analyticaldragons

[analyticaldragons]

Like, I love How to Train Your Dragon 2 and 3, but there really is something about the first film that neither of its sequels quite captures.

[analyticaldragons]

Just had a revelation about httyd while working on a fanfic, this probably doesn't make much sense but I figured I'd share anyway.

So, Gobber tells Hiccup "a dragon always goes for the kill" and then Hiccup says "so why didn't you?" to Toothless, because Toothless didn't kill Hiccup, even when he had the chance. And obviously this line is all about Toothless and Hiccup coming to realize that dragons aren't like he's been taught by everyone.

But it's ALSO about Hiccup and Toothless realizing Hiccup isn't like the rest of the Vikings. Because the Vikings also always go for the kill - they always kill dragons. But Hiccup didn't kill Toothless.

So it's this lovely parallel between the two of them that gives those lines even MORE depth!

[analyticaldragons]

Hot take

Night furies are actually perfectly evolved for hunting and killing other dragons and the only reason they aren't a dragon-hunting species like the death song or deathgrippers are is because DreamWorks couldn't have their adorable main character dragon be a "cannibal"

(below I'm gonna try to summarize what we've figured out in a convo with friends on discord)

(also tw animal death via predator)

First of all yes I'm aware that pretty much every decision made about their design was with consideration of the effect it would make on human audiences but hear me out

Night furies are most iconically known as dive-bombers. They are built for speed, high maneuverability, night-time camouflage and for striking targets from above. If we remove human settlements out of the equation (which would not have existed long enough to actually influence night fury evolution, come on), what does that leave us with?

They aren't built for catching fish for sure, they aren't very hydrodynamic and their head is round, wide, and their teeth are dull. Honestly, the monstrous nightmare is much better suited for catching fish, with its long neck, almost pelican-like jaw and rhamphorhynchus teeth

Compare to

Yeah the jaws look kinda like a porpoise of some sort but for that the whole body would have to be a lot more aquatic imo. The light fury looks a lot closer to an aquatic diver, it has a sleeker body, rounded fins instead of spikes, and a long neck.

I don't really see them hunting land animals either, they just don't look like they're adapted for that minus the resemblance with large felines and even then, they're too large to effectively hunt in forests.

The one thing I can kinda imagine them hunting is large mainland megafauna, but we're working with a setting that takes place pretty much exclusively on islands. And overall, dragons are the only abundant species there with the exception of fish and human-bred sheep and chickens.

In general, night furies have duller teeth, smaller claws and are smaller than most dragons. Disregarding the movies making Toothless weirdly OP, a night fury would be disadvantaged against most dragons in a 1v1 fight and besides, it has four huge weak spots that would highly discourage it from a direct physical fight - the primary and secondary tail fins. One unlucky rip in the membrane and the night fury is fucked.

The night fury however noticeably resembles falcons, given their dive-bombing ability and high maneuverability.

Falcons too have smaller beaks and weaker claws compared to most birds of prey, and for that they compensate by simply picking up speed, balling up their talons and Punching. Really. Hard.

And they use that ability to kill other birds, even much larger ones, by knocking them right from the sky.

Here, the night fury's plasma blast works the same way as a falcon's punch. Dragons are fire-resistant, so what the plasma blast does is really just a densely packed bolt of energy that has the effect of either stunning or outright killing prey by damaging its spine. And what the plasma bolt doesn't do, rapid contact with the ground would finish. And if even that doesn't do it, the night fury's wide jaws and dull teeth are just fine for simply clamping around the unlucky dragon's neck and strangling it, like a lion or a pitbull.

The night-time camouflage allows the night fury to soar for extended periods of time perfectly unnoticed in the night sky, and by the time it strikes, the dragon wouldn't even know what's coming.

Unless

Say the hunting night fury is aware of other dragons sleeping under the trees, as most dragons probably would at night (village raids aside, most dragons seem to be diurnal), so how does the night fury get them in position where it can use its signature attack? Well, there's That Iconic Screech Of Death. Since in the movies it tends to appear not just during dive-bombings but also when charging up a blast, I imagine it's something the night fury is able to control to some degree. So by simply fake-diving in close proximity to sleeping dragons, it can effectively terrify them into leaving their hideout and fly out into the open where it can easily take them out.

I dunno, the possibility of night furies as predators to other dragons just makes so much sense to me, I really don't know what other reasons there would be for them to evolve these particular adaptations.

And one more little headcanon to add to this whole rant - since night furies are significantly smaller and less equipped for dragon vs dragon fights and are primarily speed-based predators, I imagine there is this very likely scenario:

There is one dragon who resembles a hyena, a lil bit

Ok, rant over

[analyticaldragons]

 Hiccup realizing he must save Toothless

[analyticaldragons]

I think it's really interesting that the whole first movie Stoick is defining what Hiccup 'isn't', and the movie kinda revolves around Hiccup figuring out what he 'is'

Like Stoick is always saying 'you're many things Hiccup, a dragon killer is not one of them', 'i knew who I was, what I had to become, Hiccup is not that boy', 'you're not my son', etc etc, he defines Hiccup by what he isn't until Hiccup shows him what he is

[analyticaldragons]

You ever think about how Valka in HTTYD2 is basically what Hiccup would've become had Astrid not stopped him from running away?

Valka didn't return to Berk because she didn't believe people could change. She believed the people of Berk would always hate dragons, and that trying to persuade them otherwise would be futile.

Hiccup probably would've thought the same thing as his mother, had he not been able to bring Astrid around to his side. Astrid, the most devoted among her peers to her training to one day protect Berk by fighting the dragon menace, was able to change her mind about dragons. If Hiccup could change her mind, he could change his whole village's mind.

Valka never got a chance to change someone's mind about dragons, so she never got a chance to change her mind about people (that is, not until she saw what Hiccup had accomplished).

[analyticaldragons]

Well what I have to say about dragons, is that they are kind amazing creatures that can bring people together, and the reason for all of us live. I wait for the time that the dragons can return with peace for us, I personally, would be the happiest person in the world! Well, I think is that what I have to say about dragons ( I would write a lot if I say everything about dragons XD) have a glorious day!!!

:D

[analyticaldragons]

only now am i like consciously noticing the absolute *genius* writing that is krogan and his singetail vs viggo and his skrill

how didn’t i notice this earlier?? the dragons hate each other as much as viggo and krogan hate each other. they’re perfect pals.

[analyticaldragons]

Having a httyd marathon rn (movie and tv show) and I never used to like Astrid's whole aggressive and man-handling behaviour in the first movie. But I just realized that, unlike the rest of the gang, she needs to pass the exam and to have the right to kill a dragon. Because in 'Fright of Passage' she revealed that her family name is literal shambles, nobody respects it after her uncle's confrontation with the Flightmare.

So, in the first movie, Astrid is literally fighting to bring back respect to her family name. Being the only child, she probably thinks the responsibility is all on her and so she pushes herself harder than anyone else. Not that it excuses her being a bit of a bitch, but the over-achieving attitude in her dragon training exams makes a lot more sense.

[analyticaldragons]

listened to the how to train your dragon soundtrack and ended up writing a short essay on how to train your dragon's themes of disability and the importance of supporting disability rights. oops.

[analyticaldragons]

i'll never be over the fact that how to train your dragon (2010) took the popular trope of the "misfit kid who's bullied and made into an outcast by their peers" and instead of having them change to conform to the expectations of them, it showed how hiccup's compassion for all, especially the fellow misunderstood and outcast, and his decision to learn about the dragons and work with them in order to meet their needs and respect them in order to better understand them, was his greatest strength and something everyone else needed to learn from in order to build a better society. i can't express how powerful that message is for disabled/neurodivergent people, lgbt people, people who grew up or still live in abusive households - anyone who's been hurt and treated unfairly by the community that's supposed to love and protect them, that they never did anything wrong by existing and that it's the community's responsibility to learn to do better by them.

[analyticaldragons]

I'd just like to sat that I used your blog as a research source in my paper about experts <3

Neat!

[analyticaldragons]

rewatching a movie or tv show after deeply analyzing the music is so fucking fantastic

i'm watching how to train your dragon right now and the parallels between the piece that plays between hiccup and toothless bonding and then the piece that plays when toothless saves hiccup from the other dragon during his final exam?

that shit is fantastic.

[analyticaldragons]

“film majors” mad at me for calling how to train your dragon the pinnacle of cinema how does it feel to know i’m better at your degree than you

[analyticaldragons]

“film majors” mad at me for calling how to train your dragon the pinnacle of cinema how does it feel to know i’m better at your degree than you

[analyticaldragons]

How to Train Your Dragon: A Paradox Title

A title can have a massive or little effect on it's potential audience.  If any at all. None the less in this day and age where said audiences will dissect just about anything from the entertainment industry down to it's very core.  Whether or not it should be done is a discussion for another day.  How to Train Your Dragon was no exception to the rule.  Though not necerssarily for positive reasons.  Goodness knows how we in the fandom have heard the jokes one too many times.  If some state the title was just begging to be laughed at. (The most direct one I have come across was why didn't they just go for the alternative-"Training dragons for Dummies reference) As if a roast was just waiting in the wings. Clearly Cressida Cowell, Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders should have known what they were walking into right?  Or was it an intricate puzzle of themes they hoped their audience would be willing to examine beyond surface level?   Perhaps all of those naysayers and their so called "dissecting" underestimated the creators behind this franchise.   For in truth HTTYD covers some very heavy material. 

How to Train Your Dragon has many examples in dark/heavy themes to explore on it's paradoxical title. Arugably though the famous "Forbidden Friendship" sequence is the most significant.   Hiccup had been observing Toothless from a distance and drawing key features about this unique if not notorious dragon's physicality.   Then returning home to compare and contrast what the book of dragons has to say about night furies.  Even a casual veiwer will remember the potent line "The unholy offspring of lightning and death itself."   After his daily dragon training lesson. He sneaks off back into the forest to resume his observations of this intriguing dangerous animal. This day however will be marked on the calendar as revolutionary.   This won't be the usual observe from a distance.   It's time to get up close and personal.  Bringing a fish to help improve the odds of having a more positive experience.   Hiccup searches the cove for this elusive creature.  Coming off a rock ledge the dragon approaches with weary.   Things go as well as one can hope.  Despite a half regurgitated fish carcass moment.   As two different speices smile at one another.   Hiccup does something that he believes to be a form of extending a positive interaction. He reaches his hand out to touch the dragon.  

Only a tiny hitch in his plans.   The dragon has no desire to be touched!  And this is where HTTYD gets deep. Even with bits of humor playing off in the scene.  It in fact holds a dark undertone.   As Hiccup continues to scooch closer to him as Toothless makes more attempts to get further away.  Hiccup initially does not see the issue of him sitting close by and sneaking his hand in to touch him briefly. When Toothless curls into a ball at the far side of the cove in hopes of getting some rest. Hiccup appears once again at his side.  Toothless is aggrivated but tolerates Hiccup's proximity.  Putting his tail fin over his face. He tries to ignore this human. However Hiccup nearly crosses the line. As he sccots in to gently touch the tail.  Toothless whips his tail faster then Hiccup can blink and sending him to walk away at a quick pace.   The facial expression of Toothless and his rigid body language don't leave any room for arguement. If Hiccup puts his hand any closer there will be consquences!   The tension in this fraction of second moment is worthy of any suspenseful thriller. This could be a harrowing moment if he doesn't act quickly and make the right choice. Hiccup finally grasps the serverity of the situation.   Realizing his attempts to touch the dragon are no longer an option if he wants to continue observing him in a  peaceful atmosphere. He finally gives the dragon full fledge space. He doesn't leave the territory but understands that the dragon needs to be the one to seek out interaction. Especially a physical one. 

After what is presumed to be several hours as displayed by a setting of dusk with the colors in the sky. Toothless wakes up from his nap.   Hanging on a tree branch well of out range where he can not be touched in any manner by this nosy human.  The tables turn on who runs the narrative in this sequence. The point of vew switches over to Toothless.  Never breaking a fourth wall to the audience by suddenly being able to talk.  The scene now revolves around the dragon to keep his perspective at the center of attention.   Approaching Hiccup to see what this strange creature is up to.  He observes him now.  Garning courage to get close. He comes up behind him. (Not next to him) This scrawny two-legged creature creating lines in the sand with a stick fascinate Toothless. He's never encountered this before.  He wants to try. As he tries to replicate this alien behavior (afterall drawing is not how dragons spend their leisure time) only on a larger scale.  After the adorable interlude of Hiccup learning not to step on the lines this dragon has done as he unknowingly is being made to follow a path right up to him.  

We of this fandom know this scene by heart now.  The narrative now switches to Hiccup as the focal point in which he attempts to reach his hand out only for Toothless to growl at him.  He takes a deep breath then looks away while closing his eyes. His hand continuing to extend out in the air.   Until it stops. Vulnerable as the dragons' breath is on his skin.  Then it happens. They touch. He looks on in shock as he sees the dragon with his nose on his hand with his eyes closed.  

Only here is the catch about this scene. It's an illusion that Hiccup takes back the center narrative. Despite all appearences. It's not Hiccup who is the one who is truly vulnerable.  It is Toothless.   His hesitation to be willing to break the barrier is the key to everything.  It has defined the franchise.  And at it's core.  The themes don't have anything to do with training.  It's abour consent.   Of course it is about trust as well.  But long before the audience ever gets to that stage between these two characters.  The stepping stones to reach that pivital moment all began with this scene. Anchored around consent.   Hiccup assumed early on in this scene touching Toothless was not even considered for questioning. His inadvertent arrogant assumption that's it's perfectly okay to touch was nearly met with violence.  Only from Toothless's point of view. It is self-defense. A basic right to protect himself as he never gave permission to be touched.   

In a world where many societies have created the unspoken rule where certain people can have the right as well of privilege of touching (no matter how harmless) at will. This is a story that reminds us that it is a universal right across every specturm to have the consent of another before touching.   Nature included!   To do so on your own accord under the assupmtion it's okay because you see no problem with it is to burn the bridge of trust well before crossing it.   The creators of HTTYD may have chosen the word "train" in their title but it's not what truly occurs in these stories.    And they wanted their audiences to see who was actually paying attention and who made the wrong assumption.   

[analyticaldragons]

Wow but look at this though. We already know that Toothless is very protective over Hiccup and that he’s easily worried/upset when his human wants to fly on his own but look how careful he is. Watching Hicc’s movement and waiting for him to do something so he can follow his lead. (even with that “I swear this is the last time” face) It amuses me to know that Toothless is only trying to make his best friend happy, even if it means taking risks. After all, he’ll always be watching his back and catching him if he falls. “We can do this, you and me, as one.”