#yes i was thinking of that one scene in httyd when writing this lol

[bonesandthebees]

Since you recently answered three of my asks, I'm just gonna respond in a single ask because I don't want to crowd your inbox.

1. Ah, that's really cool that Phil likes Portrait so much. I love the rock sound to it. Every time I hear the opening chords, I always want to mix it with cmwyl because for some reason, I want to sing "i've never been a fan of the internet".

And I just watched the music video for Portrait today. It's so sick! Ted did an amazing job.

2. I listened to Katawaredoki, and it's so beautiful!

What are your other favorite movie/tv show soundtracks and/or composers? John Powell and his work on httyd will always be in my top. Sometimes soundtracks are just better than other music.

3. I finished songs of change! It's so good! I love the scene where Wilbur realized that his yearning for Phil and Techno's presence/company was not the instincts but purely himself. Ugh, this is why found family is my favorite. I honestly think it started with clinic.

And at the end when Wilbur and Schlatt still see each other on the seas! *chef's kiss*

That's really cool about the background OCs. I bet if you ever wrote a story/novel with original characters, it would be amazing because your characterization is so good! Though, I also understand the benefits of having characters already pre-made for you to just throw into different angst and fluff scenarios.

Thank you for answering the ask game! I love getting a different flavor of boba every time I go, so I'm always asking people on their favorites. I've sampled thai tea (tumblr, stop saying that I spelled it wrong) before, but never a full drink. Can't wait to try different combos!

Have a great day!

- 🐼

yes the portrait video is SO good ted did so so good

oh yes finally I get to ramble about my favorite soundtracks. my top three movie composers (in no particular order) are

Trent Reznor and Atticuss Ross (they always work together on soundtracks so I'm counting them as one). My favorite soundtrack of theirs is the Gone Girl soundtrack but my second favorite is The Social Network soundtrack. Both have such distinct tones to them I love them so much

Ramin Djawadi who is obviously a very well-known composer since he did Game of Thrones. I haven't watched GoT but I have watched House of the Dragon and adored his soundtrack for it, but my favorite of his is actually the Westworld s1 soundtrack. It's so eerie and soft with dashes of fun jaunty western tunes at the same time it's such a unique sound.

and lastly, Nicholas Britell who is the genius behind the Succession soundtrack for all 4 seasons. The soundtrack for that show is so distinct with its blend of hip hop foundational elements (like an 808 beat) with heavy orchestra strings, and it's absolutely stunning. The title theme is amazing, but there are so many tracks I'd just listen to on loop if it didn't ruin my spotify wrapped

and ty I'm so glad you enjoyed songs of change!! yes I loved including that moment of it was never really the instincts it was just wilbur. I feel like it was a fun subversion on the way instincts work in a lot of fics in this fandom (no hate to other instinct-driven fics, I just wanted to do my own twist on it)

tysm I hope I can get the time + motivation to write more original stuff soon. I definitely haven't stretched my oc building muscles in a few years so hopefully I'm still decent at making my own characterization lol

I highly highly recommend thai tea. it's sooo good although the place you get it from really makes or breaks it. there was this pho place near my college campus I used to go to all the time, and that has always been my gold standard for thai tea it was so good there and I've never found any that hits just as much as that did

[k--havok]

I've been obsessed about monsters with a gargoyle type of anatomy. With beautiful large wings and they twitch and flutter during pleasure

100% yes to wings. I know you said gargoyle like anatomy but like... if you think about it, gargoyles are pretty romantic (or maybe i’m weird idk) Also does anyone else remember that TV show Gargoyles from Disney?? I can blame half the reasons why I'm like this on kids shows ngl

Also idk if you were expecting wing kink but here we go~ 

Gargoyles

 Rating: T Tags: Wing play, sensuality, lore building

Gargoyles may look intimidating, but in reality such is not the case. They are protectors of the home, old warriors, and vigilant beasts who stalk the night.

During the day, their skin hardens to rock as the sunlight graces their powerful shoulders, where wings sprout from their back. The deep slumber is required to maintain their nightly activities and energy.

But as the sun falls from the sky, and night reigns the firmament, they come alive as moonlight washes across their forms. Their bodies rise, their flesh cracking from the daily disuse. As they shed their daytime sleepiness, the battle beings.

Gargoyles are fiercely loyal creatures. They have an innate sense of intuition and the uncanny ability to read the intentions of others. Those who wish to undue harm upon the home best beware. A gargoyle’s tough hide keeps them protected from both magic and blade. Their stone flesh hinders metal strikes. Powerful magic glances off their sculpted physique, leaving naught a mark behind.

A home is not just a place, however. Home can be found in others as well. And if a gargoyle chooses you as a home, they will spend all of their immortal life protecting your form. Even after death, it is not uncommon to see a gargoyle hunched over a grave, protecting their person, their livelihood, their hearth, until the end of time. Even after bones become dust.

Many see these creatures as terrifying. And in the midst of battle to protect those who they deem important, it is understandable. Gargoyles need no magic. Nor do they need weapons other than their powerful wings, tough claws, and fangs.

A gargoyles’ wings are yet another powerful tool of their disposal. As gargoyles are heavy, stone-like creatures, their wings need to be equally powerful and large to lift their bodies into the air. A gargoyle does not have organs as humans do, as they are made of stone. And although their skin is tough and impervious to most things, their insides are hollow and full of their own inner magic.

It is a myth that gargoyles cannot feel touch. They can sense the warmth of a coming dawn, the cool breeze of night, and those who dust tender fingers across their spine. As most gargoyles usually only feel the lacerations of battle, a more delicate touch is usually quite foreign to most. 

Although made of stone, all gargoyles have softer spots of their body, akin to pressure points in that of a human. This is especially true around the base of their wings. The base of the wing is the most delicate part of a gargoyle and most avoid allowing enemies to get purchase or even others to touch them. 

But, for someone who has befriended a gargoyle, and who has gained a gargoyle’s full trust, touching the wings is a rare gift. 

When touching the base of their powerful wings, the stone is more brittle. Softer. Almost like limestone. It is often cold due to outside temperatures. The gentle dusting of a few fingers will often lead to a small, full-body shudder. The wings, usually still, lower and open wider, allowing further access to those the gargoyle trusts. A slightly stronger press, akin to the kneading of a cat, lends to further reactions. When the uncertainty and strangeness subsides, a new desire burns. 

Gargoyles often show their emotions with their tail. While a quickly lashing tail may denote rage, flicks of the tip often point towards pleasure. 

Some gargoyles have more sensitivities in the wings than others. For those who are extra sensitive, all it takes is a long stroke down the forelimb of the wing, from the joint of the spine toward the first finger of the wing, to induce utter wanton. A gargoyle may open their wings full to the sensation, bowing their head down and curling their limbs beneath their rock-hard bodies in a show of absolute trust and adoration. 

Most who gaze upon the gargoyle do not see a creature of elegance and resignation. But those who can are graced with a sight like no other. Wings powerful enough to snap metal tremble beneath soft, fleshy fingers. The guttural moans of a gargoyle sound similar to that of crumbling stone. Their glowing, pupil-less eyes somehow roll to the back of their skull from the bliss of such machinations. 

For the truly lucky and adored, such attention and care may lead to a gargoyle wrapping their powerful, stone wings around you. Although their flesh may be rough, their touch and passion are not. 

[cinnamonkittenz]

Rating the ninjago season based on what I’ve gathered from binging the show in 3 weeks while not paying attention 70% of the time

(Spoilers obviously)

Season 1 / Pilot: not often on TV but a very good introduction to the story, love the concept of the skeletons and Garmadon being a knock off Hades, I wish they continued with that instead of the snakes, sadly kinda too fast paced but hey it’s supposed to be a movie I guess, 9/10

Season 2: what my local kids channel played for 5 years on loop, a classic but I’m tired of it bc I’ve seen it too often, has a lot of plot holes and the snakes are too goofy at times for my taste, terrible animation in comparison to the newer seasons, 5/10

Season 3: not as good as I remember it to be but their outfits slap, we finally get to meet PIXAL our queen, the trip to space was kinda random and unnecessary, but the shock when Zane died tho???? 12 year old me was devastated, 8/10

Season 4: really interesting premise, I wish they had committed to Zane staying dead or at least staying away for longer tho, the tension is lost halfway through the season somehow, we need more Skylor content, 7/10

Season 5: Nya has powers now?? And oh it’s just the thing we need to defeat the ghosts???? And airjitzu????? Really?????? Great writing very wow, but Cole being turned into a ghost had me shook so that’s really what saves this season for me, gonna have to subtract some points again tho bc Morro is yelling so much and so loud and it’s annoying, 5.5/10

Season 6: I like the idea of the evil dschinn in a bottle but the rest?? Dschinnjago (how tf is it even spelled)?? What the fuck where’s the creativity, and I hate how literally no one gets character development besides Jay and Nya, literally everyone else had no personality and then gets sucked into that sword, if you’re a jaya stan good for you but this season was so boring to me, 4/10

Season 7: okay this is a hot take bc apparently people kinda like this season and maybe it’s bc I paid even less attention than usual but it was so bad,,,,, snakes again? Can we come up with something different please? Yes the time blades are a cool concept but the rest?? And the character design of the villains is so bad, like seriously what the fuck, my eyes are bleeding, 2/10

Season 8: I was kind of sceptical when they suddenly started with that royal family stuff but Harumi,,, my beloved, the one and only girl boss, I think she’s the best villain of the entire show (yes her goal is kinda cheap but the reason for it and the way she behaves is just top tier villiany), the motorcycle gang is kinda fun as well, dad Cole has my whole heart, and the ending???? BRO?????? 9/10

Season 9: in retrospect it’s really just 4 gays raising a kid in the desert, gives me big mad max fury road vibes at least the aesthetic (i haven’t seen the movie lol), the junk yard baron guy and the faith plot are kinda cringe tho and the HTTYD scene with Kai?? They don’t even try to conceal that it’s a knock off, same camera angle and everything, the plot in ninjago city is like,,,, bro is this still a kids show?? This is straight up ‚a bunch of teens try to fight the fascistic regime in a post apocalyptic world‘, the whole season feels like a filler tho so 7.5/10

Season 10: that Lloyd / Garmadon fight really is something, have the creators forgotten they’re making a kids show??? Don’t remember much besides Harumi straight up dying and thinking that Skylor needs more screentime besides being a plot device, 7/10

Season 11: the beginning is veeeery slow which is kind of annoying and what happened to the plot with Aspheera?? Did I not pay attention again or....?? but the rest? Chefs kiss, love it, Akita my beloved,,,,, I didn’t see Zane as the emperor coming at first (although it’s pretty on the nose now that i think about it) but it’s so dark and so well written I love it,,, like I said a thousand times without the advisor guy and them not having to make it suitable for kids it could have been even better, the ending was so rushed tho and the conflicts were resolved way too easily, that’s why I have to subtract a point, 9/10

Season 12: this season could have used so much more superstar rocking jay content,,, seriously if you give Jay yet another season then fucking commit to it, the second half of the season is literally s6 all over again and I hate it, yes we get it jaya rules but please,,, give the other characters some screentime and development, the way the conflict with unagami is solved is,, questionable??? Like that’s not how it works bro, 6.5/10

Season 13: not at all what I expected it to be bc I had seen so much amazing stuff on here so I was pretty disappointed bc it didn’t feel like Cole’s season, the evil dad trope is overused so pls stop it, the uply (???) and their animated short slapped, we need to see more of Cole’s mom,,, pleeasseeeee, 7/10

Season 14: what the fuck?? Is going on???? Is this even a season??? What’s up with the western colonizers club????? I know it’s set up for s15 but I really didn’t like it esp the portrayal of indigenous people as savages (at least it has the vibe), 1/10

Season 15: listen I’m just not a fan of non human species in the lego world, the snakes were okay but these sea bitches look horrible, the evil son had a great voice actor tho, and the ending,,,,,, bro i still haven’t recovered, I never expected them to commit to something like that, 6.5/10

[i-aim-to-overanalyze]

Fanfic writers meme: 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 27, 39, 40, 42, 45, 46, and 50 (my question for #50 is: Your favourite character from any of your fandoms (pick one or several characters you like) is writing a fanfic STARRING YOU AS A CHARACTER. Regarding this fact, what kind of fanfic do you think he/she/they are writing about and how would you feel about you literally being in it?)

Thank you so much for sending in an ask! :D

3. Name three favorite writers.

Ahh, this is a toughie! I’m going to list three writers from different fandoms that I admire a lot.

A. Anappleofdiscord from fanfiction.net I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have a tumblr and even tho it’s been forever since I spoken with her personally, she is an awesome person and an awesome writer. She writes for the Hetalia fandom, focusing on gen stuff centering around England and America. If you know anything about the Hetalia fandom, it’s ridiculously rare to find platonic fics about these two and her fics are like the cream of the crop. Her characterizations are on point, her fics are educational and hilarious (and also a rollarcoaster of emotions) plus she pulls off OCs superbly. If you ever check out her fics, tell her that Listenerofshadows sent you ;)

B. Glimare from fanfiction.net I don’t know her personally, but I love her work in the DC fandom. Sadly, she’s since mostly moved on to other fandoms (which is great for her, if the feeling’s not there, don’t push yourself to write fanfic for certain fandoms) but she has a TON of content and it’s all so good. Her most-well known work is a collection of one-shots known as “Daddy, Not Bats”. It’s an AU where Bruce encounters the bat-kids at a younger age and decides to retire to raise them all. It’s sweet, fluffy and angsty all rolled into one.

C. @elfpen from AO3, Fanfiction.net and Tumblr.  I stumbled across her fanfic Reprise when looking for a good star wars time-travel fanfic to satisfy my needs and boy, DOES SHE DELIVER. Most time-travel fics center around the OT era or Obiwan and/or Anakin traveling to TPM, but hers focus on OT!Obiwan traveling back to the era BEFORE TPM. It’s a great fic, I love the characterizations and her OCs are on-point. Not to mention, she also has a lot of other awesome SW and HTTYD content. 

Putting everything else under the cut because this is gonna get long quick!

4. Name three authors that were influential to your work and why.

A. Anappleofdiscord, again. Because she has actually beta’d my work before and given me great writing advice. I haven’t finished Neverlast, nor barely touched on it, but I’m thankful for her influence she’s played on it.

B. It’s hard to pinpoint my inspiration for my writing, because it’s kinda an intuitive thing? Like, I’ll be writing and a phrase comes up and I’m like “I know I stole that phrase from some fanfic lol” but i don’t know which one??? But basically all the fanfic writers I love are legions above me and I admire them all. But I have to say, I’ve started writing more third-person present tense because of a few good fanfics (but I can’t pinpoint which ones) which it’s a rare tense for a novel to pursue but I love the rhythm of it.

6. How did writing change you?

I’ve been writing before I could even write. Basically as a little four-year-old, I’d make pictures and then dictate to my older sister/mom what the pictures were about, essentially creating a storybook out of it. Since writing has been part of my life for so long, it’s so innate to me like breathing air. I know there’s a lot I could improve on writing, but it’s just a freeing way for me to express myself in a clear and concise manner. In real life, I can be awkward in how I word things and I have a tendency to trip over words or don’t fully pronounce my th-s and s-es. Fanfiction is great because I can explore my favorite concepts of a fanfic in a medium that people can enjoy reading in :)

7. Early influences of your writing

Once I discovered reading was fun (I didn’t learn to read until 2nd grade but that’s okay, because once I did I was reading several grades above my level) I devoured books. Some of my favorite books as a child are: PJO, Chronicles of Narnia, Boxcar Children and Black Beauty. I also did some RPG’ing at a young age, which greatly improved my writing as the constant writing at a rapid pace forced my writing to improve exponentially. There were roleplayers that I admired greatly that I imitated because I wanted my writing to be as good as theirs.

10. how do you do your researches?

Google, man, Google. For example let’s say my fanfic is a historical AU. I know a lot about history, but I might look up a historical site to proofcheck my dates or phrases of the time. Fanfic is nice, because it gives you an excuse to rewatch your favorite show if you wanna make sure you nail the characterizations. I might just look at a fan wiki if it’s a minor detail like what’s Ahsoka’s smaller lightsaber called. 

13. Hardest character to write

Oohhh boy! I think everyone can agree that Yoda and Darth Vader are the two toughest SW characters to write for. It’s hard to get into the head of a 900 yr old troll and Vader is just…really hard? Palpatine is also hard not to make him the typical cookie-cutter villian (Which he is, but I’d like to try to give him some depth). I feel like I write a different take of Anakin every time I write a different AU involving him, but I think that’s because the AUs are at different points of his life and also the AU effects his reaction to things.

14. Easiest character to write.

I know it’s contradictory, but Anakin. He’s definitely chaotic good and it’s fun to write that archtype. I haven’t written much Obiwan (actually I have, but I can’t post it until I write the chapters bridging to him :/) but he’s more lawful good compared to Anakin and throwing those two into the same fic is fun to see. Padme is a fun one to write as well as Ahsoka.

17. Favorite AU to write

I have so many AUs so again, hard choice. Gotta say Impetus, since it’s the most I have written for and I love it. It deals more with the traumatizing effects that slavery/the Jedi have inflicted on Anakin plus an even more problematic Palpatine. I didn’t mean to recreate Palpatine in that fashion he’s basically a pedophile in this AU, the characters kinda just made it happen and I ran with it. It was supposed to be a humorous/fluffy what-if but like everything I touch, it’s also angsty ( ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

19. Favorite fandom to write for

My favorite fandom to write for naturally changes with my interests. I was obsessed with YJ for a while, then Hetalia and now SW. Star Wars is fun to write for because there’s a big audience and it’s pretty easy to find a pocket audience who love the same types of things that you do. YJ will always be my first love. I’m currently writing a fanfic for a YJ fandom event, but I’ve been kinda struggling? I’ve lost my enthusiasm writing-wise even tho I still love it to bits.

20. Favorite Character to Write.

Anakin, probably. It’s funny because I used to never like the PT, but the Clone Wars changed all that. It’s a shame that Lucas went the direction he did for Anakin in PT because TCW uncovered a problematic but likeable hero and I wish we could’ve seen that live-action (It’s not Hayden’s fault btw, the director is the one responsible for what portrayal the actor gives)

27. Best review you ever got.

Okay, so. I used to share an account on FF.Net with a friend and I wrote of a lot of YJ fanfics. One of them was a gen one-shot involving Bart and Jaime that received a good amount of attention. AND A REALLY GOOD FANFIC AUTHOR THAT I ADMIRED AND LOOKED UP TO REVIEWED MY FIC AND I HAVE NEVER GOTTEN OVER IT. I never in a million years imagined that my favorite authors potentially read my fanfics, let alone review/favorite it.

39. Do you want to be published some day?

Kinda. As a kid I’ve always wanted to get published but now I’m not so sure. I’ve never finished any fics other than one-shots and that really has gotten to me. My current goal is to finish at least one of my fanfics but I think I’ve been putting it off because I’m afraid it’s impossible to acccomplish. It’s silly, I know. I just need to do it.

40. Which one of your stories do would you most like to see as a movie/series?

Hmmm….probably my one-shot involving those two bounty hunter OCs. I could just see them trying to survive the universe with the least amount of weird space stuff happening but they seem to get pulled into it anyway. Those two are actually the easiest OCs for me to write, btw.

42. Do you plan or do you write whatever comes to mind?

I’m a weird creature. In life, I like to know things ahead of time. I like things to run exactly the way I planned. I don’t like unexpected variables. but in writing…I rarely outline. I usually write whatever is on my mind. Pure inspiration is awesome…until it runs out and feels like you’re pulling teeth to just to write a single sentence. That’s when I attempt to outline things.

45. Share the synopsis of a story you haven’t published yet

“Whatis love? To a young child slave, it is the words his mother used to caress himafter a brutal beating by their master. It is wrapped in the kisses she givesto each bruise and lullabies that lull him to sleep.” A meta on Anakin’s varying views of love a crappy summary authored by moi

46. Share a scene of a story you haven’t published yet.

Welp. Might as well share from the above fic.

Whatis love? To a young child slave, it is the words his mother used to caress himafter a brutal beating by their master. It is wrapped in the kisses she givesto each bruise and lullabies that lull him to sleep.

Hismaster can freely touch every part of him he wishes. He can say words to him—hecan do anything he like to him.

Hecan say things like, “You know I love you, boy?” and the slave obedientlyanswers, “Yes, master.”

He’sso very young, but he knows that his master’s words and touch are not love.Only his mother’s is. He doesn’t know how to describe it. But he can feel thewarmth behind them, like hovering over a fire on a cold desert night. They arelike a thick blanket made of bantha furs, soft and comforting. They melt awayhis tears and fill his lungs with laughter.

Everyday, his mother tells him “I love you Ani.” and Ani, the slave boy, freelyreplies, “I love you too, Mom!”

Hefollows by her example, smothering her with hugs and tells her silly stories tohear her laughter that rings like the bells at the market stands. Because heknows love is the best medicine to heal anyone. It makes them feel fuzzy insideand they don’t feel so sad knowing someone cares about them.

Hismom gets sad a lot, so he does his best to repel the sadness away. He doesn’tget angry when she’s sad, because she isn’t angry when he’s sad.

“It’sokay to be sad,” She tells him one night as she runs her hands through hishair, “Everyone gets sad, just like how everyone gets angry or happy.”

“Mastersdon’t like it when we’re angry though.” Anakin pouted.

Shepauses; looking down at her son with a sad smile, “No matter what they say,you’re allowed to feel angry, Ani. Bundle it up, and keep it to yourself—andrelease it when they aren’t looking.”

“Areyou ever angry, mom?” He yawned as he snuggled closer.

“Yes.”His mother breathed deeply, and he could feel a bit of her anger—for aninstant.

It ishot—not warm like Love’s fire. No, it burns and consumes him for a moment. Itreminds him of all the bruises and welts that his masters have given him. Angeris selfish and doesn’t love. He doesn’t like seeing the giver of his Love feelthis way. He internally sighs in relief when her anger melts away as he told atale about a funny customer that came in that day.

Hehas never truly felt anger. He flinches from its’ touch and refuses to feel theemotion that his masters are fond of.

50. Your favourite character from any of your fandoms (pick one or several characters you like) is writing a fanfic STARRING YOU AS A CHARACTER. Regarding this fact, what kind of fanfic do you think he/she/they are writing about and how would you feel about you literally being in it?)

I feel like everyone relates when I say I don’t think my life is interesting. I’d pick Cassie from YJ because I feel like she’d be the type to write fanfic. I will say one ironic moment in my life is that I starred in a play as a shy bookworm girl who got the lead role in her school play alongside her crush, the star basketball player, incidentally they ended up together in the end. Everyone irl teased me about this but the truth is….I actually had a crush on the actor himself. We’ve known each other for years and are good friends. And the closest I ever gotten to “kissing” him was a moment in the play where our characters almost kissed before being interrupted by other students. But of course nothing real came of the play and we still remain good friends.  I always note in my head that the hollywood version is that we…would’ve hooked up in the end. I’m sure if I was a fictional character and Cassie shipped me with him and we didn’t get together in the end, she’d be writing a fix-it fic where our pairing is the true pairing in the end. If i wasn’t fictional, I’d feel really weirded out by it. I don’t like fic involving real people in it, especially if it involves ships. I’m almost 90% sure this guy doesn’t have a crush on me and just regards as friends. Which is okay, because I’m not sure if I even want a relationship at the moment.

[sage-nebula]

Dreamworks Dragons ~

This list is probably going to be super predictable lmao. That said, only the first two are in order. The rest are really hard to sort because, damn, I love so much of this cast.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III --- Obviously, Hiccup is my fave, and has been my fave since his opening monologue. I mean, when you’ve got snark like:“This is Berk. It’s twelve degrees North of Hopeless, and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death.”in the very first line, you know I’m going to like you. I relate to Hiccup in a lot of ways, which I think was part of the point of his character. Dean DeBlois, the main man behind the movies, has said that Hiccup is supposed to be quite modern in his way of thinking, which is part of what causes the conflict in the first movie (since the Berkians are so entrenched in tradition and the 300 year war against dragons, whereas Hiccup is . . . not). But even so, even if that is the point, it doesn’t make it less true for me. Aside from relating to how snarky Hiccup is (even and especially when it’s not appropriate), I also really feel him on the cynical, melodramatic attitude he sometimes takes to things (“Oh, the gods hate me . . .”), as well as the complicated relationship he has with his father, Stoick. I really, really relate to him in the way that he was always willing to do or sacrifice anything for the sake of Toothless, because that’s precisely how I always was with Shiloh. I even relate to smaller things, like how he’s always so very done with the shenanigans of the other Berk Riders, even though he does adore them---or how he is, in all honesty, just not very great with children. (See: Gustav.) I also love his insistence on diplomacy, but his willingness to fight when the time comes. Hiccup, though he has his flaws as well, is great. I love him.

Toothless --- But of course we can’t forget Toothless! I love everything about Toothless. I love how he’s very definitively a dragon, even though the creators have said that they also pulled inspiration for him from dogs, cats, and bats as well; I love that he’s proud of who he is and what he can do, but how he also cherishes Hiccup, how he listens to and protects him and, even when Hiccup makes him a tail fin that he can operate on his own (in “Gift of the Night Fury”), he refuses to use it because he wants to fly with HIccup. Toothless is snarky and sassy in his own right, has a temper and can be petulant (“Oh, are you pouting, big baby boo?” ---Hiccup, HTTYD 2), but how he’s also so very, very intelligent and clever as well. Toothless is adorable and fierce all in one. He loves being petted and played with, but he will also face down any threat with a snarl if it means protecting Hiccup. Hell, he fucking mega evolved in the climax of the second movie to protect Hiccup! (I mean, they didn’t call it mega evolution, but let’s be honest, he basically went full Mega Toothless X. =P) Toothless is incredible. I adore him.

Heather --- Heather is very, very high up on the list for me because I think her character development has been excellent. While it has been a bit rushed at times because Heather is not a main character and therefore we couldn’t always see her (and while her subplot of a romance with Fishlegs was horribly done and terrible), I do think that she really had time to shine over the duration of the show and that the Heather we see at the end of season four of RTTE is not the same Heather we saw way back in RoB. Her experiences have very believably changed her; having to fend for herself after the Outcasts captured her adoptive parents, and then having to deal with having those adoptive parents murdered by her own brother . . . living alone for so long, developing abandonment and trust issues as a result of it . . . wrestling with her own temper, her thirst for vengeance and her desire for justice, along with what she knows to be right and her desire for a family . . . I think that Heather is a complex character and that her complexity was shown well. Could have been better, but I like what we got. I think that her story was one of the more compelling parts of the TV show and I think it’s a shame that she (and Dagur, for that matter) won’t ever be in the movies.

Tuffnut Thorston --- Tuffnut is an absolute delight. What I love most about Tuffnut is that although he very often comes across as a Cloud Cuckoolander (moreso than his sister Ruffnut, in all honesty), we very easily see that’s not all he is. Tuffnut (and Ruffnut, too!) is actually quite intelligent. It’s just that his brilliance is often showcased in ways that the other Riders don’t see or immediately recognize. He’s great at interior design. He’s great at coming up with Home Alone style traps to protect the Edge. Tuffnut thinks so far outside of the box that the box isn’t often very visible, but his method of thinking works and he’s hilarious to boot. Basically, I’m rarely going to dislike a scene that Tuffnut is stealing the spotlight in. He’s great. Definitely a fave.

Stoick “The Vast” Haddock --- I love Papa Wolf Stoick. He’s not a perfect father, but I think he’s a very believable father who---and yes, I’m including the first movie in this---very obviously loves his son very much. Stoick is usually torn in two directions; he has to be a chief for the people of Berk, but he also has to be a single father (mostly---Gobber helped raise that boy and I don’t know how to talk to you if you believe otherwise) for Hiccup, who is more than a handful despite only weighing 90 lbs as a teenager. It has been talked about on this website time and again, so I won’t get into it, but Stoick actually was not very much of a disciplinarian at all to Hiccup, and one of my favorite scenes in the TV show is when Hiccup is giving Stoick a very determined, yet pleading, face because he wants something, and Stoick is just like, “Oh no. Not that face.” You know Hiccup has purposefully pulled that shit time and again over the years to get what he wants. It hasn’t always worked---it took Gobber to get Stoick to let Hiccup into dragon training (only for Hiccup, for reasons we know but Stoick doesn’t, to be like, “actually I don’t want that anymore” and Stoick to be like “why gods” as any parent would), but damn if you don’t believe it hasn’t worked so much over the years. Hiccup wouldn’t try it if it didn’t. Above all, though, Stoick truly does love his son. He’s so protective over him. He gets goddamn scary and vengeful when Hiccup is threatened multiple times over the course of the show, and in the second movie actually sacrifices his life to shield Hiccup with his own body. He runs hell for leather across the battlefield to do just that. So many people unjustly like to demonize Stoick and call him abusive (he is far from it), but I love him. I live the Stoick Appreciation Life.

Astrid Hofferson --- Astrid would probably be higher up on the list if she was allowed to do more things outside of Hiccup. I do disagree with the notion I sometimes see tossed around in fandom that she’s nothing but Hiccup’s Love Interest™, because that isn’t true; we see that Astrid has her own interests, hobbies, and activities outside of him, and we also see her bond with other characters outside of him (especially Heather, but the TV show also gave us a couple episodes where she bonded / interacted with the twins outside of him (and had Ruffnut call her out on treating them poorly), and we also see her bond with Snotlout some). We see that she’s excellent at Dragon Racing, and to be honest she had more bonding time and interaction with Eret in the second movie than Hiccup did (for understandable reasons). However, I do think that Astrid does suffer from being Hiccup’s designated love interest at times---that she’s allowed to do things outside of him until whoever is writing the current thing suddenly remembers that she has to be there for Hiccup to save or be doted on by. We see this often in the TV show, wherein she is very often damseled and he is her hero while the reverse really isn’t true, and we also see this in the second movie, wherein the only reason why she was given any attention at all is because she is Hiccup’s fiancée. The rest of the Riders were basically background set pieces in the second movie, and the only reason why Astrid wasn’t is because she’s special because she’s Hiccup’s intended. It’s sad, but true. I love Astrid for a lot of her qualities---her ambition, determination, bravery (which is sometimes recklessness), her spunk and cheer and love for her home---but I also do wish that she wasn’t at times saddled by the burden of being the Love Interest.(With that said, though, I do think the show improved on her relationship with Hiccup. Dean DeBlois said that they were automatically a couple at the end of HTTYD 1, which makes very little sense with Astrid’s character, and in fact sacrifices her character---and any chance at actually developing a relationship between them---for the sake of giving Hiccup a trophy girlfriend. The TV show axes that and instead lets them be friends first, and then (human) best friends, and then lovers. I’ve seen so many people outright bitching about the TV show’s portrayal and saying that it “ruined everything the movies set up,” but the movies set up literal garbage* as far as this ship is concerned, so honestly, the TV show is an improvement. (*Their interactions in the second movie are natural and adorable . . . but make no sense following the nonsense in the first. Their interactions in the second movie make sense when you take in the relationship we saw them build in the TV show. Hence, again, the show was a saving grace. And by the way, these movies are still my favorite movies of all time, but I am allowed to criticize certain aspects, and the Hiccstrid relationship is one aspect I will rightfully criticize and feel was fixed in the show.) 

Viggo Grimborn --- Can we bring him back? Well, no, because he’s dead, and at this point the show has had so many “lol jk” deaths that we need at least one of them to be real, and unfortunately it’s probably going to be his---which is a damn shame, because he’s the most compelling villain this entire series has had yet. Like, Drago got very annoying, very fast with his constant screaming. Viggo? He “speaks softly, but carries a big stick.” He is an absolute threat with the intelligence and army to back up his ambitions, but he’s softer spoken, clever, and keeps his cards close to his chest. He’s absolutely the perfect foil to Hiccup, and I loved seeing their games play out over the course of two seasons. In a way, he was like the Slade to Hiccup’s Robin. It was delightful. Shame his ending had to be such garbage; it was so rushed and out of character and terrible. RIP, Viggo. You will be missed.

Ruffnut Thorston --- Ruffnut is lower than her brother because, unfortunately, she hasn’t been given as much time to shine as him. However, I do love what we’ve seen of her, especially as the seasons have gone on. Whereas Tuffnut is full-on Cloud Cuckoolander, Ruffnut seems to mostly go along with that for funsies. Otherwise, she’s very clearly the more grounded of the two, and in many ways is her brother’s keeper with how protective she is over him (sometimes; other times she’ll happily push him off a cliff, but to be fair he’s always okay). She’s a stark badass who isn’t afraid to speak her mind or face down any threat, downright snarking in the face of men who want to kill her. She also knows what she wants and is unafraid to chase it, though she would do well to learn boundaries (because honestly, Ruff, when Eret says no, he means no). Ruffnut’s great. I hope that, since the show is continuing, she gets even more time to shine.

Eret, son of Eret --- I haven’t actually watched the second movie in ages, which is probably why Eret is so low on this list. If I rewatched it, my Eret love might ignite again. I do like him a lot, though, especially as we see him near the end of the movie, where he has bonded with dragons, is honored to take care of Skullcrusher, and holds that smol child in his arms during the final battle. I really need to rewatch the second movie, but yeah, I like Eret a lot.

Snotlout Jorgenson --- Snotlout, Snotlout, oi oi oi! I think that Snotlout, while he can at times be obnoxious and aggravating, has a lot of depth to him with regards to his insecurities, his difficulties with his father (even worse than Hiccup’s considering Spitelout actually is emotionally abusive to his son), and his difficulties with finding a place he’s comfortable with among the Riders. Hiccup and Snotlout have a very Michael and GOB (from Arrested Development) relationship where they do get along, and in some ways Snotlout would be comfortable with working under Hiccup, but Snotlout often feels pressured to be better than Hiccup and so these two conflicts drive him to do obnoxious things at times. But overall I think that his insecurities are relatable and he’s a great character. Also, while my relationship with Shiloh was very much Hiccup & Toothless, my relationship with Morgan is very Snotlout & Hookfang. It’s uncanny.

Honorable mentions go to: Gobber, Dagur, Gustav, and Trader Johann.