History YMMV / HowToTrainYourDragon2

* HilariousInHindsight: KitHarrington's roll in this movie is rather amusing considering a rather well known [[spoiler: and ultimately confirmed]] fan theory that his character in GameOfThrones is actually related by blood to THAT setting's dragon riders.

* FamilyUnfriendlyAesop: Some people are just so evil or crazy or rotten to the core that they cannot be negotiated or reasoned with, so fighting them is the only option. This is a specially hard pill to swallow if you are a pacifist who thinks violence only generates more violence.

* BaseBreaker: Valka. Some fans love her for being a badass ActionMom, others can't overlook the fact that she abandoned her son and husband.

* BadassDecay: Anyone who knows and loves Toothless' design and personality, knows he is meant to embody ''many different animals'', their behaviors and their varying attributes. Someone in production however, realized Toothless' untapped marketability, [[ExecutiveMeddling and so sought a more "kid-friendly" mascot dragon]]. Toothless now continually behaves... [[ABoyAndHisX more like a dog]]... as opposed to a bat, panther or cat as he did before. While this can result in some utterly adorable scenes with Hiccup, the Night Fury has lost some defining traits within transition to the sequel.

* HarsherInHindsight: ''Every'' scene with [[spoiler:Stoick and Valka, being that they only get to see each other again for about a couple hours at most.]]

* HellIsThatNoise: Drago's primal scream to summon his Bewilderbeast.

* MoralEventHorizon: If Drago hadn't crossed it before, he ''soars'' over it when he [[spoiler: hypnotizes Toothless to kill his own loyal master. When Stoick [[TakingTheBullet takes the blast instead]], Drago simply scoffs in satisfaction]].

* ContestedSequel: Fans and critics can't seem to agree over which film is the superior one between this and the first. On one hand, those who prefer the first film argues that it has a "more charm", and reliance on ShowDontTell moments, while supporters of this film prefer it for being DarkerAndEdgier - having a more mature and realistic story, with more action sequences and heavier consequences. A third group value the films equally for their different strengths.

* AngstAversion: For fans of Hiccup and Toothless' friendship in particular, this is a ''really'' sad film to watch, [[spoiler:thanks to the scene where Toothless is mind controlled into killing Hiccup, and would have ''succeeded'' if not for his father TakingTheBullet.]]

* BrokenBase: Over the subplot of the LoveTriangle with Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Snotlout as to whether it's hilarious or a RomanticPlotTumor.

* BaseBreaker: Valka. Some fans love her for being a badass ActionMom, others can't overlook the fact that she abandonned her son and husband.

** As [[http://thedissolve.com/features/exposition/618-were-losing-all-our-strong-female-characters-to-tr/ this review]] points out, Valka starts off as a well-developed character who, unfortunately, has her own personal character arc pushed to the background in the third in favour of Hiccup's own. This may or may not have been the result of major script changes that had Valka as the primary antagonist, originally. [[http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/how-to-train-your-dragon-2-is-feminist/ A rebuttal editorial]] argues that the movie does in fact revolve around her actions, in the sense that none of the characters would be where they are if it weren't for her.

* WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds: Drago's enslaved Bewilderbeast. According to the [[TheWikiRule HTTYD Wiki]], it was constantly abused by its "master" until it became nothing more than a war machine filled with misery and rage. In the production designer's words, it was "like those zoo and circus animals that are tortured and forced to perform". Or an abused pit-bull that's been turned into a vicious attack dog.

* ContestedSequel: Fans and critics can't seem to agree over which film is the superior one between this and the first. On one hand, those who prefer the first film argues that it has a tighter script, "more charm", and reliance on ShowDontTell moments, while supporters of this film prefers it for being DarkerAndEdgier - having a more mature and realistic story, with more action sequences and heavier consequences. A third group value the films equally for their different strengths.

* ContestedSequel: Fans and critics can't seem to agree over which film is the superior one between this and the first. On one hand, those who prefer the first film argues that it has a tighter script, "more charm", and reliance on ShowDontTell moments, while supporters of this film prefers it for being DarkerAndEdgier and with more action sequences. A third group value the films equally for their different strengths.

* ContestedSequel: Fans and critics can't seem to agree over which film is the superior one between this and the first. On one hand, those who prefer the first film argues that it has "more charm" and reliance on ShowDontTell moments, while supporters of this film prefers it for being DarkerAndEdgier and with more action sequences. A third group value the films equally for their different strengths.

* FamilyUnfriendlyAesop: Some people are just so evil or crazy or rotten to the core that they cannot be negotiated or reasoned with, so fighting them is the only option.

* NightmareRetardant: Some viewers finds a lot about Drago to be narmy either thanks to his voice (which sounds like Animal from ''Series/TheMuppetShow'') and/or his screaming and flailing when commanding the dragons. Also, the sight of [[spoiler:him riding Toothless is considered either a heartbreaking sight, seeing the little dragon being dominated and ridden by such a huge man, while others finds that precisely because the two nearly equal each other in size, it comes off looking hilarious instead.]]

* TheProblemWithLicensedGames: Okay developers, you want to make a game about [[ABoyAndHisX a young man and his flying dragon]] in a Viking village where dragons and viking are living together. So, are you going to make a cool flight simulator with dragons, or an action game? No? So, what are you guys making? Why, [[''VideoGame/{{Superman64}}'' a game about flying through rings]] of course.

** It's okay to let a large, angry, proven carnivore near your infant son, and then run off with it to play with them, leaving said son and husband behind with nary a word, leaving psychological scars on both of them.

* {{Jossed}}: There was a popular belief going on for a while that Toothless would [[SamusIsAGirl turn out to be female]]. If [[spoiler:Valka's]] 20 years of extensive dragon knowledge are to be trusted however, she confirms in the film that he indeed is male.

** Hiccup's mom Valka: Kind-hearted individual who felt that dragons were peaceful, and wished to help them? Or a careless person who simply abandoned her family, ignoring how they were probably mourning her so she could play Jane Goodall to the dragons?

* ContestedSequel: Fans and critics can't seem to agree over which film is the superior one between this and the first. On one hand, those who prefer the first film argues that it has "more charm" and reliance on ShowDontTell moments, while supporters of this film prefers it for being DarkerAndEdgier and with more action sequences. Some value the films equally for their different strengths.

** There are some fans that prefer Astrid’s design in the first film to her five-year-older one, feeling there was less emphasis on her looking badass in favour of making her “more pretty.”

** There are some fans that prefer Astrid’s design in the first film to her five-year-older one, feeling there was less emphasize on her looking badass in favour of making her “more pretty.”

* AwardSnub: Was not nominated for the Best Animated Feature BAFTA, and lost the Best Animated Feature Oscar to Disney/BigHero6.

* ContestedSequel: Fans and critics can't seem to agree over which film is the superior one between this and the first. On one hand, supporters of the first film argues that it has "more charm" and reliance on ShowDontTell moments, while supporters of this film prefers it for being DarkerAndEdgier and with more action sequences. Some value the films equally for their different strengths.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh_doTIrFRo "Where No One Goes"]], a remake of the flying theme from the first film, with lyrics!
** John Powell has created yet another gorgeous flying theme with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asjzZ0-Zk8Y "Flying with Mother"]].
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_IkX-Tyyy4 "Hiccup confronts Drago"]]. It doesn't start out as much, but then the bagpipes strikes at about halfway in and easily sends chills down the spine at the epic, yet ominous composition that keep intensifying throughout it. It's even more chilling to listen to when you're aware of [[TearJerker the context...]]
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY49xEQGqMw "Stoick's ship"]]. If there was ever a score perfect for accompanying a [[spoiler: VikingFuneral]], this would be the one.
** There's a theme repeated throughout the film in every sad moment involving Toothless. It can be heard towards the end of "Toothless lost" and the beginning of "Stoick saves Hiccup" and "Toothless found", with various instruments and an occasional choir. Find them, listen to them and try to hold back the tears.
*** Really, the entire score is one giant ongoing epic melody of awesome. It's at the top a number of people's best of the 2010s so far list.