Season 5: Race to the Edge
` A lot more ties to the second movie pop up in this season. Reminder, the second movie came out before this series began, but storyline-wise, this all happens before the film.
So, Living on the Edge picks up with the aftermath of the volcano erupting at the end of Season 4. Aftershocks rock the island and most of the team is ready to leave. Even Astrid tells Hiccup “it might be time to head back to Berk. Viggo and Ryker are gone. The Dragon Eye is destroyed. Even Mother Natures is telling us to go.” Softer, “Hiccup, we won. We can go home now.” Hiccup finally agrees, though he says they need to stabilize the island and relocate the dragons first. That’s when Johann arrives with news. Astrid and Hiccup go to investigate and find an injured Garff. He was recently injured, meaning the Hunters are still active and still a threat. Hiccup and the other Riders decide that they can’t go home yet.
We see that the Dragon Hunters have a new leader, the mysterious cloaked bounty hunter. He’s been using the adult Death Song to lure in dragons. Some of his hunters think that’s cheating. The man seems to allow a discussion, but then eliminates the naysayers a few minutes later.
Hiccup and Astrid are preparing to make their betrothal official in Sandblasted. Hiccup already has his betrothal gift for Astrid, but Astrid is desperately seeking a gift good enough for Hiccup. He’s not an ordinary Viking; he has a Night Fury, a suit made of yak hides for flying, a sword that ignites on command, and he will be the next chief of Berk. She enlists Fishleg’s help in finding a gift.
Once again, the Riders head off to investigate information that Trader Johann has sent them. In the course of the day, Snotlout allows Hiccup’s gift to Astrid to be taken, so Hiccup and Snotlout have to chase after the guy. They disappear into the beach where many merchants have met the same fate. There’s a new dragon that blasts something that turns into glass they have to avoid. It also dislikes sunlight, which is why is hides in a cave under the beach.
Astrid leads the other Riders to find Hiccup and Snotlout even admits he won’t leave without Hiccup (he’s come a long way, especially since the Thawfest games). After all the commotion, Hiccup and Astrid get a moment alone. Hiccup’s gift is the charm his father used for his mother, now strung as a necklace. Astrid admits she doesn’t have a gift for Hiccup. Hiccup is fine with that; she is the only gift he needs. Astrid has always been a part of their family and Hiccup hopes she always will be. The episode ends with Hiccup noticing that a sword one of the other Riders has picked up is Viggo’s sword. How did Viggo’s sword end up somewhere else?
Next, the Riders are invited to Berserker Island to watch an apprentice graduate in Something Rotten on Berserker Island. That apprentice turns out to be Gustav, which annoys Snotlout, since Gustav has always been trying to copy Snotlout. And Dagur makes up new nicknames for Snotlout. Hiccup is a little surprised to see Savage back with the Berserkers. Hiccup was right to note his appearance, because Savage tries to take over the island. He knocks out the dragons and puts Dagur in prison. Snotlout and Gustav have to work together to get the Berserker chief out and then all the Riders go into battle without their dragons. Which hey, just proves that Hiccup can now. Also, turns out that the apprenticeship was made up; Dagur took Gustav off Stoick’s hands as a favor.
In Snotlout’s Angels, Snotlout says something so heinous to Astrid that he has to fly away immediately. We don’t hear what it is, but all of the Riders agree that Astrid is right to try to beat Snotlout up. Hiccup does insist they need to find Snotlout regardless.
Snotlout manages to find an island full of Viking women, who call themselves Wing Maidens, partly due to the fact that they have dragons on their backs. While there, Snotlout is called out for his attitude towards women. Heather, Astrid, and Ruffnut figure they need to go in to retrieve Snotlout and discover that the Wing Maidens tend to baby Razor Whips, who would otherwise be prey to male Razor Whips. They watch over then until they’re strong enough to defend themselves. Heather’s Razor Whip, Windshear, would have been raised for a time on their island. The Riders have gained new friends and Snotlout admits that all he had to do was be nice to Astrid, instead of opening his yap.
On Defenders of the Wing island, the new Great Protector takes on his duties; there is a changing of the guard in A Matter of Perspective. Gronk and Mala explain that the old Great Protector will retire to Vanaheim, the final resting place of dragons. It is a well-earned rest and a day to rejoice, not to mourn. He is lucky to have led such a meaningful life. The twins decide to try to find Vanaheim, even after Hiccup warns them they should not. So the other Riders have to follow them in turn. What appears to be Sentinel statues are actually stony dragons that want to protect the weary dragons on the land and keep other dragons, and humans away.
The Riders manage to get past the Sentinels when they cover themselves in the fruit that grows on the island and insists to the other Riders, especially the twins, that this part of dragon culture needs to remain secret. They can tell no one about the island. From the sky as the Riders fly away, we can see that there is a large dragon skeleton on the island [Spoiler from the second movie: it’s a Bewilderbeast.]
The Outcasts come to Hiccup and the Riders to report that Alvin has been kidnapped in Return of Thor Bonecrusher. Snotlout insists that they should bring Thor Bonecrusher back in order to retrieve Alvin. Hiccup advises no, because Thor was very arrogant. Fishlegs wants to help, so he goes to Snotlout; on the conditions that he’s not so heroic and dangerous, and that he still loves Meatlug. Snotlout also makes sure that Fishlegs can be brought back by clapping. Except he said for Fishlegs to be anti-heroic. So, Thor does not follow the plan, though they find out that whoever has Alvin wants a particular fish in exchange. Weird. During the fight, Snotlout claps to bring Fishlegs back, but Thor remains. However, it did actually work and Fishlegs just pretended to still be Thor to continue with the plan.
They get Alvin back and we discover the new baddie’s name is Krogan. Oh, and he’s working with Viggo, who is still alive and scarred, isn’t that grand.
Hiccup and Astrid head off together to find ingredients for Hiccup’s secret project in Dawn of Destruction. Snotlout brought up how the couple seems to only have time for each other now, and not their other friends. Hiccup and Astrid both tell each other they don’t want to forget their friends, but they still want personal time together. Astrid comments that she likes sensitive Hiccup. Hiccup warns her not to tell his father. Oh, Stoick already knows, everyone knows. It’s what makes Hiccup such a great friend and leader and boyfriend.
While they’re gone, Krogan has a group of Singetails attack the Edge. He has a group of men flying them, whipping them into obedience. The Riders attempt to fight them off. Viggo gets on the island and makes his way back to the volcano. He argues with Krogan that he doesn’t take orders from anyone, and that Krogan came looking for Viggo. These two are uneasy allies.
Snotlout is actually doing a decent job of leading the Riders in their fight against the Flyers, but they’re very happy that Hiccup and Astrid show up. Hiccup makes the call for them to retreat, though he makes sure to destroy his hut before they finally leave. They head for Defenders of the Wing island and are welcomed by Mala. Fishlegs reveals that he and Snotlout snuck into Hiccup’s hut at the beginning of the fight to retrieve Hiccup’s secret project: a new Dragon Eye. We see that Viggo is searching for the original one.
Mala and Throk help cheer up the dejected Riders in the first part of Wings of War. They have personal recommendations for each person, such as training for Snotlout and boars for the twins. Viggo warns Krogan that Hiccup is a formidable adversary, and yes, he respects Hiccup’s ingenuity. Krogan warns Viggo against the sentiment and sends his Flyers to the Defenders of the Wing to chase the Riders away.
They head back to Berk. Stoick takes charge; he knows how to lead in a war; and knows what dragons are like under the influence of evil men. He advises Hiccup that it’s more important to win the war than the battle [he also has a flashback to something we will see in the second movie.] However, Stoick also holds that is may come to having to fire on the Singetails if they want to take down the Flyers. Hiccup cannot hold to that; there has to be another way. He flies off to think about it. Stoick goes to Astrid with a plan.
Hiccup’s plan is to go study Singetails, though he gets in a spot of trouble and separated from Toothless, though he finds Spitelout instead. Spitelout has wanted revenge on the Singetails for ruining his off-Berk supply storage. But that means he’s learned a bit about Singetails, and even named many of them. Of course some sort of -lout name, but are we surprised? Hiccup gets an idea and flies back to Berk, only to find Gustav, who tells him that Stoick and the other Riders have launched a pre-emptive strike on the Flyers. Hiccup’s not sure a pre-emptive strike is a good idea, but he, Gustav, and Spitelout fly after everyone. Hiccup uses what he learned from Spitelout and the Singetails to get the dragons distracted and shoot off their flyers.
While Garff has bonded with Stormfly in No Dragon Left Behind, it is time for him to find a new home, because he’s not safe for the other dragons. Fishlegs thinks he’s found the perfect island, but it’s not as uninhabited as he thought. There are giant snake-like dragons called Slitherwings on the island, which are very poisonous. It looks like Stormfly is hit defending Garff and Astrid is desperate for the antidote, which requires Slitherwing venom. When the other Riders fail to get the venom, she punches a Slitherwing to acquire it. But the antidote is only working on Astrid, not Stormly.
Hiccup and Snotlout meanwhile, look for Garff. They find him encased in his amber. Luckily, Stormfly comes to the rescue with a new, powerful blast. Stormfly hadn’t been poisoned, she had been depressed because she couldn’t keep Garff from harm. Fishlegs finds a better island the next time.
Tuffnut goofs off during the Changewing migration in Snuffnut. Throk also comes to the Edge because he’s in love with Ruffnut and desires to take her away to be his bride. Though his idea of courtship does not match up with that the teens learned in Berk and Hiccup has to guide Astrid away before she hurts their guest. Fishlegs is left to educate Throk. Throk makes his intentions known to Ruffnut, but she turns him down when he only invites her, not Tuffnut as well. She takes her status as a twin very seriously; they’re a package deal.
Hiccup and Astrid point out to Tuffnut that Ruffnut could be giving up her own happiness with Throk to remain with Tuffnut. So, Tuffnut stages his death by Changewing. But Ruffnut still won’t leave. This Changewing will be her new brother. Throk understands a bit and tries to bond with the dragon. Hiccup and Astrid knew that Tuffnut wasn’t dead and make him show himself. Throk leaves the island alone, saying that for the good of the archipelago, he cannot split up Ruffnut and Tuffnut.
Dagur and Heather are still searching for their father in the next episode, but Dagur worries that Heather’s obsession is going to get her hurt. “As someone who’s spent most of their life in various states of existential crises,” I know meaningless. He likes having a sister and doesn’t want anything bad to happen to her. He sneaks the diary away from Heather and takes it to Hiccup. He also wants Hiccup to tell Heather that there’s nothing in the diary and to give up on the search, but Hiccup recognizes a few drawings. Oswald was on Vanaheim.
When Hiccup sees the skeleton of the dragon again on the island, he comments that it’s even larger than the Red Death (the dragon he went against at the end of the first movie). There are other dragons that he spots. They apparently hunt the aging dragons and Oswald gave them the name ‘Grim Gnashers.’ Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Dagur found Oswald’s hut, his notes, and his body (they don’t show that on screen, but we do see the stone cairn they erect.) The guys figure that Oswald ended up shipwrecked on the island and got along with the Sentinels, defending the gaining dragons on the island. He left notes for both of his children and tells Dagur in his that he’s proud of his son. Dagur admits to Hiccup that he feels guilty; he was a villain. Hiccup disputes that Dagur was a kid, albeit misunderstood, diabolical, and slightly maniacal.
The guys help drive off the Grim Gnashers and earn the Sentinels’ trust. They’re allowed to leave the island. Fishlegs takes Oswald’s research. Meanwhile, back on the edge, the other Riders have been searching for Chicken, who apparently has a secret family, with Snotlout oddly narrating the entire time. Heather is not at the Edge. Instead, she has met with Johann, who tells her he has information that Oswald is alive.
When Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Dagur find that out in Sins of the Past, they quickly fly to the Northern Market; it is obviously a trap. Heather’s contact leads her to Krogan, who captures Wind Shear. Krogan proposes a deal; he’ll give back Wind Shear if Heather hands over the Dragon Eye lens that has been on her belt this entire time. Heather agrees, for Wind Shear. But Krogan drops the cage into the ocean. Luckily, Dagur is there to rescue his sister and her dragon. They try to get the lens back, passing it between the various Riders, but Krogan does end up with the lens. And gives it to Trader Johann who SURPRISE, is a bad guy all along! He’s in search of the King of Dragons.
Each season’s villain ups the ante. Now we have Krogan who does not mind lulling his men into a false sense of security and then personally killing them. Viggo was a bit like that, but he also respects Hiccup as an adversary. Krogan does not. Krogan’s men are disposable to him. Viggo tries to advise Krogan to keep some Flyers back when they take the Edge, but Krogan senses victory and sends them all, then Hiccup pulls out a trick.
We’ve already seen Alvin and Dagur turn from adversaries to allies. Hiccup admits that Dagur was not always the best guy, but he’s changed; he’s grown. Oswald was right to be proud of his son. And I did not see the betrayal of Johann AT ALL the first time I watched the show. Now, it does color how you view him the entire time during re-watches. When do we get the clue that he can’t be trusted? This will develop more in the final season.
Astrid and Hiccup grow as a couple, as they grow up. They are the future of Berk. They learn to support each other and also learn to balance remaining close to their friends and peers and also sneaking some alone time. Their feelings for each other have developed beyond crushes; Hiccup admits that Astrid has been a part of his family for a while. Astrid lists a myriad of good qualities that Hiccup has.
All the teens are growing. Snotlout can lead the Riders decently in a fight, though Astrid and Hiccup still excel in that. Hiccup easily takes charge of any group of riders when he’s around, and everyone lets him, including Stoick. Stoick knows war, but even that is changing, though it means he still has some things to teach his son. And they’re going to butt heads at some point on how to deal with an adversary. Hiccup will always want to protect dragons, even if he recognizes that they can be harmful and there may be a line that comes when he can’t, when the safety of his people comes before saving a dragon.
It’s nice to see Snotlout learn a lesson to keep his mouth shut and not insult women. Whether it sticks or not is yet to be seen. The twins still have their moments of brilliance, amongst their crazy. And even the fact that Ruffnut is a woman is brought to attention and the idea that other guys may find her attractive and the twins may have to separate.
Hiccup’s world is expanding. He is gaining new allies and keeps coming across new information about dragons. There are Slitherwings and Grim Gnashers. The dragons’ final resting place in Vanaheim. An island of woman who take care of Razor Whips. Throk and Mala are friends to the Riders. And Hiccup continues to grow as a leader. He can spar with Astrid without immediately ducking for cover; kind of cool to watch.
We’re heading into the last season of Race to the Edge and I might actually get that up soon. More puzzle pieces fall into place.
(A side note; the writing is coming along well, as is making the tiniest dent in my TBR pile).
Dreamer in the Mirror 