Dawn of the Dragon Racers

Dawn of the Dragon Racers is a short film that is planned to be released on November 11, 2014 alongside the DVD/Blu-ray/digital release for How to Train Your Dragon 2. The Digital HD version was released on October 21.

Plot
The short film opens up about two years before the events of the sequel and after the events of the second season, where Hiccup and Snotlout compete and practice catching sheep for the annual Dragon Race, the new and official dragon sport event on Berk. Afterwards, Tuffnut has just finished his new creepy-looking face paint which shocks both Astrid and Hiccup. Snotlout arrives cheering that his new Sheep Launcher finally worked, which Astrid points out that it took them thirty-two tries to get it right. It then cuts to a sequence of sheep launches, which seems that the sheep is invulnerable to pain as it lands on several different locations. Snotlout decides that it's ready for the Dragon Racing, they complain that since when does he make the decisions, Snotlout responds because that he invented Dragon Racing. Hiccup and Astrid quickly denies that claim saying that's not how they remember it. Astrid tries to recall the events of how and who invented Dragon Racing.

It cuts to a flashback, shortly after the events of the second season where the Riders are still in their early teens. Berk is getting ready for the traditional boat racing called the Regatta which starts in a few days, when suddenly a herd of sheep roam throughout the village, causing minor trouble. Hiccup asks Gobber what's happening, Gobber explains that after Silent Sven broke his voice, the sheep ran out of their pens because they're afraid of Silent Sven's new voice. Stoick and Gobber struggle to gather them, so Stoick orders Hiccup and the gang to round up the sheep as he gets ready for the Regatta.

While in the process of catching the sheep, the Riders seem to compete each other in getting as many sheep as possible, as they arrive at the pen they all got 3 sheep each, then Astrid points out that there is no winner in this 'competition'. Afterwards, Silent Sven screams that there is still one sheep missing, the Black Sheep. This escalates the Riders' desire for a rematch in the competition, Hiccup tries to deny that there is no competition, but it falls on deaf ears as the Riders immediately flee off to find the sheep except for Fishlegs. Moments later, Snotlout and Hiccup both spot the sheep, and they race towards it head on, just as Hiccup is about to grab the sheep in his clutches, Gobber blocks his path resulting Hiccup to collide and allowing Snotlout freely claim the Black Sheep. Hiccup asks Gobber what's so urgent, as he tries to remember, Stoick calls Hiccup to come meet him, which was the one Gobber was about to inform to Hiccup.

Stoick informs Hiccup that he is gone for a few days to get ready for the boat racing, and so he appoints Hiccup to prepare the Regatta, which he isn't excited to hear about due to that he observed it as to be 'boring', but Stoick justifies that the Regatta is tradition and claims that it's a good way to 'blow off steam'. Just as Stoick leaves, Fishlegs creeps in on Hiccup, saying that he is great for him of being in charge of the Regatta, he then puts Meatlug in a ship covered in a big cloth keeping anyone off limits, saying that he and Meatlug are working on the ship until the Regatta is started. Meanwhile at the Academy, Tuffnut is plotting the Riders' sheep competition, but Hiccup arrives reluctantly prohibiting them to carry on their plan as he is given strict orders to prepare the Regatta. The next day, Hiccup discovers that the Riders' have disobeyed his order and carries on the sheep catching, down below the crowd is enjoying it saying that it's much better than the Regatta. Moments later, the villagers gather at the Great Hall, growing restless for entertainment, and they want to see the Dragon Race again. Toothless quiets down the crowd, Hiccup tries to regain the spirits of the villagers to continue the Regatta but to no avail. Inspired by the twins, the crowd wants to continue the Dragon Race, Astrid says to Hiccup that Stoick isn't coming back for a few days and points out that the Dragon Race is also great way to blow off steam too. Seeing no other option, Hiccup proceeds the Dragon Race. As he plot, the starting point of the map, Snotlout and the Twins suggests they should form a team, as they already got a team name, 'Snotnuts'. The other team now is Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs but Fishlegs denies the offer of joining the race as he is still too busy of getting ready for the Regatta, refusing to back down on his family tradition.

The race starts, as Gothi drops the flag signalling the start of the race. They all immediately set off, and a Viking signals Silent Sven to release the sheep. At the early start, Hiccup manages to get one sheep but the Twins manages to get two. Meanwhile, Astrid and Snotlout both spot one sheep and races heads on to get it first, both of them are relentless to turn around only until Snotlout is, fearing collision,allowing Astrid to get it first. Both teams have caught the same amount of sheep, and they know they must find the tie-breaking Black Sheep. Both Hiccup and the Twins fail to capture the sheep, shortly after Astrid and Snotlout spot the sheep again, creating another head on race. The two Riders nears the Sheep in seconds, causing the Black sheep to blackout, but suddenly neither Astrid and Snotlout backed out causing them to violently collide in on each other, this causes Astrid's arm to be injured, Snotlout flies off telling to get Gothi, but he is still thinking about the game and he grabs the sheep and abandons Astrid, but oblivious to a tree branch hitting his head. Hours later at the Great Hall, the uneventful Dragon Race causes the villagers to demand one more Dragon Race, Hiccup tells the villagers the deal was only 1 Dragon Race and he proceeds on to the Regatta which the villagers still is unsatisfied. Suddenly Snotlout announces that Hiccup is right, but mocking him saying that he is too afraid to beat Team Snotnuts.

Astrid wants to back up Hiccup, but she is still injured and cannot take the risk. Snotlout points out that there's no rematch anyway as Hiccup has no remaining team mate, but Hiccup is still determined to continue the Race, so he once again asks Fishlegs' permission to help him, at first he still refuses as he finishes his ship and slowly sails out to sea with Meatlug. However, Meatlug quickly begins to feel sea sick and vomits lava causing the ship to immediately sink, making Fishlegs to quickly accept the offer. They both head off to the Academy, where the competition is about to start, but just as the flag is about to be dropped. Stoick is suddenly heard screaming Hiccup's name, he appears to be in shock to see that this is not the Regatta he'd expected. Hiccup explains that he sometimes have to make difficult choices for the good of the people, which is replacing the traditional Regatta event to Dragon Racing. Stoick asks if he did this all by himself, Hiccup has no choice but to say 'yes'. Instead of being punished of contradicting his order, he allows him to proceed with the event but only to do it right. Both teams put on face paint, team Snotnuts puts on green paint while the other team, which is Team Hiclegs, is red. Stoick announces the first Dragon Race and explains that each white sheep costs about 1 point while the Black Sheep is worth 5, and to make sure no cheating is displayed, Stoick appoints Astrid to become the referee. Whoever team wins, will have their faces in portrait and hanged on the Great Hall along with a feast to celebrate. Gothi drops the flag, immediately setting off the Riders to set off. Snotlout quickly manages to grab one sheep, while Hiccup grabs one too but the Twins have grabbed two but Fishlegs arrives bringing two sheep. Both teams drop off their sheep in the Academy. Hiccup spots a sheep, stranded out in sea, but Snotlout arrives to grab it. Hiccup quickly sets Toothless' tail to boost their speed, Snotlout in near inches to grab the sheep, but Hiccup grabs it just in time. Meanwhile, the twins attempt to cheat by stealing unofficial Dragon Racing sheep to quickly double their points, luckily Astrid arrives and stops them.

Meanwhile, Fishlegs and Hiccup spots a sheep in a very cold environment and attempts to grab it, but it jumps down causing it to slide towards the icy path, it falls in on a gap, but luckily Hiccup and Toothless manages to rescue it. Both teams have brought the same amount of sheep, which means they have to find the Black Sheep to break the tie. The Twins quietly talk to each other to carry on their Super Secret Plan,while Fishlegs has an idea where the Black Sheep might be, recalling what Silent Sven said that the Black Sheep always falls off the well. Fishlegs volunteers to go down the well and look for it, while Hiccup flies overhead but he is shocked to see the Twins pass by with the Black Sheep.

This causes team Snotnuts to win the race, Snotlout cheers excitingly over his victory, as Hiccup is about to congratulate him, he gloats about it and mocks Hiccup. But just as they are about to take their victory, Fishlegs arrives with a Black Sheep, confusing everybody. Silent Sven tells Stoick that there is only one Black Sheep, Team Snotnuts claims that they have it, with Tuffnut snugging the sheep with it's face but it then reveals that they had cheated as black paint is revealed at his face. A reversal is announced by Astrid, swapping the victory from Team Snotnuts to Team Hiclegs, the first official champions in Dragon Racing. The event closes when Toothless shoots 3 plasma blasts dazzling the crowd with the event, then Stoick finally releases Hiccup from being the 'acting chief' and quickly sets off before his father changes his mind.

The flashback ends and it goes back to the present time, with Hiccup concluding that it's technically it was Tuffnut who invented Dragon Racing (because he was the first one plotting on the concept of Dragon Racing) humiliating the three of them especially Snotlout, who is deeply depressed, Hiccup tries to cheer Snotlout's spirits saying that he played a part in it, such as the cheating that was planned by himself. As Snotlout happily claims that he, himself cheated, the Twins interrupt that he wasn't actually part or did the cheating, the Twins actually made and did it themselves as they call it their Super Secret Plan. Hiccup just tells them that they all invented Dragon Racing, the Twins reluctantly accept but Tuffnut still claims that Snotlout did nothing part of it. Furious, Snotlout launches a sheep at him, then pointing out that at least he invented his Sheep Launcher. Then a horn is heard, signalling that the Dragon Race is commencing and all the Riders quickly set off for who will be the next champion of Dragon Racing. From being Dragon Riders to Dragon Racers, and thanks to the them, a new generation of Berk's traditional events has dawned.

Trivia

 * The photo for the short has been reversed and edited from another photo.
 * Both shoulder pads are for the left.
 * There are two daggers, one on each arm.
 * The Zippleback gas for Hiccup's sword is on the wrong leg.
 * Unlike the previous shorts, Gift of the Night Fury, Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon and Book of Dragons, the quality of this short is lower, as it was made by the same studio that makes the television series, instead of the film studio.
 * The special takes place in the past.
 * This is the first time we hear Silent Sven talk, as he broke his silence in Cast Out Part II.
 * Alvin and Dagur are mentioned.
 * This is the first time Fishlegs' last name, Ingerman, has been mentioned in the series, not counting video games.
 * This is the second time Hiccup is the "acting chief." The first was in Cast Out Part II.
 * Several things were left unchanged in the special.
 * Hiccup still has his old prosthetic leg.
 * The saddles have not been upgraded yet.
 * Fishlegs, Snotlout, and Tuffnut do not have their dagger pouch, fur cape, and right shoulder pad.
 * Toothless lacks the extra stubs in the second film.
 * Hiccup, Snotlout, Fishlegs and Tuffunt don't have facial fair.
 * Stoick and Gobber were only seen in the flashback, so it is unknown if their attire has changed as well.
 * Stoick says the black sheep is worth five points in the short. In How to Train Your Dragon 2, it's worth ten.

Transcript
The transcript for Dawn of the Dragon Racers is here

Gallery


Dawn of the Dragon Racers