you could think she's nothing more than a pretty faced charming woman, but you won't know you're in danger until there's a knife sticking out of your back. I think Skadi also fits Heather for the same reasons as Astrid, except that Heather is even more isolated and cold than Astrid is.

Dagur: Magni and Modi. I've seen others throw around various ideas for Dagur's god parent, but I don't think many people even know of Magni and Modi. They are the sons of Thor and are both battle gods, with Magni representing strength and Modi representing fury. They both resemble Thor and both brothers have red hair. Not a whole lot is known about Magni and Modi, but I know for a fact that they were revered by berserkers (the brothers have a place on my altar along with Odin and some animal totems). If I had to choose just one, I'd say Modi is Dagur's godly parent which would make Magni his uncle and Thor his gramps.

Viggo: Loki. Viggo may not share a lot of qualities with Loki, but he does share the aspect of Loki's silver tongue. Loki is very eloquent, charismatic, and deceptive like Viggo. In my experience, Loki is a god to approach with caution like the fae and is just as tricky. Viggo is very clever, capable of making his enemies do exactly what he wants.

Ryker: Vali or Vidarr. Both Vali and Vidarr are gods of vengeance and happen to be brothers, sons of Odin. I think Vidarr fits Ryker best. Vidarr is silent, much like how Ryker prefers to let Viggo do the talking and have his actions speak for him. Vidarr is nearly as strong as Thor and very reliable in times of trouble.

[fictional-at-heart]

Last Line Tag

SOMEONE, we won’t mention any names because Abby would be embarrassed, forgot to tag me, so I’m doing it MYSELF🤭

Rules: in a new post, show the last line you wrote (or drew) and tag as many people as there are words (or as many as you like).

I have quite a few, so buckle up!!

Untitled Hiccup whump one shot:

“If you don’t improve by tomorrow night, I’m getting Mala,” she said decidedly, hoping he wouldn’t argue. He weakly nodded his head. Whether he was falling asleep or his feverish brain didn’t quite comprehend what she said, she wasn’t sure. But at least he wasn’t disagreeing with her this time.

Journey to the Archipelago:

“Probably been eaten by a dragon,” Eugene muttered goodnaturedly. Piglard stifled a laugh, giving his brother a look that said yeah, probably. Hiccup smiled, then walked back to Astrid, putting his arm on her shoulders. 

Untitled Reid one shot that’s- you guessed it!- WHUMP:

JJ nodded, taking her phone out and walking to the opposite end of the waiting room.

An untitled HTTYD/Musketeers AU:

“Oh, also we told Tuff to charge you for it,” Snotlout called out as they exited the tavern.

“I have GOT to be better about my word choicing,” Damien muttered, sitting back down.

Justice Served:

“Such praise,” d’Artagnan replied. Despite not being able to see him, Francis could tell he was rolling his eyes. “Anyway, I better go before Rochefort sends someone to kick my door down. See you later.”

Aaaand an untitled TJ and Olive one shot:

“Well, good,” she said, shifting her attention back to the magazine. “Because that’s what you’re getting.”

I don’t know who to tag, so writers?? Have at it!!🩷

[sarnai4]

College Days (and career plans)

After seeing a really fun Yona of the Dawn AU fanart with the characters in college, I started thinking about the Dragons crew.

Hiccup: Engineering. He's going to become an inventor and has already done some of that. He'll probably have his own company after graduation that makes just about everything. Need a replacement limb? Phone? Cylindrical item that will lead you to various reptiles and the journey of a lifetime? He's got you covered on all fronts. If it can be built, it will be.

Astrid: Law enforcement. She's eventually going to a police academy (cue the movie of the same name), so she wants to be prepared. She'll become a police captain in the future. It'll be very obvious why crime rates are plummeting in whatever city she's in.

Fishlegs: Zoology. He's always been into science, so he's going to become a zoologist to study animals all over the world. He absolutely loves his work and probably brings a few creatures home to study for a little longer before taking them back to the lab.

Snotlout: Drama. He's planning on becoming an actor. His work as Sir Ulgerthorpe has convinced me that he at least could be good on a stage. Plus, he's a drama queen. Maybe he'll get on the screen one day too. He's also considering if he wants to try out screenwriting and/or directing eventually. If he does become a director, he'll be one of the best and most bossy somehow.

Ruffnut: Digital communication and media/multimedia. She's honestly not here for any reason other than it's where Tuffnut and their friends are. That said, the twins are going to become YouTubers, so she figures she might as well become good at making videos.

Tuffnut: Crafts. He missed how Ruffnut's idea will actually be useful in their future job and thought this sounded fun. His reasoning is that he'll make some cool crafts to show off to their viewers. He's probably right, but there are still a dozen sighs directed his way because of this choice.

Dagur: Undecided. He's gone through business to see if he wanted to be an entrepreneur, then wasn't sure if he should just go to an entrepreneurship degree, had a few in between, and the latest one was psychology to try to understand his mind. At this point, he's hoping he sticks with something long enough to graduate on time with the credits. Can't say he isn't getting a well-rounded education, though. Just don't even get him started on career plans. He figures that he'll teach martial arts to pay for bills until he comes up with an idea he can keep for longer than a month.

Heather: Music. She's going to become a singer and probably be a vocal and guitar teacher later on. She's the only member of the group who we've heard sing and not sound bad (minus Snotlout surprisingly in my opinion. Oi oi oi), so I can see her doing this. She's not planing on being some superstar or anything. Just most likely at some venues and on YouTube, so maybe Ruffnut's new skills can help out.

Mala: Doctor of medicine for surgery. She's in the doctoral program (because I'm convinced she is a nice amount of years older than the others) and going to become a surgeon. This is something she's wanted to do for a while since she enjoys healing people. Meeting the others made her want to do this even more since she's sure at least one of them is going to be in a terrible accident one day and will need a good surgeon. Her bet is on Hiccup, the twins, or Dagur.

Throk: Criminal justice. He's already graduated, but he is receiving specialized training to become a body guard. When he gets free time, he comes around to spend time with the others. He's part of the bet with Mala and bets that Ruffnut will NOT need a surgeon because there's no way he's allowing such harm to come to her.

Atali: Women's studies. She's going to run a women's shelter when she graduates. She is also considering getting a master's.

Minden: Physical education. She's following her bestie and going to teach self-defense to the women Atali helps out.

(bonus)

Gobber: Welding engineering. He loved this in his university days and started up his own company. This is how he got Hiccup into making things too.

Stoick: Political science. He joined the marines when he was younger and became a high-ranking officer before coming back home to care for Hiccup.

Johann: Law. He became a slimy lawyer who always gets the really dangerous criminals off and puts away innocent people.

Viggo: Economics. He wanted to be very shrewd with his spending. He owns a company that seems like it's a tech manufacturing company on the outside but is actually smuggling a bit of everything.

Ryker: Criminology. He did this to understand just what risks the criminals who work for/with him could face. He works for Viggo (because of course he does) and is the VP of the business.

Krogan: Business management. On the outside, it seems like he's got a weapons manufacturing company, but he uses it to work with the Grimborns and hurt people.

[astridhoff03]

Astrid Hofferson/America Ferrera/Nico Parker

I just hope Nico Parker will do justice with her performance as our fiery Viking Queen. Because America Ferrera gave Astrid already with her performance so much depth and personality. Her performance was fantastic and not only because Astrid is a very well written character. Just like Hiccup, she feels so real and so human. Like us she has fears, disbelief and flaws but she’s also full of Love and compassion. She’s a fighter, a hardworker, a protective mother, a graceful Chieftess, a affectionate wife and most importantly she’s herself and that makes her strong.

These are my favorite lines from her:

I am the person I am today, because of you. - the way she said this always made me emotional 🥹

No one is kissing me on the lips, ever! - except Hiccup😂

Sweet baby Thor in a Thunderstorm, GO! - to Snotlout of course

Yeah, it’s only fun if you get a scar out of it. - first dragon training

Yak-Nog! Get your Yak-Nog! Come on get a frothy delicious cup of cheer! - Snoggeltog comes soon guys, so hide when Astrid cooks again🫣

Please. If that happens, I'll kiss Snotlout on the lips. - no, you prefer Hiccup, my girl☺️

[blindhummingbird]

Snotlout is my absolute favorite character in the Httyd franchise. Yeah he’s a devious little brat, but he’s such a cutie pie while doing it. He has his soft moments which are so delicious in contrast with his usual tough-guy act. Plus, in my opinion, Snotlout has got one of the strongest and most entertaining bonds with his dragon. He and Hookfang care so much and so deeply for eachother, yet their arrogant personalities can still clash and make for some of the funniest bits in any of the shows.

I literally smile every time he comes on screen and makes a dumb little bloodthirsty grin, so it breaks my heart that all his well-deserved character development was kinda thrown away in hidden world. Plus, and this is a petty thing, but SNOTLOUT TOTALLY DESERVED TO END UP WITH SOMEONE, Ruffnut, Minden, Eret, somebody. Or, at the very least, Hookfang comes back and they’re besties again forever.

Please he doesn’t deserve to die alone while a one-legged talking fishbone bags a baddie 😭

[wickedcriminal]

hey so I know you're probably swamped and I'm sorry for sending in a second ask like this but I have to know

in the half-brothers au, Snotlout lives, right? (p.s. I have a couple vague fic ideas floating around in my head for this au, if I ever get around to writing them would it be alright if I posted them? I don't know the shows well enough to do them justice but I think it could be fun.)

Thanks!

With the added tragedy that HBAU Snotlout's betrayal in book 11 would have been a triple cross, (tricking Alvin into thinking he's betraying the Hiccups, and then turning around and betraying Alvin) it just twists the knife that much more I think <33

Still, it's entirely possible Hookfang saved him at the last moment!! I'm not holding my breath (ha) though 😔

As for posting fic!! Feel so so free!! I would absolutely love to see it omg!!! Same goes for fanart!! Please please tag me in it so I can see!! <333

[rosiethedragongeek]

everyone say thank you to zack pearlman and andree vermeulen for doing snotlout and ruff the justice they deserve

[nabhx]

Snotlout and Hookfang have been my favourite dragon-rider duo since like, Race to Fireworm Island? The hold that episode had on me when I was younger istg- Top tier dynamic. They're so very silly. Movies did not do them justice.

And the entirety of Ruff Transition has my whole heart?? Wingnut, my LOVE- He's just a little guy!! Baby!! Literally!!

[reviewinghiccup]

RIDERS OF BERK | HTTYD SERIES | HICCUP X ASTRID

Blog Post Series : HICCUP X ASTRID

Title : HEATHER REPORT I & II

Ep/Season : Episode 10 & 11, Season 1 (Riders of Berk)

Premise :

A young girl washes up on the shores of Berk. But is she, who she says she is, or is she someone else completely?

PERSONAL TAKE:

I have to admit, that when I first watched this episode, like the very first time, I did not like it. On a whole, I just didn’t like the addition of Heather into the group. And I didn’t notice the nuanced approach it was going for. That this episode was actually more on Astrid.

The movies don’t go into detail about anyone else’s character apart from Hiccup and Toothless. So, it’ll be a waste if you’re a fan of the franchise and not have any opportunity to enjoy the personalities of the other characters. Hence, why ROB will be a treat for you.

You see, these 2 episodes dive into (1) Hicstrid’s first conflict, (2) Astrid having to prove herself; (3) Hiccup learning the lesson, trust Astrid.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT :

HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK III & ASTRID HOFFERSON

(1) HICSTRID’S FIRST CONFLICT

Hiccup is all too trusting. On the other hand, Astrid is all too suspicious. Her intuition and ability to read motives make her a pivotal member of the groups decision making process and is indicative of the kind of soldier she is.

They need to balance each other out. While Heather was in fact, a “spy”, she was also someone in grave danger. So, Hiccup wasn’t all too wrong about Heather, but he should’ve also listened to Astrid and maybe get to know Heather a bit more before trusting her with all their dragon secrets.

(2) ASTRID’S LEAD

Astrid called it. We know she will be proven right towards the end of Episode 10. And we can only see Hiccup feeling horrible for what happened.

Note: Can we also take a minute to appreciate the shark rug, which serves like a sleeping bag? The creativity in this show is endless.

But it was also a season for Astrid to trust her dragon. In spite of her suspicions, Stormfly allowed Heather to ride her. We know the dragons are smarter than that, and bribery wouldn’t work w them, especially since Deadly Nadders are fiercely loyal. So, if Stormfly knew Heather was going to hurt Astrid, her senses would’ve pinned Heather as an enemy.

I loved Astrid’s plan to dress up as Heather to retrieve the Book of Dragons. Tenacious thy name is Astrid. She is courageous and creative in battle strategy and mind-games. She very cleverly talked her way into an audience with Alvin, was quick-thinking and intelligent, remembering what she learned from Snotlout to deal w the wild monstrous nightmare.

Also, another thing Astrid learned was, that there was more than meets the eye. There was a reason to Heather’s betrayal.

Astrid bravely change the mission in hopes to save Heather’s parents despite what Heather did to her. Astrid is compassionate as well. She isn’t ruthless. She knows what’s right and what’s wrong. Her innate sense of justice is strong, making her a hero.

This is the kind of feminist stance I love to see. Being a feminist is more than life independent on men, but on core characteristics that make her human. The flaws to accentuate the lesson and the strengths to carry through resolve.

(3) HICCUP’S LESSON

Have you ever seen Hiccup so angry? OK, yes we have, but honestly, this made me love the episode. Hiccup getting angry. I feel like, this was where Hiccup’s respect for Astrid took on a whole new meaning.

Especially that scene when Heather and the Book of Dragons were falling from the sky, and when Snotlout claimed that he was “going after the girl,” Hiccup very determinately said that “I’m going after the book!” As if to mean, whatever the case may be, I’m so done w this girl.

Personally, I don’t think Hiccup ever waivered in his feelings for Astrid. I don’t think he was ever romantically interested w Heather, just intrigued. Also, he found someone to geek out about dragons w, that’s like Hiccup nib, if we’re being honest. And we know, that with Astrid, his chance to geek out has limits. That’s probably why in RTTE, he nerds out w Fishlegs and not Astrid.

You can see that he was much gentler w Astrid in Episode 11. And the little smirk and gentle look he gave to Astrid before she left on the mission felt like a longing to say something more than he could. We know that Hiccup will always be there for Astrid and Hiccup has learned the valuable lesson to trust Astrid.

GROWTH FOR THE TEAM

These two episodes would lead up to the riders first mission. They had to work as a team to defeat Alvin and retrieve the Book. Even to work together to protect or save Astrid.

They worked on a plan and practiced it. E.G. the fiery spikes formed by a combination of Hookfang’s fire and Stormfly’s spikes.

Their first mission was successful, messy, but successful. And Heather is the first civilian they saved.

VERY O.K. WITH THAT