Gobber the Belch (Franchise)

"The meat-head with attitude and interchangeable hands is Gobber. I've been his apprentice ever since I was little...well, littler."

- Hiccup, introducing Gobber in his narration

Gobber the Belch is a veteran warrior of the Hairy Hooligans Tribe and a long-time friend and adviser of Stoick the Vast. He is 50 years old in the first film, and 55 in the sequel.

Early Life
Gobber is known as the great-great-great-grandson of Bork the Bold, author of the first Dragon Manual, as mentioned in Book of Dragons. At some point in his life, his father used barbaric methods like acting to threaten his son's life in order to teach him to swim as he revealed in Viking For Hire. In his youth, Gobber said in Crushing It, that he also had a pet Yak named Pepe that his family ate for Snoggletog, as well as fell in love with a female Viking named Greta.

As revealed in Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon, when he was a teenager on a summer vacation trip with his parents, he stopped inside an frozen cave for a bathroom break and was surprised to see a wall of ice with Vikings trapped inside. Gobber noticed that one of the Viking was holding a treasure chest and decided to claim it for himself. It was here that the Boneknapper appeared and began to chase after him. The Boneknapper flew after Gobber until he escaped with the treasure box.

Gobber then lived among the people of Chilblain. There, he fell in with Chief Hagan Frostbeard's daughter Smulder. However, Gobber ended the affair when her father found out about it.

He then went on a hunting party with Stoick to find the Monstrous Nightmare that took his hand. However, they were separated from their party during a maelstrom. They then went into a cave to wait it out. However, they found Snaptrappers. Despite the many heads of the snaptrappers, Gobber and Stoick were able to knock it out.

During Aurvandil's Fire, Gobber was also able to convince Astrid to refrain from taking on the Flightmare that froze her Uncle Finn, telling her that it would take more than her axe.

In the course of Berk's long wars with the dragons and at some point in his life, Gobber lost his left hand and right leg in battle with a Monstrous Nightmare. He has managed to replace his missing hand with a variety of metal prostheses of his own design and creation. His hand can be interchanged with other items such as a hammer or axe if needed (similar to Alvin the Treacherous in the books). His leg is a simple wooden peg leg.

How to Train Your Dragon
Since he is no longer able to take an active part in the war, Gobber is left responsible for the village's smithy and armory, keeping the other Vikings well suited with weapons.

Hiccup, the son of Chief Stoick, was tasked to assist Gobber in the armory ever since he was a small boy. Even though Gobber taught him a fair amount of skills which he would later put to good use, Hiccup's clumsiness eventually made him into the despair of Gobber, his father and the whole village. Seeing Hiccup's desire to become a true Viking, Gobber was the one who convinced Stoick to admit the boy to Dragon Training.

After a typically clumsy start, Gobber was amazed when Hiccup became the new class's most proficient trainee, being able to incapacitate the beasts without the need for weapons. His skill grew so much, he even outclassed the fierce Astrid and earned the right to kill a dragon.

When Stoick ordered the entire village to embark to the island where the Dragons' Nest was located, Gobber went along with them although with some signs of nerves when asking what the plan for the attack was. The Vikings inadvertently released the Red Death from the Nest's depths and it soon set fire to their ships. Trapped on the island and forced to fight, Stoick ordered his people to flee to the other side of the island while he distracted the dragon by baiting it. As his oldest friend, Gobber volunteered to do the same. Together, they bought enough time for the Vikings to retreat. Gobber shared equal amazement when Hiccup and the other Vikings arrived riding dragons and took down the Red Death.

Later, when Hiccup had been wounded defeating the dragon, Gobber crafted a metal prosthetic to replace his lower left leg, cleverly adapting Hiccup's custom-made dragon-saddle with a matching left metal stirrup to accommodate the new foot. When Hiccup regained consciousness, Gobber welcomed him home by presenting him with a brand-new prosthetic tail fin for Toothless that would allow them to fly again.

Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon
"The Boneknapper has no roar at all, that's why it's terrifying! It's a silent killer."

- Gobber

After the events of How To Train Your Dragon, Gobber's house was set alight one night. With some help from the now peaceful dragons, the house was saved but Gobber was convinced that a dragon had caused the fire. Mentioning his old tale of the Boneknapper, he set out to try and take down the beast once and for all to prove to the rest of the village that it was real, with his pet sheep Phil in tow. Hiccup, fearing for Gobber's safety, decided to tag along, and convinced his friends to come too.

Using a small long boat to reach a distant island, Gobber told stories of his previous encounters with the mythical dragon. When he was young, he stole a treasure box from frozen Vikings, and was attacked by the Boneknapper, narrowly escaping with his parents. When he was stranded alone on an island many years later, armed with only his broom arm attachment, the Boneknapper found him again, causing Gobber to flee, running across an ocean filled with Hammerhead Sharks. He escaped with the help of a Hammerhead Whale.

Years later, when the Boneknapper found him alone with only his eggbeater arm attachment, he leapt over a volcano to escape, aided by a Hammerhead Yak. Knowing it would come after him again, Gobber set up many traps, which failed, and he was pursued by the dragon again. Backed against a cliff, Gobber asked Thor for help. So Thor sent down a lightning bolt to summon the Hammerhead Yak riding the Hammerhead Whale, allowing him to escape. The increasing oddity of his story soon makes clear why the village does not believe his claims of the Boneknapper being a real dragon.

Now stranded themselves after their ship sinks, Gobber convinces the Viking youngsters to help him catch the Boneknapper, using Fishlegs as bait. Unbeknownst to them, the Boneknapper appears behind them and begins to attack. In the confusion, the Vikings are trapped beneath a gigantic rib-cage. Luckily, Hiccup notices what the Boneknapper wants. The treasure Gobber took from the frozen Viking was a small belt buckle made of a tiny bone fragment. As the Boneknapper is always attempting to find the perfect bones for its armor, Hiccup notices the belt buckle fits the outline of a missing fragment from it's neck plate. With some persuasion, Gobber agrees to give the bone back and the dragon becomes docile and friendly.

The Boneknapper flies the group back home, joined by others of its species, as Gobber laughs that Stoick will have to believe his claims now.

Gift of the Night Fury
Unlike the other specials, Gobber's role is very small in this one. At the beginning, he helped some Vikings and their dragons to make a 'Snoggletog Tree'. During the meeting, after Stoick claims they can happily celebrate the Holiday without dragons, he agrees with Stoick, stating that Vikings are tough. The other Vikings laugh about this, because Gobber is wearing several holiday stockings, to which Gobber replies: '...Most of the time'.

Book of Dragons
Gobber is present in the Great Hall, along with Hiccup, Astrid, Toothless and Fishlegs, in order to explain about the various Dragon species, and Bork the Bold. Gobber claims you won't survive a day of Dragon Training without the book, to which Hiccup answers that he can't scare them, seeing how they've already trained dragons. Gobber continues to explain about his great-great-grandfather, Bork the Bold or, as he was once known, Bork the Very, Very Unfortunate. He explains that Bork hated dragons, because they kept attacking and raiding him. At the end of the special, Gobber takes the viewer to the Arena, where a Deadly Nadder, Gronckle, Monstrous Nightmare and Hideous Zippleback were waiting.

Dragons: Riders of Berk
Following the end of the war with the Dragons, Gobber finds his duties as a weapon-smith superfluous with the current peace. With Hiccup's urging in Viking for Hire, Stoick has Gobber help him with his chiefly duties. However, Gobber proves lackluster at best. Gobber then decides to help out at Dragon Training, offering to use his weapons to "encourage" the Dragons. Hiccup asks him to make saddles for the other dragons instead, but Gobber goes over the top, adding cumbersome "extras". After Hiccup glumly declines Gobber's future assistance, Hookfang suddenly goes on a rampage. Gobber arrives to help, during which he realizes that Hookfang has a bad tooth, and removes it. Afterwards, Gobber realizes his new calling as a Dragon dentist.

During the events of Animal House, Gobber still stands as Stoick's trustworthy right-hand man. The series also highlights Gobber's practical wisdom and experience. He is the one to figure out why the animals have stopped producing.

Gobber reveals that the Book of Dragons is wrong about the Scauldron's lack of venom in Dragon Flower. Gobber also helped Stoick and the Dragon Riders in fighting the Alvin and his outcasts on a couple of occasions.

Live and Let Fly
Gobber then made adjustment to Stoick's saddle when he went on patrol with Thornado, despite his ban flying.

The Iron Gronckle
Gobber discovered that Meatlug could produce a new type of iron stronger than anything he's ever forged. He then urged Fishlegs to make Meatlug produce more for the sake of his business.

Tunnel Vision
Gobber assisted Stoick in defending against newly-hatched Whispering Deaths left by the Outcasts.

Fright of Passage
He then assisted Stoick in preparing the village for the Flightmare's arrival during Aurvandil's Fire.

Zippleback Down
Gobber then showed Hiccup and his riders how disarm the traps. He then sent thme to clear the forest of all the left over dragon traps.

Frozen
Gobber then took Stoick and the others to the cove during the Speed Stingers attack.

A Tale of Two Dragons
He then helped Silent Sven cool his chest airs following a Screaming Death drill.

The Eel Effect
Gobber was then stricken with Eel Pox.

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Gobber then bought a pile of scrap metal from Trader Johann. He then donated his hook to Hiccup in order use the Smothering Smokebreaths against the Dagur and his forces.

Dragons: Race to the Edge, Season 1
Three years later, Gobber tried to open the Dragon Eye, to no avail. He then filled in for Gothi as the village healer.

Imperfect Harmony
Gobber, along with the rest of the Berk Council, then supported Hiccup's mission to explore the edges of the archipelago and search for Dagur.

Big Man on Berk
Gobber also took the liberty of waxing the riders saddles with his earwax. Unfortunately, Fishlegs was allergic to his earwax.

Crushing It
Gobber then went to Dragon's Edge to ask Hiccup to talk to his father about his behavior. He then assisted in helping the dragon riders in building a wall against the Rumblehorn's attacks. Though the wall held, Gobber was then hit with rock and was then spouting nonsense. As he walked around, he thought the Rumblehorn was his pet yak, Pepe, believing that his family had not eaten him. After Dragon's edge was saved from the tidal wave, Gobber returned to Berk along with Stoick and his new dragon, Skullcrusher.

Bad Moon Rising
Gobber was then given the formula for making Gronckle Iron by Fishlegs. He also told Hiccup the legend of the Lycanwing when Tuffnut believed he was turning into one.

The Zippleback Experience
Gobber then returned to the Edge, where repaired Hiccup's metal leg. He also explained Barf and Belch's behavior was due to a life debt because of how Hiccup had saved them from an avalanche.

A Grim Retreat
Gobber and Stoick were then left to watch over the Edge while Hiccup and his riders went to the Island of Friga for a much needed vacation. During their time there. Gobber thought Skullcrusher had eaten Tuffnut's chicken and tried to replace with another. However, the chicken turned up when Tuff returned.

Last Auction Heroes
Gobber then went with Snotlout, posing as Sir "Ulgerthorpe"'s valet, to Viggo Grimborn's Dragon Auction on Dragon Hunter Island. There, he met the Hotburple, Grump and became enamored with him. When Gobber, Snotlout and the other riders were captured and caged, Gobber got Grump to attack the Hunters and eat through the bars. Gobber then fought with Ryker until he left. Gobber then took Grump as his dragon and returned to Berk.

Dragons: Race to the Edge, Season 4
Midnight Scrum

The Longest Day

Shell Shocked, Part 1

Dawn of the Dragon Racers
Gobber then attempted help round up the sheep who were afraid of Silent Sven's new-found voice.

How to Train Your Dragon 2
Later, five years in HTTYD 2, Gobber, Stoick and the rest of the villagers watch Astrid, Snotlout and the teens who are now five years older as they compete with each other in a dragon race. Gobber then launches the Black sheep, which Astrid used to win. After the races, it is seen that Gobber has became the dragon dentist and doctor of the tribe and owns a Hotburple named Grump. Gobber and Stoick then start arguing on whether or not Hiccup is ready to run Berk.

Gobber then went with Stoick and the other riders after Hiccup and Astrid when they heard from them that Drago Bludvist was coming with a dragon army. Gobber and the others found Hiccup on Eret's ship. Gobber knocked out Eret and then had Grump hold him down. When Hiccup ran off, Gobber went with Stoick to track him down before he found Drago.

Gobber and Stoick found Hiccup at Dragon Mountain. As they were making their exit, Gobber then came across Stoick's presumed dead wife, Valka. After having a meal together, Gobber, Stoick, Hiccup, Valka and the dragons then came under attack by Drago's army. During the battle, Gobber and Grump knocked several of Drago's archers. Gobber then gave Stoick his mace to fight Drago with. Gobber also followed Stoick as he rescued Valka from Drago's Bewilderbeast. He continued following Stoick and Valka until Stoick was killed by Drago, and used Toothless under the Bewilderbeast's control.

After Drago, his army and Bewilderbeast left, Gobber gave him Hiccup a bow and arrow for Stoick's Viking funeral. Gobber gave an eulogy and took part in lighting his boat on fire. Gobber, following Hiccup, then rode a baby Scuttleclaw back to Berk. There Gobber and the other riders used the sheep launcher to distract the Bewilderbeast. After Hiccup and Toothless, now the Alpha dragon, defeated Drago and his Bewilderbeast, Gobber reunited with his dragon Grump. He even watches Hiccup and Astrid kiss, while covering a gawking boy's eyes. After Hiccup was named Chief, Gobber announced that the Chief has come home. During the next Dragon Race, Gobber, assisted by Valka, then removed armor from dragons that came from Drago's army. Gobber finally launched a black sheep for the dragon race which Astrid won, thanks to Hiccup.

Burning Midnight
Gobber and the riders then lost there dragons for an unknown reason and were sealed in a cave. Gobber then told Hiccup, Valka, Eret and the other riders about his and Stoick's hunt for the Monstrous Nightmare that took his hand.

Stoick the Vast
"May the Valkyries welcome you and lead you through Odin’s great battle field. May they sing your name with love and fury so that we may hear it rise from the depths of Valhalla and know that you have taken your rightful place at the table of kings. For a great man has fallen, a warrior, a chieftain, a father, a friend."

- Gobber's final farewell to Stoick

Gobber is Stoick's best friend and second-in-command. Apparently, they've met when Gobber talked with Valka, to which Stoick replied rather aggressively. However, according to the HTTYD2 art book, the two are childhood friends.

Either way, the two became great friends with a strong, brother-like relationship. Gobber seems to be very supportive of Stoick, as he convinced Stoick to let Hiccup enter Dragon Training, because he can't protect him forever. However, he also isn't afraid to call out Stoick on his mistakes. Gobber was heartbroken when Stoick died, and he delivered an eulogy as a final farewell to his best friend.

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
Gobber serves as Hiccup's Stand-In-Father, godfather, uncle, mentor and teacher. Apparently, Gobber is like a family to Hiccup, which explains why they have a close friendship. Before meeting Toothless, Hiccup was Gobber's blacksmith Apprentice, and Gobber taught him everything he knew. Gobber also made Hiccup's prosthetic leg and Toothless' new tailfin. Throughout the movie, while he is constantly annoyed by Hiccup's antics, he's more supportive of Hiccup than Stoick. Gobber's support is what gets Hiccup into Dragon Training.

At the end of How to Train Your Dragon 2, Gobber announces Hiccup as the new Chief of Berk.

Grump
"Oh, give me a cuddle, Grumpy!"

- Gobber, as he reunites with Grump

Grump is Gobber's dragon, who first appeared in How to Train Your Dragon 2. Seeing how Grump is an extremely lazy dragon, Gobber often complains about him, even threatening to put him up for adoption. However, in the end, he does love Grump.

Gobber first met Grump while undercover at Viggo Grimborn's dragon auction with Snotlout. While the Hunters mistreated the Hotburple, Gobber was immediately awe inspired by him. He quickly earned the dragon's trust by feeding him and treating him with kindness. Gobber managed to get Grump to come to his and the Riders rescue. The Hotburple took out the guards and break the Vikings out. Afterwards, Gobber decided to keep Grump.

Toothless
Though not much of their relationship has been seen, it can be assumed they are on good terms. Gobber was the first Viking to recognize Toothless as a Night Fury, and also made his new tail-fin, after the old one got burned during the Battle with the Red Death in The Dragon War.

Valka
It can be assumed that Valka and Gobber are good friends. Gobber also claims that, if the entire Haddock clan will go back to the Isle of Berk, he will cook, because he claimed Valka is a bad cook, (a lot like Astrid).

Astrid Hofferson
"It's gonna take a lot more than that wee axe, Astrid."

- Gobber, stopping young Astrid from facing the Flightmare

Gobber and Astrid seem to be on good terms. Before Hiccup learned how to train dragons, Astrid was Gobber's Star Student in Dragon Training. He was also the one who stopped her from doing anything stupid after the Flightmare had defeated her Uncle.

Fishlegs Ingerman
Fishlegs and Gobber are on good terms. They had a brief business relationship, with Fishlegs' Dragon barfing up an unique kind of lava, that can be forged into very strong and light metal called Gronckle Iron. However, Fishlegs ends the business when he returns to the Dragon Riders and the Academy. Gobber doesn't seem mad by this, and gives Fishlegs the first sword he made, which he originally wanted to keep for himself. Three years later, Fishlegs then showed Gobber how to make Gronckle iron.

Snotlout Jorgenson
Gobber seems to have a certain annoyance and disdain of Snotlout, as was seen in In Dragons We Trust. This is shared by many in the village. But he does not wish Snotlout any harm.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston
Just like with Snotlout, Gobber doesn't seem to have a very high opinion of the twins.

Hookfang
Gobber was the one who led Hookfang back into his cage, after Toothless had chased him away. Gobber figured out Hookfang had a toothache, and took the tooth out. This started his business as a Dragon Doctor and Dentist. He briefly rode him in when they searched for Snotlout and Hiccup.

Smulder Frostbeard
In his youth, Gobber fell in love with Chilblain's Chief Hagan Frostbeard's daughter, Smulder.

Gobber's Blacksmith Gear
Helmet.

Gobber's helmet was a typical viking helmet. Somewhere between Race to the Edge season 4 and How to Train Your Dragon 2, he got a metal mask attached that he could flip over his eyes. He was seen with it over his eyes in How to Train Your Dragon 2 while putting a fake tooth in one of a Hideous Zippleback's heads.

Gobber's prostheses include:
 * Spiked Hammer
 * Stone Hammer
 * Blacksmithing Hammer
 * Blacksmith's Tongs
 * Double-headed Axe
 * Long Hook
 * Short Hook
 * Drinking Tankard/Mug
 * Spit for roasting food
 * Oar
 * Butter-Knife
 * Broom
 * Eggbeater
 * Flag
 * Lute
 * Jingle Bells
 * File
 * Wooden hand
 * Club
 * Hacksaw
 * Crossbow

Abilities and Skills
Gobber has quite a few talents and abilities that make him and his advice useful to the people of Berk.


 * Intelligence: Gobber's practical knowledge is quite good, as he figured out the gender of a yak without even looking closely at it at it, and knew why the farm animals were behaving strangely.
 * Teaching: Gobber used to teach the Teens of Berk how to fight Dragons, and also taught Hiccup everything he knew about forging. He did teach them to fight to defend themselves in Gem of a Different Color. As he even told them the best weapon will be a shield in combat.
 * Healer: Gobber also had experience as a healer such as when he removed Scauldron poison from Mildew's butt. He also able to to treat things such taking a trap of Magnus's foot. He was also able to create a potion that gave Agnar his hair back, though the potion was supposed help his stomach.
 * Strength: Gobber is shown to be very strong. After all, he used to forge weapons and fight Dragons. He had shown that he can throw a kitchen knife to a tree to split in half.
 * Forging: Gobber used to be the blacksmith of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, providing the Town with weapons in order to fight the Dragons.
 * Reading Gothi's Writing: He, Hiccup and Fishlegs are the only Vikings that can understand what Gothi means.
 * Replaceable hand: Gobber has been seen to remove and replace his prosthetic hand with several other tools, such as hooks, axes, maces, or others.
 * Senses: He has strong sense of smell. For example, he knew exactly where and how long the Teens had been in one spot.
 * Dragon Dentist and Doctor: It was revealed in Viking for Hire that, ever since Hiccup made peace with the Dragons, Gobber had run out of a job. However, he is now the current Dragon doctor and dentist of the Tribe. As Dragon doctor he can surprise others just like Fishlegs what he learned by using a feather on a dragon underbelly like a Gronckle to puke out of their digestive system to be cleaned from over eating.
 * Dragon Riding and Training: The first time Gobber rode a Dragon, was when he and the Teens met his old arch-nemesis, the Boneknapper. The same Dragon ended up giving them a ride back home. He has also been seen riding Hookfang and Flystorm . In the second film, he has a Hotburple named Grump. He also rode a baby Scuttleclaw with a lot of struggling since they don't listen to anyone.
 * Speed: Though he only has one leg and the other leg was replaced with a peg, he can move much faster than he appears even though he is a heavy Viking. He does this to surprise others of his own speed. In HTTYD 2, he has shown from his age increase that he became much slower.
 * Fighting Skills: Gobber is a veteran combatant as he is able to overpower multiple Outcasts and Berserkers, and he is able to fight off young Whispering Deaths with his prosthetic hammer and a shield. He was also able to fight Ryker one-on-one though he stated Ryker had better moves.

Memorable Quotes
The page for quotes by Gobber in the Films and Shorts is here.

The page for quotes by Gobber in Riders and Defenders of Berk is here.

The page for quotes by Gobber in Race to the Edge is here.

Trivia

 * He seems to be overly interested in Hiccup's relationship with Astrid. Especially when he sees them kissing.
 * He was the one that make Hiccup's leather baby diapers.
 * Gobber believes trolls exist, and that they steal socks-but only the left ones.
 * Gobber sings a special song when he's happy :
 * "I've got my axe, and I've got my mace, and I love my wife with the ugly face. I'm a Viking through and through! I've got my sword, and I've got my bludgeon, and 16 Berserkers locked in my dungeon, I'm a Viking through and through!"


 * Gobber is said to resemble a yak.
 * Gobber used to play the pan pipes in a band.
 * He names the weapons he makes, referring to them as female (In Dragons We Trust). A habit that Tuffnut has picked up on.
 * He and Stoick had once went on a treasure hunt but failed to figured out the clues (Portrait of Hiccup as a Buff Young Man).
 * Gobber's teeth were (possibly) messed up by a Frozen Viking.
 * He has a fur vest in the movie, but a leather one in the show due to budget constraints.
 * Heather Report Part I is the only episode Gobber didn't appear in Riders of Berk. He had a very small cameo in Heather Report Part II at end. He was behind Heather as she was saying to Hiccup and Astrid that maybe they'll see each other again.
 * Gobber is shown to have good detective skills including a well developed sense of smell.
 * Gobber absolutely hates taking a bath . He firmly believes Vikings are supposed to stink bad.
 * According to the official website, Gobber is five years older than Stoick.
 * In HTTYD 2, Gobber's new, mace-like, hammer-shaped artificial arm and Grump's tail bludgeon strongly resemble each other.
 * Gobber wears the same outfit he wore in the first film in the sequel. It is noticeably more torn and charred.
 * Dean DeBlois revealed that the reason Gobber never got married is because he is homosexual. This makes him the first gay character of the franchise, and one of very few within the DreamWorks corpus.
 * However, likely as a result of many writers working on the same character, that detail got lost over the course of the TV show.
 * Gobber had a brief romance with Smulder Frostbeard, so he is at least a little bit straight.
 * Gobber named a wall "Greta," for his first love. However Gobber also once tried to name a baby girl "Magnus," so it's possible that Gobber just doesn't have a good grasp on the concept of gender.
 * Even though Gobber isn't Stoick's official Second-In-Command, he acts like he is and the village treats him as such.
 * In early scripts it was Gobber who died from Toothless being mind-controlled in HTTYD2, instead of Stoick.
 * Gobber is the only Dragon Rider who didn't name his dragon, as Grump already had a name.
 * He has witnessed a Nadder's spine go through a man's eyeball 'like a grape'.