| “ | This is it! The key to defeating the world serpent! According to the Book, this is what Hiccup used, it belonged to his mother Valka! | ” |
| — Tom's discovery of the staff |
"How to Train Jörmungandr" is the first episode of the eighth season of Dragons: The Nine Realms.
Synopsis[]
| “ | Tom must learn to emulate Hiccup after discovering a relic that may prove to be the key to his success in defeating Jörmungandr, the World Serpent. | ” |
| — Hulu |
Plot[]
In the Crystal Realm, the riders try to ambush Jörmungandr to return it to its prison. Eugene isn't thrilled about confronting the dragon, but Jun reminds him that the dragon is so dangerous, it is supposed to bring about the end of the world. Tom also reminds them about how the Jörmungandr nearly killed the Sky Torcher, and that the entire Hidden World is at risk. However, the Jörmungandr turns the tables, and ambushes the riders instead. It easily overpowers all of the riders' dragons, and blasts everyone with its extremely poisonous breath. Fortunately, Wu and Wei use their steam breath to dilute the poison gas, and help everyone escape.
Even though everyone managed to get away, all the dragons are left incapacitated by the poison, except for Thunder, who was swatted away by Jörmungandr, and wasn't caught in the poison gas. Tom is despondent over the failure, and has no idea how to stop Jörmungandr. That night, he goes over the Book of Dragons, and finds something that leads him to Jörmungandr's cage. With Thunder's help, he finds a staff hidden on top of the cage.
The next day, he shows the other riders what he found, and reveals that it is the key to defeating the World Serpent. He explains that the staff belonged to Hiccup's mother, Valka, and it was used to capture the World Serpent the first time by hypnotizing it. The riders are unsure if the staff will actually work, especially when Tom admits he hasn't mastered the staff yet. Tom decides to practice and train while the dragons recover, but the other riders aren't convinced. Meanwhile, Jörmungandr has entered into the Nature Realm.
Tom begins practicing with the staff, and learns from the book that the sounds the staff makes are what allow it to hypnotize dragons, but the book doesn't specify what sounds to make or how to make them. He tries to practice with Thunder, but with no success. The other riders spy on Tom's practice, but Eugene mocks his efforts, which Tom sees, and becomes further dejected. Jun tries to comfort Tom, who admits his lack of progress despite following the book. He shows Jun the passage where it describes Hiccup trapping Jörmungandr in its cage. After reading the book, Jun points out that Tom may not be focusing properly, and gives him a piece of hematite as a good luck charm to help him calm down and focus. She also asks Tom to fight the Jörmungandr together with the riders, and not alone. With renewed confidence, Tom resumes practice with the staff. And after days of work, he begins making progress. He learns how to use it to control small and medium-sized dragons, but fails to control a Deathgripper, and is chased off by it. When Tom reports his progress to the others, Eugene and Alex are still not convinced that the staff will work on Jörmungandr if Tom can't control aggressive dragons, but Jun is hopeful that the staff has a chance of working if Tom can master it. Alex's sensors suddenly alert that Jörmungandr is in the Nature Realm, and Tom wants to go stop it, but D'Angelo points out the other dragons are still recovering from the poison, and Jun holds Tom to his promise not to fight the serpent alone. Tom promises not to fight Jörmungandr, and only wants to rescue as many dragons as possible from it.
Tom begins evacuating the Nature Realm and finds the Deathgripper from before had wandered into the realm and got trapped under a large log. Even after being rescued, the Deathgripper attacks them, and then pins Thunder down. But before the Deathgripper can sting Thunder, Tom successfully uses the staff to hypnotize and pacify the dragon and sends it away. Tom's happiness at finally mastering the staff is cut short when the Jörmungandr begins closing in, and there are too many dragons to evacuate. Knowing all the dragons in the realm may die if he doesn't do something, Tom decides to break his promise, and try to recapture Jörmungandr without the other riders. When Jörmungandr arrives, Tom's first attempt with the staff fails to control it, and it begins chasing Tom and Thunder. Back in the Dragon's Lair, the dragons have finally recovered from the poison, just as Alex's sensors pick up Jörmungandr chasing after Tom and Thunder, much to Jun's anger. While being chased, Tom has Thunder lead Jörmungandr to the prison, where Tom will make another attempt with the staff. Tom's second attempt successfully mesmerizes Jörmungandr, and he slowly leads it to the prison. But just before Jörmungandr enters, it realizes what Tom is planning, and tries to attack to him, which lead to the staff being destroyed by Jörmungandr. Thunder is then forced to battle Jörmungandr to save Tom, but the other riders arrive just in time. While Eugene tries to distract Jörmungandr, Jun tells Thunder to close the cage's gate. Everyone, but Thunder, manages to get inside the cage, but Plowhorn uses a rock to keep it open long enough for the former to reach cave. But before Thunder can enter, Jörmungandr pins him down, and tries to attack the others inside. But Thunder retaliates by conducting lightning on the bars of the gate, which shocks Jörmungandr into letting go, and forcing it to leave. The riders return to the lair with the evacuated dragons; but when Tom tries to apologize to Jun for breaking his promise, Jun lashes out at him for not learning from his mistakes. Having become fed up with Tom's selfishness and impulsiveness, Jun breaks up with him.
Characters[]
Humans[]
- Tom Kullersen voiced by Jeremy Shada
- Jun Wong voiced by Ashley Liao
- D'Angelo Baker voiced by Marcus Scribner
- Alexandra Gonzalez voiced by Aimee Garcia
- Eugene Wong voiced by Vincent Tong
- Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (mentioned, flashback and pictured)
- Valka (mentioned and pictured)
Dragons[]
- Thunder
- Wu and Wei
- Plowhorn
- Feathers
- Webmaster
- Valka's Bewilderbeast (pictured)
- Toothless (pictured)
Dragon Species[]
- Night Light
- Mist Twister
- Gembreaker
- Featherhide
- Deadly Spinner
- Jörmungandr
- Terrible Terror
- Woodchipper
- Gronckle
- Deathgripper
- Deadly Nadder
- Vine Tail
- Bewilderbeast (pictured)
- Night Fury (pictured)
Locations[]
- Kullersen Fissure
- Hidden World
- Crystal Realm
- Dark Realm
- Nature Realm
- Giant Realm
- Fire Realm
- Dark Realm
Objects[]
- Saddles
- Alex's Tablet
- Dragonsite
- Book of Dragons
- Valka's Staff
- Hiccup's Prosthetic Leg (flashback)
- Hiccup's Helmet (flashback)
- Hematite
- Tom's Fire Suit
Flora and Fauna[]
Trivia[]
- The title of the episode is a reference to How To Train Your Dragon, the name of the franchise's first movie and the novel that inspired it.
- The way Tom used Valka's staff to control the Jörmungandr is similar to how a snake charmer would use a pungi to manipulate the snake.
- The end credits play Astrid's Theme after Jun breaks up with Tom, but in a depressing tone.
