User blog comment:Dual Energon/What I think makes HTTYD 2 the supremely better movie./@comment-24018437-20151113155518/@comment-24018437-20151115095137

In war, you have no choiche. Most soldiers that go into battle don't want to be there. Yet they still have to fight. What happened to Hiccup wasn't that special, as it still happens today. And during the training, he was with a living, dangerous Dragon! He could have gotten killed! Yet instead of focusing on the mission, he instead kept asking Gobber questions which could have been asked later. I'm not gonna be super harsh on him that though, considering Astrid was the only one in the arena who really understood how serious Dragon Training was. Again, they were forced into war and didn't have a choiche. Neither did their parents, or their parents. Nobody has a choiche in war, not without sacrifices.

Like I said, I'm not blaming him at all for trying. But I think he could have used his talents for other things to, like I said, improve the Tribe's lives. As for thanking him for the weapons, was Gobber ever thanked for doing the same job as Hiccup? Nope. Its their job. In the heat of battle, you worry more about the fight then your manners...Well, aside from that one Viking who said goodmorning to Hiccup.

The Vikings never went for trips to kill Dragons just for the sake of killing them. The hunts for the Nest were seen as the key to ending the war. Like Stoick said, if they destroyed the nest, the Dragons would leave to search for another one. It wasn't a fun hunting trip like you make it out be. If anything, it was a military mission, one to attack the HQ of the enemy.

Again, that was very common in those days. Predators that could be a possible threat were usually elimaneted. This was done everywhere over the entire world by all nations and all people.

The thing is, we don't know if the Berkians raided other Tribes. Not all Tribes raided (In both the books and movies) and we therefore don't know if Berk was that kind of Tribe. Judging by the fact Stoick attempts to make peace through diplomacy, I assume that they aren't as harsh as, say, the Berserkers or Outcasts. But Vikings are a violent culture, so there is always a bit of violent in their society.

With 'Dragons', you mean only Toothless and a couple of Terrors. The latter of which only really went after Hiccuo because he had food. That's kind of the point: a creature that was supposed to be a mortal enemy of Hiccup, became his best friend.

The thing is, no one knew what Hiccup was doing with Hookfang. He just threw away his weapons, claiming he wasn't one of them. This can be seen, and I exspect it did, as a sign of treason.

Yeah, that is indeed a negative trait of Stoick: he's stubborn and doesn't listen to good advice. But like I said, Hiccup doesn't either. Nevertheless, that's indeed not an excuse for Stoick.

The reason he didn't want Hiccup outside to put out fires is already explained for the same reason he originally wasn't allowed to fight Dragons. Stoick didn't want to risk his life, and therefore grew over-protective, which was a backfire as I already said.

That is a part of Viking culture: you have to stand up for yourself, and show what you are worth it. If Stoick would have defended Hiccup, then things might have turned out worse. Of course, one could argue that Stoick being over-protective helped this as well. And that person would be correct. Vikings have a rough, hard culture. Even in the books, Stoick wouldn't protect Hiccup from Snotlout and his goons. But you're right: this isn't an excuse, far from it.

I'm not saying it would be bad if a German and American soldier would be friends. I'm saying it would be unlikely, especially during a war. And the Vikings almost never met Dragons outside of battle. And if they did, one of either side would usually attack. And many people understimate how long training a species of animal can be. It took centuries before we have the pets and cattle we currently have. We didn't just suddendly decide that wolves would be pets and that we would ride horses. It was a very long process. But I can see where you're coming from.

Actually, Hiccup has PLENTY of flaws. He is stubborn, doesn't know where to be at the right time, doesn't know when to say something or not say it, he's clumsy, he ignores good advice that could save his life, he's boar-headed. These are all actual flaws that plenty of real people have as well.

Vikings have a violent culture. But there is a difference between just fighting, and waging war. Two wrestlers fighting one another in the ring, is very differant from two soldiers fighting each other on the battlefield. Also, I thought you didn't consider that special as canon? Its quite weird that you use it as an argument then...

Sometimes, to kill is neccary. And the Red Death...Well, honestly, do you even think it could be trained? The beast was responsible for a three-hundred year war, was a cannibal (Which, as we later learn, is actually not that uncommon among Dragons when looking at Changewings and Death Songs and Scauldrons) and it was in the middle of a fight. People were getting killed every second, and then action is needed. Was there a way to find a peaceful solution? If was is there, I don't see it. Do you? I suspected Hiccup knew it couldn't be reasoned with. Sometimes even diplomacy has limits, as Hiccup learns the hard way when encoutering Drago.

Although I do agree its a bit ironic. The Viking who doesn't want to kill Dragons, kills a Dragon with the help of a Dragon...Ironic indeed.

Also, keep in mind these aren't excuses why Hiccup was treated the way he was. They're explanations, which is something completely differant.