The Terrible Terror is among the smallest of the small dragons, but also one of the most feared. It is roughly the size of a small cat and can crawl into Viking homes, sheds, outhouses, and shacks and attack when its prey is least expecting it. The only warning a Terrible Terror gives is the hissing sound it makes just before breathing fire. It is capable of such pinpoint accuracy with its flames that it can be considered the sniper of the dragon world. The Terrible Terror loosely resembles the Common or Garden Dragon since they are both small and usually green. Hiccup learns from Toothless that dragons are easily distracted by reflected light on the ground. He uses that to his advantage to lure a Terrible Terror back into its pen in the movie. He also learns that dragons are not fireproof on the inside (though whether this was a serious query or not is unknown) when a Toothless fires a fireball into a Terrible Terror for having attempted to steal one of his fish and watches it stumble away in defeat. Before it leaves, Hiccup tosses it another fish and finds that it and, by extension, dragons in general are not as bad as they seem after it curls up beside him to sleep.
"These undersized creatures, based on the original teeny Toothless character from the books, travel in packs and are prone to infighting. “They are small and underestimated,” says DeBlois. “If there is comic relief in the dragon world, it is the Terrible Terrors. They are like naughty little terriers and make a lot of noise.” Adds Sanders, “They are annoying, like seagulls.”"[4]
Information from the Official How to Train Your Dragon Movie Website
The Official Dreamworks How to Train Your Dragon website contains information on each of the main dragons that appear in the movie. The information for the Terrible Terror is as follows:
Description
Smallest of the dragons is the TERRIBLE TERROR. This tiny menace is unmistakable, with a small snakelike body and tiny wings. Terrors can be found roosting in the rafters of Viking barns and under the floorboards of Viking houses. Though a single Terror is too small to carry away a sheep or inflict much damage to a Viking, they are usually found in flocks. The largest on record was a mob of Terrors over two hundred strong. In those numbers even the strongest Viking can be overwhelmed, and the biggest sheep can be stolen.[5]
Trivia
- The growling and other sounds of the Terrible Terror are actually based on a purebred Chihuahua from Cotton Grove.[6]
- In the book, Toothless most resembles the Terrible Terror, known in the book as the Common or Garden and Brown dragon.
References
- ↑ How to Train Your Dragon Official Website - Terrible Terror Dragon Characters Section
- ↑ How to Train Your Dragon Official Website - Terrible Terror Dragon Characters Section
- ↑ How to Train Your Dragon Official Website - Terrible Terror Dragon Characters Section
- ↑ 'How to Train Your Dragon' takes flight - USA Today - Page 6 of 7
- ↑ How to Train Your Dragon Official Website - Terrible Terror Dragon Characters Section
- ↑ "Hit film 'How to Train Your Dragon' features voice of Chihuahua from Cottage Grove"