History WesternAnimation / HowToTrainYourDragon2

** Dean DeBlois wasn't involved with [[WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk the TV series]] and says that he didn't take it into consideration when writing this movie, but that doesn't necessarily make it non-canon. The third season of the show will apparently bridge the gap between the two.

** According to Dean DeBlois, Drago was named after [[Film/RockyIV Ivan Drago]].

* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Ruffnet's obsession with Eret. That, and his huge biceps.

* ArentYouGoingToRavishMe: Ruffnet allows herself to get captured by the pirates [[EatingTheEyeCandy after seeing Eret.]]

** Dean Deblois wasn't involved with [[WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk the TV series]] and says that he didn't take it into consideration when writing this movie, but that doesn't necessarily make it non-canon. The third season of the show will apparently bridge the gap between the two.

* CasualDangerDialogue: This exchange between Hiccup and Astrid in the middle of a fierce battle with Draco's forces:

* DueToTheDead: [[spoiler:Stoic the Vast is given a VikingFuneral, his boat being set alight by arrows fired first by his son, and then his wife, Gobber, and others. Later at Berk a stone statue of his likeness is being carved]].

** The fact that Drago [[spoiler:possessed a Bewildered beast was foreshadowed early in the movie. First with the ice base then with various close up shots of the water under Dragon's fleet]].

* IronicEcho: [[spoiler:Hiccup attempts to tell Drago "Let me ''show'' you [that dragons are kind]" like he'd done with his tribe and father in the first film, only to get the same line thrown back at him by Drago, showing him that Toothless can be mind controlled into attacking his own best friend without mercy.]] More so tragic is the fact that Stoic had been trying to do what Hiccup had done in the previous film, The Chief was so dead center on eliminating the dragon scourge to berk that any reasoning Hiccup tried to offer fell on deaf ears till it was all too late. Here the reverse is applied when Stoic tries to convince Hiccup that talking Drago out of his mania was a bad idea.

** According to Dean Deblois, Drago was named after [[Film/RockyIV Ivan Drago]].

** A lot of riders resemble their dragons, but Hiccup and Toothless are the epitome. Both are crippled in a limb that is fixed with a prosthetic, both are smaller than their compatriots and instead fit into WeakButSkilled, and even share similar snarky, fun-loving attitudes. [[spoiler: Further solidified at the end of the movie; the scrawny Hiccup inherits the title of Chieftain from his massive father Stoic and becomes the leader of his people, while the much-smaller Toothless challenges Drago's colossal Bewilderbeast and succeeds, becoming Alpha and the leader of ''his'' people.]]

* BadassBoast: Drago, in a line meant to instill terror throughout Berk
-->[[spoiler:'''Drago:''' Your chief IS DEAD!]]

-->'''Hiccup:''' You see, we have something they don't. Oh sure, [[MillionMookMarch they have armies]], [[FlauntingYourFleets they have armadas]], but we have... our '''[[DragonRider dragons]]'''!

* FantasyCounterpartCulture: Just like ''{{Disney/Frozen}}'', the animators were inspired by Norwegian nature when creating the settings of the movie, or more specifically the island ''Svalbard''.

-->'''Astrid:''' (''with a smile'') Works every time.

-->'''Gobber''': [[LampshadeHanging [=MeeeeeeeeeeeI'mstillgoinnnnnnnng.=]]] ''(Hiccup DopeSlap)'' I'm done.

** When [[spoiler: Valka is leading Hiccup through the rocks to her nest and he follows in protest]] is very similar to a scene with Rafiki and Simba from ''Disney/TheLionKing''.

** Drago asserts his dominance over his dragons by loudly roaring at them. In the original book, the InUniverse dragon-training manual ''How To Train Your Dragon'' was just one page with the words ''"yell at it"''.
*** In the second edition of the aforementioned book, there is a significant extra bit of information - to train a dragon, you need to ''"yell at it... loudly"''.

-->'''Hiccup''': He's challenging the Alpha!
-->'''Valka''': To protect you!

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: When Stoick takes too long in his search for Hiccup, Astrid fears the worst and decides to take the other riders and rescue him from Drago. When she finds him and realizes her mistake, she tries to intimidate him by relating Hiccup's reputation; see ThreatBackfire below. However, rather than intimidate him, this just serves to enrage him and send him gunning for Berk, since his ego won't allow another dragon master to exist.

* NoodleIncident: A possible example; after Eret breaks under Astrid's HighAltitudeInterrogation, she smiles and says, "Works every time." One wonders how many times she has done this, and if any of her previous attempts involved Hiccup.
* NotBad: Cloudjumper regards Toothless this way after Toothless [[spoiler: challenges the dark Bewilderbeast and wins, becoming an Alpha himself]].

-->'''Hiccup''': Dad, there-there's something you need to know.
-->'''Stoick''': Yeah, yeah, tell me on the way.
-->'''Hiccup''': Well, this isn't an "on the way" kind of update, actually.
-->'''Stoick''': I've heard enough, Hiccup.
* NotSoDifferent: [[spoiler: Stoick and Valka. Stoick's stubborn personality is evident, and Valka, who refused to return home for twenty years because of her ideological differences with him, is hardly what you would call pliant. They both also try to dissuade Hiccup from his attempt to reason with Drago, citing the need to protect their own]].

** Gothi gets an adorable one [[spoiler: right before she gets swarmed by her terrible terrors when all the pet dragons return to their owners at the end.]]

* OhMyGods: Said verbatim by Astrid in response to Hiccup [[spoiler: explaining to her that Stoick wanted him to take up the mantle of Chief.]]

* PGExplosives: [[spoiler: When Stoick is blasted at short range by a BrainwashedAndCrazy Toothless, it kills him, but [[BloodlessCarnage doesn't otherwise do any apparent damage to his body.]]]]
* PowerGlows: [[spoiler: Toothless' nostrils, throat, and dorsal ridges started emitting a blue glow after he TookALevelInBadass.]]
* ThePowerOfFriendship: [[spoiler: Hiccup is able to use this to break Toothless free of the Bewilderbeast's mind control. To make it not cliche however, he needed a little more than that (which Hiccup provided).]]

* {{Retirony}}: Throughout the movie, [[spoiler: Stoick is trying to convince Hiccup to take his place as chief of Berk.]] Guess what happens to him.

** [[spoiler: It takes Hiccup three tries to free Toothless from the Bewilderbeast's control. Talking Toothless down failed, shouting for him when Drago ordered his army to move out failed. [[{{IKnowYoureInThereSomewhereFight}} But the next time he tries...]]]]

** The [[Main/LoveTriangle Snotlout-Ruffnut-Fishlegs]] (plus Eret) love triangle, up to and including its inversion at the end [[spoiler: where for once Ruffnut is waiting to embrace her two admirers... and they run straight past her towards their dragons.]]

* LethalChef: Valka is (or at least was) one of these, according to Gobber.
** There is a [[Main/FunnyBackgroundEvent funny background event]] in the reunion where Gobber gags on the fish Valka cooked for him and then [[Main/AllAnimalsAreDogs gives the rest of it to his dragon, Grump]].
* LikeParentLikeChild: Hiccup's [[spoiler:dragon taming abilities are shared by his mother.]], and of course, he discovered his talent for leadership from his father. Encapsulated by his mother:
---> '''Valka''': You have the heart of a chief, and the soul of a dragon.

* LineOfSightName: ''[adding a new location to his map]'' "So bud, what shall we name this?" (sees Toothless scratching himself) "'[[DeadpanSnarker Itchy Armpit' it is]]."

* BehemothBattle: The battle between Valka's and Drago's Bewilderbeests.

* {{Kaiju}}: [[spoiler: Bewilderbeasts are massive, ice-breathing Dragons. Two show up during the film- a white one that's the alpha of Valka's sanctuary, and a grey one under Drago's orders. They clash at one point, and Drago's one ends up beating Valka's one after hitting its underbelly with its tusks.]]

*** This becomes even funnier after [[spoiler: the reveal of his Targaryen parentage in season 6.]]

** Stoick on [[OhCrap hearing Drago Bludvist's name]] gets into overprotective mode for Berk, because he knows that one cannot reason with a senseless murderer. Hiccup's response? Fly to seek Drago via [[spoiler: ISurrenderSuckers with dragon trapper Eret, giving up his weapon and locking himself up in the brig, while snarking about it the whole time.]] Small wonder that Stoick went overboard with the [[spoiler: not necessary]] rescue attempt. And Hiccup ''still'' doesn't listen the second time he hears the tale.
*** We then see that Stoick is ProperlyParanoid when Drago [[spoiler: brainwashes Toothless to fire on Hiccup.]] Stoick sees this from a distance, and realizes immediately what's going on. [[spoiler: He then races down to Hiccup and Toothless to take the blow, without hesitation.]]
** In Valka's flashback, Valka dropped her peaceful attitude once she saw Cloudjumper break into her and Stoick's home, ''right where their baby son was sleeping''. [[spoiler: Granted it turned out he was peaceful]] but it's very similar to what would happen if a wild animal breaks into a house with an infant child unprotected. And Cloudjumper does scratch Hiccup on the chin, leaving a small scar.
** The fact Hiccup was born premature and probably wouldn't have survived the harsh living conditions of Berk at the time.
*** Both of these together create the ultimate Adult Fear for expectant mothers: Your baby has just beaten incredible odds surviving a premature birth...then you have to deal with trying to keep said baby alive against ''dragons''.

--->'''Valka''': Go on! Shout! Scream! ''Say something!''

* AllAnimalsAreDogs: Stormfly loves to play fetch, and at one point gets broody and curls up on [[spoiler:Eret]] like a chicken. While felines influenced much of Toothless's behavior in the first film, his puppy-dog side shines through more in this film. The crew even stated that they'd watch dog and cat videos on [=YouTube=] for inspiration.

* AllThereInTheManual: The official [[https://www.howtotrainyourdragon.com/ website]] contains all the details of the new dragons. Some highlights include: Stormcutters (Valka's Cloudjumper), Rumblehorns (Stoick's new mount; Skullcrusher), Hotburples (a sort of Great Granddaddy Gronckle, and Gobber's Grump), Hobblegrunts, and of course, the Bewilderbeasts [[spoiler:a.k.a. the Alpha Dragons.]]
** The website also states that the Deadly Nadder, once considered a Sharp Class dragon, is now considered a Tracker Class.

** Cloudjumper has features resembling an owl, as well as turning his head all the way round. He also displays some of the owl's imagery of wisdom, being second in command to the Bewilderbeast and displaying a gentle curiosity to the baby Hiccup.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: [[spoiler: Toothless becomes the Alpha dragon after inciting the entire flock of dragons to lay a brutal beatdown on Drago's Alpha.]]

** [[spoiler: Hiccup and company ride the Glacial Sanctuary's baby dragons back to Berk. The Dark Alpha can't command them because [[DisabilityImmunity they're too young to understand]] and they're undoubtedly cute.]]

--> [[spoiler: "Your chief IS DEAD!"]]

--> ''You see, we have something they don't. Oh sure, [[MillionMookMarch they have armies]], [[FlauntingYourFleets they have armadas]], but we have... our '''[[DragonRider dragons]]'''!''

** Also happens when Toothless falls through the ice and can't scramble out on his own.

-->''You're as beautiful as the day I lost you.''

-->'''Eret''': If we don't turn up with dragons and fast--''(Astrid's dragon Stormfly snatches Eret off his ship)'' YEAGGH!
-->'''Astrid''': Careful what you wish for.

-->'''Hiccup''': Now do you see? This is what it means to win a dragon's loyalty! Let this end now!\\
'''Drago''': [[VillainousBreakdown NEVER!]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Drago has been stopped, Hiccup has become chief of Berk, Toothless the Alpha of the dragons and Valka has returned to her son's life. But Stoick and the benevolent Bewilderbeast have been killed and Drago is alive and still has his Bewilderbeast.]]

** Standard, but reaches big levels when [[spoiler: Drago's Bewilderbeast kills Valka's by goring him to death. There's not a drop of red on those massive tusks once he pulls away from the body]].

* BondVillainStupidity: Occurs [[spoiler: after Stoick's death]]. Drago has all of the dragons under his control and the heroes are [[spoiler: mourning Stoick]]. Instead of taking the opportunity to kill them all, he instead tells his army to meet him at Berk and leaves.
* {{Bookends}}:

-->"You ''know'' that doesn't wash out!"
** In a ContinuityNod to the first movie, Hiccup begins and ends the movie with a "This is Berk...We have Dragons" speech.
*** A more subtle one is Stoick the Vast's [[spoiler: introduction and death.]] We see him in the first movie [[EstablishingCharacterMoment pulling Hiccup out of danger and yelling at him to stay inside]], and taking on a Monstrous Nightmare to protect his son. Stoick's [[spoiler: last action]] in the film is to get between a dragon ([[spoiler:hypnotized Toothless]]) and his son before [[spoiler: Toothless can fire a fatal blow on Hiccup.]]

-->'''Hiccup''': It's not every day that you find out your mother is some kind of crazy, feral, vigilante dragon lady!\\
'''Valka''': Well, at least I'm not boring, right?

** [[spoiler: Just like the first movie, prior to the climax, Hiccup is found contemplating the next course of action while standing at a high point, looking out at the horizon. The first time, it is over his actions leading his father and father's men to what was, undoubtedly, their deaths. This time, however... it is over the death of Stoick and the loss of their dragons to Drago's Alpha, who leads his dragon army to destroy Berk. But just like the first movie, it is also when Hiccup is convinced by an ally that all is not lost, and he is inspired into action.]]

-->'''Astrid''': Where have you been?\\
'''Hiccup''': Oh y'know, catching up with mom. (points to Valka, in full armor, standing atop Cloudjumper, behind whom the Alpha is rising)\\
'''Astrid''': (amazed): That's your mother?\\
'''Hiccup''': Well, now you know where I get my dramatic flair.

** Hiccup's helmet only exists [[spoiler: to allow Stoick to track Hiccup back to Valka's location.]]

** Hiccup has created a gliding suit so he can fly alongside Toothless, though Toothless hasn't mastered keeping pace with and then catching Hiccup, resulting in crash-landings. [[spoiler: He finally makes the catch during the final battle.]]
** Hiccup learns that all dragons obey the Alpha, except for the baby dragons who listen to no one. [[spoiler: This leaves Hiccup and company with a group of dragons to ride back to Berk when Drago's Alpha forces the loyalty of all of the others.]]

* CirclingMonologue: After the fight at the dragon cave Bludvist does some EvilGloating while circling around Hiccup.

** On one occasion after being knocked down, Fishlegs quickly shouts out "I'm okay!", as he had done in the first movie after a crash landing on Meatlug.

** Hiccup and Toothless nearly hit the Alpha's tail, as they did in the last movie with the Red Death's tail. Hiccup even says "Oh, not again".

** The first film ended on TheBigDamnKiss just before Hiccup's closing monologue, as does this one - only this time, [[CharacterDevelopment Hiccup turns the tables on Astrid.]] She doesn't seem to mind.
** "I did this": Hiccup and Stoick say this in HTTYD to express their guilt that their actions led to someone getting hurt. [[spoiler: After Toothless breaks the mind control and sees Stoick's dead body, he stays absolutely still for a moment and just ''looks'' at him, realizing what happened. There may not be words, but they are not necessary: facial expressions and body language just scream guilt and horror. ''"I did this"'']]
** A minor one; [[http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/36800000/Astrid-and-Stormfly-how-to-train-your-dragon-36830496-1095-617.jpg the warpaint Astrid and Stormfly sported in the Dragon Races]] at the start of the movie matches the colors of [[http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/10800000/h-a-hiccup-and-astrid-10894949-636-359.jpg the shield Astrid carried during Dragon Training class in HTTYD.]]

** In the finale, the theme was a reprisal of the first movie's song "Counter-Attack." [[spoiler:Only the parties were reversed: This time, the counterattacking party was Toothless and the dragon flock against the Dark Alpha!]]

-->'''HTTYD''': The food that grows here is tough and tasteless. The people that grow here, even more so.
-->'''HTTYD 2''': Those who attacked us, are relentless and crazy, but those who stopped them, oh, even more so!
---->''Also:''
-->'''HTTYD''': Where other places may have ponies or parrots, we have...dragons!
-->'''HTTYD 2''': Oh sure, they have armies, and they have armadas, but we, we have...OUR DRAGONS!

** Astrid is about to finish an insult with "Steaming pile of dragon..." only to be interrupted with [[spoiler: Eret's]] "...duck!"
** Later in the film, Hiccup announces his plan is to "Get our dragons back and kick Drago's ..." only to be interrupted by a giant ice floe.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Stoick realizes that Drago cannot be reasoned with and immediately tries to prepare for a war he knows will be coming. Meanwhile, Hiccup believes that everyone can be reasoned with and tries to force his idea for a diplomatic approach despite the evidence that Drago is a madman. This is essentially how groups debate about how to handle terrorists and extremists.
** Likewise, Drago creating an army [[spoiler:by turning innocent dragons BrainwashedAndCrazy, having them commit murder under his command and Hiccup attempting to make Toothless come to his senses by telling him "It wasn't your fault. They made you do it." sounds like the manner in which some terrorists create [[ChildSoldier Child Soldiers]] under their wing.]]

* DoYouTrustMe: Outright stated by Hiccup to Toothless [[spoiler: at the climax, shortly before blindfolding Toothless mid-air to help negate the mind-control abilities of Drago's Bewilderbeast.]]

* EasilyForgiven: [[spoiler: Nobody really seems to have a moral problem with Valka's refusal to return home for twenty years because of her stubborn ideological disagreement with her husband. The movie also ignores that a not-insignificant portion of the dragon wars as depicted in the first film involved raids on the Vikings' sheep, which meant her attempts to prevent Stoick from action likely threatened the whole tribe's resources and livelihood]]. Of course, since [[spoiler:the first film proved the dragons ''could'' be befriended, Valka did ultimately turn out to be right in said ideological disagreement.]] [[spoiler: Stoick and Hiccup both don't mind chiefly because they thought she was ''dead'', and were just happy she was alive.]]
** Though considering that Hiccup forgave his tribe for all the crap they've given him for years, being [[EasilyForgiven Easily Forgiven]] is probably a running gag in the films.
*** Eret was willing to help Drago trap and enslave dragons, but once he completed his HeelFaceTurn and joined the battle riding with Astrid on Stormfly, Hiccup cheerfully announced, "Welcome aboard, Dragon Rider."
** Averted with [[spoiler:Toothless killing Stoick]].

'''Character tropes (humans & dragons) go on to the respective [[Characters/HowToTrainYourDragonFilms Character Sheets]].'''

[[folder:#-F]]

[[folder:G-L]]

[[folder:M-R]]
* MachiavelliWasWrong: Drago tames dragons through intimidation and [[spoiler: his control of an Alpha Dragon]]. Hiccup tames them through showing them kindness and showing them how similar they are. Guess who wins?

[[folder:S-Y]]

* SavedForTheSequel: [[spoiler: Drago dives into the ocean along with his (still alive) Alpha after being defeated, neither ever to be seen again. As Hiccup makes indirect reference to Drago as someone who continues to threaten Berk in his final speech, it's apparent that this was meant to be a hint to them returning in a future installment.]]
** As of the [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragonTheHiddenWorld third film]], however, [[spoiler:Drago]] has been written out and passed off by his allies as having been "defeated."

->''I’ll swim and sail on savage seas''
->''with ne'er a fear of drowning...''
->''And gladly ride the waves of life''
->''if you will marry me...''

** Hiccup's flaming sword brings to mind a certain [[WesternAnimation/ThundarrTheBarbarian barbarian]] or [[Franchise/StarWars a galaxy far far away]].

** Hiccup's flaming sword brings to mind a certain [[WesternAnimation/ThundarrTheBarbarian barbarian]] or [[Film/StarWars a galaxy far far away]].

* ContinuitySnarl: In the first film, Stoic showed Hiccup a gigantic breastplate, claiming it belonged to his mother. Valka could ''lie down'' in that thing.

** The way Drago makes Hookfang cower is also similar to how a animal trainer can aggressively dominate a potentially aggressive animal. Drago is basically an abusive circus trainer in terms of how he deals with the dragons.

** The way Drago makes Hookfang cower is also similar to how a dog trainer can aggressively dominate a potentially violent dog. Drago is basically the Cesar Milan of the HTTYD world in terms of how he deals with the dragons.

** "I did this": Hiccup and Stoick say this in HTTYD to expess their guilt that their actions led to someone getting hurt. [[spoiler: After Toothless breaks the mind control and sees Stoick's dead body, he stays absolutely still for a moment and just ''looks'' at him, realizing what happened. There may not be words, but they are not necessary: facial expressions and body language just scream guilt and horror. ''"I did this"'']]

** Hiccup's imitation of his father's accent makes a return, with Astrid immitating ''him''.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Stoick realizes that Drago cannot be reasoned with and immediately tries to prepare for a war he knows will be coming. Meanwhile, Hiccup believes that everyone can be reasoned with and tries to force his idea for a diplomatic approach despite the evidence that Drago is a madman. This is essentially how groups debate about how to handle terrorist and extremists.

* {{Expy}}: Hiccup's sword is a flaming lightsaber. It doesn't even have a solid blade - it's just a sharp, collapsible frame which folds out from the hilt.

* FreezeFrameBonus: When he hears his masked, fully-armored ArchEnemy speak for the first time, Drago briefly raises an eyebrow and softly goes, "Unh..." when the voice reveals it's a woman; it's quick, but enough to show he wasn't quite expecting that.

* FunnyBackgroundEvent: Any time Hiccup is in foreground with some other character, it's worth keeping an eye on Toothless in the background.

* {{Kaiju}}: [[spoiler: Bewilderbeasts are massive, ice breathing Dragons. Two show up during the film- a white one that's the alpha of Valka's sanctuary, and a grey one under Drago's orders. They clash at one point, and Drago's one ends up beating Valka's one after hitting it's underbelly with it's tusks.]]

* NeverTrustATrailer: The second trailer had Valka ominously telling Hiccup how vast her knowledge of dragons are compared to his during their first encounter. In the movie, it's an altered, cheerful line she gives him while the two are bonding.

** A lot of riders resemble their dragons, but Hiccup and Toothless are the epitome. Both are crippled in a limb which is fixed with a prosthetic, both are smaller than their compatriots and instead fit into WeakButSkilled, and even share similar snarky, fun-loving attitudes. [[spoiler: Further solidified at the end of the movie; the scrawny Hiccup inherits the title of Chieftain from his massive father Stoic and becomes the leader of his people, while the much-smaller Toothless challenges Drago's colossal Bewilderbeast and succeeds, becoming Alpha and the leader of ''his'' people.]]

* ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer: Hiccup believes that Drago will see reason and call off the attack if he can just be talked to; Stoick counters that a man who kills without a reason ''cannot'' be reasoned with and war is just want Drago wants. It turns out Stoick is right.

* BigDamnKiss: Hiccup and Astrid.

-->'''Hiccup''': Now do you see? This is what it means to win a dragon's loyalty! Let this end now!
-->'''Drago''': [[VillainousBreakdown NEVER!]]

** The first film ended on a BigDamnKiss just before Hiccup's closing monologue, as does this one - only this time, [[CharacterDevelopment Hiccup turns the tables on Astrid.]] She doesn't seem to mind.

* HeldGaze: Astrid and Hiccup share one right after coming out of their BigDamnKiss at the end of the film, and is very short due to Gothi's interrupting of it. The gaze Hiccup and Astrid share is one filled with love for each other.

* LastSecondWordSwap: "Oh, you son of an Eret."

* LastSecondWordSwap: "Oh, you [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar son of an Eret.]]"

* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler:Stoick]] jumps in front of Hiccup to protect him from Toothless' blast.

* ThePowerOfFriendship: [[spoiler: Hiccup is able to use this to break Toothless free of the Bewilderbeast's mind control.]]

* ExtremelyShortTimespan: The entirety of the film takes place between one or two days.

-->[[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming ''You're as beautiful as the day I lost you.'']]

* RousseauWasRight: {{Not}}! Hiccup believes that people can change for the better. [[spoiler:Drago proves him wrong.]]

* MissingMom: Hiccup finally averts this[[spoiler:, but later on, unfortunately, will suffer from the [[DisappearedDad inversion]].]]