| “ | Stormcutters are well-known for their second set of hidden wings, giving them excellent skill and control in the skies. [src] | ” |
| — Fishlegs |
The Stormcutter is a large Sharp Class dragon that first appeared in How to Train Your Dragon 2.
Official Description
| “ | The four-winged Sharp Class flyer can turn its head so far around, it can see behind it. You can never sneak up on a Stormcutter! Flying on four wings, the Stormcutter carves spirals in the sky and shoots fiery arcs of destruction at its adversaries. |
” |
| — Dragons: Rise of Berk |
| “ | Stormcutters may be gargantuan but don't let the sheer size of its body distract you from the dragon's speed. This Sharp Class dragon can dart through the skies swiftly and stealthily. What a deadly combination! | ” |
| — School of Dragons |
Development
Stormcutters were originally inspired by grey owls, great danes, vampire bats and an X-wing starfighter.[1][2]
Initial concept art depicted the Stormcutter with only two wings with very long claws and a head similar to a Skrill, except for the missing crown of spikes. It had a huge crest on its back, with thick spikes going down to its tail. It was red in color, with dark blue stripes on its back.
Other pieces of concept art show the development of the dragon's head, some of which include a pair of thick horns, which either faced downwards or backwards, in a similar manner to a buffalo's horns.
Physical Appearance
Egg
The Stormcutter's egg is a large oval and has a prominent scale pattern. There is a ridge with larger scales that run down its middle.
Hatchling to Adult
Stormcutters are known for their large size, iridescent fish-like scales, and two pairs of wings. They have owl mannerisms and a second set of wings under their main ones that can split and become an "X". Stormcutter dragons walk on this second set of wings and their hind legs. The wings can also come close together so they can be like one main pair. They have a very muscular and sturdy build. Their face has two long spines that branch off their brow to the side and they have a "smashed" face, kind of like an owl, making them seemingly brachycephalic. They have a three-finned tail and also have many spines down their back and a large "crown" on their head that makes them look even more menacing.
Titan Wing
Titan Wing Stormcutters look very similar to their Broad Wing counterparts, apart from differences in color and size. They have brown, leather-like scales. Their wings are red near the body, at the base, and gradually lightens into pale pink towards the edge. They have a larger crown and tail fin, and the spines along their back are bright red and larger.
Abilities
Speed and Agility
Their 'X-wing' beats up and down in sync and are probably used for extremely tight turns and maneuvers and for fighting foes. This body structure allows them to demonstrate accurate flight techniques such as navigating through narrow and complicated spaces, or hovering and even rest in mid-air. Having four wings allows for exceptional maneuverability. When they even walk they use their lower wings as forelegs while holding their upper wings against their sides.
Rotating Head
They have the unique ability to rotate their heads about 180 degrees. By doing so, there is no way to hide from a Stormcutter.
Firepower
Stormcutter's fire breath
Stormcutters can shoot a sustained torus of fire that is tornado-shaped, not unlike that of the Typhoomerang. The fire is incredibly powerful, as Cloudjumper was able to burn down the entire Haddock House in seconds.
Strength and Combat
Stormcutters have fore-talons on their wings that are hooked and can be used to pick dragon trap locks or destroy an entire war machine. Their sharp talons are helpful to climb on mountains even upside down, as shown by Cloudjumper, to be like bats. They are also strong enough to support humans either on their back or on their tail. A greater extent of their strength was shown in a deleted scene when Cloudjumper was able to rip apart one of Drago's war machines.
The Guide to the Dragons, Volume 1 gives additional stats for the Stormcutter not seen with other species: Strength is rated at a '6', while Endurance is rated as '9'.
Hooked Talons
Their sharp hooked pincers at the tips of wings are dexterous enough to gingerly pick the lock of a dragon trap. However, the pincers can also be used to destroy an entire war machine.
Intelligence
Stormcutters can quickly understand the difference between people that are threats or not, as Cloudjumper knew that baby Hiccup and Valka were harmless but Stoick was the complete opposite. Cloudjumper also knew that Valka wasn't happy at Berk as she knew that dragons are gentle creatures, and thought Berk needed to cultivate peace.
Endurance and Stamina
Stormcutters have a great amount of stamina, for they are able to travel great distances without showing any signs of exhaustion.
Due to their hard scales, Stormcutters are able to take many powerful hits without being damaged too much. They can easily get up quickly after crash-landing. Some Stormcutter individuals, such as Reignstorm, are even able to leisurely fly during thunderstorms with no sign of struggle.
Senses
Stormcutters have well-developed senses that are as good as those of Tracker Class dragons. An example of this is when Cloudjumper was the only dragon (that doesn't belong to the Tracker Class) that sensed the presence of the sleeping Foreverwings on Nepenthe. In Titans Uprising, Stormcutters like Woodland Stormcutters are said to have the "ability to detect subtle scents and shifts in the atmosphere" which "allows them to sense the intent of approaching Vikings and dragons".
Camouflage
Some Stormcutter individuals, such as Marinecutter, possess bright coloration on their body that enables them to blend in with both the sea and the sky. This allows them to be almost invisible on clear days. Other individuals, such as Dimflight or Liberated Duskcutter, possess dark coloration on their body that enables them to blend in to the night sky or a cloudy day.
Weaknesses
Just like Night Furies, a Stormcutter is incapable of flight if one of the tail fins is damaged, as seen when Cloudjumper couldn't fly straight and struggled a lot to stay in the air after his tail fins were temporarily frozen by Drago's Bewilderbeast.
Behavior and Personality
Stormcutters, much like the Night Fury and Speed Stinger can hang themselves upside-down from higher ground, like a bat. Their resting position gives them a slightly peculiar and mysterious atmosphere.
They are intelligent, proud, and confident but can be sweet and friendly. They can be aggressive and are also quite curious.
Although they are mostly diurnal, some Stormcutter individuals, such as Dimflight, are active during the evening and night.
Training
Generally, a docile and gentle dragon, training a Stormcutter is easy. All it takes is mutual trust, respect, and a love for dragons, which is shown when Valka meets Cloudjumper. The Stormcutter will be more than willing to accept you after that, making the training process pretty easy.
Comparative Statistics
| Ultimate Book of Dragons |
Guide to Dragons Books |
Dragonpedia | Dragonpedia Stat Cards |
World of Dragons |
School of Dragons |
Other | |||||||
| CLASS | Sharp | Sharp | Sharp | Sharp | |||||||||
| SIZE | 31 feet 3.25 inches | 48 feet | 31 feet 3.25 inches | ||||||||||
| WINGSPAN | 48 feet (on diagonal with X-wing) | 48 feet (diagonally) | |||||||||||
| WEIGHT | 2,500 lbs | 2,500 lbs | |||||||||||
| ATTACK | 6 | 10 | 10 | ||||||||||
| SPEED | 8 | 8 | 17 | 17 | 7.5 | ||||||||
| ARMOR | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||
| FIRE POWER | ? | 12 | 12 | 7.9 | |||||||||
| SHOT LIMIT | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| VENOM | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||||||||||
| JAW STRENGTH | ? | 5 | 5 | ||||||||||
| STEALTH | ? | 13 | 13 | ||||||||||
Appearances
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Main article: Cloudjumper
The first Stormcutter introduced was Cloudjumper, Valka's dragon. After her attack on Eret, Son of Eret and his men, and rescuing the dragons that had captured, Cloudjumper and Valka then found a Night Fury being ridden by a young man. Cloudjumper was able to overtake them, causing them to crash with the help of one of Valka's other dragons. They then brought the two of them to the Bewilderbeast's nest where Valka explained that Cloudjumper had actually met her during a dragon raid back on Berk. According to her story, Cloudjumper broke into Valka and Stoick's house and went toward the cradle that held Hiccup; Valka and Stoick's baby son. Valka first thought Cloudjumper's intent was to harm the baby, but instead, Cloudjumper was trying to soothe Hiccup by rocking him. Stoick, also believing that Cloudjumper wanted to harm Hiccup and Valka, attacked Cloudjumper. However, the burning house was coming down and Valka was blocked from her husband and child. Cloudjumper saved her from the fire but took her with him, leaving her husband and child wifeless and motherless. For the next 20 years, Cloudjumper allowed Valka to ride him, and together, they helped save thousands of dragons from Drago Bludvist's trappers such as Eret and brought them to safety at the Bewilderbeast's nest.
Cloudjumper and Valka bonded with the other duo, showing them a few secrets about dragons. While they eventually reunited as a family, Hiccup wanted to find Drago in hopes that he could change his mind about dragons. Valka, however, believed otherwise, insisting they should protect their own. When Drago Bludvist started his attack on the nest, Cloudjumper and Valka rallied the Bewilderbeast and the nest dragons and fought Drago Bludvist's forces with the help of her family and new friends. However, Drago summoned his own Bewilderbeast that soon killed hers. Cloudjumper and all the other dragons were then forced to submit to their new Alpha. When Toothless challenged the Bewilderbeast, Cloudjumper quickly joined the Night Fury's side. With Drago and his Bewilderbeast defeated, Cloudjumper was the first dragon to bow to Toothless, acknowledging the younger dragon as the new Alpha. He and his rider then decided to stay on Berk.
Games
Dragons Hero Portal
Cloudjumper appears in this game as part of one of the rider/dragon pairs the player can choose to play as.
Dragons: Rise of Berk
The Stormcutter was released in Dragons: Rise of Berk promptly after the release of the second film.
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/h at Level 175 
/h at Level 175 
at Level 175 
/h at Level 175 
Relentless Attacker
School of Dragons
The Stormcutter also became available in School of Dragons, along with a Viking costume inspired by its design.
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Dragons: Titan Uprising
Several Stormcutter individuals, like Tempestuous Scalestrom, Gloomleer, Tripfire, the Serene Stormcutters, and the Woodland Stormcutters, and hybrids, like the Bonestormer and the Deathly Galeslash, appear in this game.
Dreamworks Dragons: Dawn of New Riders
Eir Stormheart managed to capture a Titan Wing Stormcutter, prior to the events of this game. She poisoned it with a concoction made of Grimora venom and dragonvine and placed it in the caves of Valka's Mountain.
Scribbler encountered it and freed the dragon. The Stormcutter could later help Scribbler in fight, if he chose to call it.
Trivia
- The official measurements given by DreamWorks Animation do not appear to be realistic when considering the relative sizes the viewer sees within the Franchise. Based on the Model Sheet for the Stormcutter along side other known dragons in the series such as Toothless, this dragon should be 70 feet (21.36 meters) long and have a Wingspan of 106 feet 6 inches (32.48 meters).
- Simon Otto, head of character animation, called the Stormcutter a “Skyscreamer”, which could have been a possible original name for the species.[2]
- Given that Stormcutters and Night Furies share numerous characteristics, it is possible that the two species are closely related.
References
- ↑ DreamWorks TV. 100 Facts Only True HTTYD Fans Know | THE DREAMWORKS DOWNLOAD. (August 27, 2015). YouTube.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Otto, Simon. (July 10, 2014). How to Create Your Dragon: The Inspirations Behind the Creatures. Empire.
| Stormcutter uses Creative Commons Licensed content from the Rise of Berk Wiki page Stormcutter. The list of authors can be found on the page revision history (view authors). | 
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| Stormcutter uses Creative Commons Licensed content from the Dreamworks School of Dragons Wiki page Stormcutter. The list of authors can be found on the page revision history (view authors). | 
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