#now rtte is better

[revive-the-fandom]

What if Hicctrid had Zephyr wayyy early ?

[stompingdvds]

the problem with the third HTTYD movie is that they shoved in the ending from the book series without A) including the build up to it the books did AND B) handling it as well as the books did AND C) planning for the ending right from the beginning like the books did

[starryeyeddreamer21]

When I get super into a piece of media I have a hard time starting something new and I am just unable to watch or read things because I can't really get into new characters. Sometimes I can rewatch things I've already seen because I already know the characters but there is a price! My mind will instantly try to connect whatever I'm into to whatever I'm watching, creating an au that I don't want to exist but won't leave me alone.

So it is my yearly rewatch (yes you heard me I said yearly. I also rewatch Scooby Doo Mystery Inc every year so get ready for that trainwreck) of httyd rtte. I've always loved How To Train Your Dragon but the show has always been my favorite. It just has the best characterization in my opinion.

Unfortunately my brain refuses to stop thinking about Hazbin Hotel.

(Listen I don't like the third movie anymore than the rest of you BUT Charlie with a light fury!!! And Lilith is so Hiccups mom coded it's not even funny)

Ignore me I'm not doing this I refuse to have a Hazbin Hotel httyd au I'm NOT doing this

(and Vaggie with a Nadder!!!! Chaggie could be hicstrid if we gave them the chance!!!!)

Nonononono

(I can't decide if I want to give Niffty a huge terrifying dragon or a fucking Gronkle because both would be so funny to me)

No I'm not deciding anything

(but seriously Charlie would LOVE dragons and be so upset that Lucifer doesn't. Lucifer would obviously be in Stoicks place, I already have an idea for his lore)

No not seriously NO I don't have any ideas

(The residents of the hotel would obviously be the dragon riders. Angel is literally a twin so I could put him and Molly (no one can stop me from putting Molly in my aus) in place of Ruff and Tuff. And Alastor would be forcing Husk and Niffty into this, not that Niffty minds of course. I actually have two ideas for Alastor and I haven't figured out which one I like better but either way he's forcing those two along)

Yeah it's too late for me I'm long gone

[slitheringss]

Me: Okay, so we're doing kinktober and already have everything planned out.

*sees a horrortober prompt list*

Me: We already have stuff planned! We're not doing anything else! >:(

My brain: But-but what about Cryptid!Hiccup...

Me: No.

My brain: Vigcup Cryptid!Hiccup AU

Me: NO.

My brain: Hiccup leaves Berk before his final assessment and becomes a cryptid after spending time with Toothless and other dragons. He haunts and lurks around the Archipelago as something inhuman. Encounters Viggo and their both intrigued about the other.

Me: *softly* please dont

My brain: Cryptid!Hiccup who only appears at night and is never seen in the daylight. Cryptid!Hiccup who hates the sun/torch light. Cryptid!Hiccup who chirps, trills, whistles, howls, and hisses. Cryptid!Hiccup who observers Viggo but stays firmly in the shadows. Viggo, who is just as curious as him, talks about random topics, noting what seems to get the best reaction out of him, and leaving gifts for him to find. Viggo leaving out Maces and Talons and inviting himCryptid!Hiccup to play. Viggo looking away or blinking, and Cryptid!Hiccups piece being moved. Them playing and "chatting" until the sun comes up. The sun rising and Cryptid!Hiccup being sad to leave but promising to return before disappearing. Viggo going on hunts and returning to his cabin to see the game, that was previously left in his tent, upon his desk and it being his move. Cryptid!Hiccup eventually giving Viggo his name even if it takes a few attempts until he spells it out; as the words came out in distorted echoed whistles, warbles, and whines. Viggo and Cryptid!Hiccup slowly getting closer and closer. Cryptid!Hiccup watching during the day from the shadows as Viggo nearly ends up dying. Cryptid!Hiccup then stepping in and rescuing Viggo but ending up injured in the process. Viggo trying to take care of Cryptid!Hiccup and taking in his revealed form.

Me:...gods.....

[jackshiccup]

i never noticed until now but in httyd 1, the scene where we hear hiccup address the other kids by their name for the first time (specifically snotlout and fishlegs) he yells, ‘lout, legs, hang in its blind spot!’ and i just think it’s so interesting that it’s the only time we’ve ever heard hiccup call them that

[howtodrawyourdragon]

Hiccup still gets a lot of criticism for his decisions in Httyd 2, but I feel like they make sense and it's because of the tv-shows.

He doesn't want to be chief?

Well, he just spent a whole year mapping the world outside of the Archipelago, that's a lot of freedom. So of course, he doesn't know who he is now and doesn't think his father's lifestyle fits with him.

And in that year, he almost did become chief when Stoick almost died. In that scene when Spitelout is sent out specifically to bring Hiccup home to succeed his dying father, they already call him chief! This, despite Hiccup's plea towards Spitelout to not say it.

Chiefdom for Hiccup means losing his father. (Which is exactly how he ended up becoming chief, too)

He thinks he can change Drago's Mind?

Of course, he does! Alvin switched sides, Dagur switched sides, Viggo saw dragons as something more. And let's not forget Stoick and his entire village, including Astrid and his friends.

In a way, he changed Mala's mind, too.

In a way, he changed the minds of the dragons about humans.

He tries to end a war by talking to a warmonger?

Again, of course, he does. He ended their war with the dragons, fought in a war with the Outcasts, then the Berserker, then the Hunters, then the Flyers.

Of course, he thinks he's just as capable of making the most responsible calls in war when he has fought in several ever since he was 15. This, although Stoick has decades more experience and actually met Drago before.

Not to mention that all of the bloodshed was on the side of the enemy, and RttE confirms this. Hunters and Flyers are dying in those battles.

If anything, Hiccup talking to Drago first is him giving Drago a chance to save himself and his men. Something Astrid pretty much confirms when she threatens Drago that he better not lay a hand on them or Hiccup and Toothless will blow his fleet to splinters.

Which, in the tv-shows, they do. And then Drago did end up dead at the end of the movie.

[violet-moonstone]

it bothers me that the general fandom consensus seems to be "heather is annoying but hey at least she's a cool fighter" (maybe not so much now but I remember people really hating her when the shows were airing)

I like that she's manipulative in riders of berk. She had to learn to be manipulative from a young age to save her family, and showing so much cunning at such a young age is honestly impressive

I like that she's flighty and has trust issues. I like that she's impulsive and deeply insecure -- it completely makes sense for her, considering the deep trauma she's endured. She was separated from her birth family, then her adoptive family (and presumably much of her village) were killed (maybe in front of her???). She's learned that relying on people only leads to pain, and it's better to choose to be alone than to have loneliness forced on you when the people you love are ripped away.

guys

this is good character writing.

I truly think if rtte were planned for a slightly older audience, heather could have had some grim moments that would make her complexity really shine.

Tbh I think her fighting skills are actually the least interesting thing about her, and I wish combat wasn't so important for her character in rtte

anyway I wrote a whole ass essay about this a year or two ago so let me not beat a dead yak

what I'm trying to say is that heather's faults all make sense, and I love flawed fictional women who make bad choices <3

[grayyylake99]

“He thinks he has to lead alone… because his father had to”

That scene left me somewhat sour when I first saw it, and it still does. Valka is trying to give Astrid advice as she was the woman married to the Chief. As Chieftess one would assume Valka had responsibilities as well, and her first duty was to her husband.

But like, I don’t think Valka had the right to be coaching Astrid? First of all, the reason Stoick was left alone was because of YOU, Valka. Hiccup has this impression of his father because Valka was never there. Hiccup figures that if his father, who would always be mourning the death of his wife, could do it, so could he. And honestly, I think Hiccup doesn’t like to mess up, not necessarily that he thinks he has to lead alone. He can be in his head sometimes, but we’ve seen him incorporate other’s ideas (in RTTE which was totally not taken into account in THW) and I don’t think Hiccup has ever admitted that he thinks he has to lead alone anyway. So I’m not sure why Valka thinks she’s right. Unless it was said offscreen, but what would that matter if the audience didn’t see it.

The movie lacked any real scenes between Valka and Hiccup imo.

And then Valka suggests Astrid console him, as though Valka knows Hiccup all that well. I know she means well, and had known Hiccup for a year, but I don’t think she had the right to play parent when he’s a grown adult who’s leading the village.

I get Valka is the voice of reason like Stoick was to Hiccup and Astrid (we see that mainly in RTTE between him and Astrid), but personally, she didn’t earn the right to give advice regarding the son she left behind for twenty years.

You wanna play wise parent now? Too late.

Again, I know she means well and is able to recognize her husband’s challenges in her son, but I just think the conversation was unnecessary. Astrid already KNOWS what to do with Hiccup. Astrid’s really the only person that can get Hiccup to spill and he’s always honest with her. Astrid knows how to handle him, and she knows how to communicate. Heck, Astrid knows Hiccup better than Valka does.

I’m sure the writers must’ve realized too late that there weren’t any scenes between Valka and Astrid (which sucks because I feel like Astrid would hold some resentment towards her on Hiccup’s behalf, and that would’ve been an interesting conversation) and they needed to come up with a scene. I don’t see Valka as wise as Stoick was. She’s cool yeah, and this post wasn’t made to bash her, but her character overall was just not handled right from the start.

[midsummerflowers]

the entire reason i got back into httyd/rtte is because i had a dream that i did and when i woke up i knew i needed to actually do it so uh shoutout to that dream i guess bc life is so much better now that i have my silly dragon franchise

[hed-romancer]

ranking rtte characters based on how likely they are to follow each other's plans

without editing it beforehand or switching things up mid-plan, from most likely to least likely

FOLLOW A HICCUP PLAN: Fishlegs, Tuffnut, Astrid, Ruffnut, Snotlout

A Hiccup Plan always involves thought being given to the safety of dragons and rarely involves thought being given to the safety of humans. While the core idea is usually really good, whether planned in advance or in the spur of the moment, a crucial detail is usually forgotten.

FOLLOW AN ASTRID PLAN: Snotlout, Hiccup, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut

An Astrid Plan is well crafted and strategic, making full use of resources available. It's not too hasty or too conservative. Unfortunately, because it knows how good it is, it can often ignore valuable input from others that could make it even better.

FOLLOW A FISHLEGS PLAN: Hiccup, Snotlout, Astrid, Tuffnut, Ruffnut

A Fishlegs Plan is 0 or 100. Either the craziest idea thought of in the moment, which always works, or a completely flawless 100 step multi-contigency work of beauty that was unfortunately not complete in time to be implemented.

FOLLOW A RUFFNUT PLAN: Tuffnut, Hiccup, Snotlout, Astrid, Fishlegs

A Ruffnut Plan is the first thought that comes to mind for what to do. While Round 1 of a Ruffnut Plan never seems to go according to plan, the hitherto-uncreated Rounds 2 and 3 go flawless, as a Ruffnut Plan is both very adaptable and quick to adapt.

FOLLOW A TUFFNUT PLAN: Ruffnut, Hiccup, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Astrid

A Tuffnut Plan is, above all else, a fun time. The primary goal is now secondary to having fun and causing chaos. Nothing beats a Tuffnut Plan when chaos is the goal.

FOLLOW A SNOTLOUT PLAN: Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Hiccup, Astrid, Tuffnut

A Snotlout Plan is whatever is easiest to do, while still not giving up anything worthwhile. If a Snotlout Plan can give up while not losing anything worthwhile, it will. Otherwise, it becomes whatever is the simplest way to achieve the goal while also maintaining life and limb.

[countlessofvoids]

I know I'm five years late on this and frankly this conversation is really fucking annoying at this point, but I gained analytical skills just recently, got hyperfixated on HTTYD again and have few things on my mind;

There's a ridiculous amount of bad writing decisions regarding the third movie's main antagonist and even more in the entirety of the film. However in my opinion, Grimmel's character could improve even if you kept all other aspects the same by getting rid of one plot point. And that is "drugging deathgrippers with their own venom".

One the dumbest parts of THW, only beaten by Toothless & light fury's boring romance and the movie's message. But the difference between those is those at least serve some purpose. This could go unmentioned and much wouldn't change. Sure, it shows us Grimmel uses their venom for his crossbow arrows, other than that, the "slavery" aspect is useless. All it does is make him ridiculously evil. Because the audience forgot he's not nice, apparently.

What I'm getting at is - I believe a better alternative would be the deathgrippers serving Grimmel not because they're forced to, but because they want to. Make them have genuine bond like Hiccup has with Toothless.

In universe justification: Deathgrippers are said to be intelligent dragons, so they'd probably understand that working with some creature who helps them hunt is beneficial for them. And since they're pack animals, hunting also works as a bonding activity. This would be a perfect gateway for Grimmel to make them more loyal to him. They don't necessarily need to have Hiccup & Toothless' bond (although I would personaly prefer it that way). Think of it like the speedstinger in RTTE - Despite not liking Snotlout at all, it defended him against the other speedstingers because it considered him a part of it's pack.

Writing/narrative justification: Having a group of dragons take part in killing simply for their enjoyment portrays them as intelligent creatures, which emphasizes how similiar dragons are to humans. Some are assholes just because! Also it means them dying at the end isn't a horrible way of making your audience question your protagonist's morals, since in this version they kinda deserved it.

Grimmel being friends with a bunch of dragons while hating all the others gives him depth as a character - it makes him a hypocrite.

But most importantly, Hiccup and Grimmel being parallels would be much clearer. It shows how they're the same person on different paths, that he could be like Hiccup but choose not to. Or it could lead to him being a parallel to Valka. Older person who doesn't like other people and prefers living with dragons? Sounds like Valka to me!

Now this could create a plot hole with the whole Alpha thing, since in canon they don't listen due to being drugged. However I choose to ignore that because I don't like the idea of every dragon mindlessly following Toothless no matter what personality and concept of the alpha in itself.

[foursidecity]

YESSS ALL OF THAT

I like to think dagur and Heather's mom probably had a temper, I mean sure oswald had war going on for awhile but his epithet is 'the agreeable' and in the end he just wanted peace so. I like to think she was alot like heather but less sneaky and reserved and more so wore her emotions on her sleeve in that way. Still cared about her kids of course, though she didn't have much time with them, or in heathers case at all (still hc here that she died shortly after giving birth to heather coz that seems the most logical)

do you ever think about how Valka and Oswald both left their kids and started living with only dragons because they didn't think their people could change and they felt alone, meanwhile Hiccup and co left their island to help their people and ended up learning about two different tribes that revere dragons, including one dedicated to sheltering them? Because I just thought it, and it's kind of sad

IM THINKING ABOUT IT NOW.. MAN. I mean I've thought abt the parallels between dagur and hiccup both not growing up with their moms but. Yeah no yeah. Oswald did live with and study dragons and learn to love them same as valka... their such good foils aghh. They should've had an episode abt this istg several episodes even

[foolish-rat]

Commentary on RTTE S1 Ep 13 Total Nightmare

This is one of my favorite episodes in the show and I don’t see enough people talking about it.

Ruff: And so the drama begins...

Tuff: One man, one dragon, one leg, vs one rapidly closing dome.

Guys, I love the twins so much. They have a new hyperfixation every other day and it’s amazing. Also, Tuff, you ain’t gotta do my boy Hiccup like that 😭

Tuff: 'Twas once a drill, then it became a game, now it is theater!

Ruff: Let the drama unfold!

Ruff’s little pose here. I love her so so so much

Tuff: I'll wager he loses an eye.

Ruff: Haha! On the contrary, i predict act one, scene one will conclude with the loss of a gallbladder.

Tuff: Or perhaps a leg, what say you, young Hiccup?

Again with the leg jokes. Me personally, I wouldn’t take that level of disrespect.

The whole scene with Snotlout racing is just him getting hit with branches. How is my man not concussed, bro got a skull made of gronckle iron 💀 Also, he 100% could’ve made that if he didn’t spend 5 seconds shouting at Hookfang

Hookfang refusing the fish and then throwing not only the fish but Snotlout as well 😭

Snotlout: Ow, hey, everybody saw that right?

Tuff: Yes we did, my friend and it was delightful.

Tuff… 😭

Snotlout: No I mean Hookfang, he's acting weird.

Fishlegs: How's that?

Snotlout: Well, he didn't listen to me during the race, he ran away, he just spit fish in my face, and threw me against the wall!

The wall in question:

Also Fishlegs, why are you smiling

Hookfang slamming his head against the roof multiple times, I’m not entirely sure what the plan was there. Like, I feel like that was probably the least productive thing he could’ve done.

Snotlout’s face here. This is probably how the other riders see him

Hookfang was put in time out. Free my man, he ain’t do nothing wrong 🗣️

Snotlout: Hey! Hookfang, you feeling better? Who wants tuna for breakfast?

That is NOT a tuna, also why is it so big???

Snotlout: Great. I accept your offer to help in the search. Come on, Toothless. Up, bud! Fly, bud! Do something, bud!

Hiccup really does call Toothless bud a lot. It means a lot to me that the other riders notice this as well.

Toothless is so done with Snotlout

Snotlout: This place again? This is where I found him last time.

Why wasn’t that the first place he checked???

Astrid: Look! There is another Monstrous Nightmare!

Hiccup: That's not just another Monstrous Nightmare. That's a female Monstrous Nightmare.

You can tell because she is pink and pink is a girl color

Snotlout: A female Monstrous Nightmare? Now it all makes sense. My dragon has a way with the ladies! Must have picked up a few pointers from his master.

Astrid: I doubt it. She's not dry heaving.

L rizz from Snotlout

Snotlout try not to get injured challenge: impossible

Fishlegs: it means that meeting this female has reawakened his primal instincts. And he’s returning to the wild.

Fishlegs successfully predicting the third movie.

Fishlegs: It's nature, Snotlout. You can't fight it.

Snotlout: Watch me.

Ate that line up

Hiccup: It's a scary idea, huh? That one of our dragons might just one day go back to the wild? You'd never do that to me, would you bud? I didn't think so.

Uh…

Snotlout: Primal instincts, Thor's butt! My primal instinct is to get my dragon back.

Another banger line

Snotlout: Hi, Girl Hookfang! I see, you already got my boy bringing dinner for you. Big step.

He’s jealous

He got hit in the face with an eel. Real talk, I wanna know how this man is still alive. This is gonna be a long rant analyzing the effect of an injury in a kids tv show, skip ahead if you don’t want to read this part.

There are 3 different things that determine the severity of the shock and the resulting injury; the amount of voltage, the duration of the shock, and path of the shock through the body. Unfortunately, Snotlout did not have a single thing going well for him and managed to have the worst luck in all 3 areas. Electricity is extremely dangerous. 120 volts going through the human body for only 2 seconds is enough to cause death. Electric eels can produce charges on average from 450-600 volts of electricity. Some have been recorded to produce up to 860 volts. For comparison, outlets only use 120 volts. The duration of the shock effects how severe the injury is. Unsurprisingly, the longer the shock, the greater the injury. Snotlout was electrocuted for about 3-5 seconds which is a pretty long time, especially since a single shock from an eel is enough to cause significant pain or immobilize their prey. An important thing to note is that the eel is on land. Without water to disperse some of the shock, it would be stronger and more direct. He was hit in the face, and the eel landed on his chest, where it continuously shocked him for 3-5 seconds. Currents through the heart or nervous system are most dangerous. A shock to the head will cause your nervous system to be damaged. A shock to the chest is incredibly dangerous as it gives direct access to the body’s most vital organs. He managed to get shocked in the two worst places to get shocked.

Long story short, I have no idea how this mf is alive.

Snotlout: I have had enough of you, Hookfang! It's time to choose, her or me.

Genuinely sobbing

Tuff: Classic romantic comedy paradigm. Boy gets dragon, boy loses dragon, dragon falls asleep, boy eats, boy falls asleep, dragon eats.

What is he going on about???

Snotlout: I give up. If being with her makes Hookfang happy, I guess I should be happy for him, too. Ugh. If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go lay down for a few... weeks.

🥺

Hiccup: We've gotta get him back in the saddle right away.

Hiccup, not everyone solves their problems by working

Snotlout: Too small, too slow, two heads.

This is genuinely one of my favorite jokes in the entire series.

Hiccup: What are you saying?

Snotlout: I'm saying that if I can't fly Hookfang, I don't want to fly any dragon.

Astrid: How can you be a dragon rider and not ride a dragon?

Snotlout: You were always the smart one, Astrid.

🥺

Snotlout: Quitting, that's right. ✨I shall be a dragon rider no more✨

Why did he say it like that-

Tuff: Time to call in the understudy.

Ruff: Hey Fishlegs, how's your Snotlout?

immediately looking for a replacement 💀

Hiccup: Oh, come on Snotlout, you're just hurting now, that's all. Give it some time.

Snotlout: No, Hiccup, my mind is made up. I'm going to say goodbye to Hookfang, and then sail back to Berk for good. It's over.

genuinely heartbreaking

Astrid: You wanna tell us what's going on here?

Fishlegs: It looks like two male dragons fighting over a female.

Ruff: Yeah, I've heard male Vikings do it too, but I've personally never seen it.

Give it a few years, Ruff

Hiccup: Get him, Snotlout! You guys can do this.

Astrid: Hey, be careful. He's pretty nasty.

Snotlout: Whatever happens to us, promise me you'll protect those eggs.

Hiccup: We will.

🥺

Astrid: He's crazy.

Hiccup: He's Snotlout.

Astrid: True.

Couldn’t have put it better myself

The evil smirk. Bro got a diabolical scheme

Snotlout: And to think I saved them. Okay, okay! We saved them. We saved them. Snotlout, Hookfang! Oi! Oi! Oi!

Love that he’s chanting both of their names.

Hiccup: Uh, what's wrong with you two?

Ruff: Nothing.

Tuff: You just don't see enough happy endings these days. Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi! Oi!

The twins are so dramatic, I love them so much

Okay that’s it 💕

[bi-bi-bisexual-pie]

Would you drop some demisexual Astrid headcanons?

OH BOY WOULD I

Alright SO. I feel like Astrid, much like the rest of her tribe, was always disappointed that they got Hiccup as an heir. At first. Until he starts doing well in dragon training, and he starts sneaking off, and she can always see the gears turning in his brain, and that's when she realizes the heir to Stoick the Vast might actually have a very very real shot at succeeding on day. So she starts to follow him, and we all know the story from there.

I always imagined the kisses she gives him in the first movie, the first one after the romantic first flight on Toothless and the second after he wakes up from defeating the Red Death, were a sentiment to how she's come to love his mind. Astrid is a warrior through and through, so physical strength is almost a given in Viking culture. But Hiccup has a strength of the mind that she can't help but be drawn to; it's different, it's refreshing. It gave him a way to command his peers through the battle with a different outlook, one that focused on weighing their individual strengths to overcome rather than just brute force. And in her opinion, only someone with that strength of mind would ever consider befriending the enemy to solve a centuries-long rivalry. And it WORKED. And it was beautiful. And she couldn't wait to see how that kind of mind would reshape her tribe for the better.

Now. RTTE. The SLOWBURN. Hiccup is away from his element, and his mind can really shine out there with no one else to lead them. They all truly have to rely on Hiccup for the first time in their lives, and in Astrid's opinion, he could not have delivered better. She sees him think his way through every obstacle that they face, ensuring his friends' safety and the safety of their dragons, ensuring the comfort of the creatures they can't imagine living without, taking it all in stride, and Astrid is head over heels. And that terrifies her. Because never once in her life has she ever imagined herself with another person. She was a warrior first and foremost, training was always the focus. She never stopped to think about what a life intertwined with another person would be like, because frankly, it was hard enough just to make sure she survived to adulthood. But now she found herself all but glued to Hiccup's side, loving his company, wanting to hear everything that beautiful mind had to say.

And then we get to Blindsided. Not only is Hiccup smart and focused and logical, but he's also kind and gentle and soft. He's all those things FOR HER. And Astrid sees that immediately. She had always been so focused on her sight, and once it's taken away she's forced to focus on her other senses. The slight hint of smoke and singed clothes from the forge, the feel of his rough and calloused hands gentle guiding her on her arms, the worried timber in his voice that he's trying so hard to hide, the firm grip on her waist as he held her onto Toothless's back, the earnest and confident way he says "There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid" that makes her heart flutter, the hot taste of his breath on her tongue as he leaned in to kiss her before the Triple Strike interrupted. She knew she loved his mind, but the whole experience awakened a need in her that she had never experienced before, something she didn't quite understand. Not until the bandages were slowly removed from her eyes, and her pupils adjusted to the harsh light. And there he was, standing before her with a gentle and hopeful smile, eyes full of adoration and longing. She needed HIM, she needed ALL of him, she needed him and no one but him by her side for the rest of her life. "Astrid, are you...?"

"Looking at you? Seems like it." Oh, she was looking at him alright. Suddenly she could see it. She could see all of it. She could understand the looks her parents shared, the way they always had their hands on each other and the small smiled they exchanged at the simplest little things, things that seemed so insignificant to Astrid before. But now? Now she wanted nothing to more than to have something like that for herself, and no one would fill that desire unless it was Hiccup. She didn't want any of the snide remarks or teasing or not-so-thinly-veiled advances that Snotlout gave her. She wanted the gentle, thoughtful, longing, LOVING glances and words that came from Hiccup. Never once did she want some "strong man" protecting her for the rest of her life, but now she wanted nothing more than to fight alongside the brilliant mind of Hiccup Haddock as the equal she knew he believed her to be.

And the RELIEF that flooded his face at hearing that she was healed, oh it only made it worse. All he wanted was for her to be safe, and happy, and healthy, (and loved, her mind suggested) and she couldn't help standing out of her chair and embracing him. Yes, he hesitated for just a split second, but once his arms wrapped around her they were strong and warm and Astrid prayed he would never let her go.

And then... Her lips tingled all day remembering his breath on them. She had been startled when it happened, but now... Suddenly... She DESPERATELY wanted to know what it would have felt like if he had closed the distance, if the Triple Strike had been just a few minutes behind. She remembered the weight of his body crashing into her, the protective hold he had when he twisted through the air so she would land on top of him instead of the other way around. Her whole body trembled at the thought of laying there on the ground wrapped in his arms, and she didn't know what to do with that feeling. But later, when Hiccup finally, FINALLY kissed her, she knew exactly what to do with that feeling.

She was TERRIFIED. She was in uncharted territory. But that was okay, as long as Hiccup was there to draw the map with her.

.....So yeah, I hc Astrid is demisexual. Just a minor hc. no big deal. I have other thoughts, especially about the episode where Astrid gets jealous of the outwardly affection of Dagur/Mala because she never knew she wanted anything like that until then, but um... *looks back up* this is quite the long answer already hahahahaha oops sorry (not sorry)

[knight-says-oioioi]

you've opened the floodgates. now we all wanna know your snotlout hottakes. your snottakes, if you will

Absolutely I will. This may be a Very hot snottake but:

Most Snotlout Angst is insanely OOC

Which SUCKS because I am weak for some good whump, I would Pay for quality Snotlout angst!! But 95% of the fics can all be boiled down to Snotlout being emo and hiding the abuse and “oh it’s Silent Suffering you wouldn’t understand [insert edgy hair swish]” and. Ok maybe that could apply in some way to RoB but THE FICS ARE ALWAYS SET IN RTTE!!!

Snotlout is canonically VERY open about this stuff!! He makes trauma jokes 24/7 to the others, they’re some of his funniest lines. Wdym your hedge sculpture is a single broken twig titled “Barren Soul Wrapped In Nothingness or My Lousy Childhood.” Who let you outside. I’m putting him in the microwave.

The others know about Spitelout sucking and the emotional abuse, they have known for a while. Hell, they’re present for half of it!

The angst in canon that I Really Wish was more expanded on in the fandom is more along the lines of everyone is Aware but they’re all stuck in being unable to help without making things worse so it’s just mutual horrified paralysis. Where are the fics about THAT. We know the shit Spitelout does is obvious, that doesn’t make it less realistic that makes it better in terms of implications and angst potential

[h3lfaerie]

Random: "I'm just saying, Hiccup Haddock wouldn't be muscular."

Me: *cracks knuckles and puts on glasses* Let's do this shit.

---

*AHEM*

Okay, first of all.

Nutrition.

As we all probably know, the more nutrients and the better food you get when you are a child the more fit and taller you will grow as an adult. Usually. Now looking at How To Train Your Dragon, consider that Hiccup was very short and scrawny when Berk was still being attacked by dragons. And then once the dragons stopped attacking and the village suddenly had more food instead of it being stolen all the time, Hiccup went from scrawny and tiny to a WHOPPING SIX FOOT TWO.

And yes, that is his actual height in the last two movies.

And that is largely on relatively little sun and poor nutrients from limited amounts of grains and meats and root vegetables (plus mildew's cabbage).

Training.

Whether you have watched Race To The Edge or not, you know this little shit can fight. Good. You think you gain that sort of technique by not living sparring ring?

While Hiccup is definitely more strategic in his fighting style as opposed to people like Astrid and Heather (who are both distinctly heavy-handed imo), his strong suit is his agility. Paired up with a high proficiency with a... long range of weapons (largely leaning towards swordsmanship). One, that takes a lot of practice, two he's doing it with a prosthetic leg. Consider the amount of pain and hindrance that would cause him throughout training. He is literally disabled. He needs to work twice as hard. His pain tolerance alone would be through the roof.

Sparring-wise the constant footwork and quick directional changes would vastly improve his balance and leg strength, while wielding a sword would build his shoulder, arm, and core muscles. The constant need for precise strikes and defensive maneuvers refines hand-eye coordination and grip strength, which would explain why he is such a good shot with things like his shield-crossbow contraption. And also sparring develops cardiovascular endurance due to the rapid movements and bursts of action, in other words - stamina. He's got plenty.

Now, here you may probably think "But his design for the Inferno is hollow. Isn't that because he can't lift a sword?"

NOPE.

That design was entirely afforded to him by Viggo Grimborn in Race to the Edge. It was a strategic decision.

Have you SEEN the prototype of that thing:

Like first of all that is VIOLENT. That is a serrated blade. It's meant to GUT people. (Go on and tell me Hiccup doesn't have anger issues, I dare you.)

Secondly, I'd argue that has more metal than a normal sword.

And thirdly... proof of Hiccup's physical strength can be seen in the following scenes (I wish I had GIFs, I'm sorry I do not. Those are all moments from RTTE):

Exhibit A:

Knocks Astrid off her feet during sparring.

Exhibit B:

Knocks Savage off his feet while being chased.

Exhibit C:

Catches AND STOPS an axe going for his head held by someone thrice his size.

Exhibit D:

Knocks Snotlout's tooth out with his non-dominant hand.

Excibit E:

KNOCKS TOOTHLESS (A WHOLE DAMN DRAGON) OFF A FUCKING CLIFF BY HIMSELF.

Shall I go on?

Blacksmithing.

Blacksmithing is a highly physical craft that builds strength, endurance, and coordination. Hammering hot metal requires po-wer-ful arm, shoulder, and chest muscles. Lifting and maneuvering heavy materials cannot NOT strengthen your back and stomach if you've been doing it for weeks, let alone years. Which he has.

The repetitive swinging motion of the hammer builds forearm and grip strength, which is essential for control and precision. And working in the heat of a forge is ... For one, a glorious sweaty bonus, for two, it basically serves as a sauna after an excruciating amount of physical labour. Ever wondered why people go to a sauna after a workout? The heat can help repair muscles that were damaged by exercise and it can reset your thermoregulation thresholds. In other words, hot temperatures feel less severe. And I wonder why HE of all people, would be in need of THAT.

TLDR; Blacksmithing is a FULL-BODY workout that not only builds physical resilience but also sharpens mental focus and discipline.

And Hiccup started doing it as a CHILD.

As a substitute for dragon killing.

And last but not least (in fact probably the most important).

DRAGON RIDING.

Have you ever been on a horse? Have you ever seen equestrians? I'm really grateful to have had the privilege to ride a horse and let me tell you ... Your whole body hurts after.

-> Core strength.

The constant flexing and contracting required to stay balanced in the saddle works your core muscles like there's no tomorrow, including your abs and obliques.

-> Inner thighs and pelvic muscles.

Speaking of maintaining-your-balance-and position-while-riding... Applying strength against the saddle, effectively squeezing it with your thighs, while maintaining that rhythmic back-and-forth-and-up-and-down motion CONSTANTLY if you don't want to get flung off... yeah, it destroys your inner thighs and pelvic muscles. Can confirm you walk like a penguin afterwards. It's grueling.

-> (I'm not gonna include the posture and trunk exterior muscles here because Hiccup rides like a hunch-back, therefore those benefits would not be applicable to him, cause he's a lil' gremlin.)

And lastly, staying in that saddle is not easy, even with the right technique. You need to have built your body a certain way to keep your seat if you want to move onto galloping (much like a dancer can't go en-pointe until they've strengthened their ankles). Until then, you're stuck with trotting for weeks. And trust me it still leaves you sore.

TLDR; Horse riding can: improve your balance and coordination, increase your flexibility, burn over 400 calories per hour, serve as yet another FULL-BODY workout, and improve your reflexes.

Now change that to dragon riding.

Now change that to riding canonically the fastest, smartest, and rarest of the known species of dragons in this universe?

Just the FACT our boy wasn't done flung off in that Test Drive Scene in HTTYD 1 is a cause for a standing ovation.

In conclusion:

Realistically, Hiccup Haddock wouldn't be a fishbone. HE WOULD NOT BE BULKY EITHER. THAT IS AN ATROCITY.

But considering all that we've listed, if you wanted to consider realistic expectations based on his levels of physical activity, nutrition, and his growth spurt in response to that, he would, at the very least, be tall as fuck, and absolutely built.

And as a bonus: Have you seen his parents? The genetics are THERE.

THAT SAID, everyone's allowed to have fun with Hiccup's design! That's just my interpretation. It does not and should not invalidate anyone else's.

I'm well aware that Hiccup Haddock is a huge representation for the disabled community. Particularly those with chronic illness, neurodiveristy and limb difference. So, I'd like to finish this off with: I simply decided to go on a deep-dive, but really it's not that deep. This was just the result of my three-hours-long hyperfixation.

We love all and any renditions of Hiccup Haddock the Third, because he is just that lovable.

If you disagree with mine, that is absolutely okay ❤️

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.