The Bubblehorn is a small Stoker Class[1] dragon that first appeared in Dragons: The Nine Realms.
Quick Answers
What class does the Bubblehorn dragon belong to in Dragons: The Nine Realms?
What is the size comparison of a Bubblehorn to a common animal?
What unique physical feature does the Bubblehorn dragon have on its forehead?
What unique ability does the Bubblehorn's hide possess?
How does the overall shape of a Bubblehorn dragon resemble an infantile pony?
Physical Appearance[]
Hatchling to Adult[]
Bubblehorns are a small dragon species, appearing to be about the size of an average cat. Their overall shape mimics an infantile pony, with overly large eyes in a large cranium and a small rounded muzzle. Bubblehorns also have a single twisted horn sprouting from their foreheads that appears to be hollow. Though their hides appear unadorned most of the time, Bubblehorns also poses retractable spikes all over their bodies, including legs and tails.
Bubblehorn coloration comes in pearlescent white, pink, or purple, occasionally with faint green spotting. The underside of their wing membranes are a contrasting bold splash of red, orange, and yellow.
Abilities[]
Retractable Spikes[]
Bubblehorn dragons have retractable spikes all over their bodies including legs and tails. They are able to extrude them at will, but it appears Bubblehorns mainly utilize this ability in defensive or offensive situations, or in an agitated state.
Agility and Durability[]
Due to their small size, Bubblehorns are able to squeeze through tight spaces and move with great agility in the air and on the ground. They are also fairly tough-skinned, as they are able to survive some dragons' firepower such as ice. They are also able to withstand rough handling and bruising transport without damage. Their size and flexibility also makes them hard to maintain a grip on.
Reverberant Scream[]
Individual Bubblehorns are able to emit a loud, echoing roar that appears grating to most hearing creatures. It appears to be able to transmit well through stone, as well. This call can serve as a temporary disorienting scream against antagonists to the Bubblehorn, but also primarily functions as a call for assistance to other Bubblehorn dragons.
Unicorn-like Horn[]
Bubblehorns have a single tapering horn on their foreheads that is the primary organ used for their firepower. In addition to this, they often use their horns as an extra limb of sorts, using it to pry open objects, probe things, or tearing open items. Nibbles is seen eating unpopped popcorn kernels with his mouth and then ejecting popped popcorn from his horn, suggesting the horn is hollow and may be connected with the sinus, nasal, and oral cavities.
Firepower[]
Unlike a majority of other dragon species, Bubblehorns' primary organ of firepower is its single horn on the forehead. It ejects tough-walled, purple bubbles that have a volatile gaseous component(s) inside that explode in flames once the bubble wall is ruptured. The make up of both the bubble wall and its interior is unknown. The Bubblehorns are able to modulate the size and number of bubbles they emit. Additionally, a group of Bubblehorns are able to simultaneously emit bubbles that combine into one giant, destructive bubble.
In addition to bubble production, Bubblehorns can also emit red-orange flames from their horns, though this ability appears to be less employed by the dragon.
Weaknesses[]
Despite the benefits from being a very small dragon, there are also drawbacks. Bubblehorns can be easily pushed around, scattered, driven away, or perhaps fall prey to larger dragons and the attacks thereof. The firepower of larger dragons such as electricity or sonic blasts can easily blow them away, stun, or incapacitate them. They do seem fairly resilient to these attacks however, and appear to recover without lasting harm.
Behavior and Personality[]
Bubbehorns are highly social species with others of their own kind, presumably for the protection a flock offers. A Bubblehorn alone is very vulnerable to attack and possible predation. However, in a group their combined defensive efforts can turn offensive and drive away attackers or cause large amounts of damage. Due to their tight-knit social structure, the social group will come immediately to the calls of a member in distress.
Possibly as a result of their vulnerability, Bubblehorns appear initially harmless, but can be devious and use their harmless appearance to their benefit. In fact they are highly aggressive and vindictive, attacking those they feel have wronged them or had previously appeared an aggressor, even after a considerable amount of time after the offense.
Though not specifically stated, Bubblehorns are possibly omnivorous or even herbivorous, as one individual is seen rejecting a fish-based food in favor of Grain-based foods such as popcorn and Cheese Rings - a processed cheese-flavored human snack. By season 7 it is clear that they are omnivorous because Nibbles had been seen eating fish in wilderness.
Training[]
Though deliberate training has not been seen, Bubblehorns appear to have a few behavioral traits that suggest training is possible. One is that Bubblehorns appear highly food motivated, especially by easily obtainable snack foods eaten by humans. They are also extremely social and live in groups, a behavior that can be redirected to a human-based "pack". However, due to their long memories to incidents of perceived aggression, this may result in the Bubblehorn bearing a grudge against its attempted trainer and even attack them. With time and patience this dragons can become more docile as seen with Nibbles who adapted to living alongside Wilma and Linda.
Appearances[]
Dragons: The Nine Realms[]
Season 2[]
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Main article: Nibbles |
In "Uniconned", Jun and the Riders discovered a Bubblehorn dragon stuck underneath of some crystals before Thunder freed it. Jun was immediately in awe at the cute dragon and named it Nibbles, much to Wu and Wei's dismay. However, Nibbles soon showed his true colors by causing havoc at ICARIS until the Riders caught him in a trash bin. However, as they prepared to release Nibbles, he called his pack and they came and attacked the Riders, wanting Nibbles back. When they finally freed Nibbles, they came together to create a massive bubble which threatened to blow up ICARIS before they disappeared back into the Hidden World. The Riders prevented the bubble from causing any damage with Wu freezing it to make it heavier and Thunder blasted it once it it was down in the fissure.
In "Follow the Lightning, Part 1", Nibbles and the Bubblehorns are seen again when the Riders ventured into the a desolate realm of the Hidden World in search of Thunder. Alex and Tom purposely lead them to the watering hole where Feathers splashed them with water and Wu froze them with his ice Breath.
Season 7[]
In "Rise of Jörmungandr", when the riders travel to the Dark Realm to stop Buzzsaw from unleashing Jörmungandr Tom tells everyone to stay alert for Spiderwings and Bubblehorns, Alex worries how to get past them which D'Angelo explains they'll fly high above the watering hole to avoid the Bubblehorns.
Season 8[]
In "The Great Foster Fake-Out", Bubblehorns were one of the many dragons rescued from the Hidden World to escape Jörmungandr and were brought to Rakke Town for the employees to foster and adopt. Later during Mr. Rakke's visit when the dragons were gathered outside the Research Station, Feathers hid them and the Bubblehorns inside so that Mr. Rakke wouldn't see.
Trivia[]
- Dragons: The Nine Realms creator John Tellegen has indicated that the Bubblehorn and the similarly structured Relentless Rainbowhorn from Dragons: Rescue Riders are not the same species[2], nor related[3].
- Jun theorized that the Bubblehorn’s appearance inspired the idea of unicorns in a number of ancient legends and myths. If so, this may imply that Bubblehorns were originally endemic to Europe and Asia, where the myths of unicorns originated from.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Hello, @JTellegen ! If this is not a spoiler for anything, may I ask which dragon classes do the new T9R species belong to? The Fault Ripper, Bubblehorn, Magma Breather, Flood Fang, and Spiderwing have not been given a class in the show. Could you please shed some light on this?" (Date Posted - July 21, 2022). Twitter.
- ↑ "i have my questions about that lil unicorn-y dragon…" (Date posted - April 21, 2022). Twitter.
- ↑ "Thank you for your work in the HTTYD franchise! I have a few questions if you have a moment:" (Date posted - May 6, 2022). Twitter.
