I somehow completely missed that line in the movie when I was making that post (blame it on the excitement after *just* watching it…….or just my patchy memory, that also works), but, yeah, that was what I assumed was their relation. And made me go ‘huh’ when I saw all the parts with Snotlout/Valka interactions.

Since then, though, I got a fresh new look on that from a dear friend of mine. Now, as I mentioned, my memory is quite patchy about stuff like that *but* I would like to see the Valka/Snotlout interactions from a different angle, mainly Snotlout looking for approval of a parental figure. My friend pointed out that, at the beginning of the movie, Valka wins against Spitelout in a arm-wrestling match. And that’s when we start to see Snotlout’s new attitude, right? (I mean we can assume it started earlier, but that’s when we get to see it)

Spitelout obviously doesn’t win any Best Dad awards and yet we see, as the years go by, Snotlout trying to gain his respect. And then Valka just, like, crashes Spitelout? in an arm-wrestling competition? like a total boss? probably not the first time either?

Snotlout spends the entire move trying to gain Valka’s attention and respect, thing he’s been doing for years, obviously in a different way, towards his dad. He “flirts” because that’s what gets him attention. I would like to believe that his flirting with Astrid (or Ruffnut for that matter) went beyond ‘she got a hot face’. Astrid was respected by the village, and, we assume, her parents, too. Bah - the chief looked ready to hoist her on his shoulders and parade her around the village.

And that look on his face when Valka *does* validate his attempts? He’s happy - and surprised (which is a little heartbreaking, tbh). That’s what he needed to hear. For years.

Or, at least, that’s my friend’s and mine take on it, and I honestly think it makes sense, in that pov. My son needs some lovin’.