#httyd2 talk

Hiccup says “I’m sorry, dad” and then we flash to Astrid, who had previously been zoned out on where the arrow’s hit... perhaps noting Hiccup’s silhouette in the flames moving in the foreground...

...Then, as though his words have just reached her, she reacts with a close-lipped, almost exasperated-but-knowing smile.  Like it was those words, from Hiccup, that drew her from reflection.

And that’s the best way I tend to interpret her little reaction. That she hears this depreciating comment that is just… so Hiccup. That’s he’s apologizing, again, because she knows, probably better than anyone (save, perhaps, for Gobber) that Hiccup’s always held this unrealistic understanding of how his own father viewed him. Regardless of all the progress the pair have made in communication, Hiccup still can’t shake the weight that he’s somehow coming up short in his father’s eyes, that he had somehow failed him, or disappointed him, in some manner or another. Astrid will, and has, told him otherwise -- been the mediator between the two men -- but both are stubborn and far too alike.

So here Hiccup stands, choosing “sorry” as his final words to his father. And despite everything that’s just gone down Astrid can only think how Hiccup it is.

Its never too late to talk about HTTYD2!

To be honest, I don’t think Valka was too too young when she had Hiccup. I mean, by our standards, yes, 19 is young, but for their time period it seems legit. That said, I don’t really see a stillborn situation. Personally. A part of it-- or most of it-- has to do with that delightful age-gap between Valka and Stoick. Ten years. And given context clues and assumptions based on station, I already have some pretty cemented headcanons on how they came together despite a rocky start (#young!stalka). Hey, actually I have one post in particular that kinda covers a timeline for them, which you can read here :D

I think most of the traps were a slow evolution of experience and tweaking. I do headcanon that Eret didn’t start out on Dragons (only when he went south, away from a familiar life, and excelled at larger game), so he was raised with the passed on knowledge of traps, as well as animal behavior. What works, what won’t, which and where and all that.

So I imagine his dragon-trapping days started out of necessity, using traps he was familiar with. And as he encountered more people who fought dragons on a regular basis, he came into contact with those traps and methods, and it was sort of a melding of both experiences.

As he moved around, hitting up villages for trades and dragon-removal, he would speak with the blacksmiths (“I need something like this... but bigger.” “Can you make this weighted at all? It might help.”) and over the years improved the weapons he used.

Yeah I feel you bro. Things happen in life that forces some people to grow up earlier than planned. I know it myself… I truly envy innocent people that haven’t yet suffered that much to turn their lifes upside down and learn in the bad way. 

In these cases I can tell you that growing up is hard. Very very hard. You have to face things you don’t want sooner or later. I personally would’ve prefered later but things do NOT always turn out the way we want them. Believe me, things happen, shit happens and yes that DOES NOT mean it’s the end. It means you have an opportunity to learn from those things and become a better person. That’s what happens when you mature, all the time. You begin to understand things and see the world in another way. It is NOT a bad thing =) Learning is ALWAYS rewarding, being early or late in you life. But remember that shit will happen to you and it will NOT end, it’s definitely not “yeah I did what I wanted! Now what?”, life continues and WILL continue until it’s time to leave. BUT, when life hits you hard, it is NOT the end, it’s just another lesson to learn, yes it’s hard and yes it’ll last, but it’s completely worth it if you keep pushing forward and LEARN from it, you’ll became wiser and better. It’ll be TOTALLY worth it, I garantee that in 100% and I trully believe it. I know it sounds cliché but life is a challenge and if you give up, there will be consequences. So yeah don’t give up even if shit happens. It’s worth the view when you climb the mountain =)

I don’t believe I have! And how dare you yes he’s still alive I won’t accept anything different

Spitelout and Stoick weren’t the closest brothers but they also didn’t have the hardcore, antagonistic relationship they had in the books. Their rivalry seems more played with their sons--as if Spitelout knew and accepted that Stoick was the ‘big, bad, chief’ and all that, but at least he had the better son (something Stoick quietly endured... until Hiccup started his own badass campaign and he could boast back).

They fought side-by-side and trusted each other, despite how often they butt heads.

So, yes, Stoick’s death is going to hit Spitelout hard. He’ll feel the ache of that loss, even if he doesn’t cry, even if he accepts the loss with a gruff nod. He’ll squeeze Hiccup’s shoulder, murmur his consolations, and do what he can to get the village back in shape.

Are you just as bothered by the ending of the first movie then?  Because Hiccup obliterated that dragon. The Red Death’s story has been speculated about and I know the Bewilderbad was an innocent dragon at one point, but that was a long time ago.  Everyone, no matter what their excuse is, is somebody’s villain.  These individuals happened to become Hiccup’s.  Hiccup’s always been someone who will take action to protect his own when pushed. He was pushed in the first movie and he was pushed in the second movie. He acts in the moment, and sometimes action over forgiveness is the necessary option for the individual. Not the greater good, bullshit, but the individual.

On that note, I wouldn’t say Hiccup didn’t attack Drago.  Drago used the Bewilderbeast as a weapon and as a shield.  Hiccup did initially choose to separate them and then the Bewilderbeast attacked them without Drago.  Like I said, sometimes its action over forgiveness. Forgiveness and saving has its limits--especially when it becomes stupid and harmful for yourself and your loved ones.

That lack of Astrid--and what we did see of her and the Berk teens--bothers me as well.  I understand the second film is far more focused on Hiccup and his family (as opposed to Hiccup and his community), but I missed their unique interactions.

I’m going to kick off the new year with a good ol’ fashioned rant.

No. This has come up before.

Why did she back away?  I dunno… her own crippling guilt?  That she’d taken one devestating, emotional blow of reality after another since meeting her son and she hadn’t even finished processing all that before chapter two of “What have I done?” started.  She’s already struggling with accepting this fantasy of Berk behaving peacefully with dragons, riding them, and the horror that she couldn’t do it and that she left and her son was like her all along.  That she left her husband to raise their son alone when she could have been constructive and helpful in their household after half a viking-lifetime of believing it was impossible.  (Note: I’m not shaming her for her choices, but acknowledging that she does feel shame)

And then the husband—whom she once loved and lived with—doddles in.  Whelp.  Could you imagine the self-loathing she must have been feeling in that instant? Saw how she struggled to meet his eye?  It’s far more likely that Valka wrestled with self-hate and possible mental illness than experienced abuse at the hands of Stoick.  Can you imagine how many times she thought of reuniting with her husband?  How the longer she waited, the more her memories of Berk/Vumans skewed as she lived and saved dragons, her imaginings got more and more horrible?

"Shout—scream—something" —She’s goading him to do something she feels she deserves.  Right before she receives a stark reminder of who Stoick was. Is.  Okay, was.

That’s how I know there wasn’t abuse between them—Stoick’s character. The character that they created is not an abusive one. It’s one that’s had to use violence to survive and to keep his loved ones safe his entire life, but also shows incredible restraint.  It’s an incredibly protective character.  A deceivingly tempered one.  He’s designed to be this giant, hard-faced, warrior who, upon first meeting, seems set in his ways and people are rather unforgiving over that. Stoick’s filled with sorrow and heartache and hope.  He loves his village and his family dearly and he’s a rock.