#inke rambles about httyd

[wickjump]

I’m giving you a free card to rant about any character if you want to

I just like listening to people rant about characters or things they enjoy tbh, I find it interesting what they have to say

ok.. not a character but a ship because right now i have really bad brainrot for crepic, ive already done an essay long ramble about cross, and my essay long ramble about epic is in the works, so let’s go!!!!!!!!!

okay i genuinely really love them. more than most ships. hell i love their dynamic regardless of what it is—romantic, platonic, whatever. they’re something i genuinely care about a lot!!!!! they mean da world 2 me… do not be mean to them around me!!

(this is going off of cross’ canon and not epic’s, since they don’t overlap! epic is canon to cross, cross is not canon to epic. kind of an ink and dream situation)

i love the fact they’re so close. they’re besties. best buds. best friends. besties. a lot of characters have the ‘dating close’ but not ‘friends close’ aspect in their ships/dynamics (ie cream) but not crepic! they have both!!! they’re not friends to lovers they’re best friends and lovers. and it’s unique to them in a way, you can’t name two characters who are canonically best buds like they are. and it’s GREAT. they play video games and eat cookies and make no homo jokes three years into their relationship. and i really love that for them. the idea of a romantic relationship following this just feels that much more natural compared to other characters. oh god im tired soryr anyway

i also love the angst. ive been thinking about this for ages. cross doesn’t remember epic. epic remembers cross. it hurts especially if you like to think they were also dating prior to this. imagine waiting years to see your lover again only for them to just.. not remember you. at all. and obviously you don’t tell them you were dating because then there would be that weird “so should i date you again? is that what im supposed to do now?” pressure that you don’t want, you’ll bring it up later on when you’re more comfortable with each other again, but lo and behold he likes you again and you can’t help but tear up even though you’re not a genuinely emotive person because it’s so similar to how it was the first time and you missed this.

epic has reflexes. sometimes he itches to give cross a quick peck on the cheek because he’s used to that but they’re not dating obviously so he can’t. when they start dating again though he absolutely capitalizes on it. sometimes he wants to call cross a generally romantic nickname but doesn’t. bruh is fine anyway. he used it all the time back then too. no need for other names anymore.

sometimes cross acts like he used to and epic feels a pang of sadness and nostalgia. there’s something so sad about memory loss. it’s like you lost a lover but they’re still there. they just don’t remember you. you’re stuck alone with the memories that you both once shared. and it’s kind of miserable. they’re so “sometimes i wonder if she sees me through your eyes. what would she think of me now?” “well. i think you’re pretty great.” pls understand

i like to headcanon that cross didn’t age as much as epic either due to the nature of his au and xgaster and the overwrites. so cross looks exactly the same as the day epic lost him (httyd,,,, save me) and beh they’re cute. so cutie actually. cutie pies!!!!

they r so affectionate physically cause i said so. they cuddle on the couch and play video games but if anyone asks epic says no homo and cross nods even though his face is literally buried in epic’s neck. yeah uh huh. so straight of you guys. yep. cross gets embarrassed in public about it becasue that’s literally canon he’s so stupid I hate him so much I hope he dies /affectionate. in private though cross is all over that shit. daddy issues amiright

they’re so stupid too. people don’t know if they’re dating or friends because they’re just like that. cross, normally the most uptight pissy prick out there, seems to only unwind when epic’s around and he drags cross to do something fun or stupid (often both). cross just seems happiest. and epic, normally full of “yeah lmao i am so unbothered and chill and not harboring dark secrets and withering sanity as well as living off of 0 sleep total”, seems the most relaxed around cross. i like that.

also their dads hate each other and it’s hilarious. they also probably hate each others dads too given how they each abused them like what!!! stop abusing ur kids guys…! but xgaster and epic!gaster would be in-laws and that’s super funny to me. imagine hearing that. the son of the guy you hate most married your son (who you also beat as a kid). wtf

i love the idea that epic, after ages, opened up to past cross about his issues and now all that is gone. the comfort and understanding is gone. and epic misses it but he doesn’t know if he can open up like that again. god

they’re so bittersweet. but they’re also soulmates 2 me. cross found epic again in another life,, how great is that. memory loss cannot keep them apart!!!!! they are so close. in a do not separate box. they’re like color and killer or error and ink to me. in a little ‘these guys MUST be kept together’ kennel. bonded pairs.

hfhrhfjhhh. they love each other a lot but they’re really unserious about it. everyone is done with how obnoxious they get when they’re with each other. epic puts up with cross’ temper tantrums (love you but you got issues cross) and cross is the only one that seems to find the rubber chicken jokes funny a millionth time in a row even though by now they’re to everyone’s chagrin.

they’re so cool. and lovely. i think they should be boyfriends forever and ever and never die so they can always be in love. they mean a lot to me they’re like if me and my childhood bestie worked out

I LOVE CREPIC!!!! Thank u for the ask i used this as an excuse to rant about them. needed to get this out of my system. this isn’t even all I could talk about in terms of them it’s just. so long already

OK BAIII!!!

[inke-ri]

SOD Hidden World Playthrough - Quest 1

Alright!! Finally getting this party started.

It really is kind of weird how the game's intro leads straight into the Hidden World storyline when you should definitely play the other entries first. Anyway, I like Astrid being all concerned and blaming herself, sounds like a more mature way of being, well, Astrid.

(Also, I wont comment on Stormheart just yet, but she is another SoD original and- could this be? A female antagonist? Praise Thor!)

And of course, we get our first hint of THW's storyline. This seems to have happened right after Hiccup decided to leave Berk in search of a new home. Not gonna lie, this makes a lot more sense. You, as the most experienced explorer, decide to scout for a new location instead of, y'know, taking the whole village with you without a set destination in mind. Berk had more than enough resources to withstand Grimmel for a while, while Hiccup is gone. It makes Hiccup look more mature and strategic instead of turning tail and running-- something Dragons 3 does too much of :/

Also, Heather is a scientist in this universe. Honestly, good for her. I love this concept bc I just love the idea of Hiccup having a friend who is as nerdy about figuring out how the world works as he is about dragons. And she still does quests with Windshear as well! At first it was sort of a double life, but now she's just badass when she wants to be >:D

What? Snotlout being actually smart? He's still very Snotlout-ish, but he's not a bumbling buffoon like his Dragons 3 self- which is legit one of the parts of the movie that I genuinely hate. He's a fantastic character the shows and games developed amazingly, and yet in D3 he's reduced to a Valka simp who makes questionable jokes :/

He also tells you to go knock some sense into Astrid's thick head bc she wont listen to him, and I love the balanced dynamic the friends have in this game. Its not just Hiccup and maybe Astrid, everyone weights in like in movie 1 + the tv shows.

Oh, hello there!

I was on my way to get to Astrid but y'know what, this is fine too.

As previously mentioned, the first meeting with the LF already happened. The game assumes you have watched the movie. I like how they tease its gonna be just like the movie, and then they go completely off the rails and do a much better thing of their own :'D

Astrid wants to know if being near Toothless has made the LF less skittish! Time to try and boop her in the nos- aaaaand she's gone.

Yea, still skittish :')

The LF has disappeared down the cave underneath the School, and I like how we decide to give her some space! I'm sure if Hiccup was here he'd want to follow her bc he's Hiccup, so glad Astrid is the one with us :'D

And that concludes quest 1!

Next time: We need Hictooth to figure this out! Well, we need Toothless at least, heh. And we rejoin some delightful old friends in a rescue mission!

[inke-ri]

SOD Hidden World Playthrough - Prologue Pt2

Alright! Last one before I get to the actual storyline. I should have known, I talk too much.

See, I love how involved Valka is. I think this role was originally Hiccup's, or some other berkian. I love how they gave it to Val these days <3

Y'know, almost picked Gronkle bc I usually default to Nadder, but I couldnt help it.

I generally default to canon color schemes for my dragons (which is part of why Ivaran was a dark brown color), but I ended up customizing this little guy to just be a little wild for once. Have a little fun, y'know?

Anyway, this radioactive-looking cutie is Vasqes. If you havent noticed it yet, I also decided to skip classic viking names for this playthrough. I already have compliant names on my main, so why not :'D

Ah, yes, this is quite confusing if you havent played the game yet, especially because its part of the intro. That rat that set down these explosives is one Harald Forkbeard, a School Of Dragons original. He will show up in the THW storyline but I'll fill you in on the details as we go since I probably wont manage to blog about all the quests in this game |D Anyway, he's a charming little weasel. Thats all you need to know for now. Also, I love him. He's very entertaining, in a very annoying way :'D

The explosives open a crater to a bottomless pit! The School is set up in a caldera created by a dead volcano, so I wonder what lies at the bottom 👀 Its weird not to have the lake anymore but I dig the upgrade!

I love the Headmaster! I forget his name right now, but he's this ancient berkian warrior who fought against dragons all his life, but when Hiccup changed the minds of Berk he was so touched that he ended up the figure Hiccup trusts with taking care of the School! He's a good viking grandpa. I love seeing him again.

Fun fact, when I first played this game, there were no Expansion Quests. It's insane how much its grown. Things like the Timberjack Taxi are gone (I miss it- i loved the hoop flying even if you can technically still play it- its been converted to a fullblown minigame. I miss flying on the timberjack tho :c), and the map is HUGE. There was only Berk and the School when I used to play it!

For the purposes of this series though, I will only be playing the Hidden World! storyline. Next time we finally tackle this quest. For now, enjoy a few more visuals of the game:

Everything looks so pretty!

As a tease, look, its the Hidden World! The game has a small area available for free for every player to explore, which is super cool bc they at least let you see what your dragon looks like with Hidden World sparkles without paying for it :)

Next time: starting the quest at last! And meeting a familiar white figure...

[inke-ri]

SOD Hidden World Playthrough - Prologue pt1

I should first make it clear that I have already played through the story once- so this wont be a 1st-time reaction so much as me rambling about it. I will, however, be making a new viking since I need to experience the story again. Meet my new little dude!

After some trial and error, finally decided on a design. Meet Junip- or Juunip, as he's called in-game. I like to think he's a child of dragon hunters only marginally affiliated with Drago or the Warlords (kind of like Viggo), who somehow met Hiccup and realized dragons were friends. He lives at the School now because his parents kicked him out for liking dragons :') But he has yet to regret his choice.

I remember the way this entire thing caught me off guard when I first replayed this game. What was going on? First time I played SoD, it was shortly after the game had launched. HTTYD2 hadnt even come out yet, and Hiccup still had his original 15yo model. There was no battle and I think there was a boat that would take me to the School!

So it feels like a real pang to see Hiccup all grown up, calling himself Chief of Berk, all comfortable in his new role. I remember when I logged in very briefly after httyd 2 and I think he had his 2nd movie model (and still no battle, just the ship). He has come so far ;-;

Also, I spy Grimmel's weird heligripper machine in the back!

This, though. I really can't complain about this new opening. Its fast-paced, fun, and lets you fly on Toothless just once, as a treat! You can aquire him later through a minimun of a 3-month premium membership but haha nope not for me.

Particularly love how it actually gives you a 1st person shot of what it feels like to fly on Toothless, complete with the whooshing and screeching NF diving sounds. I know the RTTE did it once, but I wish these kinds of POV shots were done more often. Even in a low resolution like this game (compared to the movies), its really exciting and surprisingly immersive!

Astrid is calling me, but you can bet I'm gonna enjoy flying around with Toothless a little bit longer. Love how Hiccup just gives you a ride :'D He did offer to let Eret fly with him in httyd2, so this isnt too out of character for him!

Also, I like how immediately after this, Hiccup just opens his flight suit and lets me control the night fury all by myself :'D Such trust. Very Hiccup. I get to blow up a Warlord ship tho, so that's awesome >:D

The absolute best part of this new opening is that it rewards you with a brand new adult dragon! There are four starting species: Sand Wraith, Flightmare, Seashocker and Rumblehorn. I remember when originally all you got was a dragon egg from one of the 4 common species of HTTYD1, and you had to grind for quite a while to age that dragon up enough for him to be flyable, so this made me spazz out first time I played it, heh. I love Sand Wraiths too (very spiky much spicy) so its a real treat to just have one right out of the gate.

Also, I love how Hiccup coaches us through doing the hand touch thing. I forgot how much I just love Hiccup and this universe.

Anyway, meet Ivaran! She's cautious but curious- and not black (though you can totally cheat and make a pure black one to be a discount Night Fury)- just dark brown. We'll see how it goes between her and Juunip.

Also, look at that toothy smile. Definitely not a Night Fury, but still adorable <3

One of my favorite things about School of Dragons is that it never, ever forgets Valka. She ended up feeling like such a plot mechanic since HTTYD3 never really expanded on her character and HTTYD2 only set her up, but here, she's a living, breathing character who has thoughts and feelings of her own- it really shows, especially in the Hidden World storyline I mentioned. I love how she's in charge of the Dragon Hatchery and teaching younglings how to care for their dragons. A perfect role for Valka once she settles down in Berk! Besides, she probably enjoys taking care of kids and dragonlings since she lost her chance with Hiccup.

It does feel like a punch in the gut to not have Stoick welcoming you, his model was a constant presence in my memories of playing this game as a kid. It feels kinda empty without him, even tho we have SO many new things these days. I miss him :(

I seem to have hit my picture limit for this post, so guess we'll have a prologue part 2! It'll just be my adventures in the Hatchery and fawning over how pretty everything looks these days :'D And then finally onwards to the story!

[inke-ri]

sometimes I really wish people tagged their stuff properly ;-;