#i need an official httyd version of this

[defenestrationtactics]

extra tuffnut content. just listen to it.

close your eyes. i dare you.

#i know tj miller is his own person #i dont mean to turn him into his little character but this is too good #i need an official httyd version of this #tuffnut thorston the song #httyd #tuffnut httyd #tuffnut thorston #tj miller #Youtube

[bipp-bopp-time-to-stop]

HTTYD LU Crossover: The Potential Plot(s)

Whilst brainstorming about this crossover, I have though up many ways for the plot to go. Some could lead to a shorter series while others would be longer. Rather than forcing myself to pick, I could just list all of the potential routes so I could not only get opinion on them but to also have them typed down to look back on.

Also, do not believe these ideas to be completely set in stone. I’ll undoubtedly continue to revise and change each idea to polish it out or make it flow better. This is, essentially, a rough draft of what my noodle has conjured up over the past few days.

Idea Number 1

The first plot idea has the Chain being the dragon riders and (Name) being something of a nomad. (Name) travels from island to island or village to village for reason xyz. They could potentially be apart of a nomadic tribe that flees from conflict and is therefore seen as a coward or they could have been exiled from their tribe. With them being an outsider, they’re obviously not trusted by others and even shunned by other tribes. This would naturally lead them to getting stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Perhaps they’re trying, and failing, to flee from a wild dragon. Maybe they’re lost out at sea on a raft and have run out of fresh water and food. They could be trying to avoid confrontation with a tribe because they’re either known to be hostile or they’ve maybe stolen supplies from them. Whatever the reason may be, they end up getting rescued by one of the boys.

Personally, I think Wind is the best fit for the rescuer. Why? Well, just because (Name) was in trouble doesn’t mean they couldn’t get out of it themselves, but Wind has something to prove. He’s both the youngest and least experienced of the dragon riders, so he takes (or makes) whatever opportunity he can get to be seen as both a hero and someone reliable so the others will start treating him fairly. When he spots (Name) in trouble, he rushes to their “rescue” and brings them back to his home island so they can be checked up on for injuries and so they can also sing Wind’s praises because he save them! Right?

Honestly, this is how the scene has been playing out in my mind:

Wars and/or Time: “Uhm… whatcha got there?”

Wind, beaming with his hands on his hips: “Someone who needed rescuing! Isn’t that right, (Name)?”

(Name), dangling precariously from the maw/ claws of Wind’s dragon: “h e l p”

As for where the plot goes after that, I think it’s sort of (Name) trying to find their place at this new island filled with crazy people because who in their right minds would tame dragons?! This doesn’t go over smoothly for a number of reasons I haven’t decided on yet. The island (of which I need to find a name for because New Hyrule feels basic) could be going through turmoil. Or, due to (Name)’s past, they’re not trusted by many but they can’t exactly leave because it’s far from the coldest welcome they’ve received. Roughly, I have an idea as to where to steer the exposition of this series but I’d still need to figure out some overarching character developments as well as the main conflict.

I should also state that this will contain not only the official boys, but also some side characters like Malon, Groose, Aryll, and Impa (might go for Hyrule Warriors Impa) to name a few. I will also include Zelda but I want to figure out which Zelda to choose. I think I may also include Tetra but as a different character than Zelda. They could be, like, cousins or something.

In this version of the story, I don’t think I’ll incorporate any of the human characters or named dragon characters from HTTYD. Because (Name) in this version has no ties to them, the most that they’ll be mentioned is as a distant, dragon taming clan. Or, perhaps one or two of the LU characters have briefly interacted with a HTTYD character. (Like one of the Chain having interacted with Eret when he still worked for the dragon trappers and mentions how he changed to love and respect dragons as well as ride one. This is a point that could be brought up when one of the boys argues with (Name) about their stance on dragons).

Also, I don’t know if (Name) will end up having a dragon of their own in this. I do want them to eventually be comfortable being around dragons, but taming and riding one would be a whole other story. That doesn’t mean they’ll never end up riding a dragon, but that’s not to say they’ll have a permanent dragon partner. If I do choose for them to have a dragon, I want it to basically be a dragon that’s distrusting in humans to mirror how (Name) distrusts/fears dragons. A slow enemies to friends kind of deal, if you will.

Idea Number 2

The second idea has (Name) being the dragon rider and the Chain being introduced to dragons through them. To explain why there wouldn’t be any HTTYD dragons flying around or near Hyrule, it could be because Hyrule managed to “sever” itself from the world for whatever reason (such as trying to contain Demise or to protect the land from outside forces). I would like to think that, due to this separation, the magical balance of the world was shifted. The people of Hyrule can still access and cast magic, but those outside cannot. The only creatures that have magic outside of Hyrule would, of course, be the dragons, and that alone is in small amounts. Magic is still present across the board, but its found in different mediums between Hyrule and the rest of the world.

Naturally, with (Name) being the dragon rider in this instance, it would make sense that they come from Berk/New Berk. I know that there are other clans/tribes/groups that are friendly to dragons, but they don’t ride them like Berkians do. The closest group out there in comparison to Berk are the Wingmaidens as they care and protect baby Razorwhips and use them to fly, but they release them once they’re old enough to care for themselves. Not to mention that the Wingmaidens were almost cannibals at one point (spoilers, I guess, if you haven’t watched RTTE).

I personally think (Name) would do well to fit in as one of the original/ second wave of dragon riders. They could be the adopted sibling or only childhood friend of Hiccup and acted as the brawn to his brain to protect him. They could have also been the first person to find out about Toothless instead of Astrid. In a way, their actions always revolved around Hiccup to an extent as that’s who all they really had growing up and amidst the conflict of the movies/ shows (they will have deep relationships with other characters but Hiccup is their closest bond and their dragon is the only one that rivals that). 

So, now that they’re grown and everyone else sort of has their life figured out, (Name) now tries to be their own person. They can’t stay by their brother’s/ best friend’s side as he’s chief and has a village to run and dragons to look out for. (I will have the plot of this take place after the events of HTTYD 2 but not carry on into HTTYD 3. The reason I have for this is that the themes and certain plot points of HTTYD 3 do not match/ go against what is established in the other movies and shows. I think the movie was nice, and it did have good moments, but it just didn’t vibe with what the franchise had been pushing prior).

There would be two main points of conflict in this version of the story: (Name) finding out who they are/ want to be and their adventure into Hyrule. How they get into Hyrule is something I’m still figuring out. In HTTYD 1, the vikings couldn’t get to Dragon Island as they had no way of navigating the thick mist/smoke that surrounded the island until they had Toothless. The mist/smoke wall in this instance could also be magical so that anything that enters it is confused and unable to sense what direction is what or it makes them pass out (and end up drowning in the waters below). Another idea would be that Hyrule is in a whole other dimension entirely. To get between the two worlds, one would have to find and activate a gate/portal. How that works is still something I’m figuring out.

The dragon thing would also be a point of conflict between (Name) and Hyrule as dragons just haven’t existed there for centuries, if not longer. It would be hard to change the minds of a whole nation of people if there’s only one dragon to interact with. How dragons would slowly start coming back to Hyrule is another thing for me to figure out and which members of the Chain would actually consider taming and riding a dragon in this version of events. In this version of the story, I’d also have (Name)’s dragon be a fiercer dragon as it would both hinder and help them proving that dragons can be friends. A fierce dragon would be harder to be around without being scared, but it’d also show that even some of the scariest dragons can be befriended.

I could continue writing about each idea further, but there are some things I want to keep behind closed doors for now. Mainly because, if I explain everything there is about the plot, the characters, the dragons, and more, then there will technically be no surprises or plot twists. I will still have a few more posts such as explaining a little bit more in terms of world building and the dragon companions of the Chain/other characters.

Also, a tid-bit about the unofficial boys; they will not be included in the main story of either idea. Why? Because the character roster I’m already working with, as well as flushing out their relationships, is already a lot. Especially in the first idea as nearly everyone is going to have their own dragon and their own relationship with them. This does not mean, however, I won’t write short stories or even little mini-series about the unofficial boys in this Au.

#linked universe #linked universe x reader #lu x reader #linked universe au #linked universe httyd au #lu httyd au

[achillesmonochrome]

“I can bend characters to my liking, making my own versions of them where they’re more distinct and developed. I like the books more for what I want them to be than for what they are.”

I really didn’t know how to explain my love for HoO until I saw this, and honestly? Yeah, it actually makes a lot of sense.

Originally I was going to make this post a reblog, but the original poster block me, I think because they hate jasico and I talk a lot about it, and if is for that? fair.

In any case, this actually hits the spot not only for HoO, but in general.

Like, 95% of the time if I join a fandom (and by that I mean making content of it) it means I have some type of problem with the source material.

My first fandom, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, was because the ending was too open and I wanted the main characters to stick together. My Hero Academia was more in the desire of wanting shit to be gay, because at the time that was my only issue (now that changed but let’s not delve into that). How to train your dragon, because that last movie is trash and I’m DYING ON THAT HILL-

My whole point is: I think this break fanfics to the bare essentials, and that is: you feel something is missing from the original story.

I cannot talk for every single fanfic writer in this community, but I feel you wouldn’t be writing if you thought the story was perfect as it was and didn’t need anything else.

Sure, a lot of people write fanfic as a love letter to the source material (My style is mostly “I am adopting the kids you don’t deserve them”) it just feels you need to want something else in order to make you write.

I just accepted the fact that Heroes of Olympus (I could say riordanverse in general, but let me honest I rarely talk about TKC or the Magnus Saga, I only acknowledge ToA when is convenient to me, and rarely write or do stuff with pjo alone) is the piece of official media I love the most. 

Of the 381 stories I had written (in a lot of different accounts) 206 are pjo related. 6 of my 8 fandoms shirts are pjo ones. I still have some of my original pjo/hoo books in spanish, despite having pjo and hoo in english already, because sentimental value. Is the only fandom I had ever come back, is the fandom where I wrote my longest one shot (15k) and the one that made me able to write something novel lengthy and win nano (that fic is around 84k words, but I am still editing so is unsure what would be the final length)

Funnily, of all the fandoms I had ever been, THIS, is the one where I can pinpoint more issues. Sure, in httyd I can pick apart the last movie for days, but without that I am mostly okay. HoO? I could pick apart all five books, and still have issues with pjo. When I say “I can roast this for hours, yes I love this saga more than any other piece of media in the world” I am not joking. 

But I always wondered why that was the case; like a lot of people would hate seeing criticizing of something they love this dearly, yet I find fun in ranting about it. So despite being pro-criticizing and salt, I was always puzzle by this.

It wasn’t until I saw that comment that it suddenly made sense.

Curious fact, I was actually a mythology fan before I read pjo. My mom had tons of books, and one of them was about mythology; and I read for days the section of greek and roman gods. Not sure why, I was like 9 or 10 (maybe too young for unfiltered greek myths, but hey no one watched over me when I was a kid) and it was for that reason that when my cousin told me about the series, I accepted to read it (he recommended me a lot of shit)

My love the idea of urban fantasy, and my love for mythology works amazing for this setting. Negligent parents also helped me connect; and in one way or another, I connected so much with the HoO cast.

Like look, I loved Percy, Nico and Annabeth before HoO, I certainly loved Thalia (she has been my favourite character since book 1, literally just learning her backstory put her in that spot) yet it was after HoO that I actually became obsessed. Maybe the bigger cast helped, or hearing a voice other that Percy, but it was that.

Ultimately, as much as I love the nine, is more my idea of them that them. Like fact aside having so many protagonists is more that what RR could cope (to be fair too many protagonist or a large cast is difficult to manage to any writer), he fucks up the characterization of them constantly. Sometimes Octavian looks like he legit cares about New Rome, others he is ballocks. Nico is absolutely scared of people knowing he is gay, next book he literally confessed in an open space where anyone could hear. Hazel curses a lot in SoN, then in BoO saying “gosh darn” makes her blush. 

So is impossible to like them for how they are written without wanting to leave something behind, because shit literally gets contradicted constantly. 

Overall, the fact that they had potential is what makes this series so good for writing fanfics, you can fall in love with the characters enough while still wanting to write and talk about it.

And to be honest, I am baffled of how good it works out.

#pjo #hoo #heroes of olympus #percy jackon and the olympians #rick riordan #rr crit #I was bored #I know nobody cares #but still

[batty4dragon]

Can I just say the fact that it exists and what's in it, it's message and that it was approved made me throw up in my mouth? How can they poison some thing so pure and innocent and wholesome and important ? How can they make someone good, someone who is a good friend and supporter who friercely protects and loves his rider and family, not care about them and toss them aside and do it in most douche kind of way?

"am I not enough ? Hiccup asked Toothless. Toothless paused then dashed away."

Literally what kind of friend does that? Not even trying to confront your best friend as apparently that book still calls them that but it only just adds one more pinch of salt to injury, what kind of friend sees his friend upset and doesn't care? A shitty one, asshole, someone who only cares about food in your fridge and if you have money to take that's who and it disgusts me. Relationships don't work that way. Feelings and love and protectiveness towards your family don't dissapear just because a pretty girl you just meet appeared. Hiccup struggled and tried to be enough, but didn't manage it since he was little and in httyd 1 finally he was someone enough for Toothless and it let Hiccup unravel and develop. Their relationship was amazing and heartwarming and pure they could count on each other no matter the trouble and to see it all just tossed like yesterday's trash for the sake of this nightmare? Made me feel cold, absolutely horrified and angry and pretty duckin depressed. What's the point of making friends and relationships when even one as beautiful as this can stab you in the back and your very best friend abandoned you for a pretty girl he barely knows and doesn't care about you anymore. Because that's the only thing I'm getting from thw. Sometimes friends drift apart that's true but they still communicate, they care if other is sad and do t break things off unless one does something really really bad and remain in contact and what Hiccup and Toothless had was strong and deep and something very different from what school friends or friends from work etc have so comparing them to it is unfitting. Hell the official wiki called them soulmates which Dean apparently decided that he didn't see. The fact that Grimmel isn't even in it and apparently other dragons stay is ridiculous and insulting. The only lesson for children from that book and movie is " Toss all your friends and family aside if the girl is pretty enough. Platonic love is utterly inferior to romantic interest after all. All your friends will leave you eventually. The only way to escape and be safe from bigotry and prejudice is to hide until the world thinks we don't exist and no one is trying to make that world safe for us, if we show ourselves again it would cause chaos and we will be in danger again meaning we are sentenced to stay in hiding forever" Trully amazing message in those times.

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-night-fury-and-the-light-fury-tina-gallo/1128864180

If Tuffnut or Snotlout meet a hot girl on another island and he only exchanged few words with her but she was soooo beautiful would you still say it's okay? He should abandon Berk, his friends and his dragon for her no? Because she is scared of dragons obliviously. Even if they barely know her. They suddenly don't care anymore about anything but her suddenly after all. Sounds like magic love potion to me. That needs some hammer to the head to get rid off.

Sorry for the rant. But I just had to say something about it, it's been bubbling inside me and keeps doing it without end.

I'm exchausted. Httyd was my home away from home I retreated here when things pulled me down and it always made me feel safe, it never failed to help me rise up to remind me that even when things look bad it's worth holding on and fighting because things will get better eventually but now it's all corrupted, burned down with skeletons of what it was lying about and I feel constant danger in it now, it feels like cemetery. When THW came out I felt a string of hope httyd always gave me because exactly in that same year mere weeks before I lost my parent and was struggling to cope so I thought that it will help me rise again, remind me of that again, and since Hiccup lost his father recently too I expected to see him deal with that also, but that wasn't even touched upon at all and instead what thw did was go against everything httyd stands for and crapped on it while butchering characters to the bone, it kicked me down even lower. I felt even worse, everything felt numb, it felt like I just escaped from somewhere where I saw someone take something dear from me, stomped it down, mangled it, set fire on it and then spat on it, like nothing mattered and it's not worth fighting anymore. And I feel like giving up and leaving and I did for a while but I don't want to anymore, it's exacly what THW says to do. I have to keep fighting and believing in what httyd 1, 2 and tvshows was and showed us. I have to remember the real Hiccup and Toothless and not let them get burried by this mockery versions of them. The only way I regard THW is a nightmare, a mockery. It's what exactly Hiccup's nightmare would be.

Is there even hope of saving httyd somehow ?

#thw salt #thw criticism #hidden drainhole

[urisk-factor]

Creedock Headcannons!

Alastor sometimes refers to Dock as "his fiend" in an affectionate manner.

Bandy, after finding out that Dock and Alastor are married, secretly started referring to Dock as a dalf instead of dilf (dad Alastor would like to fuck). If either ever found out he'd surely be in deep shit. (The person who started the whole Dock dilf thing knows who they are.)

Dock will, when he's gone without sleep for a while and is tired, sometimes just boop Alastor's nose. Alastor doesn't mind, and honestly thinks it's sweet.

Alastor is the only person who's seen Dock without a shirt. Dock doesn't like being seen shirtless because of some scars on his chest, stomach, and shoulders that he's really ashamed of. Alastor doesn't know the source of these scars because Dock refuses to tell anyone, and Alastor doesn't push it.

Dock is one of the few people who can get Alastor to smile an actually happy smile, and laugh and actually joyful laugh.

Once a month, they have a movie night. They'll sit on the couch, usually Dock will lie down but arch his legs a bit in a triangle, and Alastor will sit on Dock's belly and lean on Dock's legs. Alastor prefers crime, while Dock is 100% horror. They usually watch a mix of both.

If Dock has his mask on and they've been separated for a while, instead of kissing, they'll just gently press their forheads their foreheads together. Sometimes they do this even if Dock doesn't have his mask.

Dock is kind of self conscious about his appearance, and constantly doubts himself, and thinks that anyone complimenting him is lying (totally not me projecting). Alastor is the only person he believes.

Dock has this big warm dark green wooly (?) jumper that he wears out of work. Alastor is constantly stealing it. It's big on Dock but absolutely huge on Alastor.

They constantly steal each other's pens/pencils/other writing tools. I like to imagine Alastor writing something in a pen that's covered in dried blood, and someone points it out, and he's like "oh, I'm borrowing it from my husband."

Bandy once called Alastor Mama, and Dock Papa. Lance joined in. Alastor is officially the Jury Mum and Dock the Jury Dad. (Lorelei and Diana are wine aunts.)

Both Kings of zoning out.

Sometimes Alastor and Dock will just quietly hook their pinkies. It reassures them.

Dock always greets Alastor with "Ceud mìle fàilte!"

They sometimes jokingly mock each other's accents. Alastor's is a very posh English accent from the London area, while Dock's is more Highlands in Scotland area. (Or the Heartless equivalent).

Alastor is a city boy while Dock is from a small village surrounded by extraordinary hills and vast lochs. Alastor visited Dock's home town and literally fell in love with it.

Alastor was the one to ask Dock to start dating, Dock was the one to pop the question.

Dock has a weighted blanket, and once put it on Alastor. Alastor liked it, even if he couldn't actually move.

Dock has to hide his snacks in high up cupboards, because Alastor will randomly crave very bitter and sour sweets, and there is no stopping that little man.

Their wedding was small, virtually no one was there sans for a few old friends (Diana was among that group). They didn't have a honeymoon, but didn't want one. Every anniversary, they make a big meal and dine by candle light.

Sometimes Dock will fall asleep on the couch and Alastor will stumble across him after a while, and join him.

They both have a very dark and morbid sense of humour.

They both like listening to the other talk about their interests, even if they themselves don't understand it. They're just happy to see the other happy.

Dock likes to drop little Gaelic phrases into conversation with Alastor, and Alastor likes to do the same back. Dock usually starts it.

They both have their own little version of morse code so they can communicate without others knowing so.

Sometimes Dock puts little braids in Alastor's hair, like Astrid with Hiccup in httyd, and Alastor leaves them in until he has to wash his hair (which is a lot or else it gets really greasy).

Ok but just a thought, what if Alastor was a vampire and Dock was half giant half fallen angel. Immortal husbands.

Alastor wasn't very fond of the colour green before he met Dock, now it's his favourite (although he'd never admit it because he thinks the concept of having a favourite colour is unprofessional).

Alastor absolutely cannot pick up Dock's boots at all. (They're big, as I mentioned in another post, reaching Dock's knees. They're all black, with steel toes and soles, and there's a little plate at the heel. They have several straps and buckles, and one has a chair around the ankle from some idiot's attempt to contain Dock. They have some complicated lacing, the soles are large and made to be durable, and there are a few silver markings on them.) Dock makes sure to always put them away carefully so they don't block anything Alastor might need access to.

They have a massive pride flag in the living room.

Neither likes summer. It's too hot. Alastor because he has to take off his coat - the very coat that brings comfort to him. Dock because look at all the layers he's wearing.

Alastor is sometimes too nervous to ask Dock to bend down for a kiss, so he'll either climb up onto a counter or just climb Dock.

#dock #abd illustrates #demon whispers about nonsense #heartless headcanons #alastor x dock #alastor creed #creedock #tw scars #tw self consciousness

[irrevocably-delicious]

Hey what’s up, that HTTYD 3 poster got me fucked up

So this official poster has been released for How To Train Your Dragon 3 and it has left me with... opinions. 

My first initial reaction was excitement! Oh hell yeah HTTYD 3 is coming out! I adored the first two! But then i saw...

SIIIIIGGGGGGGHHHHHHH I knew immediately that this was most likely a female night fury and fuck yeah shit fuck it is which is so disappointing. I could write a huge essay on how female characters are portrayed in media. I could write a massive blog about smurfette syndrome and how female characters are always just a pink, soft version of their male counterparts, or how female animal or anthro characters still have to fall into society’s beauty standards so we do crazy things like give ducks tits or large eyelashes. 

I COULD talk about why these things occur, and how this is a worrying reflection of how society views human females, that males are the default and females are the other... but I’m not going to do that TODAY.

Hi my name is India and not only do I have an animation degree, but I also have a degree in animal and veterinary science.

This design doesn’t just insult me as an animator. This design insults me as a scientist. 

Let’s begin. 

So if you asked me to design a female night fury for the poster, this is what I would have come up with:

Because from a superficial perspective? I would not expect that there would be an obvious difference between males and females. Night fury’s obviously take a lot of design influence from axolotls, who you can only sex by examining their cloacas. Many species of lizards must also have their sexual organs examined for reliable sexing, because colour and size variation in many species are not a reliable way to tell the difference between males and females. 

Someone paint this girl’s nails pink! Otherwise HOW WILL I KNOW?

But I digress that sexual dimorphism exists, and from an animation perspective, you need variation in the character design so people can tell your characters apart. Kids need to want BOTH toys goddamit.

Sexual dimorphism is most obvious and famous in many bird species. In birds of prey, particularly your fast birds of prey such as raptors, your females will be much larger than males. Colour variation in birds (and some reptiles) also occurs. But it is the MALE that is the most colourful and “beautiful” in order to attract their mate. Females are often shades of grey/brown and definitely not a colour that would make them an easy target in their environment.

The female peahen is a basic bitch.

So keeping these size variations and natural colour variations in mind, here’s another suggestion I might offer:

She’s larger! She’s a different colour! Toothless is the sleek, deep black almost blue colour, while she is more in that grey/brown area. I can totally tell the difference.

“But India!” I hear your protests. “Why can’t she be white?! You can have dramatically different coloured male and females in the natural world. Have you heard of eclectus parrots?”

And I would say “Yes! Yes I obviously fucking have! Of course I have heard of the eclectus parrots, who when they were first discovered, people thought they were two different species and kept wondering why they weren’t breeding when they put all the green parrots together and all the red ones together. I’ve course of fucking heard of eclectus parrots you wet petri dish!”

But here’s the thing about eclectus parrots. They live in the rainforest, so while they are different colours, there is still an element of camouflage to this colouring. The female blends into the green treetops and the male looks a lot like a delicious fruit. 

A white night fury... just doesn’t make sense? Judging by when we first meet toothless, and my bullshit knowledge of fictional dragon behaviour, it’s fair to assume that night furys hunt at night. Toothless is so dark that he is almost impossible to see in the night sky. This is where the tension comes from when Hiccup first encounters the night fury. He just sees blue flame and not the dragon itself, because it is so difficult to make him out against the dark sky. 

This female night fury would be shot down so quick. She would stick out terribly at night. She wouldn’t catch shit. All the sheep in the field would be like “Oh fuck, I can see Phyllis two miles away. We all better shuffle into the barn.” There’s a reason albino animals are so rare in the wild. They just stick out too much and often get eaten. 

“But what if female’s hunt during the day? Wouldn’t being white help them blend in with clouds and the bright sky?” 

THEN WHEN WOULD THEY FUCK? Would males and females just pass each other at sunset like fated star lovers? That’s stupid. That doesn’t make sense. This isn’t Ladyhawke. 

But I’ll humour you. Yes, yes, we see white birds all the time. And you’re right! That white belly really helps them blend in with the clouds and bright sky. 

But they’re not all white. Especially birds that have to hunt or eat on the wing. We see this kind of patterning a lot of sea birds. Their bellies are white, but the tops of their wings are dark grey/brown. This is so when they nest, or are maybe viewed by a LARGER bird from above, they will blend in with the land or ocean below. White against a deep blue ocean really stands out... But dark grey? Not so much. 

“But Indiiiiiaaaa” some protests again like an absolute idiot who is about to be slapped out of their ignorance. 

“Night Furys are so fast that nothing could possibly catch them! They don’t have to worry about camouflaging to avoid predators!”

Alright Dumbass McBitch! Do you know what the fastest bird in the world is?

It’s the peregrine falcon. GUESS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE?

WHITE BELLY. DARK TOP. 

The peregrine falcon is actually probably a decent comparison to the fictional night fury actually. Small in size, bird of prey, HORRIFICALLY FAST. But they have this sort of colouring for similar reasons. The dark colouring isn’t just camouflage during flight. It also helps them blend into their environment when they are nesting. 

SO IF YOU SOMEHOW CONVINCED ME THAT NIGHT FURYS ARE ALSO ACTIVE DURING THE DAY I COULD CONCEDE A DESIGN LIKE THIS:

But it’s not just colour. It’s not just size. There are other things that worry me about the female night fury’s design. The first is that she seems to have fewer of those... antennae things? And the few she has are much shorter. We’ve seen Toothless use these and they seem to be similar to a cat’s whiskers in their sensory role. So why on earth would she have less? And they be much shorter? SHE NEEDS THOSE! Without them, she may have difficulty flying, orienting herself in the air or feeling the winds she will have to combat. The designers are trying to feminise her by making her seem sleeker and rounder... which functionally makes no sense... why not do the opposite? Giver her really long antennae! Have them constantly moving in the wind!

The other thing that I immediately noticed was how SMOOTH she looks. They took away almost all of her scales. And again... doesn’t she need those for protection? This is so odd to me because it feels like they’ve removed her scales in the same way that pin up artists never draw body hair. Body hair is seen as unsightly on women, so artists remove it, leaving their subjects smooth and shining.

Do... do the dreamworks designers think the scales are unsightly? Have they waxed this dragon? And replaced her scales with body glitter??? Guys.... guys...

Whyyyyyy

Also they made her nose a lot shorter? That’s stupid. Don’t do that. 

Which one’s the girl?? Their noses are the same length so I can’t tell. 

So I can actually greatly improve the original design by just remedying these things.

Oh yeah I made her claws bigger??? BECAUSE THEY FUCKING MADE HER CLAWS SMALLER. 

But already I’m like... less pissed at it. Like “Aw yeah it’s still white, but at least they didn’t mess with much else.”

I think in a perfect world they would have given me something like this:

BUT! They did not.

And I’m not complaining just for the sake of complaining. I promise. This poster irritated me so much because HTTYD over the past 2 movies has had some stellar design. ESPECIALLY with it’s female characters. Astrid and Ruffnut are such courageous designs to me, because they’re not your classically beautiful disney knock off. Ruffnut is harsh looking. She has angles. She makes gross faces. These are all privileges that have traditionally been reserved for villains or men. Astrid is introduced in the first film like she’s some incredibly beautiful bombshell... but she really looks like a little girl. She’s kind of scrawny. She has only the smallest hint of a bust. She has a weak chin and her ears stick out, but it doesn’t matter because Hiccup thinks she is stunning.

Catch this chin in a disney movie. It will never happen.

We’ve even seen excellent female dragon designs! But we weren’t even aware that they were females because it’s not plot relevant, but they were not obviously coded. They just looked like sweet dragons!

Stormfly is a girl. You can tell by how much glitter in on her body and her short, rounded spikes. 

I just wish the HTTYD designers took more risk with the female nightfury design. The design they came up with is lazy, predictable, functionally incorrect and... kinda sexist honestly. I will still see this movie. I will still marvel at all the other wonderful designs, but this has left a bad taste in my mouth. 

From now on I hope to see more female characters that look like Sadie from Mouseguard

And less like ... this fucking shit

Not even Bambi is free from my wrath. 

#httyd #httyd 3 #how to train your dragon #character design #critique #i rant #female representation

[shipmistress9]

ShipMistress’ HTTYD Masterpost

Find my other fanfictions here or on AO3. 

If you end up reading any of my (older) fics: I’d LOVE to get feedback, comments, reviews, reactions. 💜

* Updates

Beneath a Read More now because it got long!

* - . - * - . o O o . - * - . - *

I should go (FFnet) (AO3) -- COMPLETE

Modern AU -- T-rated -- Hiccup and Astrid were best friends in school, but lost contact. Ten years later, they meet again under not quite the best circumstances. One is to become the other one’s employee.

(This is the first story I ever finished. I love it dearly, but I want to warn you, it has quite a few errors. The AO3 version is slightly better since I edited that a bit before uploading)

---

The Aftermath of being stupid (FFnet) (AO3) -- COMPLETE

Modern AU -- T-rated -- sequel to ‘I should go’. Just when Hiccup and Astrid make plans for their shared future, Hiccup’s past comes back to haunt him. Will they be able to reach their happy ending?

(Spoiler: They will. because I love happy endings. But it’s a tough way there... I dearly loved the first instalment, but I’ll be honest, I like the second better. Not (yet) on AO3)

---

My Game, My Rules (FFnet) (AO3)-- COMPLETE

Modern AU -- M/E-rated -- This is a smutty additional story to ‘I should go’ and ‘The Aftermath of being stupid’, featuring Perv!strid and Dom!cup. Astrid loves Hiccup for always being good, but sometimes she wishes he’d be the Bad Boy instead. She might get more than she bargained for...

(This story takes place between the two other stories. I recommend to read it before TAOBS as it includes a bit background information, but it’s not mandatory to understand it.)

---

What It Means To Be Chief (FFnet) (Tumblr) -- COMPLETE (AO3)

Canon-verse/post HTTYD2 -- M/E-rated -- Hiccup learns the hard way what it means to be Chief as he deals with a hostile tribe. Should he do what's 'right' or what he thinks he should do?

(This is another story I love... actually, I love all of my stories... It contains quite a bit of smut, but also a lot of plot. TW for attempted rape.)

---

Not One Of Them (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr) -- COMPLETE

Modern AU -- M/E-rated -- roommates/friends-to-lovers -- mutual pining-mutual idiots. Temporary other pairings, though nothing too detailed.

(A crazy project I knocked out in the course of two weeks. (the main story, at least). Also the first of my stories ‘someone’  beta-read. it’s inspired by Taylor Swift’s album’reputation’, and I still remember the moment the idea first sparked in my mind. Simply for that moment, I love this fic. ^^)

---

Lessons In Dancing And Dreaming (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr) -- COMPLETE

Modern College AU -- T-rated -- Fluff and a bit of rom-com drama around Astrid inviting Hiccup to the upcoming spring dance.

---

Keep Her Safe (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr 1 2 3) -- COMPLETE 

Modern AU -- T-rated -- Kind of MIlitary AU -- Married Hiccstrid -- Dadcup -- Romance/Angst/Hurt/Comfort -- Lots of feels Astrid is part of a Special OPs team and needs to leave on a mission; Hiccup stays behind, waiting for her return and hoping that nothing goes wrong...

(Beware of feels. (For me at least; I was crying buckets))

---

With Never A Fear Of Falling (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr) -- COMPLETE

My version of how Hiccup and Astrid ended up as betrothed. Set, obviously, between RTTE season 4 and 5.

(I still am very fond of this ^^ And so long we don’t get an official version, I’ll stick to this one.)

---

For The Love Of A Princess (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr) -- WIP

AU; original medieval-inspired world -- M/E-rated -- Reduced to little more than a stable boy, Hiccup, despite his noble birth, has few prospects for more in life. But when he meets a girl who came to look at the horses, being a stable boy might not be enough anymore. Together, they have tough choices to make and great risks to navigate if they want to survive and be together.

(My current WIP. I love it to pieces, even though it regularly drives me crazy. Alpha-reader is @athingofvikings and I can’t thank you enough! ;) Lots and lots of tooth-rotting fluff, angst, worldbuilding, and bits of smut in later chapters. TW for mention of attempted rape and attempted rape.)

FTLOAP - Bonus and Background Stories (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr 1 )

A (soon to be) collection of short stories that contain background information about ‘For The Love Of A Princes’.

---

Undine (working title) (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr) -- WIP

Modern AU -- M-rated -- Hiccup and Eret were looking very forward to starting a new chapter in their life by moving into a small, secluded cottage near the ocean. Never had they imagined who might await them there. Or rather... what.

(Hicret to Hicretstrid. kinda-Mermaid-AU, I guess. Featuring my beloved OT3

---

The Last Dragon (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr) -- WIP -- On Hiatus

The Last Unicorn AU -- Hiccstrid -- T-rated (for now) -- Hiccup is supposed to be the last dragon? No, that cannot be! He goes on a journey to find the other dragons - but might find more than he was looking for. Romance, Fluff, Angst, Heartbreak. Rating might change over time. NO bestiality!

---

About Time (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr 1 2 3) -- COMPLETE

Modern AU/College AU -- Hiccstrid -- T-rated -- Just another Modern/College AU of how my OTP gets together. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

---

Ex-Trapper With Benefits (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr 1 2 3) -- COMPLETE

Canon-verse (possibly) -- Hiccstrid/Erestrid/Hicretstrid -- M-rated -- PWP -- Hiccup's and Astrid's sex life can't be called boring by any means. They want to try everything, the wilder the better. But their latest interest, having sex where they easily could be found or watched, takes on a new turn when out of the blue a new idea comes up. The only question is... would Eret be up for it?

---

The Perks Of Your Boyfriend Being A Ghost (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr 1 2) -- WIP

Modern AU -- Hiccstrid -- M-rated

As a single mother of three kids, Astrid’s life is rarely ever about what she wants or need. Only good that her ghost boyfriend Hiccup always takes care of her. And who knows... Maybe he can benefit from their relationship, too?

Sex Toy Advent Calendar (AO3)

Modern AU -- Rated E -- Hiccup and Astrid don’t care much for all these forced Christmas feelings during the last month of the year. But even though Astrid was already annoyed by seeing all the festive chocolates in the supermarkets in August, this year, she’s looking very forward to December. Because Hiccup got them a special advent calendar, and she can’t wait to open all those promising little boxes (I only wrote 6 parts to this so far. I still plan to

The Chief And Her Bride (AO3) (Tumblr)

Post HTTYD2 UA -- Rated E -- fem!cup Hiccstrid -- Astrid loves Hiccup dearly, but she never expected for their relationship to last. So it falls to Hiccup to convince her girlfriend that she won't let anyone separate them. Not even her own father.

* Astrid’s Diary (FFNet) (AO3) (unfinished)

Follow Astrid’s POV in the form of her diary (and several live scenes) as she grows from the girls we see at the beginning of HTTYD1 into the young woman we see (in the middle) of RTTE.

Hiccstrid One-shots and drabbles

That Smile (FFnet) (AO3)

A short set three years before HTTYD1, portraying my headcanon of how Astrid thought about Hiccup then.

How To Gather Your Courage (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

A short set after ‘Twintuition’; my headcanon of why Hiccup suddenly found the courage to try and kiss Astrid in ‘Blindsided’.

You Could Stay (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

A short set after ‘Blindsided’. It’s about overcoming awkwardness and a first night spend in each other’s arms.

For The Dancing And Dreaming (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

A short inspired by a beautiful piece of fanart. A night of Dancing and Dreaming in Berk’s Great Hall.

Into The Hidden World (For Leffie) (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

A short, inspired by a beautiful piece of fanart by @leffiesart / @leffie-draws-fanart .

A Long Day (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

A drabble... There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid -- even after one of them is gone. Beware of feels.

This Cold Night (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

A short set in a medieval-like AU. Hiccup would take any risk to see his beloved Astrid tonight. But maybe, with that snowstorm coming, he was pushing his luck too much.

The World Can Wait (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

A short drabble I wrote for a kissing prompt.

Easing Pain (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

Another short drabble where Hiccup enjoys Astrid’s little mishap a little too much. Totally not inspired by any real life events...

Stay Here Tonight (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

Post-HTTYD3 -- A short about how, after the dragons are gone, Hiccup realises that he needs Astrid more than ever.

Biting 2 (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

Modern AU -- Sequel to Biting by @heathenvampires -- Vampcup and human!Astrid fluff.

A New Wind (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

Post-HTTYD3 -- As time goes by, Astrid faces one of her most dangerous fights, and Hiccup can't help her. But in the end, the price was worth every risk, and the wind of change brings solace to healing wounds.

Love On The Battlefield (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr) A short drabble I wrote for a prompt. A fight that almost went wrong. Fluff

One Last Hope (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

Kinda Miraculous Ladybug crossover -- Hiccstrid -- T-rated -- When Astrid gets injured in a fight, Hiccup is willing to do everything to save her. Everything!

Kiss Me Like You Want Me (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

Hiccstrid -- Modern AU -- T-rated -- Angst&Fluff -- A short drabble based on the song Kiss me by Rea Garvey.

Spin The Bottle (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

Hiccstrid -- Modern AU -- T-rated -- Fluff and Humour -- A one-shot about the gang having a game of spin the bottle while Hiccup and Astrid try to hide their fresh relationship.

Trust (AO3) (Tumblr)

Fairy AU -- Rated E -- Kinktober prompt “Fairy & Bondage” -- Hiccup and Astrid have been together for a long while. When Hiccup asks for a certain scene for their love life, Astrid is overwhelmed by his trust in her. But she's also determined to live up to his trust.

Pale Skin, Purple Eyes (AO3) (Tumblr)

Vampire AU -- Rated T -- She was meant to be a spy, looking for weaknesses. But when she fell for one of them, the decision to switch sides was easily made.

Tumblr Intimacy Prompts (AO3)

Series of shorts -- AUs and canonverse -- Rated T -- Hiccstrid, Hicretstrid, Zelink

Hiccstrid Week 2020 Project

A collection of Hiccstrid shorts to celebrate their annivesary. Some written by me, some by others. Here are mine.

Getting Lost Somewhere (t-rated, rtte-canon-verse)

Pet Names (t-rated, modern AU)

Scar Worship (t-rated, rtte-canon-verse)

Drawing Each Other (t-rated, rtte-canon-verse)

Buying Flowers For Each Other (t-rated, rtte-canon-verse)

Falling Slowly (t-rated, modern AU)

A ‘Moonlit Flight’ (m-rated, rtte-canon-verse)

Follow Your Heart (t-rated, AU, bittersweet) (Part 2) (Part 3)  (Part 4)

---

Hicretstrid One-Shots

Not A Bad Day (FFnet) (AO3) (Tumblr)

Modern AU -- Coming out as bisexual went better than Hiccup had anticipated. But when not only one but two gorgeous people hit on him, he feels like maybe this is too good to be true.

All I Need (AO3) (Tumblr)

Modern AU -- When Astrid is exhausted after a long day, Hiccup and Eret know just what to do to help her wind down.   

Pick Me Up (AO3) (Tumblr)

Modern AU -- Crack fic -- When a blonde stunner in a pretty dress enters the bar, many think of trying their luck. But when one is actually successful, and with the worst pick-up lines imaginable no less, nobody believes their eyes – or ears.

* The Parisian Sewage System, Venice, And Other MIstakes (AO3)

HTTYD/Doctor Who crossover. -- T-rated

HIccup is the Doctor, Eret is kind of Captain Jack Harkness. Astrid is the embodiment of the TARDIS.

...

What can go wrong?

#hiccstrid #Hicret #Erestrid #Hicretstrid #fanfiction #httyd #shipmistress9 #ShipMistress Masterpost

[falling-last-stardust]

Compilation of interviews from DreamWorks staff, Dean DeBlois and Jay Baruchel on the TV series (ROB, DOB & RTTE) and its canonicity within the HTTYD movieverse

Since I still see some people asking or arguing about this, I’ve decided to look for some interviews across the internet and compile as much as possible in a single post. Bear in mind that some of these are a few years old, with the earliest from 2014. 

Note and Disclaimer: Although I will state my perspective and opinion at the end of the post, I want to highlight that this is not to argue in favour or against anyone who considers it canon or not, but just to provide clarity to those who would like to hear what was actually said by those involved in the making of the franchise. Whether anyone wants to accept the TV series as canon despite what the Dreamworks crew and actors said, it’s entirely up to them. 

Long post ahead so I’m putting it under a “Keep reading” link. This post will also be updated if I find anymore interviews in the future relevant to this topic. 

Unfortunately since Tumblr no longer allows external links to be posted here, I have used redirects instead for the links of the interviews, which cannot be opened with the Tumblr mobile app, so you will need to use a browser to open them. Nevertheless, I have copied in and bold the relevant parts for those who cannot open the links. 

Collider (2014): with Jay Baruchel (and Dean DeBlois)

Link: [x] 

How does the television series factor in to the movie franchise?

JAY BARUCHEL:  One of the cool things about the TV show is that we get to go a bit more into the everyday life.  We don’t have enough screen time to do that in the movies.  We have a very specific finite amount of time that things have to happen in, in the movies.  What the TV show gives us is the chance to put the audience in that neighborhood and on that  island, experiencing the minutiae of everyday life for a Viking. 

Jay, it’s very rare for the star of the movie to be involved with the TV show, as well.  How did you become involved with the TV series?

BARUCHEL:  Well, for me, there was no question.  I didn’t want anyone else to play the role.  I think part of the actor’s job is to take ownership of the character, and to be defensive and protective, and all that stuff.  So, when it was first mentioned that Hiccup might have a life on television, it had to be me, in my opinion.  What is really cool about the TV show is that it takes place in between the two movies.  And so, when all is said and done and we walk away, we’ll have given the world a pretty full, complete story.  Selfishly, it’s kept me in that mind space.  A lot of people have been asking me what it’s like to come back to this character and come back to this world, and my answer has constantly been, “I never left.”  I just love that we’re creating this deep, open platform that’s a multimedia world.  What it all comes down to is that I just didn’t want anyone else to play Hiccup.

Groucho Reviews (2014):  with Dean DeBlois and the cast

Link: [x] 

G: So as we move toward a wrap-up here, maybe you could all talk a little bit about where you see the franchise going. I know there’s going to be a TV series that shows us what happens between the films…

Jay Baruchel (JB): Uh-huh!

G: And then where it might go from there. I’m sure there’s a plot for a third film, right—?

Dean DeBlois (DD): Mm-hm!

G: Because it’s conceived as a trilogy? 

DD: Yeah, absolutely. We didn’t want a sequel that felt random, or unneccesary. So in charting Hiccup’s coming of age, the end goal is to end up where Cressida Cowell began her books. Hiccup is an adult reflecting back on a time when there were dragons. And that seems to indicate that dragons will go away, that Hiccup will complete his coming of age. How that all evolves is yet to be unveiled. we just promise to do it in a very powerful and hopefully emotionally satisfying way. And then the TV series actually helps bridge the gap. So now that they’re heading into Series Three and Four, they’re going to use our older versions of the characters and begin to set up the year leading up to movie number two. So you’ll start to see Hiccup beginning to explore the outer limits of the Viking map. You’ll see the development of the dragon-racing games on Berk and other things: y'know, Hiccup’s dragon blade. All of these things will have a little bit more time to explain what they are and how they came to be. 

Rotoscopers (2015): with Douglas Sloan

Link: [x] 

Dean DeBlois could not be involved on a creative level with Race to the Edge, as he was incredibly busy with How to Train Your Dragon 2. However, they did continue to have regular check-in dinners with Dean to ensure that nothing in Race to the Edge conflicted with the overall continuity of the franchise. 

Toonzone (2015): with Art Brown and Douglas Sloan

Link: [x] 

Q: You know the point you’re going to, the second movie. In terms of storytelling, is that a process you have enjoyed? Knowing where you end up?

DOUG SLOAN: Yeah, I think it’s really actually great. It’s almost like bowling with bumpers because you know you can’t go here, here, here. You can’t bring in Hiccup’s mother. You can’t do any of the stuff they’re doing in the second movie. You can’t do something that upsets the movie or changes it in any way. So you really do have a guideline as to where you can go and where you can’t go. When we did it earlier it was hard because we didn’t know what the second movie was about, and it was constantly evolving, so the series had to constantly evolving behind it, but now–

ART BROWN: And it’s cool because you have a line that you’re going to, but you get to do all this. There’s only a few ground rules really. You can’t introduce them to stuff they don’t know about yet in the second movie, and anything we do introduce, like the Dragon Eye, we have to get rid of it or else they’d be using it. The mom and Drago, stuff like that. Other than that, they’re out in another area, and we’re free. Every once in a while if we’re not sure, we’ll e-mail Dean or go out to dinner with him and say hey, are you cool with this? And 99% of the time he’ll say yeah. Or maybe he’ll say can you adjust it just a little bit because I’m going to touch on something in the third movie or I’m thinking about it. 

Rama’s Screen (2015): with Art Brown and Douglas Sloan

Link: [x] 

Art Brown: “We’re in pretty close contact with Dean [DeBlois], the writer/director of the movies. We check with him when we’re going to do, before we do the season, we break into season, we say this is the direction we’re going to go, we don’t want to step on anything, sometimes he’ll say ‘Yeah, can you adjust it? Because I’m going to do this in the next movie’” 

Doug Sloan: “We had much more of an issue in the previous iteration of this show because we didn’t know what the movie was really going to be so we were sort of writing in the dark but for the Netflix, going forward with Netflix, we know where the show was going because we’ve seen the movie. Because our show is the prequel to the sequel, so we know everything that’s going to happen.”

Art Brown: “We know what we can’t do in the series. We can’t have Hiccup meet his mother obviously. Stoick is alive, but we can tease towards. We can’t kill Stoick in the series, we can tease towards Drago or the bad guys towards the series, you get a sense that they’re working for this big guy. We’ll set that sort of stuff up, there’s just certain things that we stay away from but like Doug said, that’s kind of self-explanatory, I guess.” 

Doug Sloan: “The great thing is we get to introduce things like the flight suit and the flaming sword that’s in the second movie, and how to came to be, how Stoick got a dragon, we get to put that in the series, and so the audience will know how they got from the first movie to the second movie sort of through the TV series.”

Doug Sloan: “Ya, it’s great. We’re really really lucky that we have the relationship we do with Dean [DeBlois] and Bonnie Arnold. And Gregg Taylor, he’s an executive at DreamWorks, who’s a movie executive primarily but he also works on our show, so he really is in the loop.“

Art Brown: “Ya, we check with him a lot. And if we don’t have the chance to talk with Dean or Bonnie, we talk to Gregg. But they’re so accessible, I mean honestly, ‘Hey, man what do you think about this episode, are you cool with it?’ And usually he’d say ‘Go with it’”

Rotoscopers (2015): with Richard Hamilton and Dean DeBlois

Link: [x] 

BS: Let’s go off topic for a little bit with a question for Dean. There is almost always an ongoing argument within the Dragons fandom over what can be considered canon or not if it’s in any other medium outside the feature films and shorts. Even the TV series has its ‘canon’ status called into question on a regular basis. In your own opinion, what do you consider to be the official canon for the How to Train Your Dragon franchise?

Dean DeBlois: The feature film trilogy and the characters contained within it serve a narrative purpose specific to those three films, but we’ve made efforts to ensure that every expansion, whether it’s in the TV series, comics, or other mediums, have a sense of tonal consistency and storytelling unity in keeping with the feature films. The only real exception is Cressida Cowell’s book series, being that her storyline focuses on a younger Hiccup and his talking, dog-sized dragon named Toothless. The feature films were a conscious departure from Cressida’s books, in order to tell a story that had more of the tropes of a fantasy adventure. So, within the world of the films, we have tried to remain consistent in all of the expansions. The comic books will adhere to the same constraints and tone of the trilogy. The TV series and comics are meant to fill in time jumps between the films, offering insight and back-story to compliment the main narrative of Hiccup’s coming-of-age.

BS: This question can be answered by either of you. Are there any elements from the TV show (characters, plotlines, settings, etc.) that will carry over or be touched upon in the graphic novels? Similarly, are there any elements from Cressida Cowell’s original books that you want to incorporate into the graphic novels?

Richard Hamilton: The answer to both is a resounding “Yes!” Part of the fun of the comics is coming up with new human and dragon characters and worlds, and part of it is mixing and matching elements from across the franchise to create new stories. How would Eret and Heather react to each other if they met? Is there a heist story to be told in the comics where the alarm system is made up of a bunch of tiny dragons? But we have to be a little careful with the continuity, as the TV show takes place before the event of the second movie, and our graphic novels come after, so we don’t want to spoil any of their awesome stories. Cressida Cowell’s series is a bit more removed from that continuity, so I think the challenge there is for us to reinterpret some of her ideas in a way that works for comics, which is a pretty tall order, since her books are just so great.

Reddit (2018): with Dean DeBlois

Link: [x] 

Q: Will there be references to Race to the edge in how to train your dragon 3 or how do you feel race to the edge interpreted what happened between the first and second movie?

A: I would agree with the latter. I would say Race to the Edge deals with what the first two movies go over. The film trilogy tends to stick to its film characters and script. Although we do tend to maintain to the universe.

Berk's Grapevine (2018): with Dean DeBlois

My final comments and opinion:

Based on these interviews above, it seems that the TV series is meant to be canon to the HTTYD movieverse from the very beginning, as it was specifically created to serve as a bridge between HTTYD and HTTYD2. The showrunners of the TV series are aware that there are limits they have to adhere to (e.g. such as not having Hiccup meet his mother before the events of HTTYD2); the fact that they have regular meetings with Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold shows that they have tried to keep the series within the overall continuity and ensure that they do not step on each other’s toes on what they can or cannot show. 

If the TV series is not meant to be canon in the first place, it doesn’t make sense for the showrunners to even bother having any meetings with Dean and Bonnie at all and for Dreamworks to market this as an interquel between the first two movies. 

Yes it is agreed across the fandom there are inconsistencies across the show, but they are rather minor bumps compared to the overall timeline of the franchise and should not be used as a huge factor to discredit the canonicity of a work. Furthermore, what work of fiction is 100% consistent anyway? Inconsistencies also exist within a single work of fiction such as a book and movie and even within the HTTYD book series. 

Also, I have seen some here claiming that the movie crew did not contribute anything to the TV series and I would like to point out that that is completely untrue. Other than Dean DeBlois having regular meetings with the showrunners, there are a few from the movie department such as Simon Otto (head of character animation) and Gil Zimmerman (head of layout) who have directed some episodes of RTTE. You can find their names in the credits of the episodes they directed (screenshots below), or refer to this link here for reference. Additionally, Elaine Bogan (who has directed several episodes) was a storyboard artist in the first HTTYD film (source). 

Although I have presented my perspective and opinion above, I would like to iterate that I’m not posting this to re-start the argument between those who considers it canon and those who do not, but to provide some information and clarity to those who would like to hear what was said by those involved in the making of the franchise. Whether anyone wants to accept the TV series as canon, it’s entirely their decision and there is no right or wrong in this matter. I’ve learned and accepted that fanon discontinuity doesn’t just happened in this fandom, but in other fandoms such as the Star Wars and Harry Potter ones too, although some of them have gotten very vitriolic lately. 

Despite our differing opinions and whether we want to accept the TV series as canon or not, it doesn’t hurt to be civil about this and show respect to each other, so that we don’t end up becoming a toxic fandom like what has already happened with the Star Wars and Harry Potter ones. It also doesn’t mean that we cannot show appreciation to the creators, writers and animators for their hard work on expanding the franchise whether it’s the movies, TV series or comics, even though we do not always agree with all of their decisions made, and that they were not obliged to do this for us (the fans) in the first place. 

Bonus: What is confirmed to not be canon to the HTTYD movieverse

Additionally, we have confirmation from Richard Hamilton and Dean DeBlois that the Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon short and the upcoming rumoured Rescue Riders series are not officially canon to the movie franchise. Take a look at their tweets below. 

Richard Hamilton on LOTBD:

Dean DeBlois on Rescue Riders:

#httyd #how to train your dragon #interviews #canon #dreamworks animation #dean deblois #jay baruchel #art brown #douglas sloan #richard hamilton #rob #dob #rtte #riders of berk #defenders of berk #race to the edge #long post

[kingofthewilderwest]

Hi! I loved your leitmotif analysis of HTTYD2 and I wanted to know if you had one similar but for the first movie. I'm making my own color-coded map of all of the themes and mostly I just want to know what the themes should be called, not necessarily every instance of each melody (I'm going to find those myself). It would be helpful if you could answer, but if not, I can analyze the music and then find those instances in the film and name them myself. Thanks!

Hello there! Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed that analysis and it means a lot to me! I will admit that old leitmotif analysis was something I wrote in 2014 when HTTYD 2 had barely entered theatres, I’d only seen the movie once, and thus I based many musical analysis claims on memory. Thus, the analysis is in some ways inaccurate or outdated.

However, I do have a few other analyses in which I’ve gone through some of the other themes, both in the HTTYD and HTTYD 2 expanded scores (not just the officially released soundtracks, since those are incomplete). In those analyses I made near-comprehensive compilations of that theme throughout the movies and discussed what that leitmotif means. I planned to do that with every single motif in HTTYD, and had it all mapped out……… but then tumblr became stricter with audio posting requirements, it didn’t allow me to post any of the music, and that project puttered out unfinished. I know the soundtracks well enough I could probably give you all the instances still, but it would take time I don’t have in life anymore, not to mention it sounds like you’re doing that project yourself anyway. ^.^ It’s interesting to see someone else doing a project that I started but never finished… I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor! That sounds great!

So I’ve made a quick video chatting about the themes as I remember them - that should help you with what to name them. I’ll quickly toss down the relevant links from my previous analyses (My blog’s #music analysis tag might get you a few more link… there’s a reason I tag shit so thoroughly for ya’ll so you can independently find this stuff yourself!), update comments where necessary from outdated posts, give preliminary thoughts on what I feel the remaining themes could mean, and leave you to your project! ^.^ Let me know if you post it anywhere because I’d be interested to check it out!

[Me playing “For the Dancing and the Dreaming” is here]

And uh, if you quote or cite or take any ideas from me, please give the credit and link to me where it’s due! Perfunctory and rushed as this admittedly is, this still took lots of work! Thanks!

How to Train Your Dragon’s Leitmotifs

Alpha theme

Prime example: Two New Alphas 2:56-3:52

This grand theme is about the great dragon leadership position: the alpha. It is first applied to Valka’s Bewilderbeast… but in the end of HTTYD 2, to the new alpha Toothless.

Astrid’s theme: [1] [2] 

Prime example: Romantic Flight 0:00+

This theme is often called by fans as “The Romantic Flight” theme. While there is a romantic element attached to this theme and it occasionally manifests in that connotation apart from Astrid, this theme is focused less on romance and more specifically on Astrid herself. 

Berk theme

Prime example: This is Berk 0:24-0:41

The theme most closely associated with Berk and the identity of the island itself. For instance, it’s always played at the start of HTTYD when Berk is being introduced/reintroduced. It’s paired with a sense of high-strung adventure, such as we hear in “Astrid Goes for a Spin.”

Berk at peace

Take the title of this theme especially with a grain of salt. My impression is that it’s a theme which is played in relatively calm, peaceful, or day-to-day moments. It’s Berk at peace, it’s characters having casual interactions. That’s what I recall, but I could be wrong.

Dragon protector / Toothless’ theme (HTTYD 2) [1] [2] [3]

Prime example: Flying with Mother 0:25-0:44

I’ve talked about this theme a lot, down to analyzing Flying With Mother as its own separate track. This is the theme of the protector of dragons - it’s what I called The Vigilante’s Theme at one point before I realized John Powell said he wrote a theme specifically for Toothless in HTTYD 2. This is the central theme of HTTYD 2 and it’s a theme that Toothless grows into. By the end of the movie, Toothless is able to adopt this melody as a dragon who protects all.

Drago’s theme

Prime example: Meet Drago 0:08-0:31

This menacing theme is about Drago and the threat Drago’s army possesses over the Barbaric Archipelago and dragonkind.

Hiccup’s relationship with Toothless

Prime example: Test Drive 0:22-0:39

This theme focuses on Hiccup and his interactions with Toothless. The music highlights how his opinions of Toothless (and more broadly, all of dragons) change - from something mysterious and feared, to something powerful, bold, and beautiful. In the end it becomes an anthem for how How to Train Your Dragon is a story of… well… flying on dragons!

Progress theme

Prime Example: New Tail 0:00-0:44

Not going to lie, I’m actually just sort of making an uneducated stabbing at this theme. I’d need to rewatch the movie and think about it more. This is more or less a placeholder name. But you never know. I could be right?

Stalka theme

Prime example: For the Dancing and the Dreaming

It’s For the Dancing and the Dreaming, essentially. This is the anthem of Stoick and Valka’s love for one another.

Toothless’ theme(?) (HTTYD) 

Prime example: Test Drive 0:00-0:22

I’ve called this the “Toothless in Trouble” theme in the past, like in that analysis you read from 2014. And it’s true we hear very specifically quoted when Toothless is in danger - for instance, in “Downed Dragon” 3:10-3:36. However, that’s actually just part of what the theme is for, because we also hear the theme in instances like the start of “Test Drive” - which is obviously not Toothless in danger. It’s also the prominent theme that plays when Toothless stares Hiccup eye-to-eye shortly after Hiccup has freed the dragon from his bonds in the woods.

Please, please, please take my comment here with a grain of salt, as I haven’t thought about this leitmotif in depth, but it could very likely be the case that this is Toothless’ general theme in the first movie. Given as it’s played when Toothless is in danger, and played when Toothless is being ridden in “Test Drive,” it could just be the dragon’s theme. In which case… you could talk about some cool motif melding, where the Berk theme and Toothless’ become played well together. Like that doesn’t say something about the melding state of this island’s civilization! But PLEASE take my idea with a grain of salt… it’s a preliminary thought of what this theme means in full.

Undeveloped as a boy

Prime example: Together We Map the World 0:00-0:34+

How to Train Your Dragon 2 focuses much on Hiccup’s sense of identity. At the start of the movie, he is unsure of himself. This here is a theme that demonstrates his lack of understanding in himself. It’s a wandering theme, just as Hiccup’s heart is a wandering heart. He travels the world because he feels unsettled inside of him about what his identity is. It’s to note that the last time we hear this theme play is when Stoick dies. Once Stoick dies, Hiccup can no longer question what his identity is, what his role is to Berk. He has to step into the role of chief. That is now his place and he is no longer an uncertain boy.

Interestingly, you’ll notice that what I’ve called Eret’s theme in the past is actually just a specific way of expressing this theme. It’s played in a very gallant and bold flavor which is why I initially mistakenly separated it off into its own theme.

War theme

Prime example: Ready the Ships 0:00-0:15

A theme focused on when the Vikings are at war or preparing for war, especially war against the dragons. Usually this theme is played in a heavy, dark matter. What’s interesting is we also hear a rather meandering, good-natured version of this theme even when Hiccup is wandering Berk’s forests attempting to find Toothless… so he can kill the dragon.

These aren’t all the melodies in HTTYD but these are most of the main and meaningful ones.

#Anonymous #long post #httyd #How to Train Your Dragon #httyd2 #httyd 2 #How to Train Your Dragon 2 #music #music analysis #analysis #my analysis #ask #ask me #awesome anonymous friend

[alternativewinxcontinuity]

Who thought it was a good idea to let me have a blog?

So I'm kind of curious: what's it like for everyone else when writing fic or coming up with head canons and stuff?

Cause for me, it goes kind of like this:

Warning: mental ramblings ahead!

Me: (doing nothing in particular)

My Brain: Hey! Remember that time you used game stats to represent the various fairy transformations and their power???

Me: Yeah?... Oh no. Brain! NO!

two minutes later:

Magical Dimension Online

Laurel is a beta tester, on the day of the national launch, she logs in, but something goes weird with her beta-data.

Instead of Daphne, she awakens as Bloom.

Why do you do this brain? Why, there's so much other stuff to do, why start a New Thing? Besides, that explains nothing. This is obviously an S.A.O. Rip-off crossover... cross under? Just, moved country and genre. Besides-

Magical Dimension Online

To celebrate the launch of Virtual Reality, several games are going online simultaneously around the globe, a different game for every country. In Australia, it's H2O: Oceania Online, in Japan, Sword Art. (and somewhere else it's Archipelago of Dragons/HTTYD Online)

America will be the first country to launch Magical Dimension Online, and ten thousand lucky players will get to pay a week before anyone else, with the added bonus of exclusive Primary Launch content.

Laurel is a beta tester, on the day of the national launch, she logs in, but something goes weird with her beta-data.

Instead of Daphne, she awakens as Bloom.

That... that doesn't actually help brain. Besides, now you'll have to change the whole plot line.

And obviously 10,000 people won't fit in Alfea-

Ok, so ten thousand players, stuck in a death game version of Winx Club. Obviously the Winx Club and close friends have to be Players, and if Bloom is a Beta Tester, surely the others should be too?

But then, why haven't their test data files gone weird... unless they have.

Okay so, there are schools all over the magical dimension, and players get randomly assigned to their schools based on character class, planetary affiliation etc, etc.

The Official Launch will obviously have to cover the canon show era, but the beta test... Oohh, what if the Beta Test officially set the recent history for the Official game. Like the ultimate New Game+/New Character in and Old Campaign.

So Bloom used to be Daphne, but what about the other girls... I want to include Roxy... If I make the others... okay, so if the Winx Club's old avatars are now the NPC parents of their new avatars??? (except for Bloom) Or maybe some of them were just the guardian fairies of their home worlds.

Maybe Stella used to be one of the Nine Nymphs with Bloom/Daphne, and came from Solaria, which is why she ended up as the Princess of Solaria this time? And why she ended up being the one to run into Bloom on Earth? (meh, I'll figure it out later.)

So Roxy would have been Morgana? (Or maybe Nebula?) Oh, crap, what about Selina, do I include her? And what about Diaspro and Mirta, I really want Mirta... (mirta was a witch who became a fair, like faragonda, selina is a witch.) Oh snap! What if Mirta and Selina were Faragonda and Griffin in the Beta?!

Okay, so why the whole shuffle? Obviously, if the new game is the future of the Beta, then Daphne would have done a sacrificial play in the final boss fight of the old game (Domino vs The Ancestral Witches.) Maybe an AI managed to escape the purge of Assistant AIs by hiding in Player Data. (like when cardinal blocked off the mental health programs from counselling the players in SAO??) And that caused a cascade of various Beta Test files being reallocated to NPC roles.

(I'll need to tweak the earning methods for various Fairy Forms, IE. Charmix: requirements in canon: facing a personal flaw. How would the system measure that? It couldn't, not really... so earning the basic form: have magic, be fairy class, learn transformation enchantment ie 'magic winx!' Charmix: have Basic Form lvl **, have bonded pixie companion, transformation enchantment, ???)

The schools are basically ongoing tutorials for the game, teaching Players the basics, giving them a few basic spells or abilities and then letting them out into the Dimension. (the better the players do in 'classes' the better their ability bonuses?) (hidden spells and abilities in the schools, quests from teachers (exams and stuff).)

Armour. Oh crap, with the fairy and witch transformations, having visible armour isn't really... uh... okay so, like glyphs and... no, uh... OH! civilian clothes carry armour bonus, and that carries over when the transformations happen.

Okay. So. In the Beta, which was a proper job for the beta testers and went for several months, 'Laurel' played as Daphne, Stella may or may not have been in her party as someone else.

During the final month of the Beta, Boss Fights started happening on a massive scale, one to every planet it seemed like. Domino was besieged by the Ancestral Witches (Valtor... wasn't there, he and Darkar are super old and have been sleeping for ages. The Ancestral witches are also super old, but they were awakened near the start of the Beta and caused all the other boss fights to happen across the Dimension. Including) The Wizards of the Black Circle attacked the Fairies of Earth... (shit, no, that doesn't fit with a sensible time line... So Roxy can't be formerly Morgana... What if we make her Eldora? A member of the company of light who retired to Earth, then the only massive Boss Fight could be the Siege of Domino? Yeah, that'd work... I think.)

So, Daphne does Sacrificial Play during the Siege of Domino, ends up with a status ailment that leaves her... kinda ghosty, and the Beta ends.

Between the Beta and the Official Launch, at least one AI intended for Mental Health counselling (or something) discovers hidden programming which causes IRL Perma-Death, and tries to talk to someone about it, only, the AIs start getting locked down or deleted. One AI manages to hide themselves in Player Data, causing a small cascade in the beta files, so several of the beta testers have to reconfigure their avatars, with echoes of their old avatars, who are now NPS (and AIs).

'Bloom' spawns on Earth, along side Selina and Roxy, who have no idea what's going on, or why they're in Gardenia instead of their chosen home worlds.

Bloom has a bunny, Kiko, who shares the same name as her former avatar's Daphne's Bonded Pixie. The girls realise something is glitching in the game and try to log out, only to realise there's no logout option anymore.

Choosing to combine their limited magical reserves, the girls manage to perform a search spell to locate the nearest source of magic, trying to find a portal to the Magical Dimension.

Instead the find Stella fighting an Ogre and a bunch of ghouls.

Having played the beta, they'd know the transformation enchantment (transchantment?), transform and help Stella, who they are surprised to realise isn't an NPC who's part of a special content quest, but a Player, who is just as confused as the rest of them. (and toting an SS Rank Magical Artefact.)

(The Dragon Fire would be SS rank as well, but having that as a power option is silly, so... it's a quest reward for a very complex quest line that took 'Daphne' the entire Beta to complete. Even though it somehow transferred the prize (???Title: Vessel of the Dragon Fire???) to her Bloom avatar... oh! If one then the other! That's how Stella got the Ring of Solaria, it was a similarly difficult quest line (one player can complete per server type rare) and the Ring was transferred from Stella's old avatar to her new one.)

(IRL Tecna is totally an actual programmer/hacker. All the girls chose their powers on their IRL interests. Except 'Bloom', whose father is an actual fireman, while she is an art/graphic design student.)

((The Trix are new versions of the Ancestral Witches, because creepy marketing guy couldn't fap to crones.))

Magical Dimension Online

To celebrate the launch of Virtual Reality, several games are going online simultaneously around the globe, a different game for every country. In Australia, it's H2O: Oceania Online, in Japan, Sword Art.

America will be the first country to launch Magical Dimension Online, and ten thousand lucky players will get to pay a week before anyone else, with the added bonus of exclusive Primary Launch content.

Laurel is a beta tester, on the day of the national launch, she logs in, but something goes weird with her beta-data.

Instead of Daphne, she awakens as Bloom.

And she does not awaken on Domino.

Hey brain? You know I'm not going to write this, right?

…. right?

So yeah, that's kind of what my writing process looks like. What about everyone else? How often does your brain smack you in the face with an idea you are too busy to write?

Wait... why would there be a global conspiracy to murder-game tens of thousands of people? Unless there wasn't and Kiaba, the nutjob responsible for SAO, simply wrote the code for the murder game into the operating system that everyone else ended up copying for their games and all the NerveGear were equipped with brain-bombs so... in the non-SAO servers... who told everyone they died in real life if they died in the game?

IDK. I just don't know anymore.

So yeah, that's kind of what my writing process looks like. What about everyone else? How often does your brain smack you in the face with an idea you are too busy to write?

#Winx #Winx Club #Winx AU #Winx Club AU #Writing methods #I guess #stream of conscience #mental train derailment #sorry about all this #I am curious though #I don't think I spelled that one tag right