EP120 "We Are Family II" (SPOILERS ABOUND)

[TheCube]

Yes, you heard that right. There is simply no way to discuss this episode without bringing up spoiler-worthy points, explicit or implicit, and considering this is the season finale... We should talk about the ending.

First of all, some movie soundtracks are back! Just in my first viewing I spotted "Astrid Goes for a Spin" (the gigue part), "Not So Fireproof" (introduction) and the ending is very similar to how the movie ends with the "Test Drive" theme (albeit in a different key). "NSF" especially I thought was cleverly used, although in a very different context. More like, "not so dragon-proof," ha, ha, ha, ha. *slaps oneself*

It seems like they upped the rendering a bit, too, which I appreciated.

But focusing on the plot itself, I feel like the ending was a bit cheap, although I see why they decided to end on such a precarious note. Instead of completely closing an arc, it rather ends with the beginning of a new arc . And dammit, now I can't wait for the 2nd season.

There is heavy level of double-double-double agent going on. Seriously, I felt at times like I was watching that terrible 2008 Indiana Jones film. But in the end, yes, Mildew IS evil. Myself, I'm kinda glad that he hasn't really changed (at least personality-wise), but why team with the Outcasts?

[killjoy]

It was way to predictable in my mind. I guessed everything correct from the begining to end.

[TheCube]

Mar 21, 2013 15:03:42 GMT -5 killjoy said:

It was way to predictable in my mind. I guessed everything correct from the begining to end.

I mean, the cliffhanger at the end of Part I was FAR away from Berk's normalcy as it could be. This episode I thought served more as a setup for the next season. Although, I think the dramatic irony of Berkians technically not knowing Mildew's multifold-deception due to his presumed death/imprisonment is a clever way to leave some uncertainty for Berk even after finishing the story.

[Berk]

This is true. Personally, I thought the final episode was done masterfully. You had a lot of good things in there. The Alvin/Mildew plot was amazingly fiendish and worked perfectly. Pretend to be victimized and help Hiccup escape so that he'll teach Mildew dragon training, because by now they've realized he'll never actually teach it to the Outcasts himself. And they did great portraying it.

The dragons, of course, performed wonderfully. Not only was the saving him at the end an awesome culmination of "training", but Toothless's own performance on the Island (as well as the Nadder) was top-notch. His escape was brilliant, and I have to laugh at his exit scene when neither guard dared stop him.

Hiccup as well performed amazingly, and let us not forget the other Berkans for tracking him and rescuing him. Hiccup with his leg off was a first.

One thing I'm still pondering is Trader Johann. Johann has always struck me as a... shady character. I dunno. He just has that shady salesman personality. And the last episode, that he trades with the Outcasts as freely as Berk, sort of confirms that for me. However, he does redeem himself of course by aiding in the rescue (which would hurt him businesswise). Though I don't know whether he helped because he wanted to be good or because a bunch of dragons and powerful vikings surrounded him... Eh... I think he's good at heart but... I have my eye on him...

It also seems like we're being set up for a situation where we are going to seemingly have some very blatant "good" and "bad" dragon sides. This was sort of Signified by Alvin with the Whispering Death (although it is not the same one as Toothless' foe, that episode has sort of set up the Whispering Death as the Night Fury mortal enemy)


We shall see. I greatly enjoyed it. The HTTYD saga continues in my mind to be one of those great stories.

I really need to write the creators (plus several other creators, and possibly the pope. I have so much backlogged).

[sairen]

Trader Johann always seems like a neutral character to me. He was a salesman. That's what he did. If people want something, he'd get it. There's no real malice behind it. They pay, he delivers.

But I think he WAS siding with the Berkians here genuinely. I imagine he was conflicted, since yes, he did lose some business. However, it's a minor loss compared to losing ALL of his business.

Which he almost did.

In Breakneck Bog.

But who helped him, and thus who does he owe his whole livelihood to? All out of the goodness of their hearts too.

[conay]

An amazing end to an amazing series. I really can't wait for the next series.

The ending was slightly predictable, but the plot behind it was fantastic.

Now all we need is for it to air on CN UK.

[Berk]

I'll support that.

I didn't suspect the Mildew betrayal. As for the ending, I suppose it was predictable in that Alvin needs to train dragons for their to be a fight. But, alas, that was a bit of an inevitability.

Just like in the end of the entire HTTYD franchise, I expect Hiccup to become chief. No idea how he's going to get there, or what will happen along the way, But I expect that's how it will all play out. But now, to the ride. For it is the life, and the character, of the people of Berk, and our heroes especially, that I love.

[Berk]

By the way, another point I just thought of.

Looking at those fake Night Fury pages... Mildew has some really impressive drawing skills, doesn't he?

Or at least some random Outcast. But still. It's suprising.

[TheCube]

Well, especially considering that Mildew's technically done an amazing forgery of the sketching style... (It would have been amazingly hilarious if someone broke the Fourth wall and made a remark about how everyone's drawing has a similar style... You know, because there are only a few artists in the studio).

But many people in HTTYD world seem to be at least proficient drawers. Hiccup can sketch the entirety of Toothless's body in a few glances, and can design a prosthetic tail that matches his tail almost perfectly (of course he has amazing observational skills, but that's besides the point), so I'm guessing the art of drawing is actually quite commonplace in a world where there are no photographs.

[Berk]

True, but I'd expect many to have a much cruder style.

Alvin, for instance. I'd never expect his drawings to be anything more than crude and sharp.

[sannom]

I really, really liked that two-parter of a finale. Nice plot, nice plan from the villain, and I feel like a lot of things from earlier episodes were referenced indirectly in the episode.

Alvin learned from the Heather fiasco and this time used a willing agent. Another consequence of the failed infiltration by Heather is that Mildew couldn't be too forward in his desire to learn about dragons, and that Alvin would rather have Berk not know about the traitor, since they retaliated quickly and efficiently the last time.

Hiccup and Alvin's interactions had a pattern of Hiccup and Toothless being separated and Hiccup being in big trouble until he could rejoin his dragon. So hey, third time's the charm, hey? Yeah, not so much.

One of the surprises in that episode was Mildew. With his character being focused on taking Berk back to a statu quo which wasn't exactly great for him either, I expected him to fade into obscurity once Alvin learned to train dragons. But no, he becomes the evil counterpart to Hiccup, an outcast who made a place for himself through the art of training dragons. I expect more from him and Fungus in the next season. I wouldn't be surprised if that sheep was sent undercover at one point.

[Berk]

Is Fungus indistinguishable from a normal sheep? Or is he easily identifiable? I wonder....

Anyways, I think the real genius was that Alvin realized that he had absolutely no chance whatsoever of getting Hiccup to trainhis dragons, no matter what he did. To an extent, he may have realized that hed never be able to keep Hiccup prisoner without either he escaping or his friends rescuing him. therefore the only way to get the knowledge was to trick him out of it...

Enter Mildew. still dont get his motives


...we have such cheesy episode names.

[TheCube]

I just wrote something about Mildew for another thread so I'll link it here: howtotrainyourdragon.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=characters&thread=995&page=2

I wrote it while I was half-asleep but my point is that Mildew's true exigence doesn't seem to be the dragons but rather Hiccup himself. Hiccup's everything that he could have been if he got the lucky chance. He was the right person at the wrong time. The way he turns to the Outcasts, the way he seemingly tolerates dragons... It all feels like Mildew willing to go farther and farther to destroy Hiccup.

But then again, I could be doing the same thing as claiming that Tolkien's LoTR is allegorical.

[Berk]

Who truly knows?

And honestly, Id think wed need to find out more about Mildew as a character.

Which I suspect we shall. 2nd Season a go!

...man, we need more HTTYD/ROB discussion

[buckmana]

I thought it was a nice ending to the season.

It was interesting to see Toothless outwitting the Outcasts.
And that scene where the Outcast who was knocked out earlier regains consciousness just in time to see Toothless stalking him was fun!
Not to mention Toothless' tail slap rebuke of the Outcasts who had been holding him prisoner.

I also liked that it showed Toothless can track by scent if he needs to.

I am wondering about the Whispering Death shown in the episode.
I'm assuming that's not the one Toothless is feuding with, but still, given that he's not fond of them, it would not be wise to claim one as your dragon.
Also, they can only come out on cloudy days or at night, due to a weakness to sunlight (it hurts their eyes).

I did like to see Astrid fighting with the Outcasts, that was a nice action sequence.
And it was amusing to see Fishlegs beat up an Outcast, then ask if it was wrong that it was fun to do that.


Although I don't think trusting Mildew was a good idea.
Like Hiccup says, he will regret doing it, although he hasn't discovered how much yet.

I would have left him to rot in the cell no matter what, because he's just not trustworthy.
As shown by him defecting to the Outcasts.

I do find it odd he becomes a Dragon Trainer when he hates them.
But maybe he feels like he's putting dragons in their place by exerting a level of control over them.